A part of France will forever be British in eternal thanks for soldiers' D-Day heroics

A part of France will forever be British in eternal thanks for soldiers' D-Day heroicsEXCLUSIVE: Arlette Gondre was just four when British troops liberated her and her family from the Nazis. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Giles Sheldrick 07:00, Fri, Jun 5, 2026 Madame Arlette Gondre outside Pegasus Bridge Café (Image: JONATHAN BUCKMASTER)The quiet commune of Bénouville in north west France has become one of the most sacred sites of the Second World War.It was the scene of the first - and arguably the most vital - battle of D-Day when British airborne troops landed near a bridge over the Caen Canal in three Horsa gliders and captured it from the Germans. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTThe swift, dramatic, and daring attack by the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry came hours before seaborne forces invaded nearby beaches marking the start of the push to liberate Nazi-held Europe.The original 1934 bascule bridge was later renamed Pegasus Bridge by the Royal Engineers in tribute to British airborne forces whose insignia featured Pegasus, the mythical winged horse.It is now one of the most sacrosanct locations in Normandy, a slice of which will forever be British, and means more to one woman than anything else. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTMadame Arlette Gondre outside Pegasus Bridge Café in 1997 (Image: JONATHAN BUCKMASTER) Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy PolicyArlette Gondree, 86, was just four in 1944, but can vividly recall the moment British soldiers arrived at her family’s cafe as she cowered with her mother and sister in the baseme...