Location of the Brecourt (Normandy, France) WW2 Howitzer battery using a geoforensic search strategy.

Alastair Ruffell; G.D. Wach; Grant D  Wach

doi:10.1080/15740773.2018.1583480

Location of the Brecourt (Normandy, France) WW2 Howitzer battery using a geoforensic search strategy.

Alastair Ruffell, G.D. Wach, Grant D Wach

School of Natural and Built Environment

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Abstract

The assault on D-day by Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Corps on a German howitzer battery at Brecourt Manor (Normandy) that was firing upon Utah Beach is a famous action of World War 2. Understanding the firefight and disablement of the guns depends on where the four howitzers and crew were located. Three of the locations are unequivocal, with post-WW2 accounts and the search described here in agreement. One Howitzer position (the northernmost of the four) remains in contention, with two different positions described. A geoforensic search strategy (desktop study, geophysics, excavation) was deployed that shows strong evidence for the location of the debated fourth gun, together with aerial photographic and military tactical evidence for why this fourth Howitzer was moved to a second location close to D-day.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Conflict Archaeology
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/15740773.2018.1583480
Publication status	Published - 01 Mar 2019

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Location of the Brecourt (Normandy, France) WW2 Howitzer battery using a geoforensic search strategy.
Copyright 2019 Taylor and Francis. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
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abstract = "The assault on D-day by Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Corps on a German howitzer battery at Brecourt Manor (Normandy) that was firing upon Utah Beach is a famous action of World War 2. Understanding the firefight and disablement of the guns depends on where the four howitzers and crew were located. Three of the locations are unequivocal, with post-WW2 accounts and the search described here in agreement. One Howitzer position (the northernmost of the four) remains in contention, with two different positions described. A geoforensic search strategy (desktop study, geophysics, excavation) was deployed that shows strong evidence for the location of the debated fourth gun, together with aerial photographic and military tactical evidence for why this fourth Howitzer was moved to a second location close to D-day.",

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AB - The assault on D-day by Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Corps on a German howitzer battery at Brecourt Manor (Normandy) that was firing upon Utah Beach is a famous action of World War 2. Understanding the firefight and disablement of the guns depends on where the four howitzers and crew were located. Three of the locations are unequivocal, with post-WW2 accounts and the search described here in agreement. One Howitzer position (the northernmost of the four) remains in contention, with two different positions described. A geoforensic search strategy (desktop study, geophysics, excavation) was deployed that shows strong evidence for the location of the debated fourth gun, together with aerial photographic and military tactical evidence for why this fourth Howitzer was moved to a second location close to D-day.

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Location of the Brecourt (Normandy, France) WW2 Howitzer battery using a geoforensic search strategy.

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