The Madeleine
Battery, near the village of Saint-Martin-de-Varreville, comprised four
Russian 122-mm guns mounted on wheels and placed on platforms while
their casemates were being built.
Because of the
threat they posed to the Americans, who were due to land on
Utah Beach,
the Madeleine Battery was copiously bombed in the spring of 1944. This
prevented the completion of the building work, demoralized the garrison
and forced the Germans to move their guns inland.
What remained
of the position was captured in the night of June 5th-6th
by a detachment of paratroops from the 101st Airborne
Division.
For this reason, the Madeleine Battery did not play any role on D-Day.
