At the top of Mont-Canisy, in the commune of Bénerville, the Germans installed a large battery on the site of a former French fortification. Protected by a formidable ring of defences, it originally comprised six French 155-mm guns, installed in concrete pits. Just before D-Day, three of these were transferred to casemates built into the hillside.

Underneath the hill, the Germans dug a vast network of underground galleries, together with stores and shelters for the garrison. These have since been restored by a team of volunteers and are now open to the public.

On D-Day, the guns in the casemates were put out of action by salvoes fired from the battleship Ramillies. The others, hidden in thickets and frequently moved around to avoid detection, continued to fire on the British troops positioned between the Orne and the Dives for several more weeks.