German defences · Reference 1120
The beach obstacles at Vierville
English reading guide
About this dossier
Plans and photographs document the successive rows of gates, timber obstacles and steel hedgehogs placed on the tidal beach in front of Vierville. The text explains their approximate positions, construction and the mines attached to some obstacles. It distinguishes the different types rather than treating the beach as a continuous barrier. The material helps readers understand the task assigned to demolition teams and the danger created by rising water during the landings.
This English guide introduces the dossier. Yves Cordelle’s archival text, quotations and captions are preserved in the linked French edition, including any original-language passages. The guide does not replace the original document or resolve its uncertainties.
Read the French edition →Consult the original archive
The full text, detailed image captions, maps and source references are available in the French edition. Quotations, witness recollections and historical uncertainties remain attached to that original record.
Les obstacles sur la plage de Vierville
Open the original dossier in French →Original site reference: 1120-ObstaclesPlage.html. About the collection and its preservation.