Another superb documentary from the Battlefield History TV team, focusing on the impressive performance of the 6th Fallschirmjaeger Regiment in Normandy. It begins by examining the formation of Germany's airborne troops and their experience in Crete, Russia and Italy, paying close attention to their highly capable and chivalrous commander, whose impact on their training cannot be understated. The movements of the Regiment on D-Day are superbly described, from the unsuccessful counter-attack against the 101st Airborne Division to the disastrous withdrawal to St Come du Mont where one battalion was destroyed. Driven back to Carentan, a pivotal town dominating the flooded ground between the Omaha and Utah beaches, the heavily outnumbered paratroopers fought a series of skilful and brutal engagements which imposed a serious delay on the American advance. Surrounded and out of ammunition, the "Lions of Carentan" were eventually compelled to break out and take their place in the front line, fighting a number of brilliant defensive and counter-attacking actions until, the German front line being broken to their east, they narrowly escaped again to regroup deeper inside France, having lost all but a few dozen of the 4,000 men who started the campaign.

Pegasus Archive - Mark Hickman