The Manner of Men

In June 1944, an elite unit of British paratroopers was sent on a daring and highly risky behind-the-lines mission. Dropping ahead of the main D-Day invasion, 9 PARA were tasked with destroying an impregnable German gun battery. But their mission was flawed and only 20 per cent of the unit made it to the objective and half of them were killed or wounded during the attack. Undermanned and lacking equipment and ammunition, for 6 days the survivors defended the Breville Ridge against German forces and bore the brunt of Rommel's attempt to turn the left flank of the Allied invasion.