Douve
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2020) |
| Douve | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Manche |
Bay of the Seine (English Channel) | |
• coordinates | 49°21′32″N 1°10′10″W / 49.35889°N 1.16944°W |
| Length | 79 km (49 mi) |
The Douve (French pronunciation: [duv]) or Ouve is a river, 78.6 km (48.8 mi) in length,[1] which rises in the commune of Tollevast, near Cherbourg in the department of Manche. Ouve is considered its old name (Unva in ancient texts): Ouve appears to have been misspelled over the course of time as "Douve river" and then as "River of the Douve" (Douve literally means Ditch). The French name for this watercourse is la Douve.
After passing
Bay of the Seine in the south-eastern English Channel, passing through Carentan
. The Douve is a navigable river owing to its flat bottom and adequate depth of flow.
In 1944 German troops, preparing Rommel's
Utah beach landings were part of contingency planning only scheduled after ample landing craft became available and designed to give the allies a leg up on taking a port city, in this case, Cherbourg, to bolster Allied logistical capacity. Had the landing craft been lacking, the river would have protected the exposed right flank of the allied invasion lodgement. With Utah in the plan, it was used to originate an offensive aimed squarely at the early domination of the peninsula and capture of Cherbourg and Caen (and eventually Rouen
) at the opposite end of the lodgement. These cities were well protected by their German defenders.
Among those landing at the Douve was the unit known as the Filthy Thirteen, later the basis of the novel and film The Dirty Dozen.[2]
Hydrology
The Merderet is a tributary of the Douve.[1]
References
- ^ .
- ^ "John "Jack" Agnew dies at 88; his World War II unit inspired The Dirty Dozen". Los Angeles Times, April 13, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2010.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
