A tightly focused narrative of a daring early-morning glider assault on the Normandy bridges during the Allied invasion of June 1944, chronicling the planning, execution and aftermath of a small British force that landed almost on top of its objectives to seize and hold the vital canal and river crossings against German counterattacks until relieved; blending operational detail with firsthand accounts, the book illuminates the leadership, courage and improvisation of the troops involved and explains how their success helped protect the eastern flank of the invasion beaches and influence the wider course of the Normandy campaign.