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| Merderet | |
|---|---|
 | |
   | |
| Location | |
| Country | France |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Normandy |
| Mouth | |
• location | Douve |
• coordinates | 49°21′48″N1°21′16″W / 49.36333°N 1.35444°W /49.36333; -1.35444 |
| Length | 36 km (22 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Douve→English Channel |
TheMerderet is a 36.4-kilometre-long (22.6-mile)river inNormandy,France, which is atributary to the riverDouve.[1] It runs roughly north-south down the middle of theCotentin peninsula fromValognes to the junction with the Douve atBeuzeville la Bastille.
The river has relatively highturbidity and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the slight gradient of the watercourse;pH levels have been measured at 8.31[2] near theChateau d'Isle Marie andelectrical conductivity of the waters have tested at 61 microsiemens per centimetre. At this reference location, summer flows are typically around 7 m3/s (250 cu ft/s).
Running parallel to the shoreline about 8 kilometres (5 miles) fromUtah Beach, the marshes of the Merderet and Douve formed a natural defensive line protecting the western end of theAllied landing zone and at the same time limiting the Allies' potential to break out of the beachhead. They had been flooded to further impede movement. Thus control of the bridges at Manoir de la Fière and Chef-du-Pont was seen as vital. The Merderet was assigned to the U.S.82nd Airborne Division asMission Boston, scheduled for 5 hours before the amphibious landings on D-Day.
Cloud cover and German fire caused the landings to be dispersed; the paratroopers took the strategic town ofSainte-Mère-Église but failed in their original mission to clear the west bank of the Merderet on D-Day and blow the bridge over the Douze at Pont l'Abbé (now Étienville). The extent of their control of the bridges over the Merderet is disputed, but it was sufficient to hold off German counterattacks. These included an attack over the causeway at La Fiere by the 1057th Grenadier Regiment and light tanks of the 100th Panzer Replacement Battalion. This appears to have been the inspiration for the climactic battle in the filmSaving Private Ryan, which is set around a bridge over the Merderet in the fictional town of Ramelle.
After theBattle of Carentan on 9 June, Allied forces moved up the Cotentin Peninsula on either side of the Merderet. This advance culminated in theBattle of Cherbourg which saw the port captured by the end of the month.
