Patton's 3rd Army Memorial Park at Nehou

General Patton had his headquarters here in this orchard from the 6th of July through to the 2nd of August, whilst his troops and equipment arrived from England and whilst he planned the breakthrough to Avranches.
He had landed on Omaha beach, but his troops came ashore at the northern end of Utah.
The site was off limits for both the local French and other American troops for the duration of the 3rd Army's stay as the Germans thought that this army was in the south east of England poised to invade in the Pas de Calais region.
This had been part of a grand deception plan in which dummy tanks, ships, and many tents were placed in Kent to convince Hitler that the real invasion would take place further east where the channel crossing is much shorter.
Many radio personnel were employed to send false signals across the airways to confuse the Germans.
The site has recently been restored but only one of the original apple trees remains.
The land was owned by Benedictine Nuns and a granddaughter of General Patton is a member of the order and has a house in the nearby village of Nehou.
Patton is honoured in France as the liberator of many towns and villages and many monuments have been erected along the road of liberation.