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Was the allied name for poles planted in open spaces in France by the Germans to prevent gliders landing. This was done in early 1944 when Erwin Rommel began reinforcing the Atlantic Wall in preparation for the Allied invasion of the continent.
Poles planted as obstacles, commonly called Rommel’s Asparagus, were scattered across many landing zones in Normandy and Southern France. These poles, usually roughly 8 to 12 inches in diameter, were placed in rows to foil glider landings.
Waco CG-4 destroyed by landing.
During 1944 to help stop gliders landing in important places, Rommel ordered rows of posts half sunken into the ground, standing on end, to be place in positions of likely Allied glider landings. If a glider did land in one of these areas the posts would smash the wings off, causing to them crash on landing.
Although reconnaissance flights detected many such fields of “asparagus†in advance, many glider pilots had to make quick decisions to either land aiming between the poles or aim for alternative areas.
Some German defenses in the beach
Poles planted as obstacles, commonly called Rommel’s Asparagus, were scattered across many landing zones in Normandy and Southern France. These poles, usually roughly 8 to 12 inches in diameter, were placed in rows to foil glider landings.
Waco CG-4 destroyed by landing.
During 1944 to help stop gliders landing in important places, Rommel ordered rows of posts half sunken into the ground, standing on end, to be place in positions of likely Allied glider landings. If a glider did land in one of these areas the posts would smash the wings off, causing to them crash on landing.
Although reconnaissance flights detected many such fields of “asparagus†in advance, many glider pilots had to make quick decisions to either land aiming between the poles or aim for alternative areas.
Some German defenses in the beach
