obstacles for the division's gliders which were to land next. By daybreak all the brigade's objectives had been secured. To the west of the Caen Canal, the 7th Parachute Battalion was attacked by tanks and armoured vehicles from the 21st Panzer Division. With no heavy weapons available, one Panzer IV that reached the centre of Benouville had to be destroyed using Gammon bombs. The battalion held out all morning against attacks by German tanks and infantry, and around noon the commandos from the 1st Commando Brigade started arriving from Sword beach. The battalion was still being attacked from the south, but the commandos' arrival meant their northern flank was now relatively secure. On the eastern side of the bridges, the 12th Parachute Battalion had been under mortar and artillery fire and was then attacked by the 21st Panzer Division's 125th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, which withdrew after losing a tank; several German infantry were taken prisoner. A second German attack was also stopped, this time assisted by the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, which destroyed three self propelled guns and a tank. The 13th Parachute Battalion secured Ranville, which had been held by a company from the German 711th Infantry Division, and was the first French village to be liberated during the landings. This battalion was also attacked by infantry and tanks, three of which were destroyed during the day. At 21:00 the 6th Airlanding Brigade arrived at two landing zones, one on each side of the Orne river. By the end of the day the 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions were still holding Le Bas de Ranville and Ranville. The 7th Parachute Battalion, after being relieved by the 3rd Infantry Division, was now in reserve, dug in along the western side of DZ-N. The 3rd Parachute Brigade was holding a ridge of high ground to the east of the 5th Parachute Brigade, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade were moving into position to their south. The north was covered by the 1st Commando Brigade which was now under the 6th Airborne Division's command. Orne bridgehead Because of their positioning, the 5th Parachute Brigade was largely protected by the 6th Airborne Division's other units, and did not suffer from the almost constant German attempts to dislodge the division. However, the 12th Parachute Battalion was attacked on 7 June by seven tanks and an infantry company. The attack was beaten off for the loss