The Church at Angoville-au-Plain
In the small French hamlet of Angoville-au-Plain rests a quaint community church. The church, which dates back to the 12th century, is unassuming in almost all regards. It is not particularly large or ornate. Its grounds are well-maintained, yet simple. Its structure is historic but considered relatively young by European standards. Despite all of this, every day the church at Angoville-au-Plain welcomes hundreds of visitors into its hallowed walls, visitors eager to catch a glimpse of blood-stained pews and mortar damaged tiles. For within the cramped quarters of this revered building a unique sort of miracle unfolded when two American medics set aside differences of creed and nationality in order to save the lives of any man (or child) who needed their assistance. The story of the medics of Angoville is one of the most moving to come out of the Normandy Campaign, and the impact it had on this small town and its place of worship can still be felt today.
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The Story of Angoville-au-Plain
The story of Angoville seems tailor-made for a a big budget Hollywood production set during the Second World War. The events which unfolded at the church feel highly improbable, written by hotshot writers and designed to tug at the heart strings of moviegoers. While the story of Angoville would undoubtedly make a fantastic film, the events I am about to describe absolutely did happen. In fact, there are several places around the church which still serve to corroborate the events of that fateful time. The story below is one of bravery, courage and commitment sure to bring a tear to even the toughest reader’s eyes.
The story of Angoville-au-Plain begins on June 6, 1944, D-Day…
The Medics
Kenneth J. Moore was born in California in 1924. Robert E. Wright was born in 1924 in Ohio. Both men volunteered to serve their country as paratroopers and were assigned to be medics with the 101st Airborne Division. Moore and Wright jumped into Normandy in the early hours of June 6, 1944. Neither man carried a weapon. Instead, he was armed with his arsenal of life-saving supplies.
The airborne drop was chaotic. Pilots missed their drop zones and men landed in flooded fields. The troops were scattered across the region, often miles away from their rendezvous point. Based on the conditions of the drop and the disbursement of the paratroopers across the enemy-filled countryside, the medics of the 101st knew casualties would be high.
Following their drop, Moore and Wright were able to link up and quickly work to determine the best location for an aid station. Their sites fell to a 12th century church in the small hamlet of Angoville-au-Plain. The pair immediately marked the aid station by hanging a white sheet adorned with a red cross from the church’s bell tower. Unbeknownst to them, the church would soon become a safe haven for anyone in the area seeking medical care. The church at Angoville-au-Plain would serve as a small point of refuge amongst the raging battle just beyond its wooden doors.
3 Days of Survival
Angoville-au-Plain, while small, sat at a crucial crossroads during the Battle of Normandy. Because of this, the area surrounding the church witnessed heavy fighting during the first few days of the campaign. When Moore and Wright selected the church as the site of their aid station the town rested in the hands of the Americans. By the end of the first day, the town’s control had reverted back to the Germans. This back-and-forth pattern would repeat several time before the battle’s end.
Despite being in enemy territory in the heat of battle, the men immediately set to work. They began treating injured men as well as locating additional wounded soldiers to bring in for care. While one medic worked, the other ventured into the field to bring back additional wounded men with the aid of a wheelbarrow. Everyone was welcome, German and American alike, as long as any weapons were left at the door. This was to be a place of healing, not a place for further bloodshed.
The medics worked tirelessly for three full days, unable to sleep due to the number of wounded men who required attention. By the end of the fighting on June 8, the two men had treated more than 80 soldiers as well as a handful of local civilians. The medics were finally able to take a well-deserved rest.
The Miracles of Angoville-au-Plain
While Wright and Moore worked tirelessly to save lives, a handful of incidents occurred which seemed to prove they had set up their aid station in a miraculous place. Early in the fighting around the church, German soldiers kicked in the doors and raised their weapons at the men inside. Upon noticing that the medics were tending to both German and American soldiers, the Germans lowered their weapons and left the men to continue their work.
In one particularly tense moment, a mortar shell fell through the roof of the church onto the tile floor below. Miraculously, the mortar failed to explode, saving the lives of all those inside. The cracked tiles from the shell’s impact can still be seen on the church floor today. In another incident, two German snipers fell from the position they had been holding in the church’s bell tower. After taking in the scene, the snipers promptly surrendered to the two American medics.
As amazing as these stories are, perhaps the greatest testament to the miracles which occurred at Angoville can be found in the very foundation of the church itself. When the church at Angoville-au-Plain was erected in the 12th century it was dedicated to two 4th century martyrs. Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian were two physicians from Syria, famed for their insistence that they would treat any patient regardless of religion, race or creed. These two saints would go on to become the patron saints of doctors and their images graced the walls of the very church in which Moore and Wright carried on their work.
The Aftermath
For their bravery and commitment to caring for the wounded, both Moore and Wright were awarded the Silver Star. Both men continued to serve throughout the war. In the years after the war’s end, they continued to visit the village of Angoville-au-Plain, returning to attend unveilings of memorials in their honor.
Kenneth Moore died in 2014 at the age of 90 in his home state of California, where he rests today. Robert Wright died in 2013 at the age of 89. Following his death, Wright’s family honored his final wish to bring him home to a place that had meant so much to him throughout his life. Wright’s ashes were brought to France and buried in the small church cemetery at Angoville under a simple stone engraved with “R.E.W.”
The Church at Angoville-au-Plain Today
Travelers to Normandy are invited to visit the church at Angoville-au-Plain. Reminders of the events which unfolded within its walls over 80 years ago are still present to this day. Several of the pews retain the blood stains from soldiers receiving care. The cracked tiles on the floor and patched hole in the roof mark the path of the unexploded mortar shell. In the years after the war, stained glass windows and a memorial alter were added to honor the heroic actions of Moore and Wright as well as all of the American paratroopers who helped liberate this region of France from Nazi persecution.
A visit to Angoville is one of the most rewarding ways to spend your time while in Normandy. Stroll along the landing beaches, pay your respect at the cemeteries and learn more about the invasion at one of the countless museums, but be sure to allow a few quiet moments to reflect on the courage of two medics who risked everything to save lives. Ensure their story continues to be upheld for generations to come.
Visiting the church:
Location: 1 Rue de l’Église, 50480 Carentan-les-Marais, France
Hours: Daily, 10am-4pm
Cost: free, but donations accepted
Tours: Consider visiting Angoville-au-Plain as a part of a guided tour
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