"Czech Hedgehog" beach obstacles piled up on Utah beach

czechhedgehogbeachobstaclespileduponutahbeach.jpg

These obstacles made famous by the beach landing scene in "Saving Private Ryan" were intended to cause flat bottomed landing craft to tear their bottoms out or become fast before they reached the beach, or to prevent armour landed on the beach from advancing off it. Many of these were later cut up and welded to the front of Allied armour, these being effective in poking a hole through thick Bocage hedgerows.

In the background can be seen the blockships of the outer Mulberry harbour constructed at Utah beach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_hedgehog

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhino_tank