D-Day Landings in Normandy Tour

Siobhan Grehan

Myself and my partner, Paul, recently embarked on a tour of Normandy to find out more about the D-Day landings on 6^th June 1944 and to pay our respects to those who died during the liberation of Normandy 80 years ago.

On the first day of our tour we visited Pegasus Bridge and the Pegasus Memorial Museum. We learnt that the first actions on D-Day were the glider landings that initiated the invasion and took the bridge from German control. The pilots were so skilled that they managed to land the wood and fabric gliders less than 50m from the bridge … in the dark! The cafe Gondree (which is situated on the river right next to Pegasus Bridge) and is pictured below, was the first place to be liberated. Apparently the owner was so delighted, that he went outside and dug up bottles of vintage champagne that he had hidden from the Germans! The original bridge, pictured below, is exhibited in the museum alongside the remains of the gliders and other artifacts.

Before visiting Sword, Juno and Gold beaches, where the British and Canadian troops landed, we went to Ranville War Cemetery, where the youngest airman to be killed during the D-Day campaign is buried. Private R.E Johns was only 16 years old when he was killed in action.

We visited several military cemeteries, including the German one at La Cambe and the Bayeux War Cemetery, which was lit up so spectacularly during the D-Day celebrations. It was a very emotional experience seeing the number of troops killed at such young ages… many in their early 20’s. The Normandy American Cemetery that overlooks Omaha beach, pictured below, is particularly spectacular, not only because it has sea views but because it’s meticulously maintained. Visitors are not allowed to walk on the grass to look at the graves and there is a vast selection of trees and shrubs that house many songbirds whose gentle warbling creates a feeling of serenity. The American cemetery was a total contrast to the German one, which had a rather austere feel to it.

The most poignant moment of our first day was visiting the British Normandy Memorial, which has the Standing with Giants outdoor remembrance art installation spread across the land between the beach and the memorial. You can walk between the figures which evokes an overwhelming feeling that words can’t describe and which can’t be captured in photos or on film.  We visited Omaha and Utah beaches on the second day of the tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and he informed us that it would have been on Sword Beach that D-Day survivor and late Brampton & District Branch member, Cecil Dellar, would have landed before he went on to fight at Hillman. We did visit sites of the inland battles that took place in the 3 months that followed the D-Day landings but didn’t go to Hillman, as it wasn’t included in this particular tour.

Today the beaches that we visited were peaceful and beautiful places where families were having fun. On D-Day they were very different. Omaha Beach, known as ‘Bloody OMAHA’ by Americans, was the most horrific. It was heavily defended by Germans, with no fewer than 85 machine gun posts. Eye witness accounts tell of the sea water being red with blood. There was vast loss of life, over 3,000 men scattered across 5 miles of beach. The film, Saving Private Ryan includes an account of what happened on the beach at Omaha.

Each beach has a memorial as you approach it or on it with wreathes and poppies adorning them. These historic beaches span 68 miles of the Normandy coastline. What a logistic achievement it was for the allies to coordinate such an invasion.

We also went to Arromanches, where The Mulberry Harbour was built. This was the artificial port that was key to the Allied success. There are still remains of the 115 giant concrete caissons called Phoenixes. Each of these blocks was 200ft long, 50 ft wide and 56ft high, weighing approximately 6,000 tons. This harbour had pier heads and floating roadways that allowed the disembarkment of troops and vehicles across the beaches. The Mulberry Harbour was bigger than that of Dover, enclosing 2 sq. miles of water.

We visited several museums. The one at the American cemetery was very stylish and informative. You could easily spend a whole day reading about the US involvement and looking at the artifacts. The exit was through a covered walkway with the names of the deceased being called out. It felt very eerie but was a fitting tribute to those that gave their lives for our freedom.

The Overlord Museum is one of the best in Normandy, it has life size dioramas that depict scenes from the beaches and surrounding areas during the campaign. It’s the only museum that we visited that could educate children as well as adults as it’s very visual On the last day we move beyond D-Day and looked at the fighting in the Bocage countryside following a route via Tilly-sur-Seulles and Fontenay le Pesnel. Going along the ‘Scottish Corridor, we visited Hill 112 with its Churchill Tank and Memorial Park. This hill is southwest of Caen and from its summit, 112m above sea level, you have a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. The battles for Hill 112 cost the allies heavy casualties. It wasn’t until the first week of August 1944, when the German SS Panzer units finally retreated and Hill 112 was taken by the allies.

From the second week of August until the 21st, the allies fought to surround the German Seventh and Fifth Panzer army. This encirclement is known as the Falaise pocket. Once surrounded the Germans had only one route to make their retreat, known as the ‘Corridor of Death’. As they retreated along a very narrow lane the allies attacked from the air.

In 1944, this now picturesque lane and ford, was strewn with military hardware as well as the dead and dying bodies of the retreating Germans and their horses. If you weren't told about it, you would never know what had happened here. We both felt very sad to think that so many young Germans died here, but in reality, if the boot was on the other foot they would have done the same to us.

On the 20th August 1944 the SS made desperate attempts, both inside and outside the Falaise Pocket, to save men and equipment but were skilfully held back by the Polish troops, who fought at Mont Ormel. Our tour ended at this site where there is now a memorial to the Polish Troops who fought and died there.