ROYAL BRITISH LEGION CYCLISTS BRANCH
2019 PILGRIMAGE – NORMANDY 75
THE NATIONAL CYCLING BRANCH THIS YEAR ARE TAKING PART IN THE 75th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIONS OF D-DAY AND WILL BE TOURING ALL OF THE MAIN SITES OF THE BATTLE AND LAYING WREATHES AT A NUMBER OF CWWG’S PLUS THE US CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL AT OMAHA BEACH AS WELL AS THE GERMAN CEMETERY AT LA CAMBE
On the 5th June, we commence our ride by laying a wreath at the Naval Memorial on Southsea Common at approx. 19.00 hours before embarking on the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Oustreham (Sword Beach), any one in the area is encouraged to join us.
On the 6th of June after landing on Sword Beach, we will be visiting the Merville Battery, Ranville, Pegasus Bridge, Sword Beach and June Beach and the Canadian Cemetery at Beney Sur Mer, before heading to our hotel located in the town of Thury Harcourt 20K South of Caen.
On the 7th June we will be touring the sites of Gold beach and other towns and villages that were involved in the Battle of Normandy before heading back to Thury Harcourt via Caen. We will be laying a wreath at Jerusalem CWWG, the smallest in Normandy, which contains the final resting place of the youngest member of our armed forces to be killed in Normandy. His age...Just 16, RIP your duty done.
On the 8th of June we will be concentrating on the Omaha beach areas including a wreath laying ceremony at La Cambe German cemetery and then at the US Cemetery at Omaha Beach, before heading to Bayeux CWWG to lay our final wreath of the trip. We will be staying overnight in Bayeux
On the 9th of June we will head towards Utah beach and St Mere Eglise before heading to Cherbourg to catch our ferry back to Portsmouth. We hope to see a parachute drop from DAK’s over Normandy!
Here's a picture of our ride shirt;
Next year we are planning a ride to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the “Unknown Warrior”, as well as a ride from London to Berlin, commemorating 75 years of peace; watch this space for further details.
Robert Dennis
On behalf of the Branch Committee
