Monday 13 July
after a night of little sleep, the alarm went off at around 07:00. I could still take it fairly easy, as the plan was to drive to Maastricht at around 08:00 and set off for Normandy from there. We finally set off at around 10:00, and the seven-hour journey began. We chose a route that avoided toll roads, as these often take you through the countryside, allowing you to see more of the surroundings than if you were just driving on the motorway. Around 1.00 pm, it was time to stretch our legs and have a bite to eat, so we stopped briefly at a petrol station before quickly continuing on our way. After a while, we drove through the Somme region, where we’d been last year, and recognised bits and pieces here and there. (report available elsewhere on the website). Right, enough time spent in the car – we’d arrived at the Pegasus Bridge, and tradition dictates that you have to have at least one drink there. A cider and an Orangina, and then we drove on again quickly as we still had 40 minutes to go. When we finally arrived at the hotel, we checked in, had a quick look around and set off in search of a restaurant. Fortunately, this time it was only a five-minute drive away. After dinner, we went for a short walk on Omaha Beach and then headed back to the hotel for our first night. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
Tuesday 14 July
after a decent night’s sleep, I woke up at around 8.00 am. I had a quick shower so we could get to breakfast straight away. A few croissants, a baguette, a boiled egg and orange juice. You won’t hear me complaining. At around 10.00, we drove to Carentan and, naturally, I had a browse in a few of the military memorabilia shops. I came out with an original American field manual and a reproduction map of the Carentan area. The rest of the items I was looking for will turn up later this week.
After our visit to Carentan, we were planning to go to the alpaca farm, but as 14 July is a national holiday, it was closed – just like lots of other places. So off we went to Port-en-Bessin for a bite to eat. After lunch, I dropped my mum off at the hotel so she could do some reading, and I popped over to the Big Red One Museum and the Overlord Museum. Both are just a stone’s throw from our hotel. I’d visited these museums before, so I didn’t spend too much time there. Besides, the Overlord Museum was incredibly busy, with queues forming in front of some of the displays. I did pop into the museum shop, though, and sure enough, I didn’t go home empty-handed. I picked up a book for my collection. By then, I was due for a bit of a rest myself, so I drove back to the hotel to flick through a few pages of the book. It’s called Special Units during D-Day and I can highly recommend it. However, this isn’t a book report but a holiday report. At 6.00 pm, like proper Dutch people, we went in search of a restaurant for dinner. I had fish and chips and my mum had a fish salad. After dinner, we went for a short walk on the beach to get some fresh air. We then headed back to the hotel to put our feet up for a while before going to bed.
Wednesday, July 15
After another night of wonderful sleep, we set off in a different direction after breakfast. Today’s plan was mainly to visit castles. We drove for an hour and a half to the other side of the peninsula to visit the castle at Vlamingenstad (Flamanville). A beautiful château with a huge garden. We spent an hour wandering around there before continuing on our way to Bricquebec Castle. After having some lunch, we carried on and visited another castle along the way that wasn’t actually on the itinerary. There were photos from the war displayed outside, and naturally I wanted to do a bit of research there to identify the locations. The photos showed GIs from the 82nd and 9th Infantry Divisions. After a lovely stroll around the courtyard, we drove on to Dead Man’s Corner for a spot of shopping. And we rounded off the day at the Pink House (Les Ponts d’Ouve), a restaurant in Normandy well-known amongst re-enactors. This day was all about a different era, but certainly no less interesting.
Thursday, July 16
I’ve changed our plans for today and tomorrow. Instead of heading towards Sainte-Mère-Église, we’re heading for Ouistreham today. First we’re driving to Creully to visit a second-hand shop where, two years ago, I spotted an item I really wanted – but guess what? I missed out on it. If only I’d bought it back then. The lesson here is: if you want it, buy it. We’ll carry on to the lovely seaside resort of Ouistreham to visit my favourite museum. The Grand Bunker. An observation bunker that was captured by just a handful of brave British men after days of fighting. The end result: around 50 German soldiers were taken prisoner. For them, the war was over. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they’d put a lot of effort into improving the place. A canopy has been erected over the LCVP (landing craft) used in *Saving Private Ryan*, there’s a proper museum shop next to the entrance, and some of the displays inside the museum itself have been updated. As I’ve been to the bunker several times before and know the story, I got through it fairly quickly, but it was nice to be back. We then drove on to Abbey de Ardennes. In the grounds of this complex, 27 Canadian soldiers were executed by elements of the 12th SS Lehr Division, and some of the victims were run over by German tanks. In the months following the war, the Canadian soldiers were exhumed and reburied in the cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer.
We continue on our way towards the village of Rots, where some of the most famous war photographs to be found online were taken. Google ‘Waffen-SS Rots’ and you’ll know exactly which spot it is.
We drive on to Arromanches, one of many coastal towns but perhaps best known for the artificial harbour that was built there to bring tonnes and tonnes of equipment ashore. The concrete structures known as ‘Mulberries’ are still visible in the sea. After wandering around for a while and picking up a small souvenir in the form of a beautiful book called *Invasion Journal Pictorial* (it’s written in two languages), we settled down on the terrace of the Hôtel de Normandie, overlooking the square and the sea, where we treated ourselves to a few glasses of cider and a delicious meal. Time flies when you’re having fun.
Friday, July 17
Unfortunately, the final day is already upon us. Today’s itinerary includes a German cemetery, Sainte-Mère-Église and more.
After breakfast, we set off towards Orglandes. But on the way, we passed a spot where seven American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne were executed, so I had to stop and take a look. It turned out that they had been taken prisoner and then shot dead by a machine gun. You can find more information about this if you Google ‘Massacre of Hémevez’. Next stop: the German cemetery at Orglandes. More than 10,000 German soldiers are buried here, and the grounds are therefore quite extensive. It’s striking that beneath most of the headstones, three soldiers lie on either side – so a total of six beneath each headstone. There’s even a mass grave where no fewer than 22 soldiers are buried.
We’re starting to get hungry, so we head to Sainte-Mère-Église for lunch. After enjoying a delicious crêpe, we take a stroll through the village and pay another visit to John Steele, the paratrooper who got caught on the church tower. He’s still there to this day, though in the form of a mannequin. I know a nice brasserie, so it was about time we popped in there for a locally brewed beer. It wasn’t long before a member of staff asked if we’d like to join the guided tour – naturally, this was a great opportunity we weren’t about to miss. The only downside was that it was entirely in French, and my vocabulary is very limited. All in all, it was still nice to have had a look behind the scenes and see how things work. By then it was nearly five o’clock and I was really keen to visit the Liberation Museum in Catz. This wonderful museum hasn’t been open in its current form for very long and it has the most beautiful displays and a very comprehensive exhibition. Even my mum, who isn’t a big fan of the horrors of the Second World War, was impressed. We rounded off this lovely day at a restaurant by the harbour in Carentan. Unfortunately, this marks the end of this absolutely wonderful week in Normandy, and tomorrow we’re heading home again. The bag of souvenirs, the photo album and our memories are all packed to the brim once more. The hotel for Normandie 2027 has already been booked.
