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3-day Tour
This 3-day tour encompasses the entire allied landings of D-Day and the ensuing coastal advance. It is comprehensive in that all beaches and military units are covered. One thing that always amazes people is the true diversity of this tour, you are visiting a beautiful part of the world deeply entwined with a colourful past which dates back to William The Conqueror.
Please browse through the main points of interest of this tour and read for yourself the rich historical past. These are the main points only and as you travel through the open countryside there are many more stops and points of interest that are explored and serve to complete the picture of June 1944.
This tour provides a very memorable experience for all.
Omaha
* Pointe-du-Hoc
* Omaha Beach - various points
* U.S Cemetery
Utah
* Azeville/Crisbecq Battery
* Ste-Mere-Église Church, Town &
Museum
* Ste-Marie-du-Mont
* Dead Mans Corner
* Utah Beach - various points
* Brecourt Manor
Gold, Juno & Sword
* Merville Battery
* Grand Bunker
* Pegasus Bridge & Museum
* Gold Beach - various points
* Juno Beach - various points
* Sword Beach - various points
* Arromanches Mulberry Harbour
* Longues Battery
* Port-en-Bessin
Crisbecq Battery
The largest coastal battery along Utah Beach has 21 blockhouses linked by over 1 km of trenches spread over a 4-hectare site. Assaulted several times by troops of the American 1st Infantry Battalion (22nd Division) it held out for several days, the battery commander even ordering the guns at the nearby Azeville Battery to fire on his own position to help drive off the American assault. Over 300 German soldiers died defending this battery and over 300 US soldiers died trying to take the position, starkly demonstrating the importance of this large coastal battery.
Azeville Battery
Situated on the east coast of the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy, the German coastal battery - Stützpunkt 133 - had a 170 man garrison, and four blockhouses with 105 mm heavy guns. On 6th June 1944 it was unsuccessful in repulsing the Allied Forces landing on Utah Beach; indeed, the guns were at their maximal range. In the evening of 7th June the 4th American Infantry Division was pinned down by the Azeville and Crisbecq-Saint-Marcouf defences. On 8th June the assaults of the 22nd Regimental Combat Team broke against the battery of Azeville. In the meantime, at the request of his commander, Azeville battery opened fire on Crisbecq-Saint-Marcouf blockhouses, to drive back American infantry penetrations. But Azeville was encircled and shelled, then attacked with flame-throwers; the battery fell on 9th June. Here you can walk through the underground trenches and tunnels that link up the blockhouses and see a very interesting film. This battery is in very good original condition.
Amfreville (near Ste-Mère-Église)
On 9 June 1944, General Ridgway ordered the 325th Glider Regiment to take Amfreville, and established a bridgehead on the west bank of River Merderet. During the night, the parachutists, under Colonel Lewis, crossed the marshy area but the Americans got bogged down and Colonel Millet, commanding the 507th Regiment, was captured with many paratroopers as he was trying to join up with Lieutenant Colonel Timmes trapped in a meadow east of Amfreville since 6th June. In the course of the day General Gavin launched a successful attack from La Fière, Cauquigny was captured by Captain Rae and a bunch of paras of the 507th Regiment reached Le Motey, south of Amfreville. The bridgehead west of the Merderet was strengthened. In the night from 9th to 10th June, the 90th Infantry Division coming from Utah Beach crossed La Fière, and carried on to relieve of the 82nd Airborne. Amfreville was liberated in the course of this offensive.
Ste-Mère-Église
The early landings, on 6th June at 01.40 directly onto the town, resulted in heavy casualties for the US paratroopers. Some buildings in the town were on fire that night, and they illuminated the sky, making easy targets of the descending men. Some were sucked into the fire. Many hanging from trees and utility poles were shot before they could cut loose. The German defenders were alerted. A famous incident involved paratrooper John Steele of the 505th PIR, whose parachute caught on the spire of the town church, and could only observe the fighting going on below. He was injured by being shot in the ankle, captured by the Germans but later managed to escape and make his way back to the US lines. Later that morning, about 05.00, a force led by Lt. Colonel Edward C. Krause of the 505th PIR took the town with little resistance. Apparently the German garrison was confused and had retired for the rest of the night. However, heavy German counterattacks began later in the day and into the next. The lightly armed troops held the town until reinforced by tanks from nearby Utah Beach in the afternoon of June 7th.
Utah Beach
Utah beach was the success story for US forces on D-Day. Weak German resistance in the coastal area plus the airborne drops behind German lines helped to reduce casualties to fewer than any other beachhead (197 on D-Day). The only problem was that Utah was isolated from the other beaches, which meant the attacking troops would have to fight alone until a link-up with Omaha Beach landing forces could be established. Although the Airborne Divisions were scattered across the surrounding area by afternoon on the 6th June many had linked up with landing forces to secure the area. On Utah Beach you may see many coastal batteries, memorials and a fine museum.
Ste-Marie-du-Mont
This town was rapidly liberated by the US 101st Airborne Division on D-Day. Nearby the 4th American Infantry division landed on Utah Beach at 06.30 and easily overcame the weak German resistance. There are various memorials and a museum in the town and the streets bear the names of US soldiers and officers killed on 6th June.
Brécourt Manor
On 6th June 1944 Easy 506th fought one of its most important battles led by Lieutenant Richard D. Winters. In a field between le Grand Chemin and the Brécourt Manor house was a manmade ditch lined with trees. Spaced at intervals along that ditch were three German artillery pieces sited (aimed) on the shoreline of Utah Beach near Exit Two, over five miles distant. Another gun was set off to the west and was facing west (opposite direction of the beach). Easy began its attack knocking out the first two guns then working south. The enemy artillery crews were protected by a platoon of German infantry, who had set up several MG42 positions. Fighting was close and furious, and proved to be an instructive baptism of fire for the members of Easy Company who took part. Lt Sparky Speirs arrived with some of his Dog Company men after the first three guns were taken, and charged the fourth, killing the crew single handed.
Pointe-du-Hoc
A site of 25 hectares on top of a cliff 30m high. 700 tons of bombs were dropped on this Battery prior to D-Day to knock out the six 155mm guns and various lighter artillery emplacements. The garrison held over 200 German soldiers protected in shelters, linked by underground concrete tunnels and surrounded by barbed wire and mines. This position was to be attacked by the US 2nd Rangers Battalion under Colonel James Rudder. At 07.25 on D-Day 225 Rangers split into 3 companies and landed at the foot of the cliff armed with climbing gear to scale the cliffs and capture the position. After fierce resistance and heavy losses the battery was captured and held until relieved on 8th June.
Today you can see the battery as it was left with many bomb craters, smashed blockhouses, trenches and gun emplacements. There is also a new museum at the entrance and a memorial to the Rangers.
Omaha Beach
On 6th June 1944 the name Omaha Beach entered history when thousands of US soldiers laid down their lives in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. With strong German resistance from 85 blockhouses on the high ground behind the beach and along the beach itself, the US 1st and 29th Infantry came under instant heavy fire sustaining very heavy losses. Eventually the heroics of various companies managed to secure a fragile beachhead just over a mile wide when the German ammunition became low. Many barges and tanks coming ashore had capsized and with over 3000 casualties on the beach and many more wounded or lost in the sea this was a very precarious situation.
However by the end of 7th June the beachhead was secure and troops had pushed inland and equipment could come ashore. Today you can walk along this famous beach and see the memorials for these brave men and some interesting museums.
Omaha Beach Cemetery (St Laurent/Coleville)
Standing above Omaha beach where the German defence line was on D-Day is the cemetery holding the graves of 9386 US soldiers. 307 of which are unknown. The thousands of white marble headstones make a dignified sight.
A circular chapel, a belvedere and memorial complete the sobering picture.
Merville Battery
When looking back at the D-Day operation a lot of attention is naturally given to the actual beach landings themselves but what can often be overlooked is the absolutely vital part the British and American airborne units played on that fateful day. In fact in many instances the success of the beach landings would depend upon the airborne units dropped behind enemy lines before the beach assualt went ahead. The assault on the Merville Battery by the 9th Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment is perhaps the best example of such operations. The Merville Battery was a formidable defensive structure thought to contain four 150 mm guns capable of firing directly onto Sword Beach, and thus a serious threat to the success of the landings. Each gun was situated in a concrete 'casemate' six and half feet thick with six foot of soil above it making it almost indestructable from the air except for an unlikely direct hit. Hence it was decided that the 9th Battalion of the British Parachute Regiment would have to be dropped in to silence it before the landings went ahead. As well as these huge guns the Merville Battery had a garrison of 150 men manning 20 weapon pits each containing 4 or 5 machine guns, as well as three 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. The entire complex was surrounded by minefield after minefield. A complex plan of attack was devised by Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway, commander of the 9th battalion, which involved an initial party of men to land and clear the minefields, before which a massive bombing run by 100 Lancaster and Halifax bombers would hammer the position, possibly knocking it out all together, or at least inflicting serious damage. Then the main force of 9th Battalion would land and assault the battery with with a troop for Royal Engineers who would have mine field clearance devices, bangalore torpedoes and anti-tank machine guns. Otway would have 650 men at his disposal for this daunting task....or at least that was the plan, however with everything hinging on the precise coordination of the various units assaulting the battery things inevitably went wrong...badly wrong. Without wishing to spoil the story too much, low cloud and flak meant that almost all the paras were scattered miles from their objectives, on the ground Otway waited at the rendezvous point but not one vital jeep, anti-tank gun, mortar or mine detector arrived. Otway was forced to press on with the very little men and the equipment he had. To add to his woes the RAF bombing raid that could have done Otways job for him missed the battery completely. What followed was an attack which has gone down as one of the parachute regiments greatest moments. With a mere 150 men in place from the original 650 dropped, Otways troops stormed the battery, clearing mines with their hands as they went, fighting hand to hand with the bare minimum of equipment, (in fact they had just one Vickers gun and no explosives to blow the guns should they actually get that far). The battery was taken with an almost 50% casualty rate, and the guns destroyed using Gammon bombs rather than the high explosives originally intended. Countless lives were saved on Sword Beach because of Otways mens courage.
Find out the full story at the wonderfully preserved battery, where you can wander around the casemates and trenches and see for yourself the incredible feat that was achieved here.
Pegasus Bridge
Another job for the British 6th Airborne division on D-Day was to be the taking and holding of the bridges over the Caen canal and River Orne.
The attack on the Caen Canal Benouville Bridge is perhaps one of the most famous actions of D-Day from the British perspective. By controlling these bridges the allies could disrupt the Germans ability the send re-enforcements to the Gold and Sword beaches which the British and Canadians were landing on. The attack on Benouville Bridge (now named 'Pegasus Bridge' after the insignia worn by some troops of the 6th Airborne Division) was to be carried out well before the landing and thus still behind enemy lines which would create panic and confusion amongst the German defenders. The paras would arrive by gliders to try and achieve complete surprise. The task was given to the men of D Company of the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (or 'oxs and bucks' as they were known) under the leadership of Major John Howard. Although the bridge was well defended the arrival of the Paras in their gliders achieved complete surprise as hoped for. Amazingly when you consider that the gliders came in in pitch darkness, almost all of the gliders landed within a mere 40 yards of their objectives, more amazing still when you consider the ground to either side of their drop zones was either deeply flooded marsh land or the actual canal!
Howard’s men rushed the bridge and secured it within 10 minutes, achieving the accolade of being the first allied troops to land and fight on D-Day, Lieutenant Brotheridge was one of 2 men killed in the assault and hence became the first allied soldier to die on D-Day. Although only a tiny force Major Howard's men were able to resist the swift counter attack by the German 21st Panzer Division and were eventually reinforced half an hour after the main airborne landings as planned by 7th Battalion, who in true British style apologized to Howard for being 'two minutes late from their scheduled arrival time' !! Incredible when you consider the logistics of such a link up.
The museum at Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial Pegasus, is one of the best in the Normandy area, you can also have a coffee in the Café Gondrée at the end of the bridge whose occupants were officially the first French to be liberated on D-Day, it is still owned and run by the Gondrée family who have made its inside a living museum to that fateful night when it was used as a dressing station and the living room used as an operating theatre.
Atlantic Wall (Grand Bunker) Museum
Located close to the beach at Ouistreham is the 17m high, 6 storey German Observation Headquarters for the surrounding area. It was not captured until 9th June when it took a great deal of explosives and over 4 hours to break down the armour plated entrance. From the top you can see for a radius of 25 miles. Fully restored it now houses a wonderful museum and is laid out exactly inside as it would of looked prior to D-Day. This is one of the best museums in Normandy and has the best collection of German memorabilia.
Sword Beach
Landing beach for the British 3rd Infantry on D-Day, split into 4 sectors `Oboe’, `Peter’, ‘Queen’ and ‘Roger’ At 07.25 landings began at `Peter’ and `Queen’ which comprised a wide variety of units including Infantry, Commandos, Specialist assault groups (with Hobart’s Funnies), self-propelled artillery and a whole host of support units. Vital to the success of the landings at Sword were the actions of the 6th Airborne Division in capturing and holding the bridges over the Caen Canal and silencing the potentially devastating firepower of the
Merville Battery, both these missions were a complete success and within a short time tanks and infantry were crossing the open countryside towards the objectives of linking-up with the British 6th Airborne troops and the capture of Caen. Counterattacked by the 21st Panzer Division halted the progress towards Caen although the beachhead had been secured. To all intents and purposes the Sword landings went incredibly smoothly with 28,845 troops ashore with only 630 casualties. Today Sword beach is the busiest and most built up of all the beaches but concrete coastal defence posts of the Atlantic Wall and various memorial sites can be seen everywhere.
Juno Beach
Landing beach on D-Day of the 3rd Canadian Division. After some fierce German resistance the Canadians took hold and advanced further inland than any other troops on 6th June. So far in fact that they had to stop and wait! However they were soon to come across the 12th SS Panzer Division (Hitlerjügend) where a war of idealistic fanaticism would take place. This was the only SS Division close to any of the beachheads and the Canadians would have to face some stiff opposition. There is the cemetery, museum and various memorials to commemorate the Canadian troops part in the Allied landings of June 1944.
Gold Beach
On 6th June 1944 just after 7.20am the 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division spearheaded the British landing at Gold Beach. In poor weather conditions the assault troops overcame German resistance and secure the beachhead winning the only Victoria Cross awarded on D-Day. By the 7th June it was in full operational use landing all four Brigades of 50th Division with armour, vehicles and supplies.
Arromanches (Port Winston)
Liberated on 6th June 1944 by British tanks coming from Sainte-Come-de-Fresné, the town was chosen by the Allies for the construction of an artificial port, for the purposes of provisioning the landing troops, until a large port was captured. Once completed this construction was 5 miles long and could accommodate the largest of ships. On the 12th June more than 300,000 men, 54,000 vehicles and 104,000 tons of provisions were landed here. Over a period of 3 months 2.5 million soldiers, 500,000 vehicles and 4 million tons of equipment went through Port Winston, more than either Cherbourg or Le Havre. Arromanches houses the 360º museum and also the harbour museum. Several pontoons are still visible in the bay and are accessible at low tide.
Longues-sur-Mer
The best kept battery of the Atlantic Wall and is the only battery to house fully intact original German guns. 4 x 150mm guns with a range of 12 miles caused trouble to the Allied fleet as they fired from 63m high cliffs. The ships Ajax, Arkansas, Montcalm and Georges-Leygues finally silenced the battery and it was occupied on 7th June 1944 after surrender of the German garrison. The whole site is accessible including the OP (observation post 300m forward of the guns still equipped with the range finder).
Port-en-Bessin
The town was liberated on 8th June 1944 by the 47th Royal Marine Commandos after vigorous German resistance. Overlooked either side of the harbour on high cliffs by WN56 and WN57, these batteries had to be silenced before any entrance to the town and harbour could be made. The port then became operational allowing over 1000 tons of vehicles and equipment to pass through every day.
Quintessentially a quaint Normandy fishing port it now has a fine selection of quayside restaurants and a lively market day.
