# WW2 Normandy Tour



## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

Being really interested in the events of 1944 in and around the landing beaches , i would really like to go on a professionally run tour over a 2 -5 day period. I have found a company called " Battlebus tours " operating from Bayeux and that seem to fit the bill perfectly. 

Has anybody used this company or can anyone give an other recommendations.

Plus whats the municipal site like in Bayeux? again any recommendations would be great.


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Dunno about nowadays, but my Dad did the original tour starting in OCtober 1944. His jaunt in France started in the Med, after a visitation to Italy.

Apparently the accommodation was iffy, but the social secretary was on the ball with the firework displays.


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## KARTMAN (Feb 3, 2008)

Hi Dinger, I don`t know anything about Battlebus but Ledger do good tours.
Why not just explore by yourselves, you will see alot more than on a lightning tour . Start at Pegasus bridge then move up to Ouistreham and Sword beach then all along the coast and you should end up at Utah beach after about a month :wink: there is so much to see and take in.
I too would like to know more about the site in Bayeux as we would like to use it at some point. Barbara and I are new to Motorhoming but know the area very well having rented the same cottage for the last 5yrs not far from the town and did all our exploring by car, driving past it several times.
There are more museums than you can shake a stick at and a visit to the cemeteries is a must(reading the visitors book brings a very big lump to the throat)the American one is very American (big and impressive) the English very English( quiet,peaceful,emotional as the ages of the men are written on the headstones).
I guess time is a limiting factor and a guided tour would give you the basics to go off on your own, so go for it and be prepared to be humbled by the enormity of event.
Now we have our motorhome we are looking to do it all again and staying at places longer and also exploring the WW1 battlefields having spent a couple of days on the Somme but thats another story.

Rgds Paul


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## KARTMAN (Feb 3, 2008)

bandaid said:


> Dunno about nowadays, but my Dad did the original tour starting in OCtober 1944. His jaunt in France started in the Med, after a visitation to Italy.
> 
> Apparently the accommodation was iffy, but the social secretary was on the ball with the firework displays.


 My uncle did the similar one,started in North Africa with a tour guide called Monty,then went to Sicily and over to some place called Anzio maybe on the same tour?


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

On a very much more serious note, the War Graves Commission look after the graves of commonwealth ( including British ) servicemen. These are sometime known a the Silent Cities. I have visited several, on several occassions, and have never, ever come away without a lump the size of Gibraltar stuck in my throat. The War graves of German and Axis servicement should be compulsory to visit too, we should know that in times of War, all sides loose the most precious commodity a country has, 

as a lightly off topic thing, does anyone know if the graves of servicement in Market Garden are still looked after by the student of Arnhem Schools?


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## 100004 (Jul 12, 2006)

Fairly sure that Battlebus trips were highly reccomended in the guide done by Cardogans for the 60th anniversary.

I used the guide when we went last year and can highly recomend it 

We didn't use the the aire in Bayeux, as we stayed at Port au Bessen and used the bus.

Enjoy, we did. Pity about the awful music at the US cemetery :roll: 

H


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## KARTMAN (Feb 3, 2008)

homerdog said:


> Fairly sure that Battlebus trips were highly reccomended in the guide done by Cardogans for the 60th anniversary.
> 
> I used the guide when we went last year and can highly recomend it
> 
> ...


Nice place Port en Bessin, we likened it to Whitby but without the fish and chips.
Did you go to the museum up the road where the diver keeps pulling bits of ship and tanks from the sea?
I agree with you on the music at the US cemetery,if you have not been, it plays a musicbox time chime every 15 minutes or so, as I said its very American.


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## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

*normandy ww2 tour*

Thanks kartman, yes i know its reasonably easy to buy the book ( i have many) and do your own thing , but as you may be aware the beach head and battle area are huge ( roughly the size of Wales) and alot of the individual battles were fought in isolation, in places that are now days just empty fields or small villages and a good giude is worth every penny as they can link all the various factors together.

The other thing is i want to see some of the museums , ( have done arromanches ) but again there are so many and range greatly in quality.


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

bandaid said:


> Dunno about nowadays, but my Dad did the original tour starting in OCtober 1944. His jaunt in France started in the Med, after a visitation to Italy.
> 
> Apparently the accommodation was iffy, but the social secretary was on the ball with the firework displays.


I like that quote very good.

Ron


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

If you have never done a war walk with a battlefield guide, you should  

The knowledge these guys have is amazing; I did quite a few WW1 walks on the Somme and the Salient.

People such as Paul Reed and Vic Puick can give you an insight to these battlefields that you would never, ever get from reading a book.

An exceptional experience


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## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

Theres me thinking i was on my own regarding the " chimes " in the American cemetry...............We departed at 5.00 pm accompanied by The American anthem , that then turned into something else , and then something else . It was really perverse after being totally in awe of the size of the place with real sense of history , but then confronted with the chimes which continued for 5 /10 minutes !!!! talk about tacky.


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

I did email the American Embassy about the "music" I heard in the Somme American Cemetery

the reply

"Mr. Stockdale, What you heard playing at the Somme American Cemetery in Bony, France is an electronic carillon. Ours have been donated by the AmVets of the United States and the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

They are supplied by a company called Schlumerich Bells, and you can learn more about them from their web site. http://schulmerichbells.com/
Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed your visit, and particularly the unexpected tolling of the bells!

Margaret C. Flott
Director of Operations, ABMC-ER"


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## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

You forgot something........

http://schulmerichbells.com/ 
Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed your visit, and particularly the unexpected tolling of the bells!

Margaret C. Flott 
Director of Operations, ABMC-ER"

And thank you sir ......Have nice day ""

sorry couldnt resist :lol:


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## KARTMAN (Feb 3, 2008)

*Re: normandy ww2 tour*



dinger said:


> Thanks kartman, yes i know its reasonably easy to buy the book ( i have many) and do your own thing , but as you may be aware the beach head and battle area are huge ( roughly the size of Wales) and alot of the individual battles were fought in isolation, in places that are now days just empty fields or small villages and a good giude is worth every penny as they can link all the various factors together.
> 
> The other thing is i want to see some of the museums , ( have done arromanches ) but again there are so many and range greatly in quality.


Hi Dinger, yes I know how big it is, been all over,from Merville Battery to Utah beach.
The cottage we used was not far from Villers Bocage and the battles went through the farm yard as they fought their way to Mont Pincon and on to Falaise.
The nearest cemetery to us was in St Charles de Percy (where Barb saw 3 airmen larking about around the headstones, 8O ok dear its time to go).
As for museums, as you say they vary in quality, the museum in Bayeux is excellent as is the one at St Mare Eglis (houses a complete Dakota and a Waco glider under a roof shaped like a parachute). Museum at Deadmans Corner is good(dedicated to the Band of Brothers)just outside Carentan.The one at the top of the Verville Draw is good as is the one at the other side of Omaha St Laurent sur Mer, Juno and the Canadian museum thats a good one,staffed by French Canadian students through the summer,oh and Pegasus Bridge of course.
All you need are a good local map, not a road atlas, and a knowledge of the place names/battlesites, look for the blue plaques in the villages as these give a good account of events there,good hunting.

Rgds Paul


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

KARTMAN said:


> My uncle did the similar one,started in North Africa with a tour guide called Monty,then went to Sicily and over to some place called Anzio maybe on the same tour?


wouldnt be at all surprised, my Father celebrated 21 years of life whilst desperately trying to maintain said state in Monte Casino as well as Anzio.


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## KARTMAN (Feb 3, 2008)

bandaid said:


> KARTMAN said:
> 
> 
> > My uncle did the similar one,started in North Africa with a tour guide called Monty,then went to Sicily and over to some place called Anzio maybe on the same tour?
> ...


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

My old Dad, 

264 field company, Royal Engineers.

Oldest Corps in the Army.

To the right of the Line and left of the pay table.


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## strathspey (Oct 30, 2005)

We stayed at the municipal site at Carenten a few years ago. It was free for us, as Carenten is twinned with our town. It was pretty central for visiting the landing beaches. The museum at Utah beach was particularly good.
I hope you enjoy your visit to these great historic sites.


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## 99843 (Jun 30, 2006)

We stoped at a campsite at Martrangy which is not far out from Baux. I purchased a Mitchellin Map in one of the shops, which is printed as it was on 6th June 1944.The road system is still very much as it is now. It shows all the intresting features, cementrys, beaches etc. It also shows how much the allieds advance day by day.


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## viator (May 1, 2007)

bandaid said:


> Dunno about nowadays, but my Dad did the original tour starting in OCtober 1944. His jaunt in France started in the Med, after a visitation to Italy.
> 
> Apparently the accommodation was iffy, but the social secretary was on the ball with the firework displays.


My brother (No3 Commando/ Sword Beach) also started the tour on DDay ,sadly he did not return, I have his letters home to our mother and especially the last one before crossing the channel and like you bandaid, they bring a lump to the throat. That war was a just one unlike the wars our servicemen are sent to today.
viator


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Just or not, Viator,

they're still dead, maimed and crippled.


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

We have toured this area extensively since I first visited with the scouts in 1965. Still have a fascination with the place. From our experience the site in Bayeaux can pong abit as it is beside the local sewage treatment works and abbatoir if I am correct

Noel


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Viator,

sorryif I was a bit abrupt, there are reasons,

anyway,

No3 Commando, landed at Sword beach, on D day. Commanded by Lord Lovatt, they then marched to Pegasus beach, where they relived the detachment of the Ox and Bucks light infantry, whom had landed by glider on the night of the 6th June, and had removed the demo charges and held the bridge against counterattack by the Germans, until Lovatts commandos arrived later that day.

The interest is, that the Ox and Bucks light Infantry were part of the three mother regiments which made up the Royal green jackets.

Which was mine.

another website to look at regarding this and other actions with details, maps and museums of note, is

www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/trlout_gfx_en/TRA22174.html

if its of interest to anyone.


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## Murano (Mar 22, 2006)

Dinger and Kartman
The municipal site at Bayeaux is acceptable if you are prepared to use some of your own facilities, showers were acceptable, toilets typically in a line French, chem emptying was the last cubicle, washing up only had luke warm water but pitches were good. watch out for the circuit breaker tripping.
Better all round was the municipal site at Arromanches, and the aire outside the site better still (making use of the site facilities) athough you must be prepared to 'love thy neighbour'


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## Regal (Sep 25, 2007)

Hi Dinger

We can recommend the Battlebus Tour, It's a long day about 9 hours but we found it to be very interesting and emotional.

I took my father-in-law with us as he was involved at Sword Beach landings. I have known him for 30 plus years but until the 60th anniversary of the D Day landings I never knew he was involved.

A very nice touch from the Battlebus Company was that as my Father-in-law was a D Day veteran they did not charge him. We had such a memorable day and he doesn't stop talking about it.

You will not be disappointed.

Steve


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## 100251 (Jul 28, 2006)

*ww2*

Re the glider landing at Pegasus Bridge, those pilots are so much to be admired. (I fly small aircraft.)
To be released at 6000 ft in the dark and above clouds and yet to achieve the landing right by the bridge as they did was a superb achievement.

By the way the original Pegasus Bridge has been replaced.

Skywriter


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## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

*Normandy ww2 tour*

Thanks everybody that came back with suggestions.

I am trying to trace the service records of my late Father in law who had some real near misses in Normandy ( 50th Division ) whilst out in the front line supporting troops in his Bren gun carrier. One story centred on driving down a country lane and on turning a corner came face to face with a Tiger tank approx 250 yds away. Luckily he was able to turn around pretty smart , and often questioned who was the most surprised ......him or the German tank commander !

He never considered himself to be brave , just a young happy go lucky sort of bloke that was doing his best for King and country, and the rest of the poor blokes fighting against some of the best soldiers and equipment in a strange country.


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

*Re: Normandy ww2 tour*



dinger said:



> Thanks everybody that came back with suggestions.
> 
> I am trying to trace the service records of my late Father in law who had some real near misses in Normandy ( 50th Division ) whilst out in the front line supporting troops in his Bren gun carrier. One story centred on driving down a country lane and on turning a corner came face to face with a Tiger tank approx 250 yds away. Luckily he was able to turn around pretty smart , and often questioned who was the most surprised ......him or the German tank commander !
> 
> He never considered himself to be brave , just a young happy go lucky sort of bloke that was doing his best for King and country, and the rest of the poor blokes fighting against some of the best soldiers and equipment in a strange country.


Hi
With reference to your fathers records why don't you try the Royal British Legion I'm sure they will be able to help particularly if you have his regiment and service number also you can retrieve any medals he may have earned [all of them deserved medals] while serving.

Ron


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Regal said:


> Hi Dinger
> 
> A very nice touch from the Battlebus Company was that as my Father-in-law was a D Day veteran they did not charge him.
> 
> Steve


quite right too, 
he's already paid, and alot more than the price of a ticket.


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