Point du Hoc - France 2006

On tour with the SAS - more <here>.

Unlike the American Rangers on D-Day,we arrived at Pointe du Hoc in the 'Battle Bus' via a safe -if somewhat dreary road -having parked up there was a lengthy walk to the battlefield.

The first thing that you notice is the moonscape features of the ground, pounded to pieces on D-Day and before by allied bombers and support vessels, a wonder anyone of anything could survive.

Seeing the cliffs climbed by the Rangers puts their efforts into perspective, an incredible feat of bravery.

Sword Beach - Le Grand Bunker

Sword Beach from the Bunker Roof

Having traveled to Normandy to visit the D-Day beaches we arrived at Ouistreham, where, tucked away in the backstreets we found this museum. It has been fully restored to how it would have looked back in 1944. The amount of original uniforms and equipment, some very rare, is amazing.

Three wise men.  John, Phil & Dave atop the Bunker

Situated inside a Fire Control Bunker, which overlooked Sword Beach, this museum tells the story behind the Atlantic Wall defences along the Normandy coastline. The bunker was also the command center for all the gun batteries protecting the Orne estuary. As 3rd Division landed on Sword Beach, and the guns the bunker commanded were silenced, the garrison held out until 9th June, when a Royal Engineers officer, Lieutenant Bob Orrell of 91st Field Company, blew the entrance in and the occupants finally surrendered. Orrell and his men took two officers and 50 men prisoner, and for his exploits Orrell was awarded the Military Cross.

Graham explaining to John the hatch for the step ladder
 to the roof wasn't too small, rather John was too big.
Phil watches on.

On tour with the SAS - more<here>.

Agincourt Museum

We visited the Agincourt Museum, which never really recovered from our presence! Mikey N,John And Andy recreated the advance of the French Foot Knights as seen below- spookily realistic!

Sir Michel le Nouveau

Sir Andre le Plat

Sir Jean le Grande

 The museum as actually very good, for a small town facility such as it was... Following pictures from the museum illustrating some of the combatants.

We tramped the battlefield for a couple hours,with Steve doing the honours in explaining the lie of the land, the history etc truth be told it was a farmer's field, most of which was ploughed, without Steve's research we could literally have been anywhere!

On tour with the SAS - more<here>.