OLD COUNTRY MILITARY & HISTORY TOURS INC.

Thursday 10 October - Day 1:

Arrive by own transport to Portsmouth Harbour terminal. Board Brittany Ferries - departs at 21.00.

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Friday 11 October - Day 2:
Our first day in Normandy will be a shortened but busy one.
We start our day by studying the now famous Glider led Coup de Main operation to seize the bridges over the Caen Canal and Orne River.  We then devote the rest of our time today covering the landing of specific units of the 3rd Infantry Division on SWORD beach.

06.45 - 07.30 Group arrives at Ouisterham near Caen. Debark and met by bus at 07.15

Breakfast/Coffee stop near to Ouisterham

 
Travel to Pegasus Bridge

- Operation TONGA
Our guide will describe the Coup de Main operation lead by Major John Howard (played by Richard Todd in The Longest Day) which led to the capture of the bridge that would become known as Pegasus Bridge - 6 June 1944

Stand 1 - Location of Glider landing  

Stand 2 - Café Gondrée

Coffee break at the famous Café Gondrée

Travel to SWORD Beach

-SWORD Beach Landings
Our guide will describe the chaos, confusion and courage that occurred during the landings on Queen RED and WHITE Beaches in the SWORD sector

Stand 3 - Twin Villas 10.45 -11.15 - C Company 1 South Lancashires

Stand 4 - Place de CORBET 11.30 - 11.45 A Company 1 S Lancs

Stand 5 - Rue du Pont L’ Eveque 12.00 - 12.20 - 1 East Yorkshires

Stand 6 - 4 Commando and Bill Millin stand 12.20 -12.45

Light Lunch locally in Ouisterham

Travel to Bayeux

At your own leisure in the beautiful city of Bayeux, visit to the tapestry or the cathedral

Check in hotel Bayeux
 

Saturday 12 October - Day 3:

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Battle for Utah Beach 6- 8 June 1944

 

Today is devoted to a tour which studies the US airborne and seaborne landings in the Cotentin peninsula. Our day will largely focus on the operations of the famed 82nd Airborne Division “The All Americans” and the 4th Infantry Division known as the Ivy Division.

 

Depart hotel and drive to the village of Sainte Mere Eglise arriving there at about 09.30.

On Bus briefing about the American plan to land on the eastern shores of the Cotentin peninsula and also the development of the Airborne plan to seize critical river and canal crossings.

 

Stand 7 - Sainte Mere Eglise

Here in the famous church square at Sainte Mere Eglise your guide will describe the events that took place in and around the square in the early morning of 6th June. You will have an opportunity to visit the famous church.

Short rest and coffee break

 

Travel to La Fiere Bridge

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Stand 8 - Battle at La Fiere Bridge

 

Bus tour - Chateau Bernaville /De Glopper - Falley site

Lunch in St Mere Eglise

Return to Sainte Mere Eglise (15 minutes) and disperse for light lunch. During this time you will have the opportunity to visit the famous Airborne Museum next to the church square.

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Travel to Utah Beach

 

Stand 9 - Utah Beach

 

Our guide will tell us the story of the initial landings by the 8th Infantry Regiment on the beaches codenamed Utah Beach and the role of Brigadier General Roosevelt on that morning. You will also have time to view the various memorials at Utah beach.

 

Travel back to Bayeux.

 

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Sunday 13 October - Day 4:

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OMAHA Beach
Sunday will be devoted to telling the story of the landings at Omaha Beach by the 29th “Blue and Gray” Division and the famous Big Red One the 1st Infantry Division. We will begin the day by looking at the tragedy that befell A Company of the 116th Infantry   (The Bedford Boys) before moving on to see how Rangers and other 116th Infantry soldiers helped turn to the tide of battle on the western flank of the beach. We then look at the problems encountered by the 16th Infantry on Easy Red and Green in front of a deadly strongpoint codenamed WN 62 and the role of supporting Engineers, tanks and the US Navy in helping the Big Red One break free of a deadly beach. We finish the day visiting the US Cemetery above the beach.

Travel to VIERVILLE La Plage to visit Omaha Beach

Stand 10 DOG GREEN Beach (Boys from Bedford)

Stand 11 DOG WHITE Beach (Rangers lead the way story)

Short Coffee /Comfort break

Travel to EASY RED

Stand 12 - EASY RED Beach WN 62

Lunch at EASY RED /FOX GREEN

Travel to ABMC Cemetery

Stand 13 Visit ABMC Cemetery

-Travel back to Bayeux  

 
 

Monday 14 October - Day 5:

 

GOLD and JUNO Beaches

Our final day in Normandy will be devoted to studying the British landings by 50th Infantry Division on GOLD Beach and the Canadian landings by 3rd Canadian Division on JUNO Beach.  At GOLD we will tell the story of how CSM Hollis of the Green Howards won his VC and visit the new British memorial.  At JUNO our focus will be on the experience of the Canadian Scottish and Reginal Rifles on D Day and how they were supported by Hobart’s Funnies.

Checkout and load luggage

- Travel to Ver sur Mer (GOLD Beach)  

- GOLD Beach

Stand 14 - Le Paistry Vert (CSM Hollis VC)

Stand 15 - Mont Fleury Villa (CSM Hollis VC Story)

Stand 16 - British memorial visit  

Travel to Courseulles and JUNO Beach.

-Light Lunch

-JUNO beach

Stand 17 Mike Green Beach at Graye Sur Mer

Stand 18 - Nan Green - Bernieries Sur Mer

- Travel to Ouisterham

16.00 - Board ferry for Portsmouth Harbour, UK

Ferry departs at 16.30

Arrive 20.15 in Portsmouth - Disperse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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