Lest we Forget

Drive along the coast, past Dauville

The memory of what happened along the Normandy coast is as vivid today as it was 75 years ago. Every street sign has a flag with a hero from the allied army in recognition of their efforts. Because of the way Operation Overreach was designed, the American, Canadian, English and allied forces attacked seperate parts of German fortifications. As you drive through the small Normandy towns they each pay respect to the countries that helped liberate them, it is very touching.

We visited 4 specific sites, each dedicated to the moments when the allied forces made immeasurable sacrifices, some beyond my generations imagination. I was surprised to see how much of a time capsule this region remain, and how much effort continues to be been made to ensure people never forget. So much of the 1940’s infrastructure still remains on the beaches, in the towns and the surrounding landscape.

Our first visit was to the the battery museum of Merville-Franceville. The fortifications, vintage equipment and digital interactions gave a detailed minute by minute visual and historical representation of the British efforts to silence the strategically important German long range coastal defences that otherwise would have significantly impacted the allied landings. The sacrifices made by the British here were astounding.

Our next location was the Grand Bunker of the Atlantic wall. This obscure tall building, amongst modest residential surrounds, whose purpose was to cover the entrance of the river Orne and the associated canal with its artillery. The 52ft high concrete tower has been fully restored to make it look how it was on the 6th of June 1944.

On 9 June, Lieutenant Bob Orrell of The British Royal Engineers, accompanied by just three men, placed explosive charges on the bunkers armour-plated door. It took these 4 men four hours to break open the bunker. The Germans were certain they were to be confronted by more than just 4 men as two German officers and fifty men surrendered. The liberation of town of Ouistreham was complete.

The museum a fantastic recreation of how the German operations were in 1944. The boys really enjoyed the displays and the vast array of authentic equipment, clothing and ammunition. The view from the top, only accessed by a 18ft ladder used at your own risk, was amazing and you can see how this position was so strategic in the local region.

Next on our visit was Arromanches beach at the remains of the Mulberry floating harbour. This was incredible to see such a large array of infrastructure used in the Normandy landings still in situ, although clearly battered and deteriorating.

The floating harbour was only meant to be temporary however it ended up serving for five months after a similar harbour at Omaha beach was destroyed by the worst storm to hit Normandy in 40 years, supporting the transfer of 2.5 million men, 500k vehicles and over 4 million tonnes of supplies. The harbour was also known as Port Winston.

This was by far the business location we visited. To say that the North American tourists were noticeable would be an understatement. Escaping the wandering ‘Yankees’ we hit the beach to get up close to the infrastructure that has overtime broken free and drifted to shore. It must only be a matter of time before these extremely visible remnants of 1944 disappear forever.

The next visit was to the surviving German coastal defences at Longues-sur-Mer.

The battery is located between the Allied landing beaches of Gold and Omaha and actively shelled both beaches on D-Day. The battery was captured on June 7, the day after the landings, and played no further part in WW2.

The battery is the only one in Normandy to retain all its original guns in situ and is a listed historical monument. Frozen in time, the boys were provided with a real impression of the intensity of this war as each of the 5 fortifications visibly show varying degrees of destruction.

Last on our list for our tour was Point du Hoc at Cricqueville-en-Bessin, immortalised by the 1962 movie ‘The longest Day’. Point du Hoc is a clifftop position wth 100ft cliffs, overlooking both Utah and Omaha beaches. It was a strategically important German defence that was captured by US Army Rangers on D-Day where they had to scale the 100ft cliff walls.

The area was also heavily bombarded, the remains of which is brutally visible to this day. Craters, some more than 20ft deep, still scar the area.

Our visit to the Normandy landing sites were amazing. Everyone learnt a great deal of the sacrifices made by the incredibly brave men of the allied forces. It is a very moving and surreal place to visit. The vast distance covered by the landings give you a sense how big this day was, the largest sea-born invasion in history.

It was impressive how much to local towns still remember and give thanks to all the men, some from distant lands, in liberating them and bringing peace to the region that has now laster for 75 years. May this peace never end.