OVERLORD

This tour covers the central area of the 5 landing beaches, including 2 major strong points and 3 cemeteries.   La pointe du Hoc was the important strategic point, nestled up high between Utah and Omaha beaches, it was tasked to the Rangers.  James Rudder lead the assualt with the 2nd Rangers. The 5 Miles crescent shaped Omaha beach was the objective of V corps, under Maj Gen LT Gerow. Charlie and Dog code names were designated to the 29th div, Blue and Grays and Easy and Fox to the 1st div, The Big Red One. The II British army under Miles Dempsey landed  east of the Bessin. The 50 div landing at Gold Beach, part of which, Arromanches was and is the site of the Mulberry Artificial Harbours. The 47th marines taking the port early on the 7th. To their east were the 3rd Canadian div, landing at Juno, taking this heavily populated area around the Seulles estuary including the port. They had a lot of House to house fighting. Their main cemetery is nearby in Beny-sur-mer, the British is in Bayeux.  

We begin this tour at la pointe du Hoc, arriving high up on the cliffs, the bomb craters and destroyed bunkers are testimony to the fierce fighting that took place here on d day.   Moving on to Omaha, we can examine the WN strong points, 73, 65, 62 and 60. Above WN 62 at colleville sits poignantly the American Cemetery, created in 1947. After a quick lunch we head east towards Longue sur mer, this impressive gun battery still houses the 4x150mm guns and the observation bunker being a scene of the longest day movie.   We can then visit the Churchill tank at Graye-Sur-Mer, also where the Polish 1st Armoured div landed under Gen Maczek. We then visit the juno beach centre set behind the beach between the German defences where the III Canadian div landed under Rod Keller, sustaining high casualties at Bernières-sur-Mer.   afterwards we visit the peaceful Canadian cemetery at Beny-Sur-Mer before heading to Bayeux. We have the Battle of Normandy museum and/or the  British Cemetery to see before finishing