| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? 12:52 - May 24 with 4051 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
Really tempted to go. I went in 2015 but that was in March. What's it like for anyone who has been? I like the idea of being able to speak to some veterans but I imagine everywhere (hotels etc) is rammo. |  |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:06 - May 24 with 4032 views | MedwayTractor |
I haven't been, but my sister has. She has told me that it is very difficult to get anywhere near the beaches without a whole lot of paperwork. You will have to get official passes from (I think) both British and French authorities.
My Dad was on Juno in one Hobart's Funnies, if you go to Courselles-sur-Mer, you will find One Charlie on display just off the beach to the west of the town. It is a Churchill (armed with a petard) from his unit, 26 Assault Sq RE. |  |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:22 - May 24 with 4013 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:06 - May 24 by MedwayTractor |
I haven't been, but my sister has. She has told me that it is very difficult to get anywhere near the beaches without a whole lot of paperwork. You will have to get official passes from (I think) both British and French authorities.
My Dad was on Juno in one Hobart's Funnies, if you go to Courselles-sur-Mer, you will find One Charlie on display just off the beach to the west of the town. It is a Churchill (armed with a petard) from his unit, 26 Assault Sq RE. |
You need paperwork?! That seems strange...
I went to the Juno Centre at Courselles (good museum). Don't think I noticed that tank in the area though. Will have a look out for it next time I go.
A guy I work with's Dad drove a landing craft in and out on Sword Beach (he was 17). Told him that at the end of the day they attached nets between the crafts and drove out scooping up the bodies. | |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:34 - May 24 with 3977 views | factual_blue |
| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:22 - May 24 by ThisIsMyUsername |
You need paperwork?! That seems strange...
I went to the Juno Centre at Courselles (good museum). Don't think I noticed that tank in the area though. Will have a look out for it next time I go.
A guy I work with's Dad drove a landing craft in and out on Sword Beach (he was 17). Told him that at the end of the day they attached nets between the crafts and drove out scooping up the bodies. |
Only on 6 June itself, I think. Presumably to make sure veterans and their families get first dibs and don't miss out. |  |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 16:13 - May 24 with 1228 views | MedwayTractor |
| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 13:22 - May 24 by ThisIsMyUsername |
You need paperwork?! That seems strange...
I went to the Juno Centre at Courselles (good museum). Don't think I noticed that tank in the area though. Will have a look out for it next time I go.
A guy I work with's Dad drove a landing craft in and out on Sword Beach (he was 17). Told him that at the end of the day they attached nets between the crafts and drove out scooping up the bodies. |
From what I remember my sister telling me, it was for access permission to the beachhead area for security & because of high demand - she went for the 70th anniversary.
Even though the number of veterans living is small and getting smaller, the beachhead areas have a finite capacity for crowds & the accommodation in the area is finite as well.
There's photo of One Charlie here:
https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/1003/Churchill-AVRE-Tank---One-Charlie.htm
and a fuller story here:
https://stockportveterans.com/65th/26-armoured-engineer-squadron-letter/
The Royal Engineers' Museum in Gillingham has (or had) a display about One Charlie in the D-Day section, including photos from the time of the recovery of the two survivors and my Dad's Co. Legend has it that the bridge using the turret was crossed by Churchill, Monty & the King when they made their first trip to France after D-Day. In typical army fashion, the bridge was christened "Pont AVRE" by the squaddies. | |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 16:31 - May 24 with 1212 views | footers |
If anyone's interested (sorry for spamming) but there's a Eurostar deal on today which ends at midnight and promotion begins on the 6th exactly. One-way £19.
So if you are going you might save yourself a few quid!
https://snap.eurostar.com/uk-en/home#_=_
I'm going to La Rochelle to visit the submarine pens and sea fortress  |  |
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| Has anyone been to Normandy on June 6th? on 08:50 - May 25 with 1142 views | allezlesbleus |
I would recommend trying to stay as near as possible to the site that is of most interest to you, because the roads to / from / around the beaches are normally rammed on 6 June and there are often big diversions in place too. |  | | |
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