In the off-season I regularly travel to other places in France and Europe to learn more about history. This adds insight to my knowledge about the events I talk about in Normandy on my DDay Tours.
England 2019
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In January I travelled to England and finally visited important WWII places I had been wanting to visit for a long time. The first was Southwick House near Portsmouth, I was lucky enough to gaze out of the same French windows General Eisenhower did when he made the monumental decision to launch Operation Overlord and to stand in front of the wall map he and his staff used to oversee the landings.
The next important site I travelled to was Bletchley Park where the German Enigma codes were broken and the Ultra program commenced. It was a fascinating visit and I learned a lot about the incredible efforts of the code-breakers, so many of whom were women. |
Brittany 2018
In November 2018, I along with 11 other members of the Normandy Battlefield Tour Guide Association spent the weekend in Saint-Marcel and Vannes in Brittany. This was an area in France where a large-scale but often overlooked battle between the French Resistance/SAS troops and stubborn German forces. We toured the museum there and many of the battlefields and memorials. Understanding the role of the brave French resistors to the occupation is important to me on a personal level. Indeed, a question I am often asked on my DDay tours is "what role did the French Resistance play?" Well Brittany was an area where many hundreds of Bretons answered the call and fought to rid their region of the Nazis.
Sicily 2018
Paul and I spent 8 glorious days in Syracuse and Catania in Sicily. We were there to enjoy the sun and relax but also for Paul to film for his WW2TV project. We spent a day visiting Italian bunkers and fortifications around Syracuse and also toured Catania - it was fascinating matching WW2 photos to the same location today and seeing the bullet holes in the stone buildings. We also spent a memorable day at Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano. The invasion in Sicily - Operation Husky was an important learning step in the planning of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy a year later.
Waterloo 2018
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In March 2018, I spent an amazing day in Waterloo near Brussels where my eldest daughter was studying. The visitors' centre there is incredible, with its 3D surround sound cinema. We also climbed to the top of the mound. In 1820, the Netherlands' King William I ordered the construction of a monument. The Lion's Hillock, a giant mound, was constructed here using 300,000 cubic metres of earth taken from the ridge at the centre of the British line.
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Then we went to the equally amazing Hougoumont farm to learn about the famous skirmish that took place there — A French officer (Sous-Lieutenant Legros), wielding an axe, managed to break through the north gate. A desperate fight ensued between the invading French soldiers and the defending English Guards. In a near-miraculous attack, a small party of officers and Corporal James Graham fought through the melee to shut the gate, trapping Legros and about 30 other soldiers inside. All of the French who entered, apart from a young drummer boy, were killed in a desperate hand-to-hand fight.
Dunkirk 2017In November 2017, I traveled with my tour guide friends to Dunkirk and other towns and villages in Northern France.
Since the release of the Christopher Nolan movie in early 2017, interest in the events of 1940 has rocketed. So we took the time to tour the area and learn more about the operation. |
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Particularly moving was visiting the sites of the various massacres by SS troops of British soldiers. In Normandy there are several locations where POWs were murdered, and seeing these types of places reminds us all why DDay was so important. The World needed to remove the Nazis and bring back freedom.
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Le Havre 2017My partner Paul and I spent two days in Le Havre. I had picked up clients at the Cruise Terminal but not really visited the town.
There is lots to see there, including the best Impressionist Art museum outside of Paris. It is well worth a visit if you have a day spare in Normandy. |
North of the town, is a building used by the Belgian Government in WWI and in late 1944/45 as the Allied HQ for the famous "Cigarette" camps. huge encampments where thousands of GIs were organized prior to boarding ships back to the USA.
Le Havre was virtually destroyed by bombing in September 1944 and was rebuilt to be light and spacious.
Le Havre was virtually destroyed by bombing in September 1944 and was rebuilt to be light and spacious.
Malta 2016In November 2016 we spent a glorious week in Malta. An island rich in history from the Megalithic temples on Gozo, through Templar Knights and on through WWI and WWII.
Especially interesting with the many locations and museums related to the siege in 1942. Thousands of Maltese endured weeks of bombardments by sheltering in claustrophobic underground tunnels and caves. |
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The invasion of Sicily (Operation Huskey) was planned at the Lascaris War Rooms and we took a tour to learn about the planning. It was incredible to hear about the operation and especially fill in the gaps in my knowledge about the progression of the war against Germany that led to DDay - my own subject!
If you ever get a chance to visit Malta, you will have an amazing time. We aim to revisit and see more of the Country another time.
If you ever get a chance to visit Malta, you will have an amazing time. We aim to revisit and see more of the Country another time.