Last autumn, I had the pleasure of taking Vane Crandell in the footsteps of his father, Combat Medic Vane L Crandell (Snr) 82nd Airborne Division. Our visit culminated in a moment of remembrance at the 508th PIR Memorial Garden at Chef du Pont. The garden was established in 2018 to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the regiment's participation in the D-Day landings and the Normandy Invasion. The garden features a large stone monument [...]
Coastal erosion at the Pointe du Hoc Coastal erosion is becoming a serious threat to the future of this historic site. The speed at which the sea is bringing down the sandstone cliffs is very worrying. Whilst there have always been minor landslides, only last year the iconic stack itself split in two and collapsed. Yesterday morning before I arrived with a tour in the afternoon another section of the cliff collapsed some [...]
WW2 Beach Obstacles: the Czech Hedgehog The Czech hedgehog was a type of beach obstacle used extensively during World War II by the Axis powers, particularly Germany, to hinder the Allied amphibious landings. The obstacle was named after its origin, as it was first designed and used by the Czech military before the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. The Czech hedgehog was made up of a series of large, interlocking steel or concrete beams, each [...]
Quite by chance I caught this image whilst taking a tour on Friday 28th October 2022. If you ever wonder why and for what reason all those young men died then here is the answer.
Re-enactors are converging on our village for a week-long bivouac. Unfortunately for this German group one of their trucks broke down right outside our gate. Disappointing for them of course, but I couldn't resist the photo opportunity.
Band of Brothers follows the exploits of "Easy" Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division The 'Band of Brothers' Story - Where it actually happened. The exploits of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion 506th P.I.R. are well known thanks to the book by the historian Stephen Ambrose and the HBO mini series. In the following pictures we wish to show you where in reality some of their famous [...]
D-Day 75 Garden Arromanches The ghostly figures of the D-Day 75 Garden illustrate the memories in the mind of D-Day veteran Bill Pendell MM, as he sits in quiet reflection of his comrades with whom he struggled ashore on the morning of 6th June 1944. The garden was originally created for the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show by John Everiss. Once the show was over the garden was moved [...]
British Normandy Memorial at Ver sur Mer The British Normandy Memorial at Ver sur Mer, overlooking GOLD Beach was officially opened on 6th June 2021. After 77 yrs, Britain finally has a beautiful fitting tribute to the 22,442 service personnel and civilians under British command who lost their lives during The Battle of Normandy. Now set in stone, these names are listed together for the first time. The monument [...]
The historic old walled town of Saint Malo, on the northern coast of Brittany. Battle for Saint Malo U.S. 83rd Infantry Division Once across the River Rance and following the fall of Dol de Bretagne, U.S. forces led by 6th Armored Division continued to drive westwards towards Brest. Yet, to the north, at the mouth of the Rance Estuary lay the strategically important port of St Malo, one of the [...]
Advance from Pontaubault to Dol De Bretagne. On the morning of 1st August 1944 United States forces had captured four bridges over the Selune River at Pontaubault. General George S. Patton who had formally taken command of Third Army was in a strong position to continue the advance into Brittany. Patton ordered U.S. 4th Armored Division (U.S. spelling) to turn southwards towards Rennes, and ultimately the ports of Saint Nazaire and L'Orient. U.S. 6th [...]
