Day 12 – Tuesday 7^th June

The benefits of local B&Bs

Breakfast was awesome! In 2014 we couldn’t find many hotels in Normandy that weren’t already full (or charging the earth) . It was similar for the 70^th Anniversary of D Day. So we were forced to use B&B’s – farmhouses and on a couple of occasions Chateaux. What a delight they were (and continue to be) with excellent value for money and superb food . They give a feeling of being “In France”, rather than somewhere that could almost be anywhere.

On this occasion, we also met a Dutch chap who told us he was a battlefield guide. Over breakfast we were able to increase his knowledge by telling him about Hills 112 & 226. Matters that we have spent a lot of time over but of which he’d been completely unaware. But I guess that’s how it is. You focus on a specific area & get to know & understand that well. Otherwise, there’s far too much to cover – unless you live there permanently or have the opportunity to spend a lot of time there (I still buy Lottery tickets “just in case”!).

Battlefield tour following 50th TT Division

We then set off to follow our own battlefield tour – led by the guide in one of my Battlezone Normandy books. As previous readers of this blog will be aware, these are a fantastic resource for anyone researching the Normandy fighting. It’s just a pity that a couple of key battles aren’t included in the series – but you can’t have everything, I suppose!

Our tour started at GOLD Beach. It was here the British 50^th TT Division started their invasion. TT stands for Tyne Tees -the area where the majority of the Division was recruited from. This is important in the Men in the Shed tale as most of the infantrymen, that were held in the shed there  were members of that Division. The exceptions being Scott and Caldwell.. Whether they would have landed as part of the D Day landing, I’ve not yet been able to ascertain.

So we followed the route starting from near the old railway halt at le Paisty Vert where 6^th Bn Green Howards (Clifford Wellings’ unit) landed in the early hours of D Day. Amongst them were CSM Stan Hollis the winner of the only VC on D Day. We then followed the track (now named in honour of the 50^th TT Division) up the rise heading towards the Mont Fleury Gun Battery. Here CSM Hollis took out a German position single handedly & that was, in part, the reason for his winning the VC.

The Gun Battery wasn’t completed in time for the invasion as the Germans were late in realising that Normandy needed defending. They only started building Gun Emplacements in 1944 – too little, too late. And, of course, one has now been reused by an enterprising Frenchman!

Lavatory Pan Villa

We then headed back towards the beach to visit the enticingly-named “Lavatory Pan Villa”; so called because of the circular shape of its driveway, viewed from the air.

On returning to le Paisty Vert, we met a trio of Royal Engineers’ Veterans. They had all served post-war, but were there to remember one of their friends who had landed there on D Day. A quick chat & photo & we were off again. Passing the chateau at Ver sur Mer, through narrow & winding roads with high walls & up to le Pavillion farm on the outskirts of Crépon. This is where CSM Hollis undertook the second action of the day that was to result in his Victoria Cross.

As we’d visited the Green Howards’ Memorial last year, we headed off to Tilly sur Seulles to meet up with Stéphane Jacquet who we were hoping would have some additional information for us.

Driving along, we passed a memorial to Advanced Landing Ground B2 at Bazenville & stopped for a quick photo.

Stéphane Jacquet: multi-tasker extraordinaire!

As usual, Stéphane was trying to fit days’ worth of activity into a few hours . However we did manage to share some information, with a promise of more (and contacts) to come! As well as – most importantly – a beer (or two…)!

Part of the reason for Stéphane’s urgency was that he needed to get changed into suit & ceremonial sash in time for two Veterans’ services. One at St Pierre (the village just outside of Tilly where we’d stayed)- & a second one at the museum in Tilly that Stéphane is curator of. As it was a hot day & the beer was cool, we decided that we would attend the service at the museum.

I have to say that it came as a huge shock to see Stéphane “Spruced up” in his official capacity & without his rucksack. Previously we had presumed it was some sort of life support mechanism as we’d never seen him without it!
The Wilting Standard Bearer

The remainder of the service passed uneventfully . Afterwards we saw Squadron Leader Peter Roper – a Canadian Hawker Typhoon pilot who was shot down on D+1 (7^th June 1944) just south of Tilly and was captured soon afterwards. The museum at Tilly has the engine from his aeroplane as one of its key exhibits. It was good to see him chatting away to another veteran – David Woodroffe – near his engine.

Reunited with Albert Figg

So another day drew to a close. We headed off to Arromanches for a quick look around  – only to be spotted by Annette  & Albert Figg. They had just finished eating in a small restaurant, so we joined them & decided to eat there. As we ate, Albert signed more copies of the autobiography. It had been published just in time for this years’ commemorations.

Having eaten & taken our leave of Albert & Annette and headed down the coast a short way. We parked up and took photos of the sun setting over the remains of the Mulberry Harbour. We also took others of the remnants of the German radar station that used to be here.