Your visit, to the 6th Airborne Division area of operations, will cover ground in the north-eastern part of Calvados, which is the smallest of Normandy’s five departments. The scene today is one of a picturesque countryside, with half-timbered houses and sprawling farmland reminiscent of what it must have been like before the invasion and inevitable destruction that came in 1944. The towns and villages have long since been rebuilt and have grown in size to accommodate the ever increasing population. New roads now make travelling across the area more comfortable and quicker than anything that was experienced by the troops during the Second World War and the lunar landscape of carpet-bombed countryside has once again returned to smooth, lush, green grazing land or to golden fields of corn. Still clearly visible in places though, are the high hedgerows and small fields that make up the infamous bocage.
A visit during the winter months will allow you to see the area in the Dives valley partially flooded, although the floods are never as extensive as they were back in June, 1944. I recommend that the best time to visit the area is during the summer when the climate is more agreeable, places of interest are open and you are seeing the environment in climatic conditions similar to that experienced by the troops during the campaign itself. Normandy is very much like the British climate with unpredictable rainstorms. The only exception is that in summer it is likely to get very warm; therefore sun cream, sunglasses and a bottle of water are all sensible additions to your travelling pack. Also include a small first-aid kit and a comfortable rucksack to carry everything in. Sturdy shoes or walking boots are essential and good waterproofs should also be taken as rain storms can be torrential.
For British Nationals, in case of any accident or illness that may require medical attention, you should take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) This is available online via the National Health Service (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk - type EHIC into the search bar), by telephone 0845 606 2030, or by post (application form available at your local post office). This will cover medical treatment in France. Also ensure that your tetanus jab is up to date and it is advisable to take out medical insurance while travelling abroad.
Emergency numbers in France are: 112 for any emergency service, 17 for the Police, 15 for an Ambulance and 18 for the Fire Brigade. The Operator is 13 and Directory Enquiries is 12. When telephoning the UK dial 0044 then the UK area code minus the first 0, and then the number you require. Finally, do not forget that a valid ten year British passport is still required for British Nationals to enter the country.
A camera, plenty of film or memory cards, and a notebook and pencil (ink smudges when wet) are the best way to record your visit, but don’t burden yourself with unnecessary equipment. A tripod is not really essential (unless you are going to be taking photographs in low light or of yourself) and the average compact digital zoom camera will more than meet your needs. For the more avid photographer, I find an SLR and 10-20mm, 18-70mm and 70-300mm lenses are an ideal choice. Remember not to shoot into direct sunlight and a good tip if taking pictures of headstones or memorials is to get down to the same level and, when the light is bright; take your picture from an oblique angle so that the inscription is defined by the shadow.
Unlike the static trench warfare of the First World War, where the fighting was carried out on the same battlefield for several years, the Second World War saw the arrival of modern warfare; here technology played as greater part in the battle, as did the men who had to fight it. However, despite the weapons of mass destruction, the task of securing an area and expanding the bridgehead was still left to the men on the ground, the infantry. Unlike their forefathers though, these men would find themselves making advances over ground in days rather than months and years. Consequently, you are unlikely to find anything in the way of old munitions lying about today on or beside the well-trodden tourist tracks. Nevertheless, there are still many munitions left over from the battles, buried beneath the ground or in woods and pathways off the beaten track. There are also other grim discoveries still being found today.
On 8 May 2009, the bodies of five German soldiers, still wearing their metal identity tags, were found in a shallow unmarked grave near Bavent. The remains were reinterred at the German cemetery at la Cambe. On 14 February 2010, some 20,000 of Caen’s 110,000 inhabitants had to be evacuated when a 1,000lb (453kg) Allied bomb was found during building work at Caen University. A bomb disposal squad safely disarmed the bomb. If you do find something unusual, do not touch!
What also remains today are the extensive fortifications that once formed part of Hitler ’s Atlantic Wall. Positioned all around the Norman countryside these concrete monoliths remain as formidable and awesome as they were over half a century ago. Normandy also has what is probably the greatest concentration of war memorials, than any other battlefield in the world. Over 200 are connected with the 6th Airborne Division alone.
Maps and Satellite Navigation
The most detailed maps of this area are IGN SÉRIE BLEUE (Series Blue). You will need two: the 1612OT 1:25000 CAEN map and the 1612E 1:25000 DIVES-SUR-MER. CABOURG map. The IGN SÉRIE VERTE (Series Green) 1:100 000 No 6 map is also useful if you wish to explore the rest of the Normandy landing beaches or American airborne sector. Maps may be ordered via most good bookshops or online (www.ign.fr).
To assist those who have satellite navigation equipment there is, in Appendix D of this work, a list of the satellite navigation coordinates to all the places of interest and locations of many of the memorials and exhibits that are mentioned in the text. For the armchair tourist and traveller alike, I can recommend using these coordinates to reference places on www.earth.google.com. The resources available on this site, along with the aerial photography, are particularly valuable to the reader as it will allow them to understand the distances involved and appreciate the terrain of the area more easily.
Travel and Accommodation
Travelling to this part of France is probably best done by using one of the ferry companies: Brittany Ferries (www.brittanyferries.com) sailing from Portsmouth to Caen (approx. 6hr day crossing and 7hrs at night), Portsmouth to Cherbourg (high-speed 3hr crossing); LD Lines (www.ldlines.co.uk) sailing from Portsmouth to Le Havre (approx. 5hrs day crossing and 8hrs at night); P&O Ferries (www.poferries.com) from Dover to Calais (approx. 1hr 30mins crossing). The latter will involve a 3 to 4hr drive from Calais to Caen but can work out to be a cost-effective way of travelling, even with the added cost of the toll roads, called the Péage. From Calais you take the A16 to Boulogne and Abbeville, the A28 towards Rouen, then the A29 towards Le Havre and finally the A13 to Caen.
If driving, comprehensive insurance is advisable. If it is your own vehicle you must carry the original vehicle registration document (V5), if it is not your vehicle you must have a letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive. A full valid driving licence and current motor insurance certificate is also required and an international distinguishing sign (GB) should be displayed on the rear of the vehicle (unless your vehicle displays Euro-plates). You should also carry spare bulbs as it is illegal to drive with faulty lights. A high visibility reflective jacket in the passenger compartment, in case you need to exit the vehicle after a breakdown, and a warning triangle to be used in conjunction with the vehicles hazard warning, are also compulsory. Headlight beams should also be adjusted for right-hand driving using headlight convertors.
The minimum age for driving a car is eighteen years. You should not drink alcohol and drive. Seat belts are compulsory for all occupants and children under ten years of age are not permitted to travel in the front of the vehicle. As a general guideline, speed limits (unless otherwise indicated) are: 130kmh (80mph), or 110kmh (68mph) when wet, on motorways (autoroutes); 110kmh (68mph), or 100kmh (62mph) when wet, on dual carriageways; 90kmh (55mph), or 80kmh (49mph) when wet on open roads; and 50kmh (31mph) in built-up areas. The lower limit applies if the driver has held his driving licence for less than two years. Fines are on the spot and if caught speeding at 25kmh (15mph) above the speed limit you may also have your driving licence confiscated immediately.
Driving is on the right-hand side in France. While driving, take particular care at junctions. The rule of giving right of way to traffic coming from the right can still apply (Priorité à Droite). A yellow diamond sign indicates you have priority. On a roundabout you generally give priority to traffic coming from the left. One word of warning, if a driver flashes his headlights in France it generally indicates that he has priority and that you should give way. This is contrary to the standard practice (but not the law) in the UK.
Further up-to-date advice on travelling abroad can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk).
Some of the tours in this book do use some narrow roads, so take care when driving, parking and walking. When travelling please be courteous to the local people and show respect when looking about near their property or land. Please do not trespass.
Another cost-effective way of travelling to, or around, Normandy is to use one of the many battlefield tour coach travel companies. With experienced guides to enhance your tour of the area these can provide an invaluable insight into Normandy landings. Leger Holidays, offer many tours, some conducted by authors who write for the Battleground Europe Series. A brochure can be obtained by calling 0845 408 07 69 or by visiting their website (www.leger.co.uk).
For more personal tours, in smaller groups, these can be arranged on a daily basis. These tours can also include visits to areas not open to the general public. Contact Stuart Robertson via his website at www.normandybattletours.com.
There are plenty of hotels to choose from in this area of Normandy, though remember that these are always busy around each anniversary. I have often used the Hôtel Restaurant Kyriad Caen-sud (www.kyriad.com), 698, route de Falaise, 14123 IFS Caen. Tel: 0033 (0)2.31.78.38.38. This hotel is situated on junction (sortie) No. 13 of the Caen southern ring road (péripherique Sud), from where you can join the A13 (Autoroute de Normandie) which leads to the D515 and D514 to Bénouville.
Alternatively other accommodation can be found online on the official website of the French Tourist Office (www.francetourism.com) and French Government Tourist Office (wwww.franceguide.com). Local tourist information can also be found at the following regional and county tourist boards and tourist offices (Office de Tourisme or Syndicat d’Initiative): Normandy Tourist Board (www.normandie-tourisme.fr), Calvados Tourist Board (www.calvados-tourisme.com), Cabourg Tourist Office (www.cabourg.net), and Caen Tourist Office (www.tourisme.caen.fr).
To make the best use of this guide it would be of benefit to read it before you travel. This will help you become familiar with the operation and objectives given to the 6th Airborne Division as well as highlighting the significance of the local features and the area in general. While on your tour this guide will provide a ready reference and direction to the villages, memorials and cemeteries as well as a detailed description of the battles.
Since much of the story is told in the words of the veterans themselves it will also vividly recreate the emotional turmoil of excitement, uncertainty, comradeship and horrors that face men in times of war. Above all, it is my intention that this guide will allow you to better understand the reason why the sacrifices made by these young men so many years ago should never be forgotten; along with the hope that, while that memory remains fresh, another generation of mothers, fathers, daughters and sons need never again experience the indiscriminate killing, and waste, of total war.
Hitler on a tour of his Atlantic Wall.
