Following Grandfather's footsteps - Normandy Beaches

[MMC]

Dropped into Ranville today with Pip - to see where her grandfather fought. Quite something...



Boy, was she ever proud. And we found a photo of him in the museum just by the bridge. A very special day.

 

[ghost]

lovely report

 

[Davy F]

Been over a couple of times now and still haven't seen half the sights, but it's a great place for going back to time and time again.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Glyno]

Great report, I love it up there and going again next summer. The tank on sentry at Pegasus is a Churchill AVRE. The gun is a blockbuster mortar.

 

[shuck raider]

Pegasus Bridge museum is one of the best Overlord sites IMO. I liked the full size replica Horsa glider. The (English) tour guide was very droll - he mentioned that only two wood-working companies in UK tendered to construct these. One was the Co-Op coffin-making factory, which didn't go down well with the troops who flew in them, the other was an outfit called Mullard Furniture Industries. Their initials didn't inspire much confidence either - flat-pack gliders

 

[Lord Snooty]

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/markmcarthurchristie/DSC01451.jpg


Mark, lovely to read this again and a great post script now that Pippa has now seen where her grandfather fought so bravely.

I was in France for 10 days recently and returned via Normandy; I stopped at Arromanches for lunch at this cafe and as I sat down a bloke walked in who I played rugby with years and years ago. He was touring on his bike also....small world sometimes.

Teh D514 coast road along the north of the peninsular is a great road and you can drop off it at any point to the landing beaches or visit any of the lovely villages, and of course there are artefacts and museums everywhere.

British tank by the D514 roadside, don't know what type

Coastal gun emplacement

Memorial to the Royal Engineers, these memorials always seem to have fresh poppy wreaths whatever the time of year.

The front at Arromanches

Sherman tank on the approach to Omaha Beach

 

[Gizmo]

Centaur Tank

Great report, I love it up there and going again next summer. The tank on sentry at Pegasus is a Churchill AVRE. The gun is a blockbuster mortar.

A really great ride report. Have covered the history of this area and visited the sites many times and never tire of learning the personal stories of those involved. We owe that generation a huge debt of gratitude.

In relation to the "German Tank" ( God I'm glad you were not there with a bazooka!!) :

Wrong wheel arrangement to be a churchill. Looks like a Centaur Tank. About 80 special versions were produced for bunker busting on D day. Have a look here on pages 86 and 87

http://books.google.com/books?id=8C...d&hl=en#v=onepage&q=cromwell armoured&f=false

The centaur was a variation on the Cromwell Tank.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=67

Also here under Cruiser Tank A27L, Mark 8 Centaur, 3, 4, C.S., O.P.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/GreatBritain/BritishCruiserTanks.html

Same photo as featured in this report at
http://www.oorlogsmusea.nl/upload/9411060917164249.jpg

Jesus I need to get out more........ Hmm Normandy looks good

 

[Gizmo]

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j179/markmcarthurchristie/DSC01451.jpg



British tank by the D514 roadside, don't know what type

British Churchill Tank

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...ll+tank+AVRE+photo&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&itbs=1

 

[Glyno]

A really great ride report. Have covered the history of this area and visited the sites many times and never tire of learning the personal stories of those involved. We owe that generation a huge debt of gratitude.

In relation to the "German Tank" ( God I'm glad you were not there with a bazooka!!) :

Wrong wheel arrangement to be a churchill. Looks like a Centaur Tank. About 80 special versions were produced for bunker busting on D day. Have a look here on pages 86 and 87

http://books.google.com/books?id=8C...d&hl=en#v=onepage&q=cromwell armoured&f=false

The centaur was a variation on the Cromwell Tank.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=67

Also here under Cruiser Tank A27L, Mark 8 Centaur, 3, 4, C.S., O.P.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/GreatBritain/BritishCruiserTanks.html

Same photo as featured in this report at
http://www.oorlogsmusea.nl/upload/9411060917164249.jpg

Jesus I need to get out more........ Hmm Normandy looks good

I stand corrected Gizmo

 

[Big Nick]

A really great ride report. Have covered the history of this area and visited the sites many times and never tire of learning the personal stories of those involved. We owe that generation a huge debt of gratitude.

In relation to the "German Tank" ( God I'm glad you were not there with a bazooka!!) :

Wrong wheel arrangement to be a churchill. Looks like a Centaur Tank. About 80 special versions were produced for bunker busting on D day. Have a look here on pages 86 and 87

http://books.google.com/books?id=8C...d&hl=en#v=onepage&q=cromwell armoured&f=false

The centaur was a variation on the Cromwell Tank.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=67

Also here under Cruiser Tank A27L, Mark 8 Centaur, 3, 4, C.S., O.P.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/GreatBritain/BritishCruiserTanks.html

Same photo as featured in this report at
http://www.oorlogsmusea.nl/upload/9411060917164249.jpg

Jesus I need to get out more........ Hmm Normandy looks good

I thought he was refering to his bike.........................

 

[MMC]

In relation to the "German Tank" ( God I'm glad you were not there with a bazooka!!) :

Yes, quite. A damn good job I wasn't armed with anything sharp or that goes bang.

 

[Elle]

never spent any time in northern france, the photo's look great and lots of history to catch up on. thanks for sharing