M’off…. Normandy, with Lloyd’s of Luncheon Motor Club

[Wapping]

On my way but delayed due to self-inflicted stupidity.

As I sat in my car at home, I decided to get my passport ready. There was only one problem…. No passport!

I remembered putting it on the passenger seat of my motorhome as I came back from Spa on Monday. I guessed it was still there. Off I drove to London NW7 from E1, which is just about exactly the opposite way to go to Folkestone. Yup, there it was on the passenger seat, where it had slid under a Waitrose bag. Phew! That little excursion cost me an hour, so I was obliged to alter my crossing, which cost £20 to change at short notice. A small price to pay for finding a passport.

On the M25, a lump of metal or concrete and metal (no time to see it properly) clumped up under the off side bottom rear of my car, putting a big gouge in the rear metal under tray. I would not like to have hit it on a motorcycle.



And here we are steaming into la belle France



Let the games begin!

 

[Wapping]

The Wapping has landed.



Not a bit of blue sky in sight. Though enforced upon me, the tin top was a good choice.

 

[stever1]

The Wapping has landed.

View attachment 410025

Not a bit of blue sky in sight. Though enforced upon me, the tin top was a good choice.

That looks nice. Where are you ?

 

[Wapping]

That looks nice. Where are you ?

Just outside Honfleur, for one night.



A strange hotel but we had a good meal in, of all things, an Argentinian restaurant, just down the road.

 

[EVskiy]

Just outside Honfleur, for one night.

A strange hotel but we had a good meal in, of all things, an Argentinian restaurant, just down the road.

If I see a pack of Brit Porsches, I know I’ve caught up. Have a good jaunt Richard.

 

[Wapping]

Brighter day today.

 

[Wapping]

First stop, at high noon:

 

[LOLGEOFF]

Blimey! Has your accommodation got secure, gated, undercover parking? Do you empty your boot ever night? Is just one pound of butter enough for vehicles of this calibre?

 

[paul08]

Doing the ‘tourist’ bit!

 

[Wapping]

After the Pegasus Bridge museum, it was off to see the Polish Air Force memorial.


Then to the new and very nicely designed British Normandy Memorial, which has the very effective ‘Walking with giants’ installation, which (if I read it correctly) will be in place for the next five years.

 

[Ectopic]

On my way but delayed due to self-inflicted stupidity.

As I sat in my car at home, I decided to get my passport ready. There was only one problem…. No passport!

I remembered putting it on the passenger seat of my motorhome as I came back from Spa on Monday. I guessed it was still there. Off I drove to London NW7 from E1, which is just about exactly the opposite way to go to Folkestone. Yup, there it was on the passenger seat, where it had slid under a Waitrose bag. Phew! That little excursion cost me an hour, so I was obliged to alter my crossing, which cost £20 to change at short notice. A small price to pay for finding a passport.

On the M25, a lump of metal or concrete and metal (no time to see it properly) clumped up under the off side bottom rear of my car, putting a big gouge in the rear metal under tray. I would not like to have hit it on a motorcycle.

Ooh, get you. A Waitrose bag...

 

[EVskiy]

Ooh, get you. A Waitrose bag...

To quote George Clooney, “… what else?”

 

[Wapping]

Ooh, get you. A Waitrose bag...

I just knew I’d hook one with that dangled worm.

 

[Wapping]

The British Memorial visit over, the next stop was at the Green Howards’ Memorial and the quite nice eponymous bar close by:



And to read the testament to the only VC awarded on the 6th of June itself:

 

[Wapping]

Day two.

Up and away after breakfast, to Arromanches, parking at the top of the hill to look down on the remains of Mulberry Harbour. Low tide is a good time to visit, as the massive concrete blocks are visible and accessible.



There was a French Classic Car group parked there, too. We would bump into them again several times during the course of the next two days.



There is a very effective memorial, made from welded washers.



Then a wander down the quite steep hill to the beach and to visit the excellent museum, which tells the full story of the Mulberry Harbour.

 

[Wapping]

The museum is definitely worth a visit, the audio visual ‘guide book’ working really well.

The Basset-Lowke models, which are yards long and created in intimate detail are worth a look, as is the very rare example (it might be the only one) of a version of the British Army’s webbing in canvas, a forerunner of today’s webbing.

Home - Musée du Débarquement - Arromanches

musee-arromanches.fr

 

[Wapping]

Arromanches done, it was on to the Longues-sur-Mer battery.

This is becoming a bit of a disappointment. You used to be able to go into a lot of the structures, but they are now fenced off permanently. I guess that time is rendering them very unsafe. That said, there is still bits of interest, not least the Russian cannon, which the Germans had captured. It evidences the Germans had to equip the miles of defences with non-uniform weaponry, leading to all sorts of supply and maintenance issues. That said, the gun in the picture was still a reasonably formidable piece, capable of firing a shell roughly every six seconds over a range of five miles. Don’t be fooled by the wooden wheels, nor that it was probably horse drawn.

 

[Wapping]

From the battery, it was on to a snack lunch at Port en Bessin Haupain, in quite a decent cafe.



Then to the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.

 

[Wapping]

From the cemetery, we then went to Point du Hoc, taken at great cost on sixth of June, only for it to be found that the guns had been removed. It was still vital that the guns be found. The story of how they were found, by whom and their immobilisation is worth a read.

 

[Wapping]

Our last stop of the day was the German cemetery at La Cambe. The little modern museum there is worth a look.