May I refer readers to Counsels of War on page 5 of the July 1970 edition, of this magazine and the same feature on page 6 of the November issue of Wargamer's Newsletter. The first article deals with a visit to the Normandy battlefields in May of this year and the second to hectic days spent going over the field of Waterloo is September 1970. I found the first of these tours to be so inspiring and enjoyable that I felt my pleasure should be shared by others - the Waterloo trip in the company of eight other wargamers was suck a hectic asA, stimulating experience that I have taken steps to combine both experiences for the benefit of subscribers to this magazine.
Thorefore, Wargamer's Newsletter has organized a five-day tour of the Normandy battlefields to take place from the 14th to the 18th May 1971 inclusive. A luxury 50-seater coach will be leaving Southampton Central Station at 9-30 on Friday morning the 14th May, driving down to the Docks and straight on to the Thoresen Ferry for a five hour voyage to Cherbourg. On lauding, the programme will provisionally be as follows:
Drive down the Cherbourg Peninsular through many towns and places familiar to students of World War II to Osaka Beach where the Americans suffered great casualties in getting ashore. A visit will be paid to the beautiful St. Laurent Military Cemetery. Proceed to Luc-Sur-Mer where the party will stay for four nights at the Hotel Beau Rivage, standing in its own grounds overlooking the sea.
Saturday 15th May - Visit to the wonderful Musee du Debarquemest where a film of the D-Day landings will be shown and the vast array of exhibits studied. Then the party will be taken in the coach aloag to Juno Beach where the Canadians lauded and them. on to Sword Beach where the British and French landed at Ouistrekam Riva-Bella. Here we will have the opportunity of seeing the famous Pegasus Bridge captured by British paratroopers during the first night of the invasion. Museums and other places of interest will be visited.
Sunday 16th May - The party will be taken into Bayeaux where the opportunity be gives to see the famous Tapestry and also to visit the beautiful British Military Cemetery on the outskirts of the town. Then we will be taken through the heart of the area where the greatest Normandy fighting took place to Caumost, Villers Bocage, to Odon and Hill 112 (which will be walked over and studied) and on to the Carpiquet airfield. Then into Caen by late afternoon where an opportunity will arise to do some shopping.
Monday 17th May - A visit to the two abbeys and the castle at Caen and then into the coach for an extensive tour over the Falaise Gap area and the terrain over which the "Goodwood" attack went in. Then into Falaise itself and a trip over the Castle.
Tuesday 18th May - Leave Caen to drive right across the battlefield area to Utah Beach, to St. More Eglise and Careatax and then on to the historic little port of Harfleur with its Hundred Years War associations. On to the boat at 4:30 pm to arrive back at Soutkampton at 9-30 p.m.
Sounds exciting, doesn't it? But there is even more to it than. that! I have been extremely fortunate is securing the services of Evereley Belfield, Professor of Tactical Studies at Southampton University and author with H. Essame of the book "THE BATTLE FOR NORMANDY". Evereley Belfield will be on the tour throughout, describing everything end everywhere (the coach is fitted with a microphone sad amplifiers) and generally acting as a most authoritative and highly informed courier. Also he intends to provide maps and pre-tour information and a bibliography of recommended reading which will be sent to each member of the party well in advance of our departure so that everyone knows exactly what he is looking for.
There are innumerable museums in the area we are covering - in addition to the superb and most modern museum at Arromanches, there are fine museums at Utah Beach and at Careatam and an American Airborne Forces Museum at St. More Eglise plus other museums at Caen and Falaise etc.
The hotel is reported to be very good, each room has its own bathroom or shower and will take two in twin-beds. The food in this part of France is excellent and I have fond memories of some wonderful five-course dinners enjoyed in May of this year, when I toured the same area. If the weather is as hot as it was then, our lunchtime picnics taken by the Normandy roadside (crisp French bread, cheese, apples and a bottle of wine or cider) will be most enjoyable affairs.
Obviously, with the early start and late return to Southampton it will be necessary for some of the party to arrive on Thursday afternoon and stay the night and similarly remain in Southampton on the night of Tuesday the 18th. I can book accommodation in comfortable Guest Houses within easy reach of Southampton Central station for a cost of about 30s per head. To give the tour a good send off it is istended that the Wessex Military Society shall put on an evening of entertainment on Thursday, May 13th. At the time of writing it is hoped to be able to have a showing of the film "The Longest Day" or an army film of D-Day "Left of the Line". Is any event, there will be an evening of wargaming or something similar to get everyone together is friendly fashion.
And how much is all this going to cost? Well, every effort has been made to pare the cost down to the very minimum. Friendships with coach companies and other people have been grossly abused so as to take advantage of their generosity so that the five day trip including four nights in France [hotels will cost 29 pounds 10s. -d. If you wish to come on this tour please write straight away to me, enclosing a deposit of 5pounds. Remember, there are only fifty seats on this coach and two of them are taken by Everaley Belfield and myself whilst others have already been spoken for by members of the Wessex Military Society.
If this tour is a success then it is intended to have a similar tour of the battlefields of World War I in 1972 and a tour of the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War in 1973 - it is up to Yout support this tour and there will be others. If it goes smoothly, I may even try to run a similar one in the Autumn around the Waterloo battlefield area. Oh and I forgot to mention - I am afraid this is a Men Only affair and that anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or mature guardian who will be responsible for his.
Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 105
To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues
To MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1970 by Donald Featherstone.
This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com