After a late night sleep came easily until about 4 AM when it became too hot to be comfortable even with the window open and the A/C turned down. Solved by persuading the doona to go to one side of its bag.
Breakfast over, we met our new driver and guide, Rod, an ex Grenadier Guard.
Then what seemed a long drive to Caen with the weather deteriorating as we got closer to the coast.
Our first stop near the site of the airborne divisions night glider landings to capture one of two bridges needed for the invasion.
Yet another War Cemetery, where two Australians lie. Both RAAF, the most recent Flt Lt "Lacey" Smith, whose Spitfire was pulled out of the sea, with his body still in the wreckage, off the coast only a few years ago.
Then off to Pegasus Bridge, the site of another glider landing, and the capture of the bridge vital to the allies plans to break out of Normandy.
The two bridges crossed the canal and river that lead to Caen, a strategic transport hub for the entire region.
We had lunch in the Pegasus Bridge Cafe, run by the daughter of the owners who were here on D-Day. She was a delightful lady, with quite wonderful food, fresh omelet, with fresh salad and some delightful desserts.
Then along the length of Sword Beach, the British beach, with the weather getting worser and worser (yuk).
We struggled out of the van to look at some old gun emplacements to be nearly blown off our feet, and cold!
Interestingly, the gun points inland, which was part of the design of the Atlantic Wall, by Rommel.
We then followed the coast to the sight of the only D-day VC, awarded to a sergeant who was successful in attacking a concrete bus stop, which put up little resistance. When his mates found he had liberated a bus stop, the ribbed him so much for the rest of the day he was unstoppable.
Then on to Juno Beach, the landing beach for the Canadians.
With the weather failing to improve we headed for our hotel at Bayeux, famous for an English wall hanging, I believe.
The weather is so bad, we are confined to barracks tonight, so dinner will be at the hotel.
This weather is getting tiresome. My plan to walk in the Loire Valley is looking damp.
Picasa Web Albums
Breakfast over, we met our new driver and guide, Rod, an ex Grenadier Guard.
Then what seemed a long drive to Caen with the weather deteriorating as we got closer to the coast.
Our first stop near the site of the airborne divisions night glider landings to capture one of two bridges needed for the invasion.
Yet another War Cemetery, where two Australians lie. Both RAAF, the most recent Flt Lt "Lacey" Smith, whose Spitfire was pulled out of the sea, with his body still in the wreckage, off the coast only a few years ago.
Then off to Pegasus Bridge, the site of another glider landing, and the capture of the bridge vital to the allies plans to break out of Normandy.
The two bridges crossed the canal and river that lead to Caen, a strategic transport hub for the entire region.
We had lunch in the Pegasus Bridge Cafe, run by the daughter of the owners who were here on D-Day. She was a delightful lady, with quite wonderful food, fresh omelet, with fresh salad and some delightful desserts.
Then along the length of Sword Beach, the British beach, with the weather getting worser and worser (yuk).
We struggled out of the van to look at some old gun emplacements to be nearly blown off our feet, and cold!
Interestingly, the gun points inland, which was part of the design of the Atlantic Wall, by Rommel.
We then followed the coast to the sight of the only D-day VC, awarded to a sergeant who was successful in attacking a concrete bus stop, which put up little resistance. When his mates found he had liberated a bus stop, the ribbed him so much for the rest of the day he was unstoppable.
Then on to Juno Beach, the landing beach for the Canadians.
With the weather failing to improve we headed for our hotel at Bayeux, famous for an English wall hanging, I believe.
The weather is so bad, we are confined to barracks tonight, so dinner will be at the hotel.
This weather is getting tiresome. My plan to walk in the Loire Valley is looking damp.
Picasa Web Albums
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