After leaving the Somme the NMBS headed towards Normandy and the beaches that became famous under the names of "Utah" "Omaha" "Gold" "Sword" and "Juno", better known as The D-Day (Operation Overlord) beaches. The toll road saw Gerry get the best out of a Daewoo; anyone has ever witness, over 100mph in 5th gear, uphill, much to the alarm of the owner.  I had previously visited the beaches aged about 12, but the awe and sight of these beaches still amazed me a quarter of a century later. These were the beaches that finally marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany (combined with the Soviet attack in the East). These were the beaches that Hollywood made famous in "The Longest Day" and "Saving Private Ryan" and early episodes of the TV series "Band of Brothers".  Perhaps the sheer magnitude of the American Cemetery makes you forget that it was not just an American battle.  The scale of slaughter at Omaha is hard to ignore, but brave deed on the night of 5th and Early 6th June by the British and Canadians should not be forgotten.  As with all NMBS trips we made sure that the men and the fallen of all nations are remembered. 

Seeing the Colleville-sur-mer American Cemetery for the first time is jaw-dropping, it fittingly overlooks Omaha Beach. The Cemetery is huge and covers 172 acres and 9387 Americans are buried there. 307 of them are unknown. But as NMBS trip have spread all over Europe we realised that this size is of the norm for American Cemeteries.

A real treat for the NMBS boys (and again later in 2004 for different reasons) was the Pegasus bridge museum.  Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge (a type of movable bridge, Bit like Barton Bridge) over the Caen Canal, near Ouistreham, France. The bridge, also known as the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, was a major objective of Operation Tonga. Units landed by glider near it during the Normandy Invasion on 5–6 June 1944. It was given the permanent name of Pegasus Bridge in honour of the operation. This name derives from the shoulder emblem worn by the attacking British, which is the flying horse Pegasus.  But being Early February, the Curator of the museum was bored rigid on his own, no-one there and we turned up.  So he was delighted and to our delight he gave us a unique guided tour.  Sadly I forget the gentleman's name (he was still there in 2004) but although we shook his hand and thanked him a million times, we would like to thank him again.

We then went to the British beaches of Gold and Sword.  Andy McVeety (once a member of the NMBS and came away with us in 2001) Granddad came ashore here during D-Day.  I am sure it was a poignant moment for him, sadly lost by lance who was seeking small French firework bangers (a running theme escalating in Ypres 2006) and Steve and Gerry looking for a bar for a beer, coffee and another French Ciggie.

We also stopped at Bayeux, site of the famous tapestry and a fantastic museum to June '44.

Soon the trip was over (being split with the Somme cost us) and one ale fuelled night just before Gerry and Lance had tried to pay a bar tab with disastrous results it was agreed that Scotland would be our next trip.