Normandy 2011

Nantes and beyond !

Nantes Cathedral

Day 1.

I suppose one thing was for sure, Normandy 2011 could not have the pitfalls of Normandy 2004. 2004 - heat wave, problems with hotel room and nightmares with car hire. Couldn't happen again, could it? It started out all so well, the flight was fine and not too long, although being a small plane if anyone had trumped the whole plane would have copped for it, not that we trump in the NMBS and if we did it would smell of rose petals. Lance was happy, ordering and Gin and Tonic or two on the plane, Kevin was being chatted up by a friendly trolley dolly - a fine start to the trip.

Landing in Nantes it was a short bus and tram ride to the City Centre, Nantes was to be the base for the night before we headed off to the Gite and the Normandy beaches. Steve had been told before hand that there was a cheap ticket from Nantes Airport (Nantes Alantique, Quiz buffs would say) to the centre of Nantes that costs a Euro. There is another - which they Nantes Tourist Information Centre promote costing 8 Euros, but there is a recession on, so the 7 euro saving each would be a few beers in Nantes - unless they charge 5 or 6 Euros a pint, nah, that wouldn't happen would it? It's Nantes, in France, with Lance - its not Scandinavia prices, is it? So we bought the euro ticket. Simple. Buy ticket, get on a bus for one stop, get off buss, get on tram to Nantes. Simples.

After getting off the bus and on the tram we went a few stops until some inspectors got on. 'Fine' we thought, we wasn't jibbing al la Caen in 2004, we were fully paid up ticket holders. The inspectors spoke to the main one of us who could speak French, Lance. Soon we were kicked off the tram and surrounded by a plethora of inspectors. The inspectors asked us where we had come from - 'Manchester' we replied in a hope that they would understand any confusion in the language barrier. 'I know you have trams in Manchester, and I know you need tickets' was the reply from the man with the clipboard and the chip the size of Agincourt. We protested that we did have tickets and shown the inspector, why Lance hadn't shown him on the tram is up there with the riddle of the sphinx.

Apparently you have to swipe the ticket in a machine on the tram, how any tourist would know this beggars belief, but you should, we didn't and hence we were booted off. We were allowed on the next tram and we were shown the 'blink and you'd miss' thing where you swipe your ticket and we were heading into Nantes.

Now, those things that went wrong in 2004, which couldn't happen again? Well we hit Nantes in the middle of the hottest October on record. It was roasting and boiling. Knackers sweating, thank god we were all clever enough to have bags on casters or like 2004, I predicted a 'Man down'. Okay so if the heat wave was the only thing like 2004 that wouldn't be so bad. We arrived at the hotel and had a ganders at the rooms. The older members were sanctioned to share a room, due to snoring, whilst Steve, Stuart and Kevin had a triple room with 3 single beds. Well, that's what we booked..... Like 2004 the hotel room also cocked up, although I suppose Stuart would say 'At least there was a room this time' but the 3 single beds were a double and a single, and true to form Stuart had already dumped his bag on the single, another 2004 repeat. Now as much as Steve loves Kevin and yes, as the trolley dolly will confirm he's a good looking fella, but Steve wasn't going to sleep in the same bed as him, especially his feet, so Steve had the floor. To be fair to Kevin he donated his duvet to Steve to lie on.

A quick shower and change and the idea was a few beers in Nantes and enjoy the French atmosphere. The boys ordered 5 beers (bugger it was 5 euros a pint) and sat in the early evening of French sun, relaxing in the metropolis of Nantes.

But OMG (txt speak, the NMBS keep up with the kids) the worlds most beautiful woman walked past. Followed by another. And another, and another. AND ANOTHER. Sat opposite us was a super model, and another and another AND ANOTHER ! What the hell was going on. The whole of Nantes seemed to have the most beautiful women ever. Each and every one of the NMBS had RSI of the neck within 10 minutes of gawping. Kevin and Steve feared that Stuart would have RSI of something else if the trend of repeating 2004 continued. Nantes was stupid. 99% of women in Nantes are gorgeous. The other 1% it was deemed were tourists.

By the end of the night the boys had witnessed so many beautiful women and drank a few 5 euro pints it was head to the hotel with a carry out, a few tinnies. Super. The older members retired to a night of snoring, whilst the youngsters were chatting away until the concierge of the hotel phoned and complained that we were too giddy for the other guests and to be quiet. Stuart, in his poshest voice, reassured the concierge that we would be good boys and the NMBS closed down for the night.

Nantes

And not a bottle or Kebab wrapper about

Day 2

The sun cascaded over the spires of Nantes on the next day, Nantes has a beautiful church and cathedral, most striking of the churches is Église Notre-Dame de Bon-Port and the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul isn't too shabby either. Both are beautiful but at 7am in the morning after a night of sleeping on parquet tiles, Steve really didn't notice them. After getting up at 6.30 and having a shower whilst Stuart and Kevin slept, Steve went out into the autumnal sun to find food and coffee. It had been noted that Nantes had a McDonalds and a "Q" - a French McDonalds chain, so Steve headed for them. To his horror and dismay, McDonalds in France may not have a clue what a "quarter pounder with cheese is" (according to John Travolta) they also dont do breakfasts and they open at 11.30. I suppose the sausage and egg McMuffin hasn't captured the imagination of the Gaulles, and the same can be said for Q burgers - Steve, being a James Bond fam expected Q burgers to fire poisoned darts or turn into a invisable car, but sadly the burger chain, the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast, in France don't do breakfasts.

As Steve wandered around Nantes at daft o'clock, he found a little patissearie. Champion he thought. The place was swarmed with (indeed the whole of early morning Nantes was) young people who hadn't been home for the night. Nantes at 7am was like a huge bottle bank with loads of empty bottles all over the place, last night Kebab wrappers dancing in an October sirocco (nice kebabs, by the way as Steve's memory of the night before de-misted, and a note to self avoid the chilli sauce) to be frank or should that be franc? the whole of Nantes had transformed from a whimsical and beautiful city into a shit tip over night. The plethora of beautiful women certainly know how to party like it's 1999!

Steve tries his best at French, but its 27 years since he failed his 16+ (ask your parents GCSE generation) French (Steve's Letter he had to write to a French friend in his 16+ exam comprised of "Bonjour Philippe, a Bientot, Steve") but since this was his 10 trip and most places he had been spoke French he had been able to sort himself out with food, at least he tries, unlike the shocking breakdown of the "Auld Alliance" of Scotland and France (the NMBS Scottish member doesn't do French). Steve's Salfordian accent had alerted some of the young revellers to the fact that there was a Englander within their midst. A few stares and a "Rost Bouef" didn't really put Steve of the coffee, Orange juice and a Croque monsieur, as he was starved and had the munchies.

A few moments later a pretty lady in her mid twenties came over. Steve usually hates mither, but she was young and pretty and he's a sucker for the French accent. She spoke to him in perfect English and asked him where he was from. When Steve replied 'Manchester' she replied "Eric Cantona". So she was young, pretty, had beautiful hazel, oval eyes with soft olive skin, and a wisp of dark hair falling on her forehead like a cute comma, and soft pink lips (Steve states he didn't really notice what she looked like) and she loved the King Cantona. With this Steve was wishing that his 16+ had told him "will you marry me?" But she asked his name "ah Stefan" she replied like a young Audrey Tautou. "I am Salome" Steve worried that he will soon end up saying something he shouldn't was relieved to see a young, tall big black guy walk over.

He asked for one of the roapy French cigars that Steve had in a tin next to his coffee, Steve gave him one and Salome walked off with him - Steve smirking as the guy walked off lit up and chocked on the cigar. One - Nil to the NMBS.

Steve walked back to the hotel, passing Gerry and Lance's room he heard they were up and on returning to his room, Kevin was awake and Stuart was rousing out of his slumber. After the rest had showered and dumped the bags with the concierge the NMBS went out to get coffee and walk around Nantes. We wasn't due to pick up the care until 2pm, so we had a morning to kill in Nantes. It was 9am and Steve was amazed that Nantes was not bottle and kebab free, and that the bin men had done a wonderful job in a few hours. After coffee we found a great bar called the "Webb Ellis" named after the rugby union guy and seeing that the rugby world cup was on and that Gerry is passionate about rugby it was an ideal place to sit, watch the rugby and wait with a beer or two until we could pick up the car. The place was situated in a narrow street and opposite was a beauty salon. So much neck turning was done by the NMBS as hoards of young ladies were trying to make themselves look even more beautiful, how you could improve on perfection was hard to see, but, bless them they tried. The French owner of the Webb Ellis sighed and shrugged his shoulders in a way only the French can do. "you can see why I bought this place" he smirked whilst sipping an espresso and smoking a Lucky Stripe. The NMBS nodded in absolute jealousy.

It was time to pick up the car and the drivers this year would be Stuart (he first time driving on the wrong side) and Lance. To be kind Stuart and Lance set off on the twenty minute walk to the car hire place, leaving Steve, Gerry and Kevin risking more RSI and having a beer.

Back in 2004 the car hire to Normandy was a nightmare and the NMBS have never forgiven Avis and will never do so. So obviously nothing could go wrong. It did. around forty minutes after Lance and Stuart had left, Steve got a text from Stuart saying Lance had lost his licence. Five minutes later a rather stressed and sweaty (as sweaty as a glass blowers arse) Lance appeared in front of the rest of the NMBS. "I have lost my licence and the paperwork to hire the car" Lance spluttered. "Is it in your bag?" The boys asked "No" replied Lance. "What about the hotel room?" Lance explained that the maids had been round and tidied the rooms throwing out rubbish (read, empty cans of 1664) and that he had waded through the refuse sacks (which included a manky salad) and no licence or paperwork. "phone Stuart and let him double check your bag" Was the helpful reply from Kevin. "I have but I will phone him" Worried a very panicked Lance. After a few Second of looking in Lance's man bag, Stuart had found the licence and the paper work. You could see the look of relief and smile beam across his little beardy face. Steve, Kevin and Gerry started to hum the "Laurel and Hardy" theme as Lance scurried away for another 20 minute trek to the car hire place. Gerry, Steve and Kevin ordered another beer and watched the passing women.

Half an hour or so later, Lance and Stuart arrived in a huge VW Transporter People carrier (he nicknamed it "The Stath" after Jason Statham of the Transporter series of films) and we were off to the promised Land of Normandy and the Gite.

The journey was a 3 hour trip which was quite uneventful, apart from the toilet stop at a French Service Station. The toilets were the typical stone holes in the floor. How can a member of the G8 and one of the main player in the EU still dump, squatting in a hole in the floor, amazes us. The one that Steve and Kevin used (for a Wee wee, I hasten to add) looked like that hell hole toilet in the film "Trainspotting". It was like a H-Block Cell after a dirty protest. It was vile. Kevin and Steve used it but fantasize about a massive pristine convenience. Brilliant gold taps, virginal white marble, a seat carved from ebony, a cistern full of Chanel no.5, and a flunky handing them pieces of raw silk toilet roll. But other than that we hit the Gite (stopping at a Lidl for goods, Well we are in a recession) in good time and the owner greated us with a nice smile.

The Gite was spectacular. It was basically an old vicarage, and we all had separate bedrooms, ample showers and loos (proper loos, the French do them when they can be bothered) The Kitchen was big and the NMBS cook, Steve was in his element.

A huge pot roast Chicken Dinner was made, Stuart turned on the TV, and the Boys settled down on the huge sofa for the night, a nice beer in hand, relaxed that we had settled in the Gite. Tomorrow would bring the start of the real holiday and the Normandy D-Day beaches awaited. So a nightcap and a semi early night and maybe a bit of a lie in the next morning, well it is our hols.....

The Gite

www.gites-de-france-calvados.fr

Day 3

Not many things or people have made the NMBS “List” as we are a placid bunch, maybe AVIS car hire, French toilet makes, “H” from steps (or is that just Steve’s list?) but now a whole new group had made the list – Campanologists. The gite where we were staying for the week was in a quaint little village called Cricqueville-en-bessin, quite close to the famous landing beaches of D-day – indeed the village must have been one of the first villages liberated on D-Day by Americans. I say village as from the gite all you could see was a Church about 25 yards away and a few other houses which were a few hundred yards away. Just outside of Cricqueville, the United States Army Air Force established an airfield shortly after D-Day on 9 June 1944, just three days after the Allied landings in France. The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy. Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-2" (Cricqueville), it was used from early June through September 1944. After the Americans moved east into Central France, the airfield was dismantled and the land returned to agricultural use. The aforementioned church has a memorial to the Rangers and Col. Rudder who stormed the nearby Pointe du Hoc on D-Day (more on that later).

The Ranger Memorial & Col. Rudder - Cricqueville

* Note the civillians who died on D-Day......

Back to the Campanologists. For those who do not know what one is, and believe you me, they will become a dying breed if the dare repeat the shenanigans, are bell ringers. And as Mr. Sandman sent the boys of the NMBS a blissful dream at 7am the bell ringers strutted their stuff. It sounded like the credits for the Children’s Film Foundation (ask you parents if they were forced to ever watch Saturday morning films in the 70s) or that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were coming out of St. Paul’s after getting married. More bells than the cockney Oranges and Lemons. 7am, I ask you. That’s 7. A. M ! now the NMBS are a tolerent lot and if that was the Shires of England and When a muezzin faces the Qiblah, calling the faithful to prayer from a minaret, The Daily Mail would be up in arms. Mumsnet would have kittens and the listeners to the Archers would think Armageddon has come, so why do we tolerate Church bells at such an ungodly hour? (See the pun?) It’s 2011; can’t churches reach the masses via twitter or text messaging? So the boys were up and shaking fists and swearing like the love child of Tracey Emin and Gordon Ramsey at Bells and Campanologists. But a full English (we even from proper bacon, a rare event in France, that and sit down toilets and Parisian men buying soap) and the boys were off to Pointe Du Hoc.

Pointe Du Hoc

Day 3

Omaha Beach and Inland

With the Tinnitus affliction now bestowed upon the NMBS by the bell ringers, we headed on our first port of call, Pointe Du Hoc – or named “The Impossible Mission”. Stuart and Kevin had missed going to the Pointe in 2004, and to be honest it has changed a lot since the rest saw it in 2001. Back on a biting February day in 2001 it was just the NMBS there, no toilets, no “Visitor’s Centre” or “center” as out cousins across the pond call them and a field for a car park. Today there is a crowd, Centre and toilets and a massive big car park – big enough for “The Stath”. 67 years ago it would have been so different. Ponte Du Hoc was (In my opinion, Madness) and one of the most heroic episodes of D-day. Pointe du Hoc is located on the coast to the west of the Omaha beach landings and was the position of six 155mm cannons with a range of 25,000 yards. These cannons had a commanding view of both Omaha and Utah beaches and the potential to cause much damage to the invading force. The area had been bombed since May and then grew in intensity during the three days and nights before D-Day.The point stood on cliffs between 85 to over 100 feet high at whose base was a very small rocky beach that offered no protection. Because the point was positioned on near impregnable cliffs, the Germans had concentrated their defences in anticipation of a ground assault from inland. Above were heavily fortified concrete casements interlaced with tunnels, trenches, and machine-gun positions around the perimeter. Although the 716th Infantry Division was thinly stretched along 30 miles of the shoreline, approximately 200 German troops (125 infantry and 85 artillery men) were garrisoned in or around the point.The task fell to Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder's 2nd Ranger Battalion and called for 3 Companies (D, E, and F) of the battalion to scale the heights. Company D was to approach the heights on the west, while E and F were to attack on the east. The main Ranger force (5th Battalion and Companies A and B of the 2nd) were to wait off shore for signal of success and then land at the Point. In addition to destroying the guns, the Rangers were to move inland and cut the coastal highway that connected Grandcamp and Vierville. They were then to wait for the arrival of the US 116th Infantry from Omaha Beach to the east - scheduled to relieve them at noon on the 6th. Once linking up with the main force, they were then to move on Grandcamp Maisy (Via Circqueville and past the Gite) to the west in order to attempt to link up with the forces that were to land at Utah beach.The Rangers headed for the cliffs, but now they found themselves only on the Eastern side of the point when the plan called for landings on both sides. The beach at the base of the cliff was only 30 yards wide and heavily cratered from the bombardment. In order to climb the heights, the Rangers' LCA's were equipped with rocket-fired grappling hooks and the DUKW's were fitted with fireman ladders. But, because of the shelling from the USS Texas and others, earth had piled up at the base of the cliff and the DUKW's couldn't approach close enough to the cliff to effectively use their ladders. On the other hand, the piling at the base gave the men somewhat cover from enemy fire and also made the height to climb less.

After several failed attempts (due to the weight of soaked ropes) and due to the assistance of naval artillery (especially the British destroyer the Talybont), the Rangers finally struggled to the top after incurring only 15 casualties. As men reached the top, they went off in small groups to accomplish their missions.

They reached the gun emplacements only to find that they had been removed and telephone poles had been temporarily installed. Lt. Col. Rudder then split his command into two. One group stayed behind to establish a command post, while the other went in search of the missing guns. The second group headed south and found the guns in an apple orchard (Close to the gite at Circqueville), where they had been removed in order to be saved from the bombardment. They were unguarded and were destroyed with thermite grenades. The primary mission of the Rangers had been accomplished.

Up to this point, the German defenders had not yet recovered from their initial confusion. They were slowly regrouping and assembling, and later that day the 916th and 726th counterattacked the Ranger positions. Throughout the day, the USS Satterlee, Barton, and Thompson gave fire support to the Rangers when possible. By nightfall, the Rangers were forced back into a 200 yard wide defensive position inside the battery. The Rangers had lost 1/3 of his men and ammunition was running low.

By June 7th, the next day, of his original 225 men, Rudder had fewer than 100 and almost no food. Despite attempts of the 5th Ranger Battalion that had landed at Omaha Beach four miles to the east, the Rangers remained under siege. By the 8th of June, the 5th Ranger Battalion finally relieved Rudder's position. They were almost 2 days behind schedule.

In the end, Rudder's Rangers had suffered 70 percent casualties and held off five German counterattacks. Rudder was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his service at Point du Hoc and went on to command the 109th Infantry Regiment later in the war.

Vierville WWI Statue

That's gonna hurt in the morning

Along the coast is a small coastal town of Vierville, On 6 June 1944 after waves of bombers dropping seventeen warships opened fire simultaneously on the beach defences. The first assault troops landed around 6:30 a. m. The landing ships ran aground fifty meters from the beaches. The Rangers and the soldiers of the 1st and 29th American Infantry Divisions were heavily equipped, they walked in the water to reach the dry sand. Then they discovered that all the Germans defenders were not dead. The machine-guns and guns crushed the first companies entangled in the obstacles. At 8:30 a. m. the beaches were overloaded with vehicles, the order was given to stop any troops landing.

Around 10:30 a. m. the men of the 116th Infantry Regiment and the 5th Rangers rushed into the attack and broke through. In the evening Vierville-sur-Mer was taken, a German counter-attack was pushed back and the only exit of the area was built with the bulldozers.After Vierville we went inland and the small town of Trévières. On 9 June 1944 the 2nd American Infantry Division set up its headquarter in Formigny, a small town four kilometers from Omaha Beach on the N13 road. Trévières was the 38th Regimental Combat Team objective. A regiment headquarter of the 352nd German Infantry Division under General Kraiss was established in the town. On the left the 9th Regimental Combat Team must occupy the area of Mandeville-en-Bessin.

The 9th RCT progression was slow and Rubercy south-east of Trévières was reached at the end of the day. The advance of the 38th RCT was not easy either, but the Americans moved in the vicinity of Trévières in the evening hours. Threatened of encirclement the Germans of the 916th Infantry Regiment had almost entirely withwdraw from the village. In the morning of 10 June the Americans eliminated several snipers and liberated Trévières definitively.

One One of the main “shocks” is the First World War Memorial, in the words of the NMBS “Urban dictionary” it’s “Proper fucked”. A Shell hit it square in the face and you can see below the mess it made. On a lighter note, the cake shop in Trévières does a nice flan or hard bread and cheese thingy. Oddly the pubs were shut but the small cinema was heaving. Maybe a new Gérard Depardieu film was on and the bar man at the pub wanted to see it. Whatever this was a dry town. The same could be said for Isigny-sur-Mer, our next port of call. To be fair, it was a Sunday and even the French have a day of rest, along with the other 6 days that they seem to have. Luckily an offie was open and we managed to buy some beers and some gifts – so not a lost cause and indeed the toilets next to the Church were fine, so things were looking up.

In the evening of 6 June 1944, General Kraiss who commands the 352nd German Infantry Division failed to drive back the Allied Forces to the sea. The IInd American Corps suffered heavy losses on Omaha Beach and at the Pointe du Hoc. But as the Americans unloaded tons of supplies and troops reinforcements, the Germans Forces weakened. On 7 June, the 1st Infantry Division entered Formigny and the main road Isigny-sur-Mer to Bayeux. On 8 June, the 29th Infantry Division reached Grancamp and La Cambe. On 9 June, Isigny-sur-Mer was fired again by the Allied Navy, the 2nd and 3rd Batallions of the 175th Regiment attacked with support of the 747th Tank Battalion. The Americans liberated Isigny-sur-Mer and made a lot of prisoners. General de Gaulle came back in homeland in Courseulles-sur-Mer on 14 June; he went to Bayeux where he gave his first speech to the liberated French population, then he was received in Isigny-sur-Mer and offered 200,000 Francs to the mayor, to help the completely destitute population, Which was nice of him, wasn’t it?

La Cambe

Most people forget that in any war there are two sides. The victors and the losers. "History is the polemics of the victors." Said American author and commentator William F Buckley Jnr, and the fact that little is shown of the German side, although the “Nazis” were ideologically, morally and politically corrupt and wrong, the men who thought for the fatherland did show the same acts of heroicness, comradeship and also valour. Their suffering was as great as the allies and the NMBS always try and pay their respects to the fallen of all sides, albeit at Langemark, Luxembourg or Ysselsteyn, we have respected the German graves and sites as equal as the allies. Yes, seeing the graves of SS Officers or even worse seeing a memorial to the civilians who died at the hands of the SS is not a thing the NMBS celebrate, but you have to treat war as nasty and evil full stop. Some of the men of the Wehrmacht hated the Nazis and the SS, but were Germans and would defend their country, even with a mad man in power. To this mark of respect to all sides we visited La Cambe German Cemetery.The German war dead from the Normandy campaign were scattered over a wide area, many of them buried in isolated or field graves - or small battlefield cemeteries. In the years following WW2, the German War Graves Commission, Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, decided to establish six main German cemeteries in the Normandy area, with the one here at La Cambe started in 1954. During this period the remains of more than 12,000 German soldiers were moved in from 1,400 locations in the departements of Calvados and the Orne. The cemetery was finished in 1961, and inaugurated in September of that year. Since this date more than 700 soldiers have been found on the battlefield, and are now also buried here.
In total there are 21,222 German soldiers commemorated here, of which 207 unknown and 89 identified are buried in a kamaradengraben (or mass grave) below the central tumulus.

Michael Wittmann's Grave

Tank ace Michael Wittmann is buried here. Even before Normandy Wittmann had gained a high reputation on the Russian Front, and had been highly decorated. At Villers-Bocage in June 1944, he played havoc with the advance guard of 7th (Armoured) Division and caught them unawares with his Tiger I, inflicting heavy losses before he was forced to abandon it. He finally met his match south of Caen on 8th August 1944, when his Tiger was knocked out and all the crew killed, including Wittman. It was thought that Canadian armour, or RAF Typhoons had accounted for the Tank Ace, but recent research has shown it was a Sherman Firely from the Northamptonshire Yeomanry. Wittmann's remains were not recovered until the early 1980s, when during research for his book Panzers in Normandy: Then and Now, Eric Levévre located the field graves and Wittmann and his crew were buried here.The day was closing and tums were rumbling, as seeing not many bars had been opened during the day, we headed back to the Gite, and Steve’s Fish Pie.