| Dates | Tour (Click on links for more details) | No. of Days | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 22nd - 24th 2022 | America's Normandy D-Day Landings | 4 | £399 per person* |
DAY 1 - America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour
Our historic 2 day America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour private UK tour, commences in London and follows the exact route in which the 101st American Airborne undertook on the 5th and 6th of June 1944.
We start this historic 2 day adventure from pickup in London and follow the exact route in which the 101st American Airborne followed on 5th & 6th June 1944. Your America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour starts with an hour’s drive to Aldbourne, Wiltshire. This beautiful idyllic village set in the Wiltshire countryside was home from September 1943 for 9 months to the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment in Aldbourne, Ramsbury and other local communities. Here the Regiment finished their training before they would land behind enemy lines hours before the beach landings on 6th June 1944 in Normandy, France. We visit Aldbourne village, the Blue Bore Pub, The Crown pub and the post office where Lt. Dick Winters was billeted. From here we visit Little Cote House which is a large Elizabethan country house in Ramsbury, where the 101st Airborne had their company headquarters with Col. Sink converting the library to his office which you can still see today. This house was once used by King Henry VIII who courted Jane Seymour here in the 1500s.
- Upottery Airfield near Honiton in Devon
We stay the night in Devon.
DAY 2 - America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour
Planning for “Operation Overlord” (America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour) began in earnest in 1943. In November, 1943, Devon County Council was informed by the War Cabinet that the Slapton Sands area was to be totally evacuated, to permit part of the South Hams to be used for practice assault landings for Utah Beach.
Preparations began for a series of exercises, with various code names, to take place on the beaches of Slapton Sands, during the month of April 1944, including naval operations and live fire exercises on the beaches. These exercises included co-ordination the British military.
On the afternoon of April 27, 1944, thousands of men began boarding Eight LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks) at Plymouth (LSTs 58, 496, 511, 515, 531) and Brixham (LSTs 289, 499, 507). They were about to embark on a full dress rehearsal for D-Day on the beach at Slapton Sands, England. Slapton Sands was chosen because of its similarity to Utah Beach, the D-Day assignment for this convoy. The exercise also included military serviceman and live ammunition on the beach.
The LSTs were loaded with smaller amphibious vehicles, tanks, jeeps, weapons, and trucks that were full of fuel and ammunition. The sailors and officers were at their posts as they set sail. The ships were on their way to meet and form one convoy in Lyme Bay. The distance from Lyme Bay to Slapton Sands was the approximate time it would take to make the crossing to Utah Beach on D-Day.
All of the ships arrived at approximately 2:00 a.m. on April 28th in Lyme Bay and formed one long convoy as they began the journey back to Slapton Sands. Suddenly, four German E-Boats, on a routine patrol, armed with torpedoes approached the convoy and began firing on the ships. General Quarters was sounded on all the ships, but the LSTs had little fire power and protection against these fast moving boats. Initially, the torpedoes missed hitting the LSTs because of their flat-bottom hulls. Survivors from the tank decks recounted stories of hearing the torpedoes scraping the bottom of the hull. Gun fire was exchanged between the E-Boats and the LSTs. The E-Boats quickly made adjustments and LST 507, at the back of the convoy, took a direct hit and was in flames and sinking. LST 531, in the middle of the convoy, then took direct hits from two torpedoes. She would sink within six minutes. LST 289, in front of LST 507, was the third and final ship that was hit with a torpedo. LST 289 did not sink but took extensive damage to the stern and suffered the loss of life of 13 men and many were injured. The LSTs remaining afloat followed orders and moved out in a zig zagging pattern as they began making their way to the nearest port. The E-Boats had left the scene. Captain John Doyle, of LST 515, the lead ship of the convoy, disobeyed orders and returned to rescue survivors from the sea. His crew rescued approximately 134 men that would have surely perished. They remained until the British ship, the HMS Onslow, arrived at dawn to assist in rescuing men and retrieving the bodies of those who died.
This concludes your America’s D-Day Normandy landing tour.
If you would like more information on what happened during d day and the American involvement, you can read more here at Wikipedia.
