D-Day Tours of Normandy

21/04/2026

This April I spent two very special days in the company of Ricardo (Mickey) Filipponi and his family as we followed in the foot steps of his father Combat Medic Sgt Dante Filipponi of 612th Tank Destroyer Battalion from landing on OMAHA Beach on D+1 to the battle for Hill 192 overlooking St Lo where we left a personal tribute.

Mickey told me of a lovely anecdote about his father where during the assault upon Brest in 1944 Dante treated a wounded soldier and always wondered what happened to him. Some years later Dante found himself sat next to that very man at a 612th reunion dinner!

14/03/2026

Last week-end we took a trip a little further afield to Monte Cassino, south of Rome.
Sometimes called the 'Battle for Rome' the flat swampy ground around the town of Cassino and the valley of the Rapido River are dominated by the high ground and the Abbey itself.
Four costly battles were fought by Mark Clarke's U.S. 5th Army in the Spring of 1944 before the Germans were forced to withdraw opening the way to Rome which the Allies entered on 4th June.

20/02/2026

If you've taken a tour with me over the years, then you will know how much emphasis I put on the importance of James Stagg's weather forecast.
I am certainly looking forward to the release of this film. I hope it does Stagg justice.

In the hours before D-Day, one decision changed the world. Based on the untold true story. PRESSURE is only in theaters May 29, starring Andrew Scott, Brenda...

18/02/2026

The United States is to invest 10 Million euros into safeguarding and improving the Pointe du Hoc.
Welcome news indeed!

Info Fougères Les États-Unis investissent 10 millions deuros dans le réaménagement de la... Granville

16/02/2026

Bringing History to Life.

A short film recreating history, using then and now photographs together with living history re-enactors.

09/12/2025

On our way down to Portsmouth, we stopped off at Holy Cross Church, Binsted, Hampshire where we found the grave of
Bernard Law 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.
A controversial figure in the history of the Second World War and the Battle of Normandy in particular, 'Monty' commanded all Allied ground forces from 6th June until 1st August 1944.

His grave, in a quiet Hampshire village churchyard is quite simple for a man of such stature. Not what I expected at all.

06/10/2025

A special day for Amy Owens and her husband David as we followed in the footsteps of Amy's father Hal Davis who served with 282 Port Company, attached to 5th Engineer Special Brigade during the Normandy Landings.
Hal arrived off the D-Day beaches on 6th June on board the S.S. Bailey Foster. Whilst he is not listed as officially going ashore untill 12th June He may well have done many times before then, indeed probably on the 6th June itself.
The role of 5th Engineer Special Brigade was vital to the success of the the D-Day Landings. The units of the Brigade and the names of the fallen are remembered on the monument at Colleville sur Mer overlooking OMAHA Beach.

23/09/2025

In March this year, I had the great pleasure to accompany
Dr. Matthew Burford and his family on a visit to Normandy and Brittany American Cemeteries.
Matthew is a volunteer bugler with 'Bugles Across America' a voluntary organisation which seeks upon request to provide buglers for the funerals of American veterans.
Matthew wishes to help Bugles Across America to recruit more buglers, particularly in his home state of Alabama.
Matthew had been given special permission by the American Battle Monuments Commission to play Taps at both Cemeteries.
A solemn, and humbling experience.
Thank you Matthew.

https://realtapsforrealheroes.com/

(Please note, I do not have any special connection to the ABMC, I did not contact them on Dr. Burford's behalf. I advised him how to contact them personally himself. All arrangements were made between Dr. Burford and the ABMC.)

03/08/2025

Second World War re-enactors have returned to our village for another week long bivouac.

The commune of Saint Ouen La Rouerie was the first commune in Brittany to be liberated by the Americans in August 1944. These 2025 re-enactors were welcomed by civic dignitaries and townspeople who although they were just children in 1944 still remember the day well.

25/07/2025

We are delighted to hear that we have received a Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice award for 2025.

This is the second consecutive year we have received this award.

According to Tripadvisor this puts us in the top ten percent of prefered destinations worldwide.

Just as last year we would like to say a big thank you to all of our visitors whose contributions made this possible.