NORMANDY   SPEARHEAD   TOURS

Longues s/ Mer Battery - This site is an excellent example of a WWII German Coastal battery. Today a historic monument, the battery is one the landmarks of Hitler's Atlantic Wall in Normandy and it is still displaying three of its four original 150-mm guns which had a range of fire of 11 miles!

Mulberry B, "Port Winston" (Arromanches) – This was one of two artificial harbors designed by T5 branch of the Royal Engineers. Its components were made in England but assembled in Normandy. Set-up right in the heart of the D-Day assault area, Arromanches harbor was a masterpiece of Engineering. Statistics show that the brilliant work done by the Royal Engineers enabled the Allies to land here, during six month of intense activity, 25% of the stores, 20% of the personnel and 15% of all vehicles brought to Normandy in the course of the campaign.

Juno Beach (Graye s/ Mer) - At the western end of "Juno Beach" lies "Mike Sector”, a strip of beach assigned on June 6th to the Royal Winnipegs. The so-called Cosy's bunker, part of the German defenses, indicates why “Juno” was the second worst place to land after "Omaha". One of "Hobart's funnies", a Churchill AVRE tank retrieved in 1976, also found its place here. It opens the way to an impressive Cross of Lorraine, memorial commemorating Gen. de Gaulle's arrival in Normandy a few days after D-Day.

Juno Beach (Courseulles s/ Mer) – The task of seizing the small port of Courseulles fell to Regina Rifles Regiment. A few days after being liberated, this port was to welcome important guests like King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. It also worth mentioning that “Nan Green” was the only sector along “Juno Beach” where tanks landed ahead of the infantry as planned. One of the “DD”s headed to the beach that morning is still guarding the port after being retrieved from the sand 27 years later.

Juno Center (Courseulles s/ Mer) - The existence of this museum is primarily due to the commitment of 2nd Lt. Garth Webb, one of those who rushed onto the beach in 1944. Honoring the courage and sacrifice of the Canadian troops, the Center (photo 1) represents Canada’s first D-Day memorial. Officially opened on June 6th, 2003, Juno Center also presents the context and the implications of Canada’s decision to enter the war as well as the role played by the Canadian forces in different WW2 campaigns.

Juno Beach (Bernieres s/ Mer) - The assault on "Nan White" Sector was carried out by Queen's Own Rifles and La Chaudière Regiment, the latter being the only French speaking Canadian unit to land on D-Day. Given the heavy seas the Q.O.R came in late and suffered heavy losses. Nowadays, “Canada House" is probably the most iconic landmark, among numerous other monuments, and stands in remembrance of the valiant actions of the Canadian troops on D-Day.

Juno Beach (Saint Aubin s/ Mer) – “Nan Red” represented the easternmost landing sector assigned to the Canadian forces. A scared German pillbox housing a 50-mm gun illustrates the bitter fighting involving the North Shore Regiment. Landing also on the extreme left, 48th Royal Marine Commando drove through Langrune and linked up with the 41st Commando to complete, by D+1, the Anglo-Canadian beachhead.

Beny Reviers Cemetery – The first of two Canadian cemeteries created in Normandy during the campaign, this is the final resting place for 2,043 men. Maintained by the CWGC, the graveyard gives the real measure of the Canadian sacrifice. More than 15% of the dead are men who fell on D-Day; among them there are some of those 156 Canadians murdered by the SS during the summer of 1944.

Buron, Authie, Abbeye d’Ardenne – These are just three of the places that became synonym with murder starting from the second day of the Normandy campaign. The Canadian advance towards Carpiquet Airfield was to be halted abruptly by the intervention of the German 12th SS Division and the stiff opposition backed by a series of crimes committed by the members of this “Hitlerjugend” division. At Ardenne Abbey (photo 2), 20 Canadians were executed in cold blood by the sadistic members of the SS. Hence, the Abbey and its garden of remembrance tell a very moving story about one of the even darker sides of the war.