As we are now in 2025, I felt that I needed to publish some details of my travels in the second half of 2024. My education commitments have increased as I enter the wonderful world of revision and examination. 2 years of pure joy. I should not be too harsh as my school granted an extra week’s holiday so I could attend the 80th Anniversary Commemorations for D-Day.
I was very lucky to be able to travel in a 1944 Jeep to Normandy. We were able to attend some MVT events and drive along the beach at Arromanches.
I was also able attend the service at Hill 112, where the Dorsets fought on the 10th July 1944 as part of the 46th Wessex Division effort to take the German held vantage point. It was a tough baptism for the Wessex Division.
I was also very fortunate to have tickets for the British D-Day Ceremony on the 6th June. I was staying in Lion-Sur-Mer, (Liberated by 41 RM Commando) which is not far from the British Normandy Memorial (venue for the commemorations), yet due to the security on the day with the French President, Prime Minister and King in attendance, we (Dad & I) had to drive to Caen, park, pass through security and then jump on a bus which took us to the event. It was so worth the early start.
The buses then took us back to Caen to pick up the Jeep. It was now a mad dash to Port En Bessin to witness the 47 RM Commando vets on their charity march which replicated their D-Day route. They landed on the 6th June 1944 at 9:50am on Gold Beach, Jig Green sector. The timing was the worst for tide and mines, and they lost 5 LCA with 76 casualties out of a strength of 420. They force marched the nine miles through German held territory to capture Port-En-Bessin, which was to be the location for the PLUTO pipeline. It was a fierce battle in an urban location flanked on either side by steep cliffs.
By the time we arrived, the vets were celebrating their efforts with some liquid refreshment, we remained with them for an hour or so but decided to move on as I was sure their pint count was now in double figures.
We then moved north to Bayeaux and met with Paul Woodadge who had kindly invited me to a get together with his fellow historians and authors. It was great to meet up with Paul and be introduced to many knowledgeable people. The highlight of the day was about to unfurl. At around 10pm, Casey Bukowski came into the pub. Casey had just turned 100 and was a World War II veteran. He was a waist gunner on with the 8th Airforce and flew in B-17 bombers. On the 22nd February 1944 at the age of 19, the B-17 was shot down over Germany, with only two airmen surviving from bailing out of the plane. Casey would spend the rest of the war as a POW, taking part in the death marches from camp to camp during the winter. As he tucked into his pint and fish and chips, he was happy to chat about his experiences. It had been a full day for Casey as he had awoken at 6am, attended the American D-Day service and then the International service on Omaha Beach, and was now in Bayeaux, chatting with us at 10:30pm. Casey still goes flying and it was an honour to meet him. It is unfortunate that our own Prime Minister at the time, could not show the same stamina, as he pulled out of the International Service, so he could attend a TV interview.
