Author Archives: ColinAuthor

Normandy 2016 Day 13 – A final French brewery

June 26, 2017 – 5:46 pm

Day 13 – Wednesday 8th June A new brewery for our final day Following breakfast on our last full day in France, we headed off into a somewhat cloudy & misty morning. To our drive up to our final brewery in France on this trip – the Brasserie Thiriez. This is a small craft brewery […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 12 – Following 50th TT Division

June 26, 2017 – 5:22 pm

Day 12 – Tuesday 7th June The benefits of local B&Bs Breakfast was awesome! In 2014 we couldn’t find many hotels in Normandy that weren’t already full (or charging the earth) . It was similar for the 70th Anniversary of D Day. So we were forced to use B&B’s – farmhouses and on a couple […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 11 – A Day of Remembrance

June 20, 2017 – 9:38 pm

Normandy 2016.  Day 11- Monday 6th June- A Day of Remembrance As in past years, this was going to be a very busy day of Remembrance –this year it would include saving the Honour of the Welsh Guards! But more of that, later! Honouring the fallen at Hottot Les Bagues We started with a visit […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 10 – On Hill 112 with a 25pdr photoshoot

June 20, 2017 – 9:25 pm

Day 10 – Sunday 5th June Hill 112 with Albert Figg An awesome breakfast restored our good humour (as did my increasing fluency in French – this time unaided by Calvados & wine!). Mme Baratte explained that she sometimes enjoyed doing some silly & unusual things… such as making jam from Earl Grey tea or […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 9 – Barrie, Brewery, Beaches and Bayeux

June 20, 2017 – 9:01 pm

Day 09 – Saturday 4th June Visiting St Vigor – where it all started Saturday morning saw us heading off to see Barrie & Stuart for a chat & a cuppa, and to update them on our new discoveries. It’s great to see their reactions. They are so proud to have a piece of “real […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 8 – On tour with Bill Sullivan’s family

June 20, 2017 – 8:51 pm

Day 08 – Friday 3rd June Remembering Bill Sullivan An early morning start saw us headed off to Ste Mere Église . Or rather the farm complex just to the East at La Fiere to meet up with Elizabeth Sullivan (wife of Veteran Bill Sullivan) & her niece, Denise. Unfortunately, Bill has succumbed to Alzheimer’s […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 7- John Harder in the news

June 20, 2017 – 8:41 pm

Day 07 – Thursday 2nd June Chasing down John Harder (part 2) After breakfast, we went back to the Mairie in Évron to see the Livre d’Or & John Harder’s signature for ourselves . It was great being able to see a piece of “real history” that I had a direct connection to. Then, as […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 6 – Chasing John Harder

June 20, 2017 – 8:30 pm

Day 06 – Wednesday 1st June Chasing John Harder Today would have a focus on tracing John Harder’s return visit to Normandy in the 1970s. On his return he was presented with a medallion by the mayor of Évron This is the main town nearest to where he parachuted into Normandy from his stricken Spitfire. […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 5 – Sharks and beer

June 19, 2017 – 8:57 pm

Day 05 – Tuesday 31st May Sharks and beer? Yes, who’d have thought that the phrase “Sharks and beer” would have appeared on the same page – at least in a blog that’s not about Australian beaches! So, what’s it all about? Sharks in the Channel? The day dawned very wet & windy – fortunately, […]

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Normandy 2016 Day 4 – Cricket, beer and Napoleon

June 19, 2017 – 8:50 pm

Day 04 – Monday 30th May Cricket, Beer and Napoleon An interesting group of topics for today, to say the least! But first… Traditions are upheld Today saw us heading south towards the Channel Tunnel. However, tradition was maintained when we returned to Glyn’s before we’d reached the motorway. He had to double check on […]

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