The Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour of Normandy 2011

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Lieutenant W. F. Pienaar, No.3 Commando, Syracuse War Cemetery.

Date: 09/01/2011 Views: 14317 Owner: Pete Rogers (Admin)

The Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour of Normandy 2011

This information about the event comes from the website for the Not Forgotten Assiciation www.nfassociation.org/.

"Our Chief Executive and Events Director accompanied a group of 34 guests on what proved to be a memorable and at times very moving trip to the D-Day Landings area. The tour party, whose ages ranged from a 93-year-old Army Commando to a 22-year-old Royal Marine, included three D-Day veterans. As they recounted their experiences while standing on the exact spots where they had landed in 1944 you could have heard a pin drop. The whole group, particularly the younger veterans, felt very privileged and honoured to be with them.
Other highlights included local French people offering impromptu handshakes and ‘thank yous’ to the veterans, being treated to lunch by Madame Gondrée at her café at Pegasus Bridge, evenings of conversation and singing and the wreath-laying ceremony at Ranville Cemetery."

Eric Buckmaster No.2 Commando adds this
" We had a most enjoyable time for the 5 Days with the " Not Forgotten Association " in Normandy. The Group attending this trip was an excellent mix of WWII personnel, including Commandos, County Regiments, and ladies from the WAAF & ATS. There were also Veterans of the Falklands Campaign, and current Royal Marines who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, or are , serving in Afghanistan, some sadly had either been severely wounded but were recovering, and some who would not be able to return because they now have prosthetic Limbs. ( No one was the least bit downhearted ). John Morris & myself from 2 Commando. Freddie Walker & Roy Cadman from 3 Commando. ( Freddie and Roy were there of course on D Day, we were on the Island of Vis with Tito and his Partisans). We were taken to the Landing Beaches, and given a very descriptive account of the various Actions that occured on D day and during the first week of Action, whilst the Army Groups built up and were eventually able to Break Out , though that took about a month. We stayed in a first Class Hotel in " Caen " which I understand had been flattened at the time by continuous bombing. It is now once again a very attractive town. We went to Pegasus Bridge, captured by the Airbourne Forces and Madame Arlette Gondree, who would have been 4 years old at the time of D Day, and currently owns the Cafe Gondree, insisted on giving us all lunch at her own expense. It is shown as the very first place to be liberated in Europe following the Allied invasion. We were also saluted by various members of the local population when they noted that we were Veterans. We also laid wreaths and Crosses at the several cemeteries."

I contacted the Not Forgotten Assoc. and asked permission to display some of the photos from the trip onto our site to which they kindly agreed.

Date: 25/10/2011

Size: 23 items

Roy Cadman and Fred Walker - No.3 Commando

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association.

Date: 25/10/2011

Eric Buckmaster No.2 Commando

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association.

Date: 03/10/2011

John Morris No.2 Cdo, Roy Cadman and Fred Walker No.3 Cdo

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association.

Date: 03/10/2011

Fred Walker and Eric Buckmaster

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association and Eric Buckmaster.

Date: 04/10/2011

Eric Buckmaster - No.2 Cdo.

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association and Eric Buckmaster.

Date: 03/10/2011

Arlette Gondree, Col. Mike Bradley, Rosie Thompson, Col. Piers Storie -Pugh

Not Forgotten Association Battlefield Tour - Normandy 1st - 5th October 2011. Photo courtesy of the Not Forgotten Association.

Date: 04/10/2011

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