UNITED ALLIES D-DAY AND SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP TOURS Featuring stories and places in England pivotal to Britain and the United States of America’s Special Relationship - and the part 450,000 US servicemen played in the Allied victory, under the leadership of President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower. MEMORIALS, MUSEUMS, TOURS 75TH D-DAY ANNIVERSARY – 2019 ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’S WARTIME CONNECTIONS SHOWCASING ENGLAND’S REGIONS FIT AND GROUP TOURS D-Day was the pinnacle of the special wartime relationship between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Commemorate the 75th anniversary of the largest seaborne invasion in history – and mark a milestone in military history – with a unique tour of England in 2019. June 6, 1944 was the start of The operation was mounted from the largest naval, air and land land, sea and air: much of its operation the world has ever planning and preparation have seen. Referred to by the been preserved and await your codename Operation Overlord, discovery in England. Experience the D-Day invasion enabled the hidden delights of Cornwall the United States, the United and Plymouth, and learn what Kingdom and their allies to made this enchanting coastline land vast numbers of troops in the ideal place from which to Normandy, leading to the Allied launch a secret operation. victory in Europe. Visit the RAF bases and airfields Operation Overlord required of Lincolnshire, the launch sites many months of planning for the troop carriers of the and an unprecedented level of United States Ninth Air Force. international cooperation. Indeed, Look over the English Channel without the special relationship from the gentle Kent countryside forged between the United States towards those iconic French and the United Kingdom, triumph beaches, and witness the over Nazi Germany would have treacherous waters that so many been impossible. Between 1943 American and British servicemen and 1944 alone, over 1.4 million crossed on the eve of war. American servicemen and more Boston Stump (Puritans) Pay your own tribute to the brave than 9 million tons of equipment men and women of the Allied and supplies crossed the Atlantic forces with a tour of England: a to Britain, in preparation for true journey through history. D-Day. The 75th anniversary offers a The following suggested Gloucester Cathedral chance to revisit those shores itineraries showcase content that and discover the places where can be used to add half or full- World War II heroes were made; day excursions to existing tours, to recapture the mammoth or combined to build a fully beginnings of a military milestone; customised, themed tour. They and to relive the groundbreaking can even be tailored for groups. efforts made by the United States and the United Kingdom and their allies. American Cemetery, Cambridge 2 | United Allies | US Connections US Connections | United Allies | 3 HAMPSHIRE GETTING HERE ACCOMMODATION Hampshire is approximately 70 miles southwest of London, in southern England. Lainston House, Winchester Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton Solent Forts, private island From London, Winchester is 1 hour by rail or 1 hour 30 mins by road; Southampton is 1 hour 15 mins by rail or 1 hour 45 mins by road; and Portsmouth is 1 hour 30 mins by rail or 1 hour 30 mins by road. Five-star luxury country house An iconic hotel with 173 rooms and Unique luxury accommodation on hotel with beautiful grounds and a suites on the city’s waterfront. military landmarks used during For more destination information see: visit-hampshire.co.uk resident falconer. World War I, off the coast of grandharbourhotel.co.uk Portsmouth. exclusive.co.uk/lainston-house Prior to D-Day, many American units called the county of Hampshire their home-from-home. The solentforts.com/luxury-hotel waterfront city of Portsmouth, a major naval base, played a key role in the Normandy landings. TOURS & TOUR GUIDES Nearby, Southwick House was where General Eisenhower gave the go-ahead for Operation See Southampton The Gosport D-Day Trail Portsmouth Guided Walks & Tours Overlord. Across the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, Gosport was another major embarkation Scheduled and bespoke walks and Pick up a leaflet and follow this self- Walking and on-coach guided tours talks with specialist guides, on a guided trail around Gosport’s D-Day of historic Portsmouth including a point for D-Day, while Southampton became the front line of the invasion. US fighter bombers range of themes; see graffiti made places of interest, including the D-Day walking tour. by US soldiers as they queued to Canadian Memorial. took off from airfields across the New Forest National Park, where the heaths and forests board their warships. visitportsmouth.co.uk/things-to-do/ discovergosport.co.uk guided-walks-and-talks provided excellent cover for men and equipment. At Lepe Beach, you can still see remains of seesouthampton.co.uk where the Mulberry Harbours’ enormous Phoenix Caissons were built and launched. ANCESTRAL SERVICES PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC ROYAL MILITARY POLICE THE D-DAY STORY, PORTSMOUTH DOCKYARD & THE MARY ROSE MUSEUM, PORTSMOUTH Hampshire Genealogical Society, Hampshire Record Office, Portsmouth History Centre Portsmouth Winchester This compelling blend of storytelling, Get the most comprehensive view Southwick House, a Georgian house Family, local and naval history archives. personal accounts and visual of English maritime history at this on the outskirts of Plymouth, was Registered charity run entirely by Archives and local studies. volunteers. portsmouth.gov.uk/ext/libraries/ imagery brings D-Day and the story vast dockyard, with 12 museums and the nerve centre for Operation hants.gov.uk/archives.htm portsmouth-history-centre-and-records- of Operation Overlord to life. vessels from above and below the Overlord. It was here that hgs-familyhistory.com office water. Step aboard Nelson’s HMS Eisenhower gave the infamous order Witness the scale of preparations Victory, best known for her role at “OK, let’s go,” thus launching the and the role US forces played, with the Battle of Trafalgar. And discover single biggest operation in military first-hand testimony from Harry Henry VIII’s favourite ship The Mary history. The breathtaking Map Room Butcher, Eisenhower’s personal aide Rose, which sank in Portsmouth bay features the original D-Day wall and Group Captain James Stagg, in 1545; there’s now a boat-shaped map charting the progress of Allied the Scottish meteorologist who museum built around its salvaged forces. determined when to launch hull. Across the harbour in Gosport, the assault. With its stock of genuine artifacts, you can explore two World War the Royal Military Police Museum II-era submarines and uncover the theddaystory.com provides authentic insight into this history of naval firepower. crucial period. BUCKLER’S HARD & BEAULIEU, historicdockyard.co.uk NEW FOREST rhqrmp.org/rmp_museum.html Bucker’s Hard, an 18th-century ROYAL VICTORIA COUNTRY PARK, shipbuilding village, was used to NETLEY FOOD & DRINK build motor torpedo boats and the river was used as a base for landing This former site of the Royal Victoria aircraft during Operation Overlord. A Hospital was used in 1944 by US Wykeham Arms, Winchester top-secret training school for special Forces prior to D-Day and still hosts Award-winning pub steeped in The D-Day Story agents of the Special Operations the original hospital chapel within its charm. Executive was established on the grounds. nearby Beaulieu Estate; uncover their wykehamarmswinchester.co.uk clandestine actions at the Secret hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/ Army Exhibition. rvcp DID YOU KNOW? Dancing Man Brewery, Southampton bucklershard.co.uk Independent brewhouse and beaulieu.co.uk restaurant in a 14th-century wool American troops watched World Heavyweight Champion Joe Lewis box in Matterley Bowl, a natural house, opposite the pier. amphitheatre in Hampshire. dancingmanbrewery.co.uk 4 | United Allies | US Connections US Connections | United Allies | 5 ENGLISH RIVIERA FOOD & DRINK GETTING HERE The English Riviera is approximately 200 miles southwest of London, in southwest England. Cream tea at The Imperial Torquay Thatched Tavern, Maidencombe The Drum Inn, Cockington Village From London, Torquay is 3 hours by rail or 3 hour 30 mins by road; Dartmouth is 4 hours by road. Traditional Devon cream teas come 17th-century thatched tavern serving Lutyens-designed country pub and For more destination information see: englishriviera.co.uk with glorious sea views at this locally sourced foods. restaurant steeped in charm and clifftop hotel. rustic character. thethatchedtaverndevon.co.uk theimperialtorquay.co.uk vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/south-west/ This 22-mile stretch of Devon coastline on England’s south coast welcomed 4,000 American troops in thedruminncockington the build up to the D-Day landings. Agatha Christie’s house Greenway was even requisitioned by the ACCOMMODATION US Coast Guard. The harbours at Torquay and Brixham were used for embarkation; Brixham is the Cary Arms & Spa, Babbacombe The Grand, Torquay The Imperial Torquay Beach best preserved and a World War II site of international significance. In a stunning location on Torquay One of Agatha Christie’s favourites, A luxury heritage hotel with beach huts seafront, many of the 132 bedrooms The Imperial has 152 rooms overlooking and suites, overlooking Babbacombe have sea views. Torbay from a prime clifftop location. TORQUAY HARBOUR BRIXHAM HARBOUR GREENWAY HOUSE Bay. grandtorquay.co.uk theimperialtorquay.co.uk On the eve of D-Day, June 6th 1944, The Brixham slipway and Just outside Brixham, Agatha Christie’s caryarms.co.uk 23,000 members of the US 4th embarkation yard was built in 1943 former summer house stands as a Infantry Division embarked from as part of Operation Overlord 1930s time capsule. Requisitioned TOURS & TOUR GUIDES Torquay Harbour. Today, plaques and, despite some alteration during World War II and home to the in the harbour commemorate this and modification over the years, US Coastguard prior to the D-Day event.