World War Two Tours

German Defence of Tour Prices: 4 day tour £649 per guest Low Single Rooms Supplements £40 per night Deposit just £100 per person

Next Trip Dates: June 12-15 2014 PLACES AVAILABLE

What’s included: Bed & Breakfast Accommodation All transport from the official overseas start point The Germans’ first line of defence was the , a crossing that had confounded Accompanied for the trip duration foreign nations for centuries. Multiplying the invasion obstacles was the extensive , All Museum entrances which ordered to be constructed in his Directive 51. The “wall” stretched from Norway All Expert Talks & Guidance to Spain in varying degrees, but was most elaborate in the sectors facing the English Channel. Low Group Numbers Believing any invasion had to be defeated on the beaches and that any landings would be timed for high tide, Rommel had the entire wall fortified with pill boxes, artillery, machine gun positions and extensive barbed wire as well as laying hundreds of thousands of mines to deter landing “I just wanted to thank you for the craft. The Allies chose not to attack at Calais but at the more distant beaches of Normandy, which trip, it was a great experience & was also the sector boundary between the 7th and 15th German armies, on the extreme eastern both Nicky and I enjoyed it very flank of the former, to maximize the possible confusion of command responsibility during the much. Your depth of knowledge on German reaction. The landings sector that was attacked was occupied by four German divisions. the subject certainly brought the The attacks were timed for low tide because it minimized the effectiveness of landing obstacles past alive.” that were likely to have resulted in drowned troops; many landing craft would have been holed and sunk during the final approach. However, this stratagem exposed the infantry to defensive fire over a greater distance of beach.

Military History Tours is all about the The German defences used an interlocking firing style, so they could protect areas that were ‘experience’. Naturally we take care of receiving heavy fire. They had large bunkers, sometimes intricate concrete constructions all local accommodation, transport and entrances but what sets us aside is our containing machine guns and large-calibre weapons. Their defence also integrated the cliffs and on the ground knowledge and contacts, hills overlooking the beaches. The defences were all built and refined over a four-year period, established over many, many years that enable you to really get under the and they remain to this day the most formidable defensive lines ever built- although, according surface of your chosen subject matter. to Rommel’s plans, they weren’t finished. By guiding guests around these historic locations we feel we are contributing History tell us the Allies made it off the beaches but what is not widely known is the incredible greatly towards ‘keeping the spirit alive’ of some of the most memorable events defensive actions fought by the Germans in land which in post war years would become the text in human history. book example used on NATO exercises to combat a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. On this Let their sacrifice not be in vain. trip we explore this lesser known but fascinating piece of history.

Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611

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‘The Go In’,

Bernard Montgomery Canadian Rifleman, Highlanders advancing to Caen

Day One guests are met at the Ferry Terminal in Portsmouth Upon arrival in we will make our way to Sword Beach and by Major Bob Darby, formerly of 3 Para, and MHT Director Nigel set the scene for the defence of Normandy as a whole over the Meyer ready for the 08:15 sailing to Caen. Once on board and following few days. We then check in to our hotel in the Caen area under way Bob and Nigel give an introductory briefing to guests before heading off to dinner. about the subject matter in question as well as the trip itinerary Day Two we commence by looking at the German defence in particular. of Caen. The first operation intended to capture Caen was the We will look at the problems Rommel inherited as Commander of initial landings on Sword Beach by the 3rd Infantry but and the conflict he experienced with his superiors the division was unable to reach the city, their final objectives as to the best tactics to employ to defeat the Allied armies. according to the plan, and in fact fell short by 6 km. The 21st Once the Allies were ashore and established the German Army Panzer Division launched several counter attacks during the fought hard to contain any Allied breakout from their Normandy afternoon which effectively blocked the road to Caen, the Bridgehead. Fighting the material battle was hopeless against linchpin to the German defence of Normandy. Operation Perch the overwhelming Allied resources both on the ground and in was the second attempt to capture Caen after the direct attack the air. However, the courage and determination of the German from Sword Beach on 6 June failed. Montgomery decided Caen soldier to fight to the end was never in doubt. We will follow would be taken by a . The eastern arm would the course of the Battle for Normandy from the German side by consist of ’ 51st (Highland) Infantry Division who would following the course of those British operations on the eastern cross into the bridgehead and attack southwards to Cagny, flank of their Bridgehead around Caen and how the German Army to the southeast of Caen. XXX Corps would form the pincer’s with substantially less resources managed to blunt almost all of western arm; the 7th Armoured Division would advance east, the attacks until they were eventually destroyed by the Anglo- cross the Odon River to capture Évrecy and the high ground near Canadian American armies with the closing of the . the town (Hill 112). From here we observe the area commanding Although most of their equipment was lost enough soldiers the Falaise Plain behind Caen and guests will see why control of escaped to fight another day. the area was so important to both sides.

Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory World War Two Tours

Knocked out Panzer IV, SS- Reg 25 12 SS-Panzerdivision “Hitlerjugend”

Michael Wittmann German Anti Gun in operation Painting of King Tiger,

We explore the area where the Panzer-Lehr Division and elements Day Three we follow the route of British VIII Corps during of the 12th SS Panzer Division battled with XXX Corps for control Operation Goodwood, a British offensive that took place between of the town of Tilly-sur-Seulles, the result being the allied forces 18 and 20 July 1944. British VIII Corps, with three armoured became bogged down in the bocage, unable to overcome the divisions, launched the attack aiming to seize the German-held formidable resistance offered. When the Highlanders launched Bourguébus Ridge, while also destroying as many German tanks its attack, it faced stiff resistance from the 21st Panzer Division as possible. On 18 July, British I Corps conducted an advance to in its efforts to push south; with the Highlanders unable to make secure a series of villages and the eastern flank of VIII Corps. progress, by 13 June the offensive east of Caen was called off. On VIII Corps’ western flank, Canadian II Corps launched a coordinated attack (codenamed ) aimed at The Germans considered the Caen area to be the linchpin of capturing the remaining German-held sections of the city of Caen their position in Normandy and were determined to maintain a south of the Orne River. However, the first day of Goodwood the defensive arc from the English Channel to the west bank of the British lost almost 300 tanks, we will explore the reasons why. Orne. On 15 July German warned Panzer When Goodwood ended on 20 July, the armoured divisions had Group West that from 17 July onwards a British attack out of the broken through the initial German defences and advanced seven Orne bridgehead was likely. It was thought that the British would miles before halting in front of the Bourguébus Ridge, although push south-east towards . To meet this threat, General armoured cars had penetrated further south and over the ridge. , the commanding officer of Panzer Group West, designed a defensive plan, with its details worked out by We will travel along the axis Caen-Falaise and study developing his two corps and six divisional commanders. A belt of at least operations towards Falaise by the Anglo-Canadian armies 16 km depth was constructed, organised into four successive codenamed Operations Totalise and Tractible in August 1944. lines. Villages within the belt were fortified and anti-tank guns The German tactics in defence against overwhelming armoured emplaced along its southern and eastern edges. To allow their superiority were subsequently to adopted by the post war British tanks to move freely within the belt, the Germans decided not Army on the Rhine as the defensive posture against a possible to establish anti-tank minefields between each defensive line. massed Soviet armoured attack in post war Europe.

Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory World War Two Tours

Falaise Gap with St. Lambert in the foreground Destroyed Panther

Corridor of Death sign Ford at Moissy in the Falaise Gap Evidence of war

Day Four we consider the closing of the Falaise Pocket and Your Lead Guide, Major Bob Darby, is 20/21st August was the end of the Battle for Normandy. At perfectly placed to share his knowledge of these battlefields having studied them St Lambert, Moissy Ford and Chambois we will consider the when serving with the on the attempts by the Allies to trap the German Army and its partial Rhine and brings a keen soldier’s eye to success. The fighting between the 1st Polish Armoured Division our story. Bob served in Northern Ireland and the remnants of 2nd SS Panzer Corps attempting to hold and then the Falklands with 3 Para as the open a corridor for withdrawing German troops saw some of the Air Adjutant. hardest fighting with no quarter given.

Nigel ‘Panzer’ Meyer is our Assistant This is a unique D Day 70th Anniversary Tour in that it focuses Guide. He has a keen interest in the not merely on the initial landings but instead considers the Battle and knows the terrain and of Normandy and from a German defensive point of view. We it’s stories well. Nigel is the Senior Guide appreciate the strategies adopted by the Germans to counter on other MHT trips as well as being a and hold the Allied advances but we also do so from a tactical Director of MHT itself. His battlefield tour and personal point of view. We go to locations to see where small experiences over several decades add actions took place and link them to the ‘bigger picture’. We discuss much to your trip experience. the men that led their armies, we explore actions by well known characters such as the ‘Black Baron’, and we also see lesser known but as equally courageous members of the German Armed Forces. Finally we return on the 16:30 ferry from Caen arriving Portsmouth 21:15.

For more information on this, or any other MHT tour, or to make a booking please call us on 0845 835 0644. Alternatively you can email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Email [email protected] Phone 0845 835 0644 Web www.militaryhistorytours.co.uk Mobile 07899 083611 For the latest news and tour information follow @MilitaryHistory