Monday 25th May – American Day - 76 miles

Awoke to a cracking thunderstorm with the forecast being for rain all day – what a way to start! Luckily it did not rain once – and indeed at one stage it was pretty hot. Our first major stop, coincing with lunch was St Mere Eglise. This was the centre of theUS airborn landings to secure routes inland after the breakout of the beaches. 101st Airborn Division were responsible for this small town, with the 82nd Airborn securing the North. Having served in the Sinai with battalions from both Divisions made the day more interesting. Our military guides – experts on the various battles – who are accompanying us (though not cycling) – took us through the operations in that area on 6th June (depicted in the film The Longest Day) – and we had an opportunity to visit the US museum in the village. The highlight of the stop was a parachute jump by a team from the Red Devils (serving Parachute Regiment soldiers) into the town followed by a memorial where the wreath layers were a serving US Colonel, one of the US riders and a rider whose son was killed in Afganistan exactly a year ago. As you can imagine, the words “We shall Remember them” was said with not many dry eyes or lumps in the throat.

Our route took us long Omaha Beach to the US cemetary where we were addresseed by 2 ex British Naval officers who as young officers were on the landing craft bringing the US soldiers ashore. We were told by one that having dropped his company in the shallows, within 10 minutes, not a single one had survived. A moving memorial service followed including the singing of the American National Anthem – not the best performance as you can imagine, however having never sung it before, the words amazed me – all about fighting on foreign shores – very fitting. The cemetary itself was moving, row upon row of crosses for some of the US servicmen killed in Normandy whose bodies had not been repatriated to the US.

A weary crowd then cycled the final 16 miles to our hotels in Bayeux – an amazing first day and for all those wondering – this area of France is not flat!