After a busy week's schedule we had a day of rest on Sunday, followed by a day of visits related to British airborne objectives during the D-Day invasions.
On Sunday morning we visited Marissel Cemetery in Beauvais, to pay our respects at the graves of five SAS paratroopers killed in August 1944.
- Captain Patrick Bannister Garstin MC (Dublin)
- Sergeant Thomas Varey (York)
- Private Thomas Barker (Cookstown)
- Private Joseph Walker (Moira)
- Private William Pearson Young (Randalstown)
These men were part of an SAS team codenamed SABU-70, which parachuted behind enemy lines on daring sabotage missions following D-Day. They were betrayed in July 1944 and captured by the Nazis, who executed them five weeks later.
A memorial stone marks the fateful location in Noailles Wood, which we also visited before returning to the campsite.
Church
Unable to watch Brookside’s church service live as originally planned, we opted to listen to the sermon after the fact. We circled our camp chairs around a bluetooth speaker to hear Brookside elder James Thompson preach on 1 Corinthians 1 v18–31, and stressed the stark truth that those who do not know Christ will spend eternity separated from Him in Hell. But those who trust Christ experience the miracle of salvation which redeems their relationship with God.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Sunday Lunch
We used the extra time at camp to treat ourselves to a three course meal, starting with a tasty mugful of vegetable soup. Our main course pushed the boundaries of tinned food as we assembled our attempt at a traditional Sunday lunch. Fried corned beef with gravy replaced mince, accompanied by boiled new potatoes and steamed peas and carrots.
After savouring our culinary masterpiece we rested around camp for the remainder of the afternoon, giving us an opportunity to relax and read our Bibles in the sunshine.
Bible Talk
Jonnie shared our next Bible talk. He reflected on some of the memorial inscriptions he had seen during the week, and how many of the men headed into battle with little idea of what they would face. He reminded us that although we may not face a physical battle we all face a spiritual battle.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Evening
In the evening, we gathered around the TV to watch a documentary which we had saved on a memory stick. Episode 2 of the BBC’s D-Day: The Last Heroes recounted the British assault on Merville Gun Battery, which we would be visiting the next day. As we sat in the dim moonlight, a hedgehog shuffled through the grass beside the leader’s tent. Perhaps, he had come to bid us goodnight ahead of our early start in the morning.
We woke early to eat breakfast and pack up camp, loading everything into the minibus again as we began our westward journey back towards Cherbourg. The first leg of which would take us to the outskirts of Ranville, the first French village liberated on D-Day. We stopped briefly at a memorial to 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles, one of the British airborne units who landed by glider, before continuing to our main point of interest.
Pegasus Bridge
This iconic bridge which spanned the Caen canal, was captured by British glider-borne troops around 00:26 on D-Day. We began our visit by viewing the memorials marking the landing spot of each glider, one of which was just 50 yards from the bridge.
We then entered the Pegasus Memorial museum, dedicated to the 6th Airborne Division and their daring mission. The highlight of the exhibits being a full size replica of a Horsa glider, and the original Pegasus bridge which was replaced by a modern structure in 1994.
We ate lunch in the carpark beside the minibus, before driving north-east towards the coast to our next location.
Merville Gun Battery
This formidable German fortification is composed of four 6-foot-thick steel-reinforced concrete gun casements. It had been bombed multiple times without success, and was eventually neutralised by the 9th British Parachute Battalion shortly after 4:30 on D-Day.
Upon entering the site, we were greeted by the sight of another Douglas C-47. This one however had the distinction of being the only one currently in Normandy to have taken part in the D-Day landings. We climbed aboard for a group photo, before exploring the preserved building of the battery which tell the story of the 9th Battalion and their ferocious assault.
We boarded in the minibus once again for our final journey of the day, back to St Mere Eglise to set up camp one last time.
Bible Talk
Our final Bible talk was given by our Captain William, and based on the story of Namaan found in 2 Kings 5. This Syrian army commander afflicted with leprosy had to humble himself and follow to the prophet Elisha’s simple instructions in order to be healed. We too need to humble ourselves, and simply trust in Christ to receive salvation.
William shared about the night he told his parents he had come to trust in Jesus, and his mother responded with a short but wise phrase –
“It’s that easy it’s hard”
After washing the dishes and packing what we could into the minibus, we retreated to our tents for one final night’s sleep on French soil.