Operation Overlord (Revisited).

On 6 June 1944 the Allied Forces launched Operation Overlord by landing on the Normandy beaches during World War II and started the long battle against Germany for the liberation of Europe. Millions of soldiers and civilians from around the world lost their lives in Europe and the Pacific for us to live in freedom, tolerance and peace.  June ‘19 will be the 75th Anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Scouts from all around the world are Messengers of Peace and our duty to our fallen ones is to remember their sacrifices and to live our lives by respecting, applying and spreading these values.  

As many British soldiers were killed or injured on the Normandy beaches and we would like to commemorate their lives and sacrifices for this special Anniversary year and we are proposing the following trip from Thursday 11 to Monday 15 April 2019. 

Our trip is for Explorers aged 13.5 and not yet 18 at the time of travel. We will be travelling by coach and via Eurotunnel and it will be an early start on 11 April. We will be camping in Caen in a French Scout campsite.

We will take a tour of the Normandy Beaches, Museum of Caen and Omaha Beach, visit the British Cemetery in Bayeux, Pegasus Bridge, Arromanches and other places.  There will also be a chance to meet Scouts from other countries.  

The estimated cost of the trip is £150 but we will confirm nearer the time. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis with a £50 deposit to secure a space. The closing date for Croydon is 15th December 2018 .  

A place will not be confirmed until payment of the deposit has been received, either by cheque, payable to Croydon District Scout Council (please put the name of the young person, their explorer unit and the reference “Normandy”) sent to Chris Dean, 13 East Hill Road, Oxted, Surrey RH8 9HZ, or via BACS to Croydon District Scout Council - A/C 00676837 Sort Code 20-24-61 with reference Normandy + the Name of the young person.