Normandy and Dunkirk with the D-Day Darlings

Exclusive for MoS readers: Let the singing stars entertain you on a tour of the French battlefields

ON MAY 8, 1945, the whole of Europe celebrated the Allies’ final defeat of Hitler and the Nazi scourge. To mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day this year, we’ve put together a moving six-day battlefields tour to give readers an opportunity to discover the incredible true stories of heroism and sacrifice that helped to achieve that victory.

You’ll take expertly guided tours of key beaches in Normandy and Dunkirk, and commemorate the anniversary of VE Day itself with a special dinner in Caen, where you will also hear a fascinating talk by military historian Michael How.

In Dunkirk, you will enjoy a unique performance by the celebrated 1940sinspired group the D-Day Darlings. Five of the Darlings, including lead singer Katie Ashby, will perform at a gala dinner on board Princess Elizabeth, above, a paddle-steamer that helped to evacuate Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. It will be a fitting climax of a tour designed to both illuminate and commemorate one of the most dramatic chapters in British history.

REASONS TO BOOK GALA DINNER WITH THE D-DAY DARLINGS

THIS special dinner held in an extraordinary venue will be the highlight of your tour. You’ll board the historic paddle-steamer Princess Elizabeth, one of more than 700 private ships used to evacuate Allied troops from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo, and enjoy a spellbinding live performance by the D-Day Darlings. Their wartime songs and costumes will help to capture the spirit of the 1940s.

EXPLORE THE D-DAY BEACHES AND DUNKIRK

YOU will visit a number of fascinating battlefields during the tour, including many of the key locations of the D-Day campaign, such as Pegasus Bridge, Sword Beach, Omaha Beach and Arromanchesles-Bains, where you’ll learn about the extraordinary Mulberry artificial harbours that made the audacious D-Day landings possible.

In Dunkirk, you’ll take a poignant tour of the beach that witnessed the dramatic evacuation of 340,000 British, French and Belgian troops in 1940.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE

MILITARY historian Michael How will share his knowledge and insights throughout this trip. He has led tour groups to many of the great battlefields of the First and Second World Wars, including Arnhem, Ypres, the Somme, Normandy and Dunkirk.

VE DAY ANNIVERSARY DINNER

YOU will mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day itself with a memorable dinner at Le Mancel restaurant in the grounds of Chateau de Caen, where you will also hear Michael How give a fascinating private talk followed by a question-andanswer session.