Commando Operations of WW2 featuring Dieppe, St. Nazaire & Normandy
7 days from £1,029pp
About the tour: Commando Operations of WW2 featuring Dieppe, St. Nazaire & Normandy
- Campaign: World War 2 (WW2)
- Campaign Dates Covered: Aug 1942 - Jun 1944 (What's this?)
This tour will cover the following key events
- Operation Jubilee: Dieppe - 19 August 1942In August 1942, the Allies launced an attack on the Germans at the port of Dieppe. The aim was to occupy as much ground as possible and gather intelligence. However, the plan failed and saw over 60% of the Allied force who landed at Dieppe, being killed, wounded or captured.
- Operation Chariot: Raid on St Nazaire - 28 March 1942During WW2 the British launced a successful amphibious attack on the Germans at St.Nazaire. Carried out as an attempt to force German ships into the heavly defended English Channel, the attack involving the Royal Navy and British Commandos was a success.
- Operation Overlord - 6 June 1944Commonly know as the D-Day Landings, Operation Overlord saw the successful invasion of the German occupied Western Europe druing WW2. The operation involed Allied troops landing on five beaches in Normandy and launching a surprise attack on the Germans.
Tour Introduction
Follow the Commando actions of World War 2 through France as we take a look at some of the huge battles from Operation Jubilee at Dieppe to the greatest raid of all at St.Nazaire. Pay a visit to the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire and Lorient, take a tour of the Maisy Battery gun positions and visit the Atlantic Wall Museum at Batz. At Pointe du Hoc we see the Rangers battlefield and we also follow the story of British Commandos on D-Day from Sword Beach to Eastern Flank.
Tour Includes
- 6 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
(Deposits from £50pp)
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone 01709 385 624, you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to our hotel in Rouen for two nights.
Day 2 - Operation Jubilee: The Dieppe Raid
Today we look at the first major Allied attempt to effect a large scale landing on the French coast. In August 1942 Canadians and British Commandos laid down the lessons for D-Day but at huge cost. We see the area where No. 3 Commando fought its actions on the flanks, and around Dieppe see the Canadian landing beaches, the bunkers that defeated them and look at the use of tanks. We also visit Dieppe War Cemetery.
Included meals: Breakfast
Dieppe (2)
Key Visits
- Dieppe
- No. 3 Commando sites
- Dieppe Landing Beaches
- Dieppe War Cemetery
Day 3 - Saumur Tank Museum
We move from Upper Normandy with a stop en-route at the superb Saumur Tank Museum, which is France’s national war museum of armoured vehicles, with everything from Shermans to Tiger tanks. We stay in St. Nazaire or Nantes for two nights.
Included meals: Breakfast
Saumur Tank Museum (2)
Key Visits
- Saumur Tank Museum
Day 4 - The Greatest Raid of All
Operation Chariot was the attack on St. Nazaire by Naval and Commando forces in March 1942 when HMS Campbeltown rammed the dock gates of the port used by German U-Boats. The operation also resulted in the award of five Victoria Crosses. We look at the raid, see the U-Boat pens* and have time to visit the U-Boat museum (at own cost). In the afternoon we visit the British graves at Escoublac-la-Baule War Cemetery and the German War Cemetery at Pornichet.*Please note: A degree of walking is required when visiting the U-Boat pens as this is a vast area.
Included meals: Breakfast
St. Nazaire (3)
Key Visits
- St. Nazaire
- U-Boat Pens
- Pornichet German War Cemetery
- Escoublac-la-Baule War Cemetery
Day 5 - Atlantic Wall & U-Boat Pens
We depart St. Nazaire and visit the Grand Blockhaus Museum, a superb example of the Atantlic Wall defences in this area. At Lorient, we see the huge U-Boat submarine pens which sheltered the Nazi U-Boat fleet which operated in this area. After lunch, we travel to Caen for two nights.
Included meals: Breakfast
Grand Blockhaus Museum (2)
Key Visits
- Grand Blockhaus Museum
- Lorient Submarine Pens
Day 6 - Maisy Battery, Pointe du Hoc & Eastern Flank
In Normandy, we look at the role of American Rangers and British Commandos. At the Maisy Battery we explore a preserved gun battery site attacked by the US Rangers, seeing trenches, bunkers and gun pits, with guns in place. We then see Pointe du Hoc where Rangers assaulted the cliffs. In the afternoon we follow the story of British Commandos on D-Day from Sword Beach to the Eastern Flank, visiting the Piper Bill Millin Memorial and the Amfreville-Breville battlefield.
Included meals: Breakfast
Maisy Battery (4)
Key Visits
- Sword Beach
- Pointe Du Hoc
- Maisy Battery
Day 7
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Pre-Tour Reading
A selection of related books for pre or post tour reading.
- Dorrian, J.G. - St Nazaire (Pen & Sword 2006)
- Ford, Ken - Dieppe 1942 (Osprey 2003)
- Ford, Ken - St Nazire 1942 (Osprey 2001)
- Reed, Paul - Walking D-Day (Pen & Sword 2012)
- Saunders, Tim - Dieppe: Operation Jubilee (Pen & Sword 2005)
Passenger Information
The Tour
The Commando Operations of WWII tour looks at some of the key sites connected with special operations in Occupied Europe following the formation of Commando forces in 1940 and later operations that including American Rangers.
Foreign Currency
The Commando Operations of WWII tour takes place in France and therefore you will only need the Euro. You are advised to get Euros – in cash – in advance of your tour, as most banks in France do not provided currency exchange services.
What to Bring
As we will be visiting largely coastal areas, the weather can be changeable, and it is advisable to bring sensible clothes and always pack a jumper and waterproofs. Good, stout shoes are essential and comfortable walking boots or trainers are ideal. In warm weather always bring a hat and sun cream, and it is advisable to have a supply of water, which is usually on sale on the coach as well.
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Ibis Styles Ouistreham
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About the hotel
Situated in central Ouistreham, the Ibis Styles Ouistreham is just 6 minutes’ walk from the beach and the fishing harbour. The beaches of Ouistreham were codenamed Sword Beach during the WW2 Normandy Landings.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Folkestone Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Designed for Socialising A stylish and spacious rear lounge offers a sophisticated and private place to unwind, where conversation flows easily and friendships are made along the journey.
- Privacy Board An innovative privacy screen creates a calm retreat away from the rest of the coach, giving you the choice to enjoy quiet seclusion while you socialise with fellow passengers.
- Tables with Cup Holders Thoughtfully designed cabinets with secure cup holders mean refreshments are always within easy reach, adding both practicality and polish to your travel experience.
| Silver service | Luxuria | |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks Served on Board | ||
| WC and Washroom | ||
| Climate Control | ||
| Reclining seats | ||
| Deluxe Seating | ||
| Deluxe, Wider, Armchair-style Seating | ||
| Adjustable Armrests | ||
| Flexible Footrests | ||
| Extra Legroom | ||
| Superior Seat Pitch | ||
| Double Seats | ||
| Single Seats | ||
| Face-to-Face Seats with Tables | ||
| Personal Tables | ||
| Spacious Rear Lounge | ||
| At-seat Entertainment | ||
| USB Points and Plug Sockets | ||
| Communal, Drop-down TV Screens | ||
| Onboard Wi-Fi |
Silver Service Features
Deluxe design
Specially designed, luxurious seats enhanced with leather headrests deliver superior support, blending comfort with a premium finish.
Space to stretch out
Enjoy the luxury of generous legroom that goes far beyond standard coach travel, giving you the freedom to settle in with ease and stretch out fully.
Spacious rear lounge
Designed for socialising, the spacious rear lounge offers a stylish retreat with privacy screens, handy tables and cup holders – perfect for relaxing, chatting and enjoying the journey.
Thoughtful touches that make a difference
A carefully maintained interior climate and soft ambient lighting ensure the coach always feels comfortable, welcoming and perfectly suited for a relaxing journey.
Luxuria Coach
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The pinnacle of luxury coach travel
Exclusive to Leger Holidays, these exceptional vehicles blend state-of-the-art features with sophisticated design, offering business-class comfort on the road. Try Luxuria once, and you’ll never look back – the journey will stay with you long after the holiday ends.
With just 31 spacious seats, enjoy a calm, unhurried atmosphere from the moment you step on board – because true comfort means more space, more privacy, and more time to relax. You’ll also benefit from a choice of seating, allowing you to travel in a way that suits you...
- Double Seats Designed for two, double seats are great for couples or friends travelling together – offering comfort, connection, and a relaxed way to share the journey.
- Single Seats Offering privacy and comfort, single seats are perfect for solo travellers who prefer a little more personal space.
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Face-to-Face Seats
Face-to-face seats with personal tables are the sociable way to travel, ideal for card games, coffees and conversation.
With a superior average seat pitch – 32% greater than many leading short-haul airlines – Luxuria double seats offer unmatched personal space. Enjoy comfort that’s built in, not added on.
Luxuria Features
Entertainment at your fingertips
Immerse yourself in your own touch-screen TV, offering a world of films, TV shows, music, and games – entertainment designed around you.
The perfect pour
Our crew serves a selection of hot and cold beverages directly to your seat – ideal for staying refreshed throughout your journey.
Relax in unmatched comfort
Recline in spacious, ergonomically designed, armchair-style seating with generous legroom and experience a refined sense of luxury, crafted exclusively for your relaxation.
Stay connected
Keep your devices fully charged throughout your journey with USB ports and plug sockets at every seat – perfect for capturing memories and staying connected with loved ones.
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay, a Door-to-Door pick up or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Folkestone Services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
Door-to-Door service
+ Find out moreOn Battlefield tours of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. Our Door-to-Door Service collects you from your home and takes you to meet your transfer vehicile, then brings you back at the end of the holiday. Door-to-Door Service is available within a 20-mile radius of one of our free joining points and is from £90 per car, return (up to 4 passengers per vehicle).
If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.
