ABSTRACT
I have been a full time battlefield guide in Normandy, where I live, since 2002. Like most of my colleagues I started by telling the famous stories associated with D-Day, such as all that happened at the landing beaches and places such as the scaling of the cliffs by US Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoc and the British glider landings at Pegasus Bridge. I soon discovered that there were hundreds of lesser known, but no less worthy stories about the invasion, that people were not hearing. Over the years, my aim has been to find stories that build a narrative over the course of two or three days, providing my clients with insight into the range of events that made the Allied landings a success. Around 2002, a story surfaced which has since become a major part of most battlefield tours in Normandy – including my own. The purpose of this chapter is to examine how the story was told when I first discovered it, how my research questioned some of the truths, and how the story is perceived today.
