D-Day and the Normandy Campaign: Myths and Legends – Lt Col (Retd) Geoffrey Vesey-Holt MBE

In this presentation Geoffrey will look at the myths and legends of the Normandy Campaign from D-Day to the end of the Battle of Falaise on 21 August 1944. These myths and legends include that:

• The Soviet Army on the eastern front would have won the war on its own.
• We were bound to win.
• The Germans knew that we were going to land in Normandy
• German tanks were better than ours
• The American did most of the fighting and rescued the Brits by breaking out of Normandy.

He will also look at the myths and legends in the film ‘Saving Private Ryan; including the mystery of the mythical and iconic Tiger tanks.

Lt Col (Retd) Geoffrey Vesey-Holt MBE, a graduate of Durham University (gaining a 2:1 Class in Modern History), was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment in 1974. During the Cold War he held several positions, including that of Armoured Squadron Leader. In 1990 he was involved in developing the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank and served at the Armoured Trials and Development Unit, Bovington. He is currently working on a history of the Royal Tank Regiment. On retirement he returned to his other passion (his first is tanks) history. He runs battlefield tours including many to Normandy, gives lecture, writes and walk the Sussex Weald and Downs.