From 10 - 13 October 2024, 42 Year 11 students had the opportunity to travel to Normandy to learn about World War II and more specifically the D-Day landings.

The trip started bright and early on 11 October as we set off to Pegasus Bridge. We learnt about the gliders who landed on 6 June 1944, and how this was just the first step in taking back France. Across the three day trip we visited the Pegasus Bridge Museum, the American Airborne Museum, Rainville Cemetery, the Peace Museum and many other places of interest, which helped us to gain an understanding of how much effort went into making D-Day happen, and how important it is to remember those who lost their lives trying to liberate France and the rest of Europe.

We also visited some of the landing beaches (Gold and Omaha), as well as a German gun battery to see the preparation the Germans had made in advance of the invasion. We also visited a German cemetery which was very different to what we had seen before.

Our final visit was the Peace Museum in Caen, which had lots of interesting exhibitions which covered everything from the end of the World War I through to the end of the Cold War.

Overall, the whole experience has taught me how great it is to visit these places of interest, to really understand the full story.

By Grace Gill (11LMC/EVE)