Visit General Eisenhower's Second World War forward HQ in the Victorian stately home that is Southwick House. See the huge wooden D-Day map that was used to plan Operation Overlord, visit the actual room in which Eisenhower gave the fateful "Go" order for the 6th June 1944 and discover the amazing secrets behind the epic story of the Normandy landings and the stories of the incredible people involved including:
Major Logan Scott-Bowden and Sgt Bruce Ogden-Smith who swam to the beaches on New Year's Day 1944 to conduct a night-time reconnaissance under the very noses of the Germans.
Juan Pujol Garcia aka Agent Garbo - the double agent whom the Germans believed was their best spy in Britain. For his D-Day espionage he was awarded both the Iron Cross and an MBE!
Leonard Dawe - a mild-mannered physics teacher and crossword compiler for the Daily Telegraph. Was he sending secrets to the Germans via a national newspaper? Just days before D-Day, answers to his crossword clues included Overlord, Sword, Gold, Juno, Utah, Omaha, Mulberry, Neptune...
Duration: approx 2 hours. Also includes access to the Royal Military Police museum on site afterwards (allow extra time if you wish to see this). This is an active military site with strictly controlled and escorted access only. When booking, please supply the names of all those attending and their nationalities. This information needs to be submitted in advance, so ticket sales will close 48 hours prior to event. On the day, please bring photo ID (eg passport or photocard driving licence) or entry will be denied.
The Map Room is in the Officers' Mess so a tidy standard of clothing is expected (whilst this doesn't mean jacket and tie, nevertheless no ripped jeans, sportswear, shorts or similar). There is free parking outside the main entrance gate in two large car parks at end of Priory Road. Meet in the car park below the main camp gate. Postcode PO17 6EJ or precise location via the very highly recommended What3Words geolocation app using the three words "supple.turns.inflamed".
Access Statement: This event is fully accessible, including for wheelchairs. Outside, the going is road and pavement, inside is carpeted surfaces. Total distance approx 500m. Arrangements may be possible for Blue-badge holders to reduce this distance with prior notice. Please contact us at hiddenhistorytours.uk@gmail.com before booking.
For further details of our other tours of secret and hidden locations, including more sites involved in the D-Day story, go to https://hiddenhistorytours.uk
