HQ Company Tour

06/06/2024

All of Normandy is celebrating the 80th D-Day anniversary and its heroes 🇺🇲 🇨🇦 🇬🇧

31/05/2024

Today, Pierre and Mickaël are on tour with the family of Pvt. Ralph Burch, soldier of the 175th Regiment, 29th Division. Ralph landed on Omaha Beach on D+1 and was captured one week later in Montmartin-en-Graignes. He was then kept prisoner with 800 other soldiers in an old monastery later called "Starvation Hill" near Saint-Lô, used as a POW camp and guarded by an SS Unit. He stayed there one month before being transferred to another one in Bavaria, Germany where he stayed for one year until he was liberated by the US Army.

08/01/2024

The HQ Company team wishes you all a happy new year 2024! 🥳

11/06/2023

Today marks the sad anniversary of the death in Normandy of the Canadian brothers, Thomas and Albert Westlake, killed on June 11, 1944, four days after their third brother, George.

If you visit the D-Day landing beaches of Normandy, you might go to Beny-sur-Mer. It’s a small village behind the coast, not too far from Juno Beach, the sector where the Canadian soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had to land. One of the main objectives was to reach the airport of Carpiquet, (northwest of the large city of Caen). On their way, the Canadians fought German divisions and among them, one of the nastiest, the 12 SS Panzer Division led by Kurt Meyer. They are specially known for their brutality and fanatism, many Canadian soldiers who had been made prisoners have been executed by these young German soldiers.

The village of Beny-sur-Mer is special because there is a Canadian military cemetery where there are 2048 burials from WW2. The site is maintained by the CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission). The soldiers buried here died fighting during the first weeks of the Normandy battle. Among them, three brothers from Toronto who gave their lives to free France and Europe.

Private George Westlake who fought with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders died June 7th 1944 during the battle for Authie, he was 23. Its brigade was in position in that village but in a precarious position. Due to the haste of the advance, their left flank was unprotected. The Germans counterattacked on that open flank, surrounded and overwhelmed the Canadians with the tanks and troops of the 12th SS (Hi**er Youth) Panzer Division. George Westlake died in an orchard after he fought his first battle. For this fight, the number of casualties is very high: 84 killed, 158 wounded, and 128 lost as prisoners of war.

His two brothers, Thomas and Albert, died June 11th 1944, in the town of Mesnil-Patry serving in the Queen’s own Rifles Regiment, the dead bodies were found in each other’s arms. The attack on the village was made without previous reconnaissance or artillery preparation even if there were numerous enemies. The Canadians tanks attacked through open fields but were easy targets and they suffered a lot of casualties for that reason. An eyewitness said that “Tommy and Ab” were sharing a gun and fought together until the end after “doing a damn good job”. The regiment suffered 96 casualties that day, 55 of them fatal.

Today, their stories are well-known thanks to the work of their nephew, Gary Westlake whose mission was to work for Memory. A park in the city of Toronto is named after them and their sacrifice will be remembered. An association named “The Westlake Brother’s Souvenir” was created in 2006 in Normandy thanks to a group of high school teachers and students and many ceremonies were organized by them to thanks our liberators.

07/06/2023

07/06/2023

Today, on June 7, for the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Bayeux, we want to share the story of one local man : Lt. Col. Albert P. Dewey.

Born in 1916, in Chicago, from Charles Dewey, American banker and senator, and Suzette de Marigny Hall, whose family originates from the area around Bayeux. In 1926, his mother went to the Bessin looking for traces of her ancestor. She fell in love with the old XIIth century abbey of Longues-sur-Mer, which was falling into ruins. With her husband, they decided to buy and restore it in 1932. Therefore, Peter Dewey spent part of his childhood in Longues-sur-Mer, near Bayeux, where his parents owned the abbey from 1932 to 1964.

In May 1940, as the war had started in Europe, he was working as a journalist for the Chicago Daily News in Paris, he joined the Polish Army and fought the Battle of France. After France’s defeat, he escaped through Spain to Portugal, where he was interned for a short time, and eventually returned to the United States.

In 1942, he joined the US Army and served in Africa before joining the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). In august 1944, he was parachuted in Southern France with an OSS team with the task of making contact with the Resistance and gathering intelligence on the German forces before the invasion of Southern France. He spent six weeks behind the lines and was awarded the Silver Star as well as the French Legion of Honor.

In September 1945, toward the end of the war, he was sent with an OSS team to Indochina to represent American interests. He made contact with the Viet Minh and organize the repatriation of over 4.000 Allied POWs from Japanese camps.

On September 26th 1945, as Peter Dewey was driving to the airport of Saigon to leave Indochina, he was ambushed and shot in the head by Viet Minh troops. He was yelling in French at Viet Minh troops before the incident and was mistaken for a French soldier. His body was never found.

His last report to the US administration on the situation in Vietnam was: “Cochin China [Southern Vietnam] is burning, the French and the British are finished here, and we [the United States] ought to clear out Southeast Asia.

He became the first American soldier killed in Vietnam after WW2. He is the only US casualty whose name is not on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

His parents kept living in Longues-sur-Mer after the war and raised a plaque for their son on the local war memorial. They helped fund the reconstruction of the village after the D-Day damages.

Today, a chapel in the Cathedral of Bayeux is dedicated to Peter Dewey.

We remember.

22/05/2023

Two days ago, our guide Pierre had the chance to take Mr Long on tour on Juno Beach, to show him where his great-uncle from the 1st Hussars landed on D-Day. Then, they visited the field in Le-Mesnil-Patry where he was subsequently wounded on June 11, 1944, after his tank was hit by a Panzer IV. His great-uncle was eventually amputated from both legs.

During their visit of Juno Beach with Pierre, Nicole from the Canada House - La Maison des Canadiens - Association had the kindness to show them her house and tell the Long family the amazing stories of the house and the items exhibited in it. Thank you again for the amazing visit, Nicole! 🙂

Canadiens venus de London Ontario, pour voir la Maison, en mémoire de leur grand oncle qui a débarqué à Courseulles-sur-Mer le 6 Juin 1944

30/03/2023

Last week, our team went to Paris to meet one of our best partners: My Private Paris. If you ever spend some days in Paris before coming to Normandy and you are looking for a private, off the beaten path tour of Paris, check them out! They are top-notch and their tours range from cultural tours to food and wine tastings. For example, it is a chance for you to have an insight of impressionist paintings at the Orsay Museum before visiting in Normandy the places where they painted them!

Afterward, we took this occasion to go visit the marvelous palace of Versailles! It is the occasion for us to remind you that if you are coming on a private tour with us in Normandy, we also offer transfer services from Paris to Bayeux and vice versa. On the way, with your driver-guide, you have the possibility to stop and visit Honfleur, Rouen or Monet's Garden in Giverny, and soon Versailles. Or maybe you would rather enjoy visiting an apple farm, with its half-timbered buildings and taste some local Calvados?This is the opportunity for you to go visit other gems of Normandy.

Avoid the stress of taking the train and come enjoy a ride through the Norman countryside with our driver-guide!

20/03/2023

Did you know that Jacques Cartier, first European to explore the Saint Lawrence River and who gave its name to Canada is buried in the cathedral of Saint-Malo in Brittany? His body was only found close to 400 years after his death, thanks to the American liberation of the city.

In 1949, the city of Saint-Malo is under reconstruction after the heavy bombings that happened there in the summer of 1944. The city is in rubble and among it, a skull and several bones are found in the transept of the cathedral Saint-Vincent. After analysis, these remains are identified: they are the remains of the famous local navigator and quite important figure in Canadian History: Jacques Cartier. For almost 400 years, it was known that Jacques Cartier had been buried in the cathedral but the location of the tomb was never found.

In this same cathedral, in 1535, Cartier received a blessing from the bishop of Saint-Malo just before his departure to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The same year, he gave its name to Canada after speaking to native Iroquois who kept repeating the word "kanata" which means "village" in their language. Today, Jacques Cartier remains a prominent figure in Canadian History as well as Brittany History.

This story, is one of many stories who will have the chance to hear about on our
Emerald Coast Tour in Brittany. To find out more about this tour, you can check our website: www.hqcompanytour.com/a-la-carte/

16/03/2023

Last but not least, we present you now our most local guide of the company: Mickaël Patin.

He is 33 years old and he has been working in the tourism business for 10 years. He first worked for several years in the largest WW2 museum in Normandy as a guide for school kids and he loved it. But after a few years, he wanted to be outside, to guide in English and talk about the battle of Normandy on the actual battlefields. He is proud of his region of Normandy and the culture related to it.

he was born and raised in Cherbourg. Situated north of the Cotentin Peninsula, this deep-water port was extremely important for the Allies in 1944. Liberated on the June 26 by American divisions, the Germans decided to blow up the harbor before they surrendered. After a month of repair, it became the busiest port in the world at that time.

Outside of work, he loves to travel so that he can discover countries, meet people and learn languages. So far, he has traveled to 20 countries and he is able to understand, read and speak English, Spanish and Italian.

13/03/2023

Last Friday, our guide Pierre had the chance to take a lovely couple from Nova Scotia on a tour to visit Juno Beach, where the 3rd Canadian Division landed on D-Day.

At the end of the tour, we took the opportunity to go visit the sobering Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery and pay our respects to the 2,048 soldiers buried in the cemetery.

Thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commisssion and its gardeners for keeping the grounds so well.

09/03/2023

We present you one of our guides: Yannick Sterke.

Born in Cambrai, in the North of France in 1988, he developed an early interest for History by listening to his grandfather’s memories who served during the Algerian War. A particular passion for the history and events of World War II arose due to the release of the movie “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998 when he was only 10 years old. From this point of time, he knew that he wanted to combine his passion with his career.

He holds a degree in tourism as well as the national certificate in tourism guiding which he acquired through his studies at the universities of Amiens and Boulogne-sur-Mer. During this time, he obtained essential knowledge in theory and practice, through intensive studies and essential internships, such as at the 39/45 Memorial in Saint Malo. In 2013, he decided to spend one year in London to bring his English to perfection.

After returning to France in 2014, he was offered a job by the ABMC at the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer where he gained an even deeper and precise historical understanding through training, research and work experience. Particularly the interaction with veterans and the ceremony of the 70th D-Day anniversary in 2014 have made an immense impact in his perception and awareness about the soldiers and their sacrifice for France during World War II.

06/03/2023

Last Saturday evening, our guide Yannick had the pleasure to take part in the 100th anniversary of the ABMC (American Battle Monuments Commission) at the Normandy American Cemetery.

In 1923, following the outcome of the First World War, the ABMC was created by General John Pershing. The commander of the American Expeditionary Forces wanted the thousands of American soldiers who perished in France to have a decent grave.
Today, the ABMC maintains 26 permanent American military cemeteries and 32 federal memorials, monuments and markers, located in 17 foreign countries.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the ABMC placed a candle on each of the 9,388 graves of soldiers buried at the Normandy American Cemetery.

Lest we forget 🕯️

03/03/2023

Another beautiful day in Normandy!

Our guide Mickael took this very friendly couple from New-York State on a full-day tour to Mont Saint-Michel. It was the perfect weather to enjoy the visit of the monument with a wonderful view on the bay.

02/03/2023

Here we introduced you to one of the guides from HQ Company Tour: Gwenaël Pierre.

He was born in Brittany in 1989 where he also grew up. Passionate about History, he spent several summers in Normandy wandering on the battlefields. His grandparents planted the seed telling him stories about the Resistance in Brittany or the SAS paratroopers landing in the nearby forest at the early hours of D-Day.

He holds a degree in Management of small and medium businesses. During my studies, he was lucky to spend some time in the United Kingdom where he could improve his English language and embrace a profound appreciation for the culture.

After a year spent in Montreal, Canada, the chance of life brought him to Normandy where he started to work as a guide on the battlefields in 2015 for a private company. With time passing and experience, he was able to qualify as a qualified interpretative guide as well as obtaining the national certification for guiding.

Father of two young boys, he is thankful everyday to work in a field that passionates him so much.

27/02/2023

Let's present you another of our guides: Pierre Meslé.

Born in Western France, he grew up in Laval, a town liberated by Patton’s Third Army on August 6, 1944. He has always been interested in US History since high school. Once he graduated, he started to study political and contemporary History and eventually specialized in US History for his master’s degree, which he obtained in 2013. After a series of travels in Europe, he decided to find a job connected to his passion for American History.

This is how he became a tour guide in Normandy in 2015, a job he have loved ever since he started. He got the opportunity to share his knowledge with visitors from across the globe, to help them comprehend the sacrifice made by the soldiers who came ashore on D-Day as well as to show them the beauty of the Normandy region. He also had the unique opportunity to meet veterans and conduct some research for their families so they could walk in the footsteps of their relatives. Through his guiding experience, he eventually obtained the national professional guiding license.

On his free time, he likes to visit new places. He lived for many years in different countries, such as Morocco or the United States, and he likes to discover foreign cultures. He has also been working several winters as a wilderness guide in Lapland so he likes to go back sometimes to the far North.

27/02/2023

Our website is now online! 😍

From today, you can start booking a group tour of the D-Day sites and Mont-Saint-Michel directly on our website. We also offer private tours and tours à la carte.

For the tours à la carte, you can book a package linked to different themes: the Atlantik Wall, Brittany, the Loire Valley.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information. You can reach us on our website wia the contact form or by phone at: +33 250 550 074, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (GMT+1), 7 days a week.

www.hqcompanytour.com

23/02/2023

The season has started in Normandy!

Our guide Yannick had the chance to take a nice couple from New York City visit the American D-Day battlefields so they could pay their respects to a relative interred in the Normandy American Cemetery.

It is a reminder that behind all these battle stories, there were thousands of families back home affected by the losses of their loved ones and who do not forget about it up to these days.

20/02/2023

Have you always wanted to visit Normandy and discover the story of the ultimate sacrifice made by hundreds of thousands of soldiers on June 6, 1944?

Our four experimented licensed guides will take you to Omaha Beach, the Normandy American cemetery but also Mont-Saint-Michel in comfortable air-conditioned 8-seat minivans. With more than seven years of experience, our guides will tell you the moving stories of the soldiers' who landed on the Normandy beaches on D-Day. You will also discover the rich legacy left by William the Conqueror and the Normans across the region.

Come visit Normandy with HQ Company Tour!

www.hqcompanytour.com

07/02/2023

Meet the "HQ Company Tour" team!

From left to right, you can see Mickaël, Yannick, Gwenaël and Pierre.

We are four French professional licensed tour guides with more than seven years of experience with guiding in Normandy. Having worked together in a different company before, we decided to take a leap by creating our own company to share our knowledge and passion for the history of Normandy with our visitors.

Through our years of experience, we had the chance to collect stories of veterans and locals who lived through the events that happened here in WW2, which we will be happy to share with you.

Starting in March, we will be glad to take you on tour with us on the D-Day battlefield sites, in Mont-Saint-Michel or other cultural sites of Normandy.

Soon, you will get to know more about each of us individually. More to come!

20/01/2023

We are currently filming our new videoclip. Stay tuned, coming out soon!