Clive Canvin – War Historian and Mine Host

 

One of the joys of staying at Le Gaudin for visitors wanting to visit the Normany Beaches, is mine host, Clive Canvin.

 

Born of an English father and German mother, he spent much of his early childhood in bombed-out Germany. “It gave me a perspective of both sides,” he explains. And the First World War has been a passion since the 1980s – 30-odd years.

 

Something of an authority, Clive has done interviews for the Imperial War Museum and has advised/researched material for authors. No wonder he and Denise had a cottage for a number of years on the Somme.

 

Also an expert on WW II, Clive explains why Le Gaudin is so well placed. This year is the big 65th anniversary of the D-day landings. “Prince Edward is coming out July 12th – the Wessex and West Wessex regiments fought just up the road.”

 

“Most visitors want to see the coast. The landings. It’s so evocative, with lots of reminders. Museums, concrete bunkers and so on. The beach landing covered a 60 mile span, so you can imagine the scale of things. The prime sites are three British and Canadian beaches (Sword, Gold and Juno) and two American beaches (Omaha and Utah). People like to see both, having viewed The Saving of Private Ryan.”

 

Hill 112, the fiercest battle in the Normandy campaign, where tanks were dug in for six continual weeks.