Throughout France, more than 500,000 hectares of land were mined during the Second World War. Nearly 6 million mines were laid on the orders of Marshal Rommel as part of the Atlantic Wall, to protect French beaches from invasion. The Normandy coastline was severely affected by this "mine war".

After the Liberation, it was time for reconstruction... and mine clearance! From October 1944, the French authorities decided to use German prisoners to clear the many minefields that were paralysing the country. Both a punishment and a means of redemption, according to the Allies, this dangerous work was never to end.

The Reverend Tom Wilson, who has been passionate about the military history of the Second World War since the age of 12, presents this bilingual lecture with his wife Dawn Cornelio. He is the author of Prêtres du Débarquement, published by OREP Éditions, and "D' une mort injuste, préserve-nous, Seigneur", which tells the story of all the Allied chaplains killed between 10 May 1940 and 8 May 1945 in north-west Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.

• the 07 june 2026 from 15:00 to 16:00

• Address: Centre Juno Beach, Voie des Français Libres, 14470 COURSEULLES-SUR-MER
• Phone: View phone number02 31 37 32 17
• E-mail: View email[email protected]