A contingent of 40 club members braved the vagaries of the M27 road works last month for the 1020 coach trip to Portsmouth in neighbouring Hampshire.
While the majority of those on board were heading for the D-Day Story at Southsea, half a dozen had opted to be dropped off for a day of retail therapy at Gunwharf Quays.
First port of call was a tour of the landmark D-Day landing craft LCT 7074, the only one left from the historic event which had been used to transport men and tanks (two of them seen on board) from the southern ports of Britain to the French coast on several days following the massed allied attack.
Then it was inside to see the story of the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany occupation with the largest seaborne invasion in history. It is told in a large part using the personal possessions and words of the people who took part.
It includes audio-visual presentations and interactive displays plus a diverse range of artifacts from personal letters, maps and official documents to authentic vehicles, weapons and uniforms all of which help to bring the story to life.
Among the artifacts is a machine gun from a Mosquito aircraft that had been flown on D-Day by the Royal Canadian Air Force and used to attack German searchlights and anti-aircraft guns. The plane crashed near Poole later in the war and the gun was found by a local schoolboy.
Finally, the tour included the Legacy gallery, which tells the story of the creation of the collection and the Overlord Embroidery, a series of stitched panels that tell the story of the lead up to and of D-Day itself.
Special thanks go to committee member Alasdair Wellwood who masterminded the whole day and organised the coach and the discounted admission to the museum. Everyone voted the day a huge success.