A trip to Northern France - some WWII stuff
Discussion
Been meaning to do this for ages but never got round to it.
So whilst we were in the neighbourhood we decided to pop in past a couple of sights and see whats what.
Pegasus Bridge was first on the agenda - and while I was slightly annoyed it wasn't still in place (replaced in '94) the original is still there and has been moved to a nice memorial just across the river.
The Brits flying in to take the bridge must have had an easy time as there was plenty of cafe's and restaurants in the neighbourhood in which to refresh themselves. There's a cafe right next door to the bridge so they would have been able to get a coffee and continue shooting out of the windows.
The fact that the original bridge isn't there any more hasn't stopped Mdme Gondree charging silly prices for a coffee.
It wasn't until I came outside the museum that I realised I think they've got one of the models in the museum the wrong way round. I think they had a model in their showing the Brits attacking from cantilever side of the bridge, although they would have been attacking from the opposite side. Which I had taken a picture to confirm it. Although If you look at this one - you'll see the Germans are actually on the Cafe side (the same side the gliders landed from). On Flickr
A pointy bang bang thing.
Then we went up to Juno beach. The Canadians must have had a easy time - look at it. Easy ramps up to the roads, little chalets to change from their wet clothes and ice-cream vendors plying their wares. An easy time if ever there was one.
Then we headed inland to the Canadian Cemetery.
A lovely setting and very very peaceful - and not one for visiting cemeteries on a regular basis it was very personal and moving. I have nothing in common with the people in this cemetery apart from they gave their lives so I can live the way I do now and for that I gave them my sincere thanks.
The headstones are lovely, and include details about the person (who / where / age etc) and the majority of them had the Maple leaf engraved on the headstone, alternatives had the Jewish Cross etc but very personal.
This one had recently been visited, no doubt by relatives who had left the little Canadian pin on top.
They all had their little plot of ground with plants around the headstone.
Another had recently been visited. Somehow I can't see a time when the world would forget. :-\
A pano of the Canadian cemetery. Click for larger 10Mb
Later in the week we headed up to Omaha beach.
Then we went to the American Cemetery - where we were both shocked by the size of the cemetery. We again paid our respects but sadly we felt that the American cemetery was less personal and was just lines of headstones with names on them. No age, or little plot of land for each of the fallen.
Recently visited and people have to stick roses into the ground.
Pano of a small section of the cemetery. Click for larger 11Mb
Then we wandered down to the beach directly opposite the cemetery. The beach is a reserve now but the first thing you don't expect to see when you get to the beach isn't two fat folk sunbathing right at the bottom of the path from the cemetery.
Looking up at the headland. Not a lot of cover from anything and I'm sure the bushes etc weren't there when the landings took place.
However - if the Americans had went 500 yards to the left they would have had an even easier landing - straight into the car park where they could have rested themselves at the cafe, took some windsurfing lessons and then charged onwards to help liberate France.
Those that have fallen - I doff my hat again to you.
If you've never done the landings area - I can recommend it. It's humbling. My next plan is to do the WWI cemeteries.
So whilst we were in the neighbourhood we decided to pop in past a couple of sights and see whats what.
Pegasus Bridge was first on the agenda - and while I was slightly annoyed it wasn't still in place (replaced in '94) the original is still there and has been moved to a nice memorial just across the river.
The Brits flying in to take the bridge must have had an easy time as there was plenty of cafe's and restaurants in the neighbourhood in which to refresh themselves. There's a cafe right next door to the bridge so they would have been able to get a coffee and continue shooting out of the windows.
The fact that the original bridge isn't there any more hasn't stopped Mdme Gondree charging silly prices for a coffee.
It wasn't until I came outside the museum that I realised I think they've got one of the models in the museum the wrong way round. I think they had a model in their showing the Brits attacking from cantilever side of the bridge, although they would have been attacking from the opposite side. Which I had taken a picture to confirm it. Although If you look at this one - you'll see the Germans are actually on the Cafe side (the same side the gliders landed from). On Flickr
A pointy bang bang thing.
Then we went up to Juno beach. The Canadians must have had a easy time - look at it. Easy ramps up to the roads, little chalets to change from their wet clothes and ice-cream vendors plying their wares. An easy time if ever there was one.
Then we headed inland to the Canadian Cemetery.
A lovely setting and very very peaceful - and not one for visiting cemeteries on a regular basis it was very personal and moving. I have nothing in common with the people in this cemetery apart from they gave their lives so I can live the way I do now and for that I gave them my sincere thanks.
The headstones are lovely, and include details about the person (who / where / age etc) and the majority of them had the Maple leaf engraved on the headstone, alternatives had the Jewish Cross etc but very personal.
This one had recently been visited, no doubt by relatives who had left the little Canadian pin on top.
They all had their little plot of ground with plants around the headstone.
Another had recently been visited. Somehow I can't see a time when the world would forget. :-\
A pano of the Canadian cemetery. Click for larger 10Mb
Later in the week we headed up to Omaha beach.
Then we went to the American Cemetery - where we were both shocked by the size of the cemetery. We again paid our respects but sadly we felt that the American cemetery was less personal and was just lines of headstones with names on them. No age, or little plot of land for each of the fallen.
Recently visited and people have to stick roses into the ground.
Pano of a small section of the cemetery. Click for larger 11Mb
Then we wandered down to the beach directly opposite the cemetery. The beach is a reserve now but the first thing you don't expect to see when you get to the beach isn't two fat folk sunbathing right at the bottom of the path from the cemetery.
Looking up at the headland. Not a lot of cover from anything and I'm sure the bushes etc weren't there when the landings took place.
However - if the Americans had went 500 yards to the left they would have had an even easier landing - straight into the car park where they could have rested themselves at the cafe, took some windsurfing lessons and then charged onwards to help liberate France.
Those that have fallen - I doff my hat again to you.
If you've never done the landings area - I can recommend it. It's humbling. My next plan is to do the WWI cemeteries.
Cheers for the comments..
Honfluer is lovely and a favourite stop off on the way back from Le Mans for lunch.
If you could do me a favour - if you go see the Pegasus Bridge in the memorial could you get a pick of the bridge in the display case - I'm convinced the troops are the wrong way round in it. The Brits landed on the Cafe side of the bridge (on the opposite side of the street from the cafe) and the cantilever part of the bridge was on the German side - but on the model I'm sure I remember seeing the Germans on the cafe side and the Brits on the cantilever side. I can't see how they could get it so wrong - maybe I'm wrong but if you could get a pick it would help put my bored mind at rest.
Honfluer is lovely and a favourite stop off on the way back from Le Mans for lunch.
If you could do me a favour - if you go see the Pegasus Bridge in the memorial could you get a pick of the bridge in the display case - I'm convinced the troops are the wrong way round in it. The Brits landed on the Cafe side of the bridge (on the opposite side of the street from the cafe) and the cantilever part of the bridge was on the German side - but on the model I'm sure I remember seeing the Germans on the cafe side and the Brits on the cantilever side. I can't see how they could get it so wrong - maybe I'm wrong but if you could get a pick it would help put my bored mind at rest.
That makes sense. Perhaps it's a photo I saw in the museum that confused me. In the photo the gliders are in the top right and it looks like the cafe is in the top left on the opposite side of the street. It's a grainy B&W shot but perhaps it's just the alignment and the photo really should be upside down.
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