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.
Good pics / trip 
I would say to anyone else planning the same, a visit to Pointe Du Hoc, it's quite shocking the scale of the craters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe_du_Hoc
and of course Arromanches, some of the stuff in the museum is really interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches-les-Bains
I would say to anyone else planning the same, a visit to Pointe Du Hoc, it's quite shocking the scale of the craters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe_du_Hoc
and of course Arromanches, some of the stuff in the museum is really interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches-les-Bains
crmcatee said:
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.
Will see what I can do.FWIW, I understood the British landed on the eastern side of the canal, i.e. the opposite side to the café. They flew in from the south and landed (crashed...) in a northerly direction.
The cantilever bit of the bridge was on the eastern side where the Brits landed, otherwise the Germans could have moved the bridge and left them rather stuck ! But the relief forces, when they arrived the next day, came from the north west, i.e. down the road leading to the café on the western bank of the canal.
I think...
nonuts said:
I would say to anyone else planning the same, a visit to Pointe Du Hoc, it's quite shocking the scale of the craters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe_du_Hoc
and of course Arromanches, some of the stuff in the museum is really interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches-les-Bains
I think that's my itinery sorted then ! Thanks for that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe_du_Hoc
and of course Arromanches, some of the stuff in the museum is really interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches-les-Bains
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.
Pegasus Bridge, past and now
http://patrick-amand.sitego.fr/pegasus-bridge.html
disassembly and reassembly of the bridge and other pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pegasus.bridge44
http://patrick-amand.sitego.fr/pegasus-bridge.html
disassembly and reassembly of the bridge and other pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pegasus.bridge44
We're off again in October. As previously mentioned, Pointe-du-Hoc is an absolute must.
If you are interested in military hardware, I can highly recommend this museum in the Netherlands:
http://www.oorlogsmuseum.nl/index.php?t=en&p=m...
They have an amazing collection. Some pics follow:
The condition of the vehicles is amazing, as is the attention to detail:
There are some more photos to give you a taster here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/selwonk11/13102009Bene...
Back on the Normandy cost, this museum is a little corker:
http://www.musee-grand-bunker.com/englishversion.a...
Amazing condition!
If you are interested in military hardware, I can highly recommend this museum in the Netherlands:
http://www.oorlogsmuseum.nl/index.php?t=en&p=m...
They have an amazing collection. Some pics follow:
The condition of the vehicles is amazing, as is the attention to detail:
There are some more photos to give you a taster here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/selwonk11/13102009Bene...
Back on the Normandy cost, this museum is a little corker:
http://www.musee-grand-bunker.com/englishversion.a...
Amazing condition!
Did a quick trip to Thiepval and Poziere in January on our way to the Alps. It was during all the snow which covered France all the way down - kind of made the visit almost haunting
Thiepval Memorial
Cemetary at Poziere
We went to Poziere to find a relative on the Memorial Panels , no one in the family had seen it.
A very moving experience.
Dave
Thiepval Memorial
Cemetary at Poziere
We went to Poziere to find a relative on the Memorial Panels , no one in the family had seen it.
A very moving experience.
Dave
Edited by dcr on Saturday 14th August 16:37
Also did this on the way back from Le Mans.
Spent four days tracing the journey of a relative involved in Normandy fighting (D-day plus 6).
Moving stuff.
The cemeteries are beautifully kept and it's impossible not to shed a tear at the tragic young ages of the young men who died.
Just realised that this is the photography forum!! These are only snaps so excuse the quality (or lack of!)
Spent four days tracing the journey of a relative involved in Normandy fighting (D-day plus 6).
Moving stuff.
The cemeteries are beautifully kept and it's impossible not to shed a tear at the tragic young ages of the young men who died.
Just realised that this is the photography forum!! These are only snaps so excuse the quality (or lack of!)
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