...last week for four days (which was actually two days and two days of travelling). The only reason I went there was to visit the landing beaches, war cemeteries and the musea. Found a cheap motel (which had a private toilet and shower and breakfast and a bed, which was all I need) and from there I visited the sites. Since most of you are from the US, I thought to share some pics with you. Don't mind the low res and small size, I trimmed the pics down a bit. But it is just to give you an idea. Well, here goes: The Caen Memorial Garden. The Canadians: Inscription says (roughly translated) No day can erase the memory of what you have done/given here" French: The British: The Poles: The US: Plaquettes of the states which participated. Above the plaquettes. "From the heart of our land flows the blood of our youth. Given to you in the name of freedom" Also a gallery with Nobelprize winners (there are more, this is just a part of it) Just a random pic:
Omaha Beach and the american warcemetery: Tree of friendship, planted by Bill Clinton The american warcemetary and the part of Omaha Beach are US soil btw. It's given to the US in custody of an organization which maintains those cemeteries worldwide. Almost all the warcemeteries in France are the property of the corresponding country.
A part of one of the german war cemetaries Yes, it's more "minimal". Those crosses are for decoration though, it's the plaquettes. And mind you, there are two names on each... Some examples of the barricades the landingforces had to cope with on the beach. Ad then there were mines, seamines, anti-tank mines, mines on sticks just below the waterlevel and miles of barbed wire...
It really was. For a while, I just stood there on the beach, just trying to imagine how it was. And the thing was, that it was so hard to imagine. The beaches are now empty and silent, it's just impossible to me to have even the remotest idea what kind of hell it was back then. I know there are some of XoO who (have) serve(d) the military. I think they have a more accurate idea. Those monuments, which can be found throughout the region are impressive. Not so much because of the monuments themselves but the names on it. Rows and rows of men and women, most of them far younger or the same age as me. It really was moving. One part of the US warcemetary has a wall which is in honour of those "whose resting place is only know to God". It is a small wall but it made a big impression. Of course there are lots of tourists, most of them are British and American. I find it a pity that around 99% of them are people of old age, probably who took part in the landings or are family of the fallen. It's a sad idea that there's almost no youth at all. In a few years, the last of the generation that fought in that war are gone, I can only hope we won't forget. Roosevelt may have been right all along: Those who enjoy such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them - Franklin D. Roosevelt
The closest Ive ever been to there and the closest thing to that Ive ever seen were at the same place, Cape Spear, Newfoundland. Which is the farthest East point of land on North America. They had the same type of artillery built into bunkers so that if the Germans ever came over to Canada we would be protected. It was amazing to see. On the same trip I went to Halifax where they have the Queen's Battery and they had the submarine nets which would be put up every night to protect the harbour during WWI when Halifax was the last stop for ships from North America going to Europe
Excellent pictures; thanks for sharing. I, too, hope to visit there one day. My grandfather was in WWII, serving with the Canadian Navy. He never talked about it and we only found out recently that he was there on D-Day. The horrors he saw that day were unimaginable, and he's suffered his whole life as a result. It's important to remember what these heroes did for us, both living and dead.