D Day beaches

The Caption Reads
To all of those that made the ultimate sacrifice
 to give us our freedom today
We are indebted to you forever,
signed: The Love trip 2012
Pegasus Bridge

When we planned the trip we realized we would be at the beaches just a few days before the 68th anniversary of D day (June 6, 1944). We left our hotel early, headed to Pegasus bridge a famous place where British aviators in gliders released 80 parachutists on the eve of D Day so they could destroy the bridge here to prevent the Nazi’s from bringing in reinforcements to the D Day attacks.
From there it was on to Caen for a new museum about World conflict, with a main focus on WWII however it does cover off others as well, including the Cold War, destroying the Berlin Wall and having pieces of the World Trade Centre on hand there. It was a well balanced approach that was well worth 
Part of the Berlin Wall

the entry fee.
Caen Memorial
A Frenchman in Bene Ser Mer shows us around

A house on the beach on D Day (picture)

Today the house sports a Canadian flag of
gratitude

From there onto Juno beach, the place where Canada became much appreciated for its efforts in freeing it. Because Sandra and I wear small Canadian flags on our jackets an old Frenchman who is 78 and was alive and remembered D Day came up to us and started talking. He still lives there, his livelihood was as a fisherman, but he was forced into hauling drinking water during WWII for the German officers who were stationed there. He spent a good ½ hour talking with us, showing us places in town and also a glimpse into his contact book which had the home address of 1 recent prime minister of Canada from Quebec. Also, some very distant relatives sailed from Honfleur to Canada to settle there in the early days. The residents of this part of France made us feel like we were heroes for freeing them. It is the fallen in the cemeteries that are truly those Heroes. We ended this day with a re-visitation to the Arromanche 360 degree theatre, where a 360 degree view of films of the war is used to replicate the horrors of war. It was very well done.


US Memorial
Inside the Chapel

22000 + buried here

2nd Lt. Niland and Sgt Niland buried
Story behind "Saving Private Ryan" movie
We picked up the tour again the next morning at the US cemetery, a large plot of land with its own visitor centre. Since this is the middle of D Day celebrations here and the only weekend associated there were many US re-enactment types wandering around, marching the sides of roads and driving vintage Jeeps and HD motorcycles. 


Entrance to German Memorial
A very sombre place 
Our last stop in the stretch was the German cemetery, a reserved area, some 20 kms away. As the pictures will show it was a somber memorial for fallen soldiers who for some found themselves forced to take up arms or be persecuted themselves.
Looking out from a Pillbox over Pointe Du Hoc


Comments

Nicki said…
We had the opportunity to see the D-Day beaches about 3 years ago and were in awe of everything still there. I can't wait to go back and further explore the area. We did not make it to the German memorial, ran out of time. But I think our favorite part was the German bunkers at Pointe du Hoc. It is amazing that so much history is right there, easily accessed and respected so that no one disturbs it. In the U.S. everything is very secure and protected, making it sometimes difficult to see. I don't think the citizens of my country would be as respectful of our national treasures as the people are in Normandy.
June 4, 2012 at 10:46 AM
The Smith's V Strom Adventures said…
Thanks Nicki, We certainly agree that Normandie is a special place. The WWII is no doubt responsible for the EU and the Euro today, and it's a lesson we've learned. It was a pleasure meeting fellow travellers like yourselves in Turkey last year. Where are you off to next?
June 4, 2012 at 12:54 PM
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