Events, Gatherings, Out & About > Members' Travels
WW2 bunkers Northern France
Jonathan M:
--- Quote from: "Skibum346" ---
--- Quote from: "beast5680" ---...so smaller children may want to avoid this bit as there are some quite shocking pictures.
--- End quote ---
Personally I think it is important that children (small is a difficult line to draw... 4, 6, 8, ?) see what has happened in war and understand some of the horrors. How else will generations to come really undeerstand the sacrifices that have gone before, that current service personnel face and how will they be able to take a stand to prevent such things happening again?
Especially as "The Playstation Generation" are used to virtual death and dismemberment. It's easy to look into the eyes of a virtual character as they die... there is nothing to see. If, however, they look into the eyes of a concentration camp victim... there is a great deal to see.
Glad you had a great time and I'd love to go myself... but I couldn't resist putting my thoughts down. Thanks
Skibum
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I agree, just returned from Normandy with my 6 year old son, who just about grasps the importance of what he's seen, made a bit more real for him as he knows my grandfather was killed in WW2 and is buried in southern italy, so far I've never seen his grave, nor did my grandmother (RIP) but my mum has been twice.
In terms of scale, then 10,000 graves at the US cemetery at Omaha Beach is sobering, as is the destruction at Pointe D'Hoc. The Caen memorial provides a overview of the battle for Normandy, but also the history & politics leading up to the second worls war - including the deaths in the camps under Nazi rule.
We seem to have made it a easter "pilgrimage" of sorts, last easter we visited the Somme & Thievepal memorial.
Pointe D'Hoc
Thievepal
Lord Shagg-Pyle:
My wife and I did Normandy last year and it has to be said that I was overawed by it. Unfortunately I have lost the disc with all the piccys on it.
What struck me was that wherever we went there was some reminder of what had happened there, for instance just driving through some of the tiny vilages, I would see a little regimental crest set into a wall with a small description of what had occured.
We went to Pegasus Bridge and it is only when you stand there and see the marker posts of where the gliders landed, can you fully understand what an amazing feat of arms was carried out.
If anybody is thinking of going to Normandy this year, I have the Battlefield Guide by Major and Mrs Holt and you are more than welcome to borrow it.
Range Rover Ron:
Hello Guys,
we did a tour to Normandie last March.
It was great,
We got a Gite for £300 between 10 of us,
£30 for 5 nights pp, cheaper than camping,
the ferry was with LD Lines and cost about £80 return for two people and a LR.
So the Gite & Ferry cost £70 pp for 5 nights!
We did the beaches and Pegasus Bridge,
Your right, it's awsome,
Proud to be British when your there.
Aromanches was also a sight to see,
Them lads had a fight on their hands coming off the ships and attacking the Germans at the top of the hills in their bunkers.
Look down form the bunkers then go and look up from the beach!
We did some greenlanig too.
We were based near Falaise in a small village called Pont D'Oully.
We laid a wreath as one of our group's grandfather landed on Aromanches beach on day one of D-day.
When we asked where we shopuld lay the wreath he said....
"Take it into the water about chest deep,
that's where all my buddies died!"
(they never even made the beach!)
We all want to go back.
Cheers,
Ron.
diggerdog36:
--- Quote from: Range Rover Ron on February 26, 2008, 20:11:57 ---When we asked where we shopuld lay the wreath he said....
"Take it into the water about chest deep,
that's where all my buddies died!"
We all want to go back.
--- End quote ---
What a sobering comment,
what they give for us.
Ive been out there twice now, and would go back ANY day. The first time we drove we stayed on camp sites all along the coast, but the second we kind of did it wrong and stayed put in St Mere Eglise, so we couldnt really travel far, went to Carentan, St Lo, and travelled down the Villers Bocage to see the little lanes, we passed through a tiny little town that looks like was a german stronghold, there was just bullet spray everywhere, it was deserted, all the old adverts still painted on the walls, water fountain with cupid peeing splattered with bullets. It was scary how quiet it was.
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