Visiting some museums and cemeteries in Normandy

[Jean-Loup]

This little piece of debries was propelled several meters by the explosion.

[Jean-Loup]

On a "Tobruk" machine gun position nearby I found these drawings. I kind of doubt they were made by the germans, but then again, they did seem very old, and it looked like they were made during the construction.

[Jean-Loup]

A date beside the inscriptions: 1942.

[Jean-Loup]

And thats it for the Normady trip of 2007. I visited several other places without taking ay pictures. I didnt bring my metal detector along; and I only brought back an engraved german 20mm shell found at a flee market.

[Adrian]

Hi Jean-Loup,
Thank you for this thread and posting your great photos. I visit Normandy yearly on holiday, in fact will be there on the 21st and spend a large amount of time in the cemetries, just wandering and wondering about all the men buried beneath me. It is a very humbling experience and I think anyone who has visited the graves cannot fail to be moved by the sight and the tranquility of the war cemetries. It think it is only fitting that the lives of these men are remembered in such a place after they gave them in such violent circumstances.
I visit Bayeux regularly as a cousin of mine has his name on the memorial on the opposite side of the road to the cemetery. He died at age 19 in a tank and his body was never recovered. I have been to the village where he died to see if there is a mass grave site or similar in the local churchyard where his body may have been placed but the village must have been destroyed during the fighting as many of the houses are fairly new and even the name of the village was changed after the war - which gave me some problems whilst researching it.
The point you make regarding the German cemetery is true - there is a very different feeling when walking through La Cambe you get than when you walk through an allied one.
I also have noticed the poor French headstones, I hope at sometime these formed concrete crosses are replaced with something a little more fitting. I find it quite ironic that in a French civilian graveyard the graves and memorials are so thoughtfully done and great care taken in choosing the headstones etc and yet the poor French soldier has to make do with a lump of concrete.

[shinerb]

Jean-Loup,

Thanks for sharing. I noticed all the turned up looking ground in the commenwealth cemetary. There was a lot of dirt it looked like. Any idea as to what that was?

Also, last time I was at the Longues Sur Mer battery I noticed when I climbed into the observation bunker what was holding it up. Nothing but 4 corners of rusty old supports. That thing is due to collapse any day I think. One of the supports can be seen in your pic.

[WalterB]

Jean Loup thank you for a great thread. Very interesting. The cemeteries are sobering.

[Gran Sasso]

The four 155mm(?) guns were controled by this forward observation post where the famous scene in "The Longest Day" was made when all the boats appear at the horrizon with completely unrealistic speed.

The ships in the movie were not moving at all - as they did not in 1944. They were there already when the fog was raising, which has hidden the ships so far.
Of course the possebileties of the movie-makers were only "stone-age" back then in the 60s, compared to today.

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks for the comments guys.


"Thanks for sharing. I noticed all the turned up looking ground in the commenwealth cemetary. There was a lot of dirt it looked like. Any idea as to what that was?"

They were fixing up the grass... doing "orticultural" work, what ever that means.

"I visit Bayeux regularly as a cousin of mine has his name on the memorial on the opposite side of the road to the cemetery. He died at age 19 in a tank and his body was never recovered. I have been to the village where he died to see if there is a mass grave site or similar in the local churchyard where his body may have been placed but the village must have been destroyed during the fighting as many of the houses are fairly new and even the name of the village was changed after the war - which gave me some problems whilst researching it."

If he was killed in a tank, chances are that your cousins body was so damaged that there wasnt much left to be picked up by the graves registrations. Or maybe his body became unidentifiable as a result of being damaged, or being buried by german troops. In this case your cousin would now buried in a grave in the commonwealth cemetery, but marked as being an unknown soldier.
The french locals would not have buried the body of a british soldier in a mass grave and left him there.


"Also, last time I was at the Longues Sur Mer battery I noticed when I climbed into the observation bunker what was holding it up. Nothing but 4 corners of rusty old supports. That thing is due to collapse any day I think. One of the supports can be seen in your pic."

I noticed the same thing, and comented to my friends that that thing looked like it would collapse one of these days.

JL

[Jan B]

This paratrooper jumpsuit was taken from a body by Guth, the US vet. The German was supposedly killed with a baionet

I remember a discussion about a picture of those "barbarian german soldiers" who were taking shoes from fallen GI's during the battle of the bulge.
Undress a fallen soldier (especially KIA like this one) is as disturbing IMO. And he surely didn't need it personally.

I guess that happened many times on both sides. Allied soldiers did it to have some "souvenirs" and the germans because they had cold feet

Anyway, Great report JL. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I've seen most of these places, except the new "Dead man's corner museum".

Cheers

Jan

[jotuntroll]

J L.

THANKS! A great thread. Nice to see the places, I was visiting Normandie in 94 on the 50yrs celebrating.
The collection shown is so great and the storys to some of the objects...oh boy.

The graves is just sad and importent. So young, what a waste of a fubar politic. All we can do about it now is learning.

Again, super pictures. Never tired of lookingat places and objects found in France. Keep em coming folks.



Jotuntroll

[Erwin L]

Hello Jean Loup,

Thanks for these nice pictures. I enjoyed reading this thread. Did you perhaps visit the grave of Michael Wittmann in La Cambe. He is buried also with his tankcrew.

regards erwin

[IanC]

Superb pictures and commentary JL

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Ian

[behblc]

Great photos Jean Loop , I was over the same ground in June and hope to go back again next year.
Liked the photos out by the Mullberries.

[dblmed]

Jean-Loup en Normandie

Jean-Loup ....... Super Photos, Documentation & Thoughtful Commentary.

I first visited the Normandy area in 1971, in my summer off from University studies. (I have since returned 5 additional times - as I never tire of the 'world changing' historical events of this hallowed part of France.)

Back in 1971, things were basically the same ... except in 'fresher' conditions, as would be expected. The guns at Longvue sur Mer were not 'landscaped' with the sidewalks & manicured grass. We could find no pension or youth hosted, so we actually 'camped out' in one of the gun emplacements & spent several nights there. A wonderful and sobering experience.

We too visited a number of Allied and German Cemetaries & also felt the still of silence & reverence at each. There is one German Cemetary, futher west towards the Mont. St. Michel area which is constructed as a huge mound of earth - 3-4 stories high. You walk into it - and there is a monument in the center & the graves are arranged in crypts along the inner periphery of the mound. It was magnificent & awe inspiring. I do not know the name of it - but it left a permanent memory with me.

It was the first time for me to stop and think - not of Good & Bad - not of Allies & Axis - but of young men (of my same age then!) - who had died for their respective countries.

Thank you for you Photos, and your Love & Respect of la Histoire...

Txs, Dave / dblmed