A long weekend of non-stop Invasion beach/museum/cemetery/gun emplacement visits. Been a few times already but there is so much stuff to see I have to keep going back. One Ducati,one Kawasaki,one Triumph,(The BMW sadly is not coming now). I think the the different origins of the bikes demonstrate how much the world has changed,thanks to other peoples sacrifices We're so bloody lucky to be living in these,(relatively ),peaceful times Roll on the 19th!
Hope you have a great time, I was there for a few days on my very noisy 900ss so I've warmed them up for you . I've been before long time ago and went for a few days break on my own this time, like you I need to go back again next year cos there is so much to take in.
My Grandfather was at Dunkirk and Arnhem to name a few. Ive not been over there yet but I have made a promise to myself to do so out of respect to him and all the others. In fact, I will be going next summer one way or another. Would a week suffice ? As much as I would like I don't think visiting every memorial would be realistic, but would certainly like to cover off the major events. He, like many others, never really spoke about the war and only in his closing years did he open up. What was abundantly clear was the amount of respect my Grandfather had for the German soldiers for both their tenacity and skill. I plan to pass on his stories to my children. I am in awe and humbled by what a generation went through from all nations (and the generation before).
When you've been for a week,you'll want to stay for a month. I can spend 4 hours in a cemetery,just looking at all those crosses makes me well up. And if you bump into old fellers that fought and are back visiting,you can't help but want to shake their hand.... Awe inspiring isn't the word And under no circumstances miss out the Arromanches museum Just watch the groups of kids from all different nations being shepherded in to the little Cinema...unbelievable respect for history..
Psy, If your following your Granddad's history then you will be heading into Holland rather than the DDay beaches, so I suspect a week will be fine, you should be able to find out where his regiment were and find some pertinent places to visit. If you go for the DDay landings then I reckon 2 weeks as there was so much happening in such a short time in one area that there is a huge amount of history to try and get your head around. Giant Gliders, floating tanks, portable harbours etc etc. Last year I followed some of my French Great Grandfather's History, stopping at his birthplace, his WW1 regimental museums and trenches, where he settled after WW1 (which was a new village built in place of the 3 that were flattened in the fighting) and also where his regiment were deployed to hold back the Germans around Dunkirk, very few survived and I always remember the scars all over his torso but I was too young to understand what they were. As you say, huge respect to those generations. Take loads of photos and videos because the rest of your family will be interested and want to see what you experienced.
Great advice thank you. Ive got some homework to do and then settle down with Garmin Base camp to work it all out.
I am going in the car Lightning as I have to take the misses and the dog! Which route are you taking , ferry or Eurotunnel? In the car its the tunnel for me but by bike I think Cherbourg or caen is a better option via ferry. A friend of mine who is in his seventies was lucky enough to meet a couple of American and german d day veterans. It turned out to be the soldiers who were portrayed in "the longest day" movie. The Americans had stormed the church tower in, I think, sainte mere eglise. They burst into the tower and shot the germans except one who managed to drop his weapon quickly. The two guys remained best friends after the war and met up every year. My friend then went visiting the museum with them, where their story is told I believe. This all came about as one of the elderly veterans had dropped his wallet and my friend took it to him.
We are going Portsmouth-Caen,(Ouistreham),as you arrive smack in the middle of the Invasion area.I'm totally bored with the schlep from Calais down to Caen so I'd rather pay a bit extra to Brittany ferries to avoid it. Overnight boats always add to the pleasure getting away too,in my opinion So it's basically,Pompey Thursday night 23.30 departure arrive Caen about 9am or thereabouts. Bit of sightseeing/coffee drinking/Madamoiselle ogling en route to the hotel at Pierre et Vacances Green Beach A weekend of wondering/admiring/getting emotional/merciless mechanical thrashing/Pelforth imbibing... And all too soon no doubt,14.00 return ferry on Monday arrives Pompey 19.30,back to Bedfordshire in time for News at Ten.. I'm like a little kid,even though I go over loads of times for work and stuff the moment I'm in the queue for a ferry I get giddy with excitement,especially so if I'm on the bike:biggrin:
The ferry is the way to go on the bike for sure. I am stopping at Omaha beach beside the cemetery, been before, lovely little farm with a few well equipped gites. Just need some sunshine and you can't ask for more in my opinion. I think we will stop at Ouistreham on the drive down as we have a few hours to kill before we can enter the gite, may have a go on the go karts lol!
Nooo....not those bloody things! I got warned for "dangerous" driving,(not difficult with one front wheel at a drunken angle) So I used a sandy berm to,"bounce",the front end round a left-hander.... My enthusiastic piloting skills were applauded by some fellow racers and a few spectators... But not,sadly, by the Owner of the attraction... Probably still serving my ban anyway
Just visited the NMA today to celebrate the dedication of the Glider Pilot Regiment memorial. A superb bunch who had the greatest losses of any Regiment/Unit at Arnhem (and they were the smallest unit). They (some of the survivors) will be conducting a pilgrimage between the 18 - 21 Sep visiting their landing sites and holding memorial services for those who were lost. Very humbling speaking to them today. Yorkie
If you go to the bridges over the Orne and Caen canals you will find the cafe Gondree, run by Arlette who as a girl during WW2 was witness to the heroic efforts of the Glider Pilot Regiment and Ox & Bucks Light Infantry in the very start of the liberation of europe. Cafe Gondree, Benouville - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor The new-ish museum is the other side of the bridge, but this is the real history! Yorkie
