Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great pics and info, and I agree with Karl about the graves.
Nuuumannn's European Tour of 2019
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- #42
I know what you mean. It's sobering.
So the next day we drove across Normandy's lush rolling countryside to American territory and the area surrounding Utah Beach. Our first stop, Ste-Mere-Eglise. The small ville is pretty and the war has left an indelible impact on it. In the following image you can see by far the most infamous incident to have taken place in the town. On the night of June 5th 1944 (we're going US now, so it's no longer 5 June 1944), elements from the 101st Airborne dropped around the town by mistake, with trooper John Steele of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment getting snagged on the church ramparts, as recreated on the church to this day. He had been shot in the foot and hung there for some hours before being retrieved by the Germans. He escaped capture and made his way back to the Americans. His boots can be seen in the nearby museum.
That the town and this incident are so well remembered is no accident; The mayor of the town, Alexandre Renaud sought ot publicise the town's role in the conflict, also, the paratroop drop and subsequent fire fight features in the 1962 movie The Longest Day.
On the day we were there the town was in the throes of D-Day parties as there were events taking place that day; a massed parachute drop and a memorial unveiling, both a mile from town. A vehicle parade through the main square was underway when we got there. A Plymouth Special Deluxe staff car replete with Two Star General.
An M8 Greyhound armoured car.
The naval element of D-Day is worthy of being recognised; this jeep emblazoned with the name of the US Navy battleship Texas, which was designated Bombardment Force Flagship off Omaha Beach on June 6th, her 14-inch guns wreaking havoc on the Pointe du Hoc gun battery to the west of the beach. The wee jeep was a welcome sight.
On to the Airborne Museum. This is located in the yard of the house that co-incidentally happened to be burning on the night of June 5th, thus bringing townsfolk - and Germans out in the middle of the night at the time the paratroopers arrived over the town. As a result, the fighting was bloody, with the troopers suffering significant losses. The ever present M4 Sherman at the museum entrance.
It's difficult to photograph the entire Waco CG-4A Hadrian glider. It has mannequins on board simulating a full load - not the most comfortable way to travel to a war zone.
This C-47 served with the 439th Troop Carrier Group and carried troopers of the 101st on the night of June 5th. A most fitting addition to the collection.
Our Two Star General again. This is the helmet of one of the men most famously comemmorated in Ste-Mere-Eglise; General James Maurice 'Jumpin' Jim' Gavin. Gavin, the youngest major general to command an American division in WW2, was part of the 82nd Airborne and commanded Force A in capturing an area of roughly 10 square miles to the west of Utah Beach, with Ste-Mere-Eglise in the middle. He earned a reputation for jumping with his men and thus was enormously popular. There is a street named after him in the town. Gavin was a man whom Americans should rightly be proud of.
A paratroopr memorial on the pathway in the museum. Some of the names are familiar to watchers of the superb TV serial Band of Brothers - admittedly, somewhat embarrassingly, my means of becoming familiar with the activities of the US Airborne regiments. Herbert Sobel, C. Carwood Lipton, Donald Malarkey, Richard 'Dick' Winters, William J. Garniere, George Luz...
A Piper L-4 in the museum accentuates the unsung byt highly important role this little aircraft and its crews played in the conflict.
Adjacent to the Airborne Museum's grounds is a patch of green called Camp Geronimo and at the time we were there a military camp had been recreated, with vehicles and re-enactors galore. Even more fitting was the mud. I loved it there - for the very brief time I was.
Another M8 Greyhound.
This guy is a little far from home. The 327th Bombardment Squadron of the 92nd Bombardment Group was based in England and operated B-17s for most of the war - it was the only unit to operate the YB-40 gunship, but in June 1944 was based at RAF Podington and operated the B-17G. Partaking in raids against troop concentrations in support of the Normandy landings, the 327th participated in an attack against the German tank divisions on 24 July, virtually wiping out the Panzer Lehr Division concentrated outside St Lo. The brightly coloured Jeep's place at Camp Geronimo was assured.
Next, 10,000, yes, ten thousand paratroops.
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- #43
Whether there were 10,000 paratroops or not is open to question - I suspect there weren't, but the final parachute drop of the D-Day comemmorations took place that afternoon a round a mile from Ste-Mere-Eglise, followed by a memorial unveiling at the Iron Mike statue at La Fiere. As with the Sannerville jump, road access was difficult and people were encouraged to walk from town for a view of procedings. It was a long slog in the heat. Not everyone in the group chose to make the trip, but it was worth the look, all things considered. The C-130 was the principal jump ship, with a French Air Force Transall C-160 also present. French Air Force C-130H.
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A surprise addition, a Romanian Air Force C-130B.
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USAF C-130J.
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Some of the USAF aircraft sported additions to their standard comuflage schemes; invasion stripes on this one.
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The Hercs dropped their first lots of troopers then circled round and dropped another lot each, before disappearing and picking up more.
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To add colour and noise, RAF Lakenheath based 48th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagles wearing markings of 48th Fighter-Bomber Group P-47s.
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Based at Rammstein AB, Kaiserslautern, Germany, this C-130J sports the W7 code of the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron.
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Eagles providing escort.
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A mass drop the likes of which, I suspect I won't ever see again.
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A Royal Netherlands Air Force C-130H getting in the act.
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The F-15s head home.
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After the para drop I decided to follow the crowd to the unveiling of the airborne plaque at the Iron Mike statue. On the way I spotted this. Alledgedly the aforementioned Gen Gavin's foxhole during the tough fight for the La Fiere bridge.
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Because of the sheer volume of people and access being barred to all except VIPs only, I could only get a distant shot of the Iron Mike statue. it comemmorates the assault on the bridges over the Merderet River and those lost and is identical to the statue at Fort Bragg, where the 82nd Airborne is based to this day. A cover draped over the new memorial plaque is still in place.
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Next, Utah Beach.
A surprise addition, a Romanian Air Force C-130B.
USAF C-130J.
Some of the USAF aircraft sported additions to their standard comuflage schemes; invasion stripes on this one.
The Hercs dropped their first lots of troopers then circled round and dropped another lot each, before disappearing and picking up more.
To add colour and noise, RAF Lakenheath based 48th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagles wearing markings of 48th Fighter-Bomber Group P-47s.
Based at Rammstein AB, Kaiserslautern, Germany, this C-130J sports the W7 code of the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron.
Eagles providing escort.
A mass drop the likes of which, I suspect I won't ever see again.
A Royal Netherlands Air Force C-130H getting in the act.
The F-15s head home.
After the para drop I decided to follow the crowd to the unveiling of the airborne plaque at the Iron Mike statue. On the way I spotted this. Alledgedly the aforementioned Gen Gavin's foxhole during the tough fight for the La Fiere bridge.
Because of the sheer volume of people and access being barred to all except VIPs only, I could only get a distant shot of the Iron Mike statue. it comemmorates the assault on the bridges over the Merderet River and those lost and is identical to the statue at Fort Bragg, where the 82nd Airborne is based to this day. A cover draped over the new memorial plaque is still in place.
Next, Utah Beach.
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Great shots Grant!
Nicely done Grant, must get myself over there at some point.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
More great pics Grant, and yes, it's a place I must get back to - last time was in the mid 1980's.
- Thread starter
- #48
Normandy is beautiful; I really liked it. I'm sure the number of monuments have probably increased since you were last there, but it looks like it hasn't changed much.
- Thread starter
- #49
Thanks again guys. I have subsequently found out that the Airborne Museum in Ste-Mere-Eglise was actually opened by general Gavin, whose helmet I showed a picture of in the previous post, in 1961. Anyway, on with the tour.
Utah beach is a short drive to the coast from Ste-Mere-Eglise through flat swampy lowlands, and knowing the dangers that an invasion might pose, the Germans flooded the area surrounding La Madeleine, the beach, which caused its fair share of headaches for the invading US troops. At 0630 hours, the 8th Regiment of the 4th Division of the US First Army under Bradley landed a mile and a half south of where they had intended, but this proved providential as defences were weaker and therefore resistance was less. Compared to Omaha Beach, to the south east of their position, fighting was sporadic, although some 600 US soldiers lost their lives landing at Utah Beach. This is an overview of the many memorials to the invasion surrounding the landing spot, on the foreshore in front of the museum to the right of the picture.
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LVT-2 'Ethel' inside the very neat and thorough museum.
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A Higgins Boat thought to be the only surviving example of its type to have actually been used on 6th... sorry, June 6th 1944.
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Outside the museum's enormous picture windows is a display of beach defences, including the Czech hedgehogs in abundance in the grass. I'm not sure whether these are original in place as they were during the war or a mock up made for the benefit of the museum. The concrete emplacement is likely to be authentic however, so for the sake of this anniversary, let's say they are authentic.
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Inside the curved viewing area is an interesting display of defensive positions and a DUKW. Note the Renault FT.17 tank turret, as previously seen at the Atlantic Wall Museum bunker in Ouistreham, and a Pak 40 75mm gun.
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This rather eerie visage is a panel from Caen abbey, which was damaged after the town was bombed - twice in fact, on the night of 6th June, the same night Lisieux and other Normandy towns were targetted by the RAF and a month later on 7 July. The abbey was not totally destroyed and provided refuge for many during the bombing raids as it was falsely believed that the British would not bomb the place where William The Conqueror was buried. There is a legend in Caen that persists to this day that if William's grave was ever destroyed, the British monarchy would fall. No such belief was held within the ranks of the RAF on those terrible nights that the townsfolk of Caen endured.
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By far the most interesting exhibit in the museum is this beautifully presented B-26 Marauder. This one belongs to the Musee de L'Air in Paris and was on display there for many years. In the Musée du Débarquement Utah Beach it's in a more appropriate setting.
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Another Sherman, in the grounds outside the museum.
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Monuments around the beach next.
Utah beach is a short drive to the coast from Ste-Mere-Eglise through flat swampy lowlands, and knowing the dangers that an invasion might pose, the Germans flooded the area surrounding La Madeleine, the beach, which caused its fair share of headaches for the invading US troops. At 0630 hours, the 8th Regiment of the 4th Division of the US First Army under Bradley landed a mile and a half south of where they had intended, but this proved providential as defences were weaker and therefore resistance was less. Compared to Omaha Beach, to the south east of their position, fighting was sporadic, although some 600 US soldiers lost their lives landing at Utah Beach. This is an overview of the many memorials to the invasion surrounding the landing spot, on the foreshore in front of the museum to the right of the picture.
LVT-2 'Ethel' inside the very neat and thorough museum.
A Higgins Boat thought to be the only surviving example of its type to have actually been used on 6th... sorry, June 6th 1944.
Outside the museum's enormous picture windows is a display of beach defences, including the Czech hedgehogs in abundance in the grass. I'm not sure whether these are original in place as they were during the war or a mock up made for the benefit of the museum. The concrete emplacement is likely to be authentic however, so for the sake of this anniversary, let's say they are authentic.
Inside the curved viewing area is an interesting display of defensive positions and a DUKW. Note the Renault FT.17 tank turret, as previously seen at the Atlantic Wall Museum bunker in Ouistreham, and a Pak 40 75mm gun.
This rather eerie visage is a panel from Caen abbey, which was damaged after the town was bombed - twice in fact, on the night of 6th June, the same night Lisieux and other Normandy towns were targetted by the RAF and a month later on 7 July. The abbey was not totally destroyed and provided refuge for many during the bombing raids as it was falsely believed that the British would not bomb the place where William The Conqueror was buried. There is a legend in Caen that persists to this day that if William's grave was ever destroyed, the British monarchy would fall. No such belief was held within the ranks of the RAF on those terrible nights that the townsfolk of Caen endured.
By far the most interesting exhibit in the museum is this beautifully presented B-26 Marauder. This one belongs to the Musee de L'Air in Paris and was on display there for many years. In the Musée du Débarquement Utah Beach it's in a more appropriate setting.
Another Sherman, in the grounds outside the museum.
Monuments around the beach next.
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- #50
More from Utah Beach. A defensive artillery piece still within its concrete encasement at the top of the principal memorial platform at Utah Beach. This is located on top of a German bunker.
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Around the outside of the raised platform are these arrow markers indicating warships that partook in the bombardment of the area. As most of you know, The battleship USS Nevada was badly damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, but underwent repair and modification before carrying out fire support off the Normandy coast on D-Day. As the marker states, the Nevada was stationed off the coast of the Contentin Peninsula and began a gun battle with the battery at Crisbecq, which had managed to sink the destroyer USS Corry. At around 9am Nevada's 14-inch main armament silenced one of the heavy guns, but firing continued from the battery, which began targetting the invasion force on the beach shortly afterwards.
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The biggest monument at La Madeleine is that erected by the US government in 1984 in honour of members of the US armed forces that were lost taking part in the invasion. That's the US Navy monument next to the flag pole flying the Stars and Stripes.
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As the sign says, this bunker sells souvenirs and stuff; a convenient location for a cafe and gift shop. Note the windows painted on the sides; these were part of its 'camouflage'.
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There's a bit of a story behind this milestone. Within Ste-Mere-Eglise there is an identical one, marked 'Km '0', which first appeared in 1947, placed to indicate the starting point of the US push toward Paris. Not content with this version of events, the Ste-Marie-Du-Mont municipal council, under which La Madeleine falls, decided that Utah Beach better represented the starting point of 'The Road To Liberty', and so milestone 'Km '00' was placed here shortly after the Ste-Mere-Eglise one!
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A memorial to Andrew Jackson Higgins, inventor of the Higgins Boat, the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP), of which over 20,000 were built by Higgins Industries of New Orleans, as it says on the plaque. There's a mock-up next to the statue, but it was swarming with people at the time I took the photo. We've seen one already in the museum.
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The marker calls it. That's the museum viewing platform to the right.
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The last invasion beach of the tour. This time, we all got to go, not just me. The small floral tribute was a touching addition.
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A monument to those clearing beachside obstacles on D-Day.
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Lastly, one of the more obscure but equally poignant memorials at Utah Beach is this small plaque to the US victims of Exercise Tiger at Slapton Sands, Devon, England, where during practise for D-Day on 27 April, some 450 men were killed in a live rounds exercise. The next day, further tragedy took place when nine Schnellbooten attacked landing craft full of soldiers in Lyme Bay, resulting in 749 casualties. Terribly unfortunate losses.
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Next, La Memorial du Caen; the last, last museum of the D-Day 75 tour.
Around the outside of the raised platform are these arrow markers indicating warships that partook in the bombardment of the area. As most of you know, The battleship USS Nevada was badly damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, but underwent repair and modification before carrying out fire support off the Normandy coast on D-Day. As the marker states, the Nevada was stationed off the coast of the Contentin Peninsula and began a gun battle with the battery at Crisbecq, which had managed to sink the destroyer USS Corry. At around 9am Nevada's 14-inch main armament silenced one of the heavy guns, but firing continued from the battery, which began targetting the invasion force on the beach shortly afterwards.
The biggest monument at La Madeleine is that erected by the US government in 1984 in honour of members of the US armed forces that were lost taking part in the invasion. That's the US Navy monument next to the flag pole flying the Stars and Stripes.
As the sign says, this bunker sells souvenirs and stuff; a convenient location for a cafe and gift shop. Note the windows painted on the sides; these were part of its 'camouflage'.
There's a bit of a story behind this milestone. Within Ste-Mere-Eglise there is an identical one, marked 'Km '0', which first appeared in 1947, placed to indicate the starting point of the US push toward Paris. Not content with this version of events, the Ste-Marie-Du-Mont municipal council, under which La Madeleine falls, decided that Utah Beach better represented the starting point of 'The Road To Liberty', and so milestone 'Km '00' was placed here shortly after the Ste-Mere-Eglise one!
A memorial to Andrew Jackson Higgins, inventor of the Higgins Boat, the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP), of which over 20,000 were built by Higgins Industries of New Orleans, as it says on the plaque. There's a mock-up next to the statue, but it was swarming with people at the time I took the photo. We've seen one already in the museum.
The marker calls it. That's the museum viewing platform to the right.
The last invasion beach of the tour. This time, we all got to go, not just me. The small floral tribute was a touching addition.
A monument to those clearing beachside obstacles on D-Day.
Lastly, one of the more obscure but equally poignant memorials at Utah Beach is this small plaque to the US victims of Exercise Tiger at Slapton Sands, Devon, England, where during practise for D-Day on 27 April, some 450 men were killed in a live rounds exercise. The next day, further tragedy took place when nine Schnellbooten attacked landing craft full of soldiers in Lyme Bay, resulting in 749 casualties. Terribly unfortunate losses.
Next, La Memorial du Caen; the last, last museum of the D-Day 75 tour.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great stuff Grant.
BTW, the PAK in the first section looks to be the 75mm gun.
BTW, the PAK in the first section looks to be the 75mm gun.
fubar57
General
Another great set Grant
Lovely shots Grant!
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- #54
Oh thanks Terry; corrected. I've used google a lot to help researching vehicles and guns and stuff, but any errors are mine.
Awesome, thanks
- Thread starter
- #57
And here we are, the last day of the Ian Allan D-Day 75 tour, which, according to plan was supposed to have us return to Caen Carpiquet airport to watch the departure of the Daks for Schonhagen, near Berlin, then drive back to Paris in the afternoon. The problem with this was manifold however. Firstly, access at Carpiquet was going to be non-existent; there was no guarantee we'd get to see the aircraft take off, let alone get on to the airfield, as there was nothing put in place for us to get access today (!). This led to some within the group specifically requesting we not return to Carpiquet, because no one wanted to stand around in the rain on the airfield perimeter or in the crowded terminal in the vain hope of seeing a DC-3 take off, which was heeded. Next, it was raining and overcast and we learned later that the Daks didn't leave when they were scheduled to, so we dodged that one altogether. On the hoof, the tour leader sought other plans. Some of us wanted to remain in Lisieux tovisit the basilique and the military cemetery at St Desir just outside of town, as it has Commonwealth and German graves in it, but instead, we were going to go to La Memorial du Caen, which we were supposed to visit on the first day of the tour in the region, but for Trump's state visit.
Anyway, on a grey and wet day we drove back to Caen and the interpretation centre and memorial gardens. it was an inspired choice as it rambles through the cause of WW2, its impact and the subsequent Cold War, supported by some interesting artefacts. Fascinating stuff. The exterior is stark, with obligatory peace sculptures.
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In the foyer is this full scale reproduction of a Typhoon in the markings of Typhoon IB JP656 of 184 Sqn, which was hit by flak as it was attacking a railway convoy near Mezidon, a few ks south east of Caen. It certainly looks great, particularly with its load of rockets, and makes a change to seeing plastic Spitfires everywhere.
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This is a German parachute non-contact magnetic mine, classed as Luftmine A (LMA) of 500kg. There was also a larger 1,000kg variant. Note that the triggering mechanism is missing that fits into the circular hole on its side.
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The holiest of holies; an Enigma code machine. The cover over the three rotors had been lifted and the plug board has been exposed.
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This simple display has artefacts associated with U boats, including a four rotor Enigma, introduced quite arbitrarily in February 1942, which threw British codebreaking efforts back nine months on its discovery. The globe is celestial and displays the stars laid out in their constellations and was carried aboard an unnamed U boat, although I suspect it was relatively common. The wooden model is of a Type VIIC U boat and was hand carved by a crew member, perhaps to while the time away during lengthy patrols.
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Whilst on my Europe trip I saw some truly random Nazi associated artefacts, including this Hitler money box.
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...Aaand for a bit of American humour, Kilroy was clearly 'ere in this little china representation of a pregnant (very) young girl.
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A grave marker for a fallen Kamerade. These would have been a common sight around Europe following the end of the war. It's quite beautiful in its morbidity.
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In the Cold war section there are lots of unexpected items on display, such as these pieces of the Lockheed U-2 that was flown by Maj Rudolf Anderson Jr and shot down over Cuba on 27 October 1962. Anderson, the first recipient of the Air Force Cross in the USAF, was killed. These items were donated by the Havana Revolution Museum - truly surprising to see these fragments.
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A US B28FI parachute laydown thermonuclear bomb casing, as carried aboard Strategic Air Command B-47s and B-52s. The warhead was between 70 Kt and 1.45 megatons, depending on the Mod state.
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What looks like a MiG-21bis perched opposite the B28 bomb.
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The DDR's revenge; a Trabant next to a segment of the Berlin Wall.
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What isn't immediately obvious is that the entire memorial structure is situated on top of a German blockhouse that was used as the the command post of Generalmajor Wilhelm Richter, commander of the 716th German infantry division, which guarded the coastal sector from Omaha Beach to the mouth of the Orne River. In 1943, the German commander decided to base his general headquarters in this former quarry, which had also been used as a firing range by the French Army. Inside the refurbished tunnels are a few relevant displays on German efforts to counter the Allied invasion.
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The bunker exterior and its access lift shaft and stairwell. That's the memorial building up top.
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So, that was that. After visiting the memorial, it was goodbye to lovely Normandy and off to Paris and the end of the tour.
In summary I had mixed feelings about the tour in general; it had not turned out as planned for various reasons and the fact my name had been left off the list for the Dakota flights certainly did not endear me to the organisation side, not to mention the cancellations and changes in schedule, which in some cases should have been predicted. As for the locations on the tour, in retrospect, there were too many museums and interpretation centres and too few actual locations, which is why we were in Normandy in the first place. Yes, I got to three invasion beaches, one of them on the 75th anniversay day itself, but two of those were done on my own initiative. The visit to Ranville cemetery was also ad hoc and a couple of others expressed their disappointment at not going to the likes of Coleville, the big US cemetery near Omaha Beach. I also pushed to go to the Longues-sur-Mer battery very nearby Arromanches, the only gun battery remains where the guns are still in situ, except of course the one damaged by the French cruiser Georges Leygues, but the schedule and road closures put paid to that. Not something any of us had any control over. I also felt the tour guide, as nice as he was, seemed a little too in the dark about what was happening with regards to local events and their subsequent impact on the tour schedule, and this was to re-occur as we went to Berlin for the Berlin Airlift segment, as we shall see later in the thread. I found myself relying more on my own sources of information on local areas and making my own way.
Still, part of the objective of joining this tour was to go to Normandy and see these places, Pegasus Bridge, the invasion beaches, and I thoroughly enjoyed being there, which was of greater importance to me than reading about them in a museum. The next part of the tour I was looking forward to, as I was returning to Berlin, one of my favourite cities, where I was to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in years. To end though, it was back to Paris for a free day before returning to see an old flame.
Anyway, on a grey and wet day we drove back to Caen and the interpretation centre and memorial gardens. it was an inspired choice as it rambles through the cause of WW2, its impact and the subsequent Cold War, supported by some interesting artefacts. Fascinating stuff. The exterior is stark, with obligatory peace sculptures.
In the foyer is this full scale reproduction of a Typhoon in the markings of Typhoon IB JP656 of 184 Sqn, which was hit by flak as it was attacking a railway convoy near Mezidon, a few ks south east of Caen. It certainly looks great, particularly with its load of rockets, and makes a change to seeing plastic Spitfires everywhere.
This is a German parachute non-contact magnetic mine, classed as Luftmine A (LMA) of 500kg. There was also a larger 1,000kg variant. Note that the triggering mechanism is missing that fits into the circular hole on its side.
The holiest of holies; an Enigma code machine. The cover over the three rotors had been lifted and the plug board has been exposed.
This simple display has artefacts associated with U boats, including a four rotor Enigma, introduced quite arbitrarily in February 1942, which threw British codebreaking efforts back nine months on its discovery. The globe is celestial and displays the stars laid out in their constellations and was carried aboard an unnamed U boat, although I suspect it was relatively common. The wooden model is of a Type VIIC U boat and was hand carved by a crew member, perhaps to while the time away during lengthy patrols.
Whilst on my Europe trip I saw some truly random Nazi associated artefacts, including this Hitler money box.
...Aaand for a bit of American humour, Kilroy was clearly 'ere in this little china representation of a pregnant (very) young girl.
A grave marker for a fallen Kamerade. These would have been a common sight around Europe following the end of the war. It's quite beautiful in its morbidity.
In the Cold war section there are lots of unexpected items on display, such as these pieces of the Lockheed U-2 that was flown by Maj Rudolf Anderson Jr and shot down over Cuba on 27 October 1962. Anderson, the first recipient of the Air Force Cross in the USAF, was killed. These items were donated by the Havana Revolution Museum - truly surprising to see these fragments.
A US B28FI parachute laydown thermonuclear bomb casing, as carried aboard Strategic Air Command B-47s and B-52s. The warhead was between 70 Kt and 1.45 megatons, depending on the Mod state.
What looks like a MiG-21bis perched opposite the B28 bomb.
The DDR's revenge; a Trabant next to a segment of the Berlin Wall.
What isn't immediately obvious is that the entire memorial structure is situated on top of a German blockhouse that was used as the the command post of Generalmajor Wilhelm Richter, commander of the 716th German infantry division, which guarded the coastal sector from Omaha Beach to the mouth of the Orne River. In 1943, the German commander decided to base his general headquarters in this former quarry, which had also been used as a firing range by the French Army. Inside the refurbished tunnels are a few relevant displays on German efforts to counter the Allied invasion.
The bunker exterior and its access lift shaft and stairwell. That's the memorial building up top.
So, that was that. After visiting the memorial, it was goodbye to lovely Normandy and off to Paris and the end of the tour.
In summary I had mixed feelings about the tour in general; it had not turned out as planned for various reasons and the fact my name had been left off the list for the Dakota flights certainly did not endear me to the organisation side, not to mention the cancellations and changes in schedule, which in some cases should have been predicted. As for the locations on the tour, in retrospect, there were too many museums and interpretation centres and too few actual locations, which is why we were in Normandy in the first place. Yes, I got to three invasion beaches, one of them on the 75th anniversay day itself, but two of those were done on my own initiative. The visit to Ranville cemetery was also ad hoc and a couple of others expressed their disappointment at not going to the likes of Coleville, the big US cemetery near Omaha Beach. I also pushed to go to the Longues-sur-Mer battery very nearby Arromanches, the only gun battery remains where the guns are still in situ, except of course the one damaged by the French cruiser Georges Leygues, but the schedule and road closures put paid to that. Not something any of us had any control over. I also felt the tour guide, as nice as he was, seemed a little too in the dark about what was happening with regards to local events and their subsequent impact on the tour schedule, and this was to re-occur as we went to Berlin for the Berlin Airlift segment, as we shall see later in the thread. I found myself relying more on my own sources of information on local areas and making my own way.
Still, part of the objective of joining this tour was to go to Normandy and see these places, Pegasus Bridge, the invasion beaches, and I thoroughly enjoyed being there, which was of greater importance to me than reading about them in a museum. The next part of the tour I was looking forward to, as I was returning to Berlin, one of my favourite cities, where I was to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in years. To end though, it was back to Paris for a free day before returning to see an old flame.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great.
Seems the tour organisers did not take into account the effect of a) it was a major anniversary, being the 75th, and b) the presence of so many VIP's, due to it being the 75th. But still a great tour, and some brilliant pics and info.
Seems the tour organisers did not take into account the effect of a) it was a major anniversary, being the 75th, and b) the presence of so many VIP's, due to it being the 75th. But still a great tour, and some brilliant pics and info.
Great shots Grant!
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- #60
Thanks again guys. So the next day we said goodbye to the people on the D-Day tour who were leaving, while those of us continuing on to Germany had a free day in Paris. I had already made arrangements for that day before I arrived in Europe; I was getting a 'Skip-the-line' tour of the Palace of Versailles. I had always wanted to go to Versailles. I was told that it gets in excess of five million visitors in a year, I reckon most were there on the day I was. It was busy - too busy to the point of distraction, and as a result I didn't go through the entire gardens, which are quite large. Nevertheless it was an enjoyably different historical experience to the ones I had just left behind.
As we all know, the Palace of Versailles was the last home of the French royal family, first, Louis XIV, then XV, then lastly and infamously Louis XVI and his Austrian wife Marie Antoinette (born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna). It was constructed from a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII, but it was Louis XIV who converted it into a Chateau, after visiting it for the first time as a 12 year old. Work begun on its expansion in 1661 and it continued through to 1670. Each subsequent king added wings and other edifices to the grounds until it became the sprawling mass we see today. It really is quite large.
The exterior, with the chapel undergoing refurbishment to the right:
Europe 186
On the tour we entered sections of the palace that were not open to the public, which was interesting. The first of these was the King's Small Apartment. This is the entrance in the wing flanking the main hall.
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Both Louis XV and XVI used these rooms as opposed to their state rooms in the main building for privacy and for holding their private collections of things - art works and in Louis XV's case, scientific instruments. This is the King's Staircase.
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Inside is a bust of Louis XIV, who was regarded (obviously!) as the most handsome man in France! He was known as "Le Roi Soleil"; The Sun King and introduced the rule of absolute monarch that remained in place until the monarchy was abolished in 1792 during the Revolution, being the most powerful of France's latter kings. He was crowned in 1654 and died on 1 September 1715.
Europe 190
Louis XV had a fascination with the sciences and invited men of science to the palace to educate him on such matters, filling his private chambers with scientific instruments, such as this rather ornate barometer - it's a reproduction. He had an extensive library as well and loved to read. Despite being an absolute monarch like his Great Grandfather, Louis XIV, Louis XV was known as "le Bien-Aimé" (The Beloved) and was crowned king in 1715 at the tender age of five years old.
Europe 191
This is the Porcelein Dining Room and was modified as such by Louis XV, although it is fitted out according to his successor's tastes. Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette dined in here frequently when entertaining. Note that there are items that are contained under covers. These are actual relics from the palace. At the time of the Revolution and afterwards, such as the German occupation of France in WW2, items disappeared and so much of the palace is filled with either reproductions or authentic items for the time. Those that have been returned to the palace, such as these on display are kept under cover.
Europe 192
This is the royal chapel and was constructed under the rule of Louis XV. It isn't open to the public, and we got a sneak peak as part of our 'exclusive' tour.
Europe 193
This is a portrait of Marie Antoinette. As we all know, Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793 - she was 37 years old. She is reputed to have uttered the immortal phrase "let them eat cake", but there's no evidence she did - despite being attributed to her. The original French phrase is "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", or "let them eat brioche", which is bread, not cake. Nevertheless, she was quite unpopular due to her excessive spending and lavish lifestyle, which the king failed to rein in at a time when the majority of the population were starving or at least very poor.
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A statue of Louis XVI, the last King of France. Crowned king in 1775, his reign ended in September 1792 when the monarchy was abolished, his life ending the same way as his wife's on 21 January 1793, although before her. Louis XVI was not a popular ruler, unlike the previous king, despite being benevolent. He was indecisive and made bad political decisions that backfired on a cash starved nation with a largely poor population. He also suffered from depression.
Europe 195
This is the Queen's chamber in the state rooms that are open to the public. The royal family never spent the night together, each having separate rooms in the state quarters, and apartments where they spent their off duty time. Marie Antoinette gave birth to her four children on this bed.
Europe 197
Within the palace staterooms are a series of halls, all ornately decorated and this one is the biggest; the Hall of Mirrors. Completed in 1686, the Hall of Mirrors and other staterooms make up the Grand Gallery, behind which are the King's and Queen's chambers.
Europe 199
These halls were built to honour the achievements of Louis XIV and were fitted out with ornate metal fittings, but Louis XV had this all melted down during wartime. By far its most historic use was as the room in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, officially bringing the Great War to an end.
Europe 199
This photo of a painting by William Orpen, seen in La Memorial Du Caen the day before, shows US President Woodrow Wilson third from left next to French Premier Georges Clemenceau and British Prime Minister David Lloyd-George witnessing German delegate Johannes Bell, seated with his back to the artist sign the treaty. That's British Foreign Minister Arthur Balfour at far right, former British Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty after Churchill.
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The Hall of Mirrors exterior overlooking the extensive palace gardens.
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A section of the gardens. I didn't go much further into them as by this time, having spent nearly three hours at the palace, it was time to leave.
Europe 202
Next, some unique aviation curios in downtown Paris.
As we all know, the Palace of Versailles was the last home of the French royal family, first, Louis XIV, then XV, then lastly and infamously Louis XVI and his Austrian wife Marie Antoinette (born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna). It was constructed from a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII, but it was Louis XIV who converted it into a Chateau, after visiting it for the first time as a 12 year old. Work begun on its expansion in 1661 and it continued through to 1670. Each subsequent king added wings and other edifices to the grounds until it became the sprawling mass we see today. It really is quite large.
The exterior, with the chapel undergoing refurbishment to the right:
On the tour we entered sections of the palace that were not open to the public, which was interesting. The first of these was the King's Small Apartment. This is the entrance in the wing flanking the main hall.
Both Louis XV and XVI used these rooms as opposed to their state rooms in the main building for privacy and for holding their private collections of things - art works and in Louis XV's case, scientific instruments. This is the King's Staircase.
Inside is a bust of Louis XIV, who was regarded (obviously!) as the most handsome man in France! He was known as "Le Roi Soleil"; The Sun King and introduced the rule of absolute monarch that remained in place until the monarchy was abolished in 1792 during the Revolution, being the most powerful of France's latter kings. He was crowned in 1654 and died on 1 September 1715.
Louis XV had a fascination with the sciences and invited men of science to the palace to educate him on such matters, filling his private chambers with scientific instruments, such as this rather ornate barometer - it's a reproduction. He had an extensive library as well and loved to read. Despite being an absolute monarch like his Great Grandfather, Louis XIV, Louis XV was known as "le Bien-Aimé" (The Beloved) and was crowned king in 1715 at the tender age of five years old.
This is the Porcelein Dining Room and was modified as such by Louis XV, although it is fitted out according to his successor's tastes. Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette dined in here frequently when entertaining. Note that there are items that are contained under covers. These are actual relics from the palace. At the time of the Revolution and afterwards, such as the German occupation of France in WW2, items disappeared and so much of the palace is filled with either reproductions or authentic items for the time. Those that have been returned to the palace, such as these on display are kept under cover.
This is the royal chapel and was constructed under the rule of Louis XV. It isn't open to the public, and we got a sneak peak as part of our 'exclusive' tour.
This is a portrait of Marie Antoinette. As we all know, Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793 - she was 37 years old. She is reputed to have uttered the immortal phrase "let them eat cake", but there's no evidence she did - despite being attributed to her. The original French phrase is "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", or "let them eat brioche", which is bread, not cake. Nevertheless, she was quite unpopular due to her excessive spending and lavish lifestyle, which the king failed to rein in at a time when the majority of the population were starving or at least very poor.
A statue of Louis XVI, the last King of France. Crowned king in 1775, his reign ended in September 1792 when the monarchy was abolished, his life ending the same way as his wife's on 21 January 1793, although before her. Louis XVI was not a popular ruler, unlike the previous king, despite being benevolent. He was indecisive and made bad political decisions that backfired on a cash starved nation with a largely poor population. He also suffered from depression.
This is the Queen's chamber in the state rooms that are open to the public. The royal family never spent the night together, each having separate rooms in the state quarters, and apartments where they spent their off duty time. Marie Antoinette gave birth to her four children on this bed.
Within the palace staterooms are a series of halls, all ornately decorated and this one is the biggest; the Hall of Mirrors. Completed in 1686, the Hall of Mirrors and other staterooms make up the Grand Gallery, behind which are the King's and Queen's chambers.
These halls were built to honour the achievements of Louis XIV and were fitted out with ornate metal fittings, but Louis XV had this all melted down during wartime. By far its most historic use was as the room in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, officially bringing the Great War to an end.
This photo of a painting by William Orpen, seen in La Memorial Du Caen the day before, shows US President Woodrow Wilson third from left next to French Premier Georges Clemenceau and British Prime Minister David Lloyd-George witnessing German delegate Johannes Bell, seated with his back to the artist sign the treaty. That's British Foreign Minister Arthur Balfour at far right, former British Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty after Churchill.
The Hall of Mirrors exterior overlooking the extensive palace gardens.
A section of the gardens. I didn't go much further into them as by this time, having spent nearly three hours at the palace, it was time to leave.
Next, some unique aviation curios in downtown Paris.
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