Normandy Beaches

[Gunter]

Went to Normandy in 2004 for the 60th Anniversary Celebrationsas part of the 1st Infantry Division of the WW2LHA. Believe me it was a roller-coaster ride of emotions. To actually stand on Omaha beach to view the beach and the land beyond, knowing that over a thousand young men were cut down by MG42s has they ran up the beach (it's a very long way from the edge of the water to shingle) feels you with emotions that words can't express.

Then to visit the cemetary at Colleville and to see row upon row of white marble crosses is a very sobering experience.

I would recommend going there to anyone who has the means but be prepared to run the full range of emotions from joy to sadness in the space of a few minutes.

[Hoffman Grink]

I agree Lyndon
I stood at Widerstandsnest 62 dressed in full uniform, greatcoat, stalhlelm with a G43 looking out to see through my Great Uncle's wartime issued Binoculars when we filmed "The Final Conflict". In between takes, I scanned the beaches...... it WAS horrendous for those men.

But the beach has a beauty all of its own. And to hear Franz Gockel as he spoke about the dots, the waves of men coming ashore, the dots that he and his comrades were shooting at.....

For four days we roamed the coast from Arromanches, to Long Sur Mer, Lion Sur Mer and Ouistreham. It's hard to believe now that it all took place there... For any serious student of this period I recommend taking a week out to visit..... take the ferry, take your car - the roads are fairly quiet...

[1st SS Petre]

I went over in 2004 aswell, for the 60th aniversary, i would agree with everything you say, the emotions are just overwhelming.

My Grand father was onboard LCI 382 at Gold beach.

Im going back to Normandy this year to visit the places i missed out the first time, like sword beach and carantan, and im definatly going back to St. Mere eglise, its an amazing place for reenactros, 4 big shops full of ww2 goodies!
Im going on the 4th August so, 17 days from now.

[Jim]

Went over there this year for 3 days as a 40th birthday treat.
This was my second visit and still did not see all i would have liked.

The shops in St Mere Englise were a rip off selling all kinds of junk for extremely inflated prices.

[1st SS Petre]

I wasnt a reenactor when i went before so im just remembering good stuff for sale.

[klara]

One thing that really brings home the scale of what faced the Allies is the drive along the coast road out of Ouistreham - just look to your right at the expanse of beach they had to cross and then the bluffs beyond that. There are lots of cemetaries that are worth seeing - however I think to feel the futility of it all you need to visit some of the ones off the 'tourist' route, ie those in the small towns and villages that have either CWG or German ones. Also try and see some of the smaller museums out of the way. I went there in 1990 and again last year - still made me realise what those young men on both sides went through for the name of freedom.

[behblc]

I was over twice to Normandy ( 1988 and 1991) and managed to squeeze a day en route back to Cherbourg a few years later in 1994.
I must get back again before too much longer.
The drive along the Invasion front from "Omaha" to Quistreham" is something else and surrenders a wealth of history which by right would take several days to explore .
La Cambe and St james stand out for me.
La Cambe just has to be seen to be believed - and not for Michael Wittmann's grave alone ( perhaps the most visited war grave in Normandy), the atmosphere is something else entirely.
St James the American cemetery in the South is perhaps one of the most beautiful you will ever see , exceptional and well worth seeing , if you don't leve feeling very humble - there is someting wrong with you.

South of St Lo take time to find the Marigny Soldatenfriedhof in which Christian Tychsen is buried , for a short time he commanded Das Reich.

I used ATB's Panzers in Normandy as a guide - pretty good , today add Holts Guide to Normandy and ATB's Normandy Then and Now Volume 2 and the only thing which can defeat you is time.

Certainly a place I must return to again.