Featured D Day Beaches Must See

Repooh.
You will see a lot and everything is worth it. You know I am quite a tough cookie. But whilst I walked through the memorial garden reading the inscriptions. I found a tear in my eyes. It gets to you. And you think willingly they sacrificed their lives for our sakes.
Regards
Joe.

 

Hi Repooh here are some suggestions :
1. The bridge at ouistrem, first place in France to be liberated and featured in "The longest day".
2. Arromanches - one of the Mulberry harbour places,especially on the 6th. Watching the Vets marching and receiving applause from the French.
3. The American cemetery next to Omaha beach. Go to the Visitors centre.

Loads more but that's off the top of my head.

 

Would agree on the above, for anyone who goes to the immaculate cemeteries, I would say just stand there & take in the enormity of numbers of those young men that paid the ultimate sacrifice, if you don't have a tear in your eye I'd be surprised.

 

It is beyond humbling and not to be missed going to the cemetery to go with someone who was looking for people they knew way back then....

 

Agree with biglad. I've done two trips now and still not seen it all, although have visited all five beaches.
1. Pegasus Bridge at Ouistrem (and the museum is a must). While you are there, search out the Grand Bunker, just inland from the coast - captured intact by the British and now an excellent museum.
2. Arromanche - I think that is where the 360 degree cinema is also - worth the visit.
3. The battery at Longues sur Mer.
4. Pointe du Hoc - see where the Rangers climbed the cliffs.
5. Battery at Grand Camp Maisy - only recently uncovered.
6. St Mere Eglise - bit "over American" for my taste but good Airborne museum.
7. British cemetery at Bayeux.

Lots more and many museums I haven't visited yet.

St Mere Eglise

St Mere Eglis



Longues Sur Mere

The Grand Bunker
Pointe du Hoc

 

Went in 2018. Superb, but found it very expensive. 8 euros a pint!!!!!

Omaha beach plus a pizza vending machine and "hairdressers"!

 

Agree with all above, been a few times over the years.
I follow my oppo's advice, visit the smaller cemeteries too, which you see dotted round the countryside; and also walk far from the entrance gates to visit the poor buggers at the back who don't get many visitors!
The beaches are shocking when visiting re the D Day, kids playing on the sands, rightly so, and the thought of how many men and women died so they could do that.
FFS.

 

Some great options posted. As has been said you will be moved at many of the locations by what those guy's achieved..

 

+1 for the 360 degree cinema on the cliffs near Arromanches. If that doesn't tug at your heart strings then you are either well 'ard or dead! SWMBO came out of there in tears! Many of the beautifully tended war cemeteries may also have a similar effect. Enjoy your trip - I'm sure you will even if it is, or because it is, an emotional roller coaster ride.

 

Agree with all. I was in tears. Some of the messages on the crosses tore my heart out. And the ages of those young men. God Bless them all and keep them safe in your tender hand till I get to say thank you all and I care and will never forget your sacrifice for me.
Regards
Joe.

 

Some great advice and sentiments posted.
I've used arromanches as a base a few times now. Added bonus of a pub that's the closest to a British one I've ever seen in France. Great atmosphere of an evening.

 

As Steve said, all the cemeteries are beautifully tended but involve you in a very emotional journey.
Omaha has (I think) around 9000 graves.(Not all D Day casualties)


The British cemetery at Bayeux has 4600, including Commonwealth and Allied graves along with about 400 German ones.



The German cemetery at La Cambe (close to Omaha) has over 21000 graves (not all from D Day).

 

Slight change of period, but this is my most poignant picture of the WW1 site near Verdun. Especially given one of the reasons for WW2.

 

I wanted to put like for the pictures. But I couldn't. My heart tells me I shouldn't like the massager of our brothers and sisters but agree that we owe them a great debt.
Regards
Joe

 

Very true. The Commonwealth grave sites are so well tended and shows the great respect that the living still have for the dead. They are so much better kept than the German ones (which, ironically, seem to be looked after by French locals). The area of Verdun has no Commonwealth grave sites (not that I found anyway) as it was a French-German battle site, but the Duomont is the large French site. They are still finding soldiers remains to this day and they are kept in the ossuary there.

The shear scale of the Commonwealth sites in Flanders are beyond belief. An incredible sacrifice.

Another couple of pictures from Normandy. One from the Omaha beach memorial and one from a German defence looking out.

 

No 3 Commando was an Army unit. Most people associate Commandos with the RM but they came on board in 1942, well after the Army. By the war’s end there were 19 Army and 9 RM Commandos and the US Army Ranger green beret owes its origins to UK training at Achnacarry. You see quite a few RM vets with dark blue berets and red patches who were not Commando trained but conventional infantry.

 

Went to the battlefields of france both world wars as a 15 year old on a school trip I'm 63 now and still remember them and the graves like it was yesterday not sure i want to go back seeing the seas of graves left a lasting impression on me

 

Steve 998cc.
Yes it does that. But we all owe them so if I am passing I always stop over. And I don't mind saying I do shed a tear. God Bless them one and all both the fallen and the ones at home.
Regards
Joe.