75 Years On - May We Never Forget
Thursday, June 6th, 2019 08:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
debris4spikeAs I type this the film The Longest Day is showing on the TV. I watched it on the coach on my way back from Normandy, and again a couple of days after I got home. I have seen it loads of times but it is still a special film ... and a tribute to those who fought, and died on the beaches, and inland towns in those 24 hours 75 years ago.
I was actually able to watch most of the Commonwealth service on the BBC as I haven't been at work today. I had to have a wisdom tooth out this morning, and was under strict instructions to do nothing for the rest of the day.
Although I posted a few photos of the cemeteries and of the museums, I never got round to posting anything of the beaches themselves. As we drove towards Omaha we were shown the beginning of Saving Private Ryan to remind us of what these beaches would have been like .... although they are so lovely now ....
Statue on the top of Utah (USA) Beach
Padding in Omaha (USA) Beach
Omahaa Beach
On Gold (Commenwealth) Beach
We must never forget the sacrifices and suffering of the men, on all sides of the conflict ... as well as those left at home. My Dad was working on the River Thames and had seen some of the Mulberry Harbour sections being fitted with various things. He just remembered them as huge ... but had no idea what they could be. They were designed to last 90 days ... and in honour of Dad, here is one of the sections still at Arramanches, although sadly the American harbour didn't last very long at all.
I had a friend who was in the special forces, and landed on D-Day. Sadly I don't even know whether he landed at Gold or Sword .... just am thankful that he made it through that, and subsequent days (his twin brother didn't) and I got to know him. Ted was a lovely man.
Take a moment - be thankful.
So much suffering all throught the world - thankfully, since then we haven't had such a global conflict
I was actually able to watch most of the Commonwealth service on the BBC as I haven't been at work today. I had to have a wisdom tooth out this morning, and was under strict instructions to do nothing for the rest of the day.
Although I posted a few photos of the cemeteries and of the museums, I never got round to posting anything of the beaches themselves. As we drove towards Omaha we were shown the beginning of Saving Private Ryan to remind us of what these beaches would have been like .... although they are so lovely now ....
Statue on the top of Utah (USA) Beach
Padding in Omaha (USA) Beach
Omahaa Beach
On Gold (Commenwealth) Beach
We must never forget the sacrifices and suffering of the men, on all sides of the conflict ... as well as those left at home. My Dad was working on the River Thames and had seen some of the Mulberry Harbour sections being fitted with various things. He just remembered them as huge ... but had no idea what they could be. They were designed to last 90 days ... and in honour of Dad, here is one of the sections still at Arramanches, although sadly the American harbour didn't last very long at all.
I had a friend who was in the special forces, and landed on D-Day. Sadly I don't even know whether he landed at Gold or Sword .... just am thankful that he made it through that, and subsequent days (his twin brother didn't) and I got to know him. Ted was a lovely man.
Take a moment - be thankful.
So much suffering all throught the world - thankfully, since then we haven't had such a global conflict
