As the 65th anniversary of the Normandy landings is being celebrated, I'm reminded that I was in Normandy for the 50th celebrations 15 years ago. I was in the town of St. James which lies at the foot of the Cherbourg peninsular and inland a short way from Mont St Michel. I can't locate the photographs I took then, but we attended the ceremonies at the American War Cemetery, and then, as now, there were veterens walking around the town, many in uniform, along with classic military vehicles decked out in 1944 livery. I still have the bottle of wine I bought with its special printed decoration marking the parachute landings. It's probably not drinkable now! It was good to be there and be part of the event.
We visited the sites in Normandy a couple of years before the 50th anniversary. It's a beautiful place and a sad place.
ReplyDeleteI was quite moved by the veterans searching for graves of their comrades in arms and the families for their loved ones, and the quiet tears that sometimes followed when they found them.
Before I visited, I never realized the difficulties that the troops faced in their mission, the steepness of the cliffs and their exposure once they reached the top, not to speak of those who drowned when they left the boats.
It's a visit everyone should make at some point.
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