WW2 towns in Northern France

[Jim McSharry]

A bit closer to home - the Imperial War Museum in London hosts a wealth of displays from these sad days - worthy of a trip for anyone. The top floor is dedicated to the concentration camps - this truly makes you think just how priviliged we are today!

 

[Greg Masters]

Re: Re: Oradour Sur Glane , Limousin,France

I went to Auschwitz .... You will never forget it.
Mike

I rode to Auschwitz and Birkenau a few years ago (great ride BTW). You don't need a camera - it all lodges itself firmly in your memory.

Greg

 

[Lord Snooty]

Pics of Oradour Sur Glane

bignige, I have attached a pic from a visit to Oradour last September, I have several more if you want to see them, I will email them to you.

Oradour Sur Glane features in the opening of the fabulous World At War series that was made in the 70s I think and narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier.

The very first episode starts with an aerial shot panning over the ruined village and then Sir Larry starts the commentary in his fabulous voice with something like "The date was June 10th 1944 when the SS marched into Oradour Sur Glane, when they left at the end of the day the village had ceased to exist..." cue dramatic opening music. Ok, the words might not be perfect as my memory has dimmed but the impact has not.

A must see place.

Bugger, photo rejected due to size, if anybody wants to see them email me.

 

[BigNige]

Cheers LS, yes please.


[email protected]

 

[Simon Eassom]

Also, whilst on the topic of Auschwitz . . . not forgetting that today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

 

[cecilthecat]

Nige

I've just sent you some photo's by email, but fear that the email is huge, so if you don't have a broadband connection it may take a little time.

Simon

 

[BigNige]

Thanks Simon.
Superb pics.

Sad, desperately sad though.

 

[Trotts]

3 or 4 years ago while in Normandy went to a town, the name i cannot recall, where the American Airbourne landed. It was depicted in the film the 'Longest Day' when Private Steel ( Remember his name but not the town !!) landed on the church Spire. He watched the battle rage below him and survived. Either way this town every summer they hang a life size Para dummy from the Spire in memory of the Airbourne, and the whole town is a living museum to the Battle that raged. Pock marked buildings etc. The town is well worth a look. Anyone help me with the name to save me getting my map out ??

Also worth a visit is the German cemetary in Normandy. Also really big, and different !! Like out of the way, with few signs, and all the graves in a massive round building on top of one another ?

 

[Bilks]

Hi Trotts...



Where were u then sunday ?......tut tut !


To answer your question....Ste. Mere-Eglise just north of Caretan

Cherbourg penisular... (Caretan was taken by Easy company 101 Airborne)..Band of brothers.....

I Intend doing the beaches and "sites" including Bastogne, also waterloo on the way back....april /may time for a week...

Bilks.

 

[Zwerver]

Interesting sites...

I Intend doing the beaches and "sites" including Bastogne,

When interested in other sites/museums about "the battle of the Bulge", I can recommend the small war museum in Diekirch - Luxemburg.

 

[Dave Hall]

I`ve visited many WW1 & WW2 war grave sites over the years and none have failed to move me...especially reading the visitors books that are kept in small metal lockers near the entrance.
One site that made me think was Langemark near Pashendale. It is a German war grave site and is particularly poinant as at the start of WW1 a German unit made up of students aged 16-18 were mown down by Tommies whilst attacking the line and they are buried here. On checking the visitors books I went back several years and found visitors from all over the world had added comments but I could find no entry from any German visitors!.....Its puzzled me ever since.

 

[Lee Bastin]

Oradour.

Here you go chaps, a picture from my trip to Oradour last September. It's a very moving place, and so quiet.

 

[ralphy]

Re: Oradour.

Here you go chaps, a picture from my trip to Oradour last September. It's a very moving place, and so quiet.

Lee,
That picture is just the same as when I visited over 20 years ago; it is still vivid in my mind, so moving its hard to put into words. For anyone who travels anywhere near that part of France a message; just go there.

You cannot fail to be moved by it.

 

[Greg Masters]

Re: Oradour Sur Glane , Limousin,France

I guess another place of similar proportion would be Auschwitz .

AUSCHWITZ - A clinical history of Auschwitz - Channel 5 at 8 o'clock this evening.

G

 

[Gecko]

Nige
I can't speak about northern France but if you are interested then a visit to Ypres which is at the southern most edge of Belgium near France is a must visit town. the Menen gate lists the names of thousands of soldiers who dies during 'The Great War' and in the town centre is the 'Flanders Fields' museum which is a fascinating insight into the first world war and how the town was totally destroyed . It's a really worthwhile visit and not far from Calais if you are thinking of coming accross the Channel.

All around Ypres there are memorials to the war dead and still some ruins which have been left as tribute to the fallen soldiers. I haven't heard of any abandoned villages but that's not to say they don't exist.
Let me know if you are coming over - I'd be happy to meet up and show you around what I know of it.
Cheers
The Gecko
(lost in Belgium)

 

[BigNige]

That's very kind Gecko, thankyou.

 

[Dave Hall]

If you find yourself at Ypres then the Sanctuary wood private museum is a must see.........it has original trenches ( a bit fallen in now thought) plus heaps of hardware dug up by farmers over the years