26 Replies to “D-Day At Normandy”

  2. back in the 60’s i sailed the Dardanelles en route to the Black Sea…there is a very large cenotaph/arch on the high hill to port as you bear toward Constantinople….and dotting the hillside as far as you can see to left and right are the white crosses…i remember(being a history buff i was well aware of the circumstances)how moved i was.

  4. john begley – I have talked to many Dutch who were so happy to have seen Canadian soldiers, and I’ve seen the representative French reaction in “The Longest Day” for so many years in a row I can’t remember the exact tally (ie Bourvil)
    But, in which year will people shrug their shoulders and say, “hmmf, what is this war of which you speak?”

  5. My youngest daughter was very fortunate to have attended the 60th anniversary. Every province sent 1 high school student as well as some cadets to accompany the veterans. She was in grade 11. I was very proud of her being chosen. She is a very good scrapbooker and after returning did up a very good album of her experience. She said the most moving time for her was finding a gravesite of a buddy of one of “her” vets and then standing and weeping with him as they said nothing but just held his hand. I wish more young people of many nations could have the same experiences as she did.
    The most annoying part of the whole thing was how the government didn’t want to pay for all the vets that wanted to attend. I contemplated telling the daughter to stay home. I was amazed how little appreciation could be shown to these men that made unbelievable sacrifices. They all expected to die, but were willing to for our freedom. How many people would really do the same today. There are very few vets left of the great wars and they should be given the honor that they so greatly deserve.

  6. chevy 65 – indeed indeed. Look around – how many fine upstanding young (men) would be willing to step forward and take the bullet that would end their life for their country?
    Duty, honour, and character have certainly changed

  10. I managed to get to Normandy in 2000 and toured the five beaches and the Cemetaries.
    Over the years of reading about the Neptune landings and the figthing afterwards those beaches had become like hallowed ground for me. When I arrived there were familys and teens swimming, flying kites and just generally doing what you do at the beach. For a moment I was totally @#$%ed off. Didn’t they realize what this place was? Then the truth of the matter went off like a flash bulb. Those people doing what you do at the beach was the exact reason those men did what they did.

  11. I had the good fortune of being on a training course with the British army in 1994 when the 50’th anniversary events were going on. I attended a reunion/remembrance service at Oxford University for members of the SHAEF staff, as the official Canadian representative. The other Canadians with me went to other events. I was a young captain at the time. It was a really cool thing to get to do. Years later on a trip to France I had the opportunity to visit Dieppe, Normandy and Vimy Ridge. It was a truly memorable trip.

  12. Brings a tear to the eye.
    Hard to imagine the current useless generation stepping up like this if and when there is a need.

  13. I adopted a black lab on monday thru a mutual friend.
    her new name is Juno.
    some time during the next big housing market by which time I will have fianlly whipped this place into shape Im putting it on the market and then spend at least a year in Europe. Normandy is on the itinery for sure.
    Im trying to come up with some fitting tribute. what Im not doing is waiting for any further moves by the federal government in that area regardless of which party is in power.

  14. American friends from a Canadian,
    We stood together at D-day and we have stood together though all the trials & failures of the growth of the America’s. We have learned the values of our pioneering grandparents and appreciate the enriched and unique life they breathed into our own. The innocence and valor of their life’s blood still today stains the beaches, towns, and schoolyards of foreign lands in the pursuit of our happiness and freedom.
    Our negligence of their honor puts us all in great pearl today.
    Our “Winds of Change” is the future our children will need to suffer then fight for, far into the future that we selfishly condemned them.
    Let’s honor our parents and our grandparents and our great grand parents and show them that we too will stand for something more than a Big Mac and HD TV. We love this land, and we love our children every bit as much as they did. Let’s show this nasty assed world of dictators and mindless sheep what that really means. “Not in our house”!
    Happy Fourth of July America you have earned it and we are all blessed by it!

  15. For me, the most poignant was the picture of the headstone marked,”A Soldier of the War,1939-1945. Known unto God”.
    Independence Day is a good day to reflect on the hard won freedoms for which your people, and ours, fought so hard to attain.
    God Bless America.

  16. For one simple reason, Independance Day belongs to all of us……the moral demonstrated in the movie “Independance Day”.
    The clear and present danger is not from the stars….but from Chicago, Hollywood, and Tehran….

  18. In 2008, my wife and I walked on Juno Beach at Courseulles-sur-mer, Bernieres-sur-mer and St. Aubin-sur-mer and through row upon row of grave markers in the Canadian, British and American military cemeteries that lie inland from the landing beaches. You feel compelled to read every single name on every one of the thousands upon thousands markers but of course there is not enough time to do that.
    Afterwards you wonder if Canada could ever again mount the sort of effort that was required for a country of about 12 million to have its own landing beach in concert with Britain and the USA? Could we find the sense of common purpose? Could we summon the national will to make it happen?
    We are such a different country now and I think we lack the deep sense of duty that motivated about one million Canadians to put their lives on hold to wear their country’s uniform between 1939 and 1945.
    I don’t know if D-Day was western civilization’s finest hour because we are still writing that history. But it will surely rank near the top.

  19. What is so moving to me, is that you know for some of those men, that was to be the last day of their lives.
    Thank you

  21. Great photos Kate. It’s always good to see real men and not the metrosexuals that are far too common nowadays.

  22. Picture proof of The Greatest Generation.
    Sadly.The only thing marring that series was the use of the word “Obama”.
    Now. Off to a Tea Party.
    Speaking of which. Is Obama even in the US for the Independance Day celebrations?

  23. old lori:
    While I agree that the current generation is sorely lacking in the traits of duty, honour and valour held so proudly by the Greatest Generation, let us also accept the fact that some of today’s youth possess those characteristics. I can think of 110 or so names from Afghanistan that come to mind and I thank them in the same way I thank the Greatest Generation.

  25. My father was in the RAF for the duration of the war. He was horribly wounded when his bomber crashed and burned; was in hospital for nearly 2 years and when released, even though he didn’t have to, returned to active duty.
    To the day he died, he did not mention a single word about the war, at least to me.
    When I think of the sacrifices Dad and all the rest of the veterans made, putting their conventional lives/professions on hold for over five years, and risking their lives on virtually a daily basis, I begin to get a little teary.
    God bless therm all…

  26. Statistics are strange creatures…..
    Those men who stormed the beaches literally had NO CHANCE.
    Many US units sustained 135% casualties before VE day…..
    The reality sets in….
    Most of the losses inevitably were replacements and many casualties survived and many returned to duty before the end.
    A hopeful statistic…..
    For every casualty…..1000 rds of smalls ammo was expended and 80% of casualties were from artillery…..the rest….mines, grenades…….
    I guess, personally, I am living proof of a sort….I’m still here….
    I must admit the landing scene from “Saving Private Ryan” was extremely disturbing the first time…..my companion thought I was having a heart attack……

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