Musee du Debarquement, Arromanches
Hungerford Arcade will be commemorating the 75th Anniversary of D Day (6th June 1944) with a special window and a display of military vehicles on Sunday 2nd June 2019.
My late father, who was in the Royal Engineers and could always recite his Army number, never voluntarily talked about the War, save to tell funny stories like the time he and his best friend marched so quickly from the railway station to the barracks that they had time for a couple of pints in the local pub before the rest of the troop caught up with them!
I recently spent a few days in Normandy and was able to visit Arromanches. It was fascinating to see the sections of the Mulberry Harbour still there off the coast after so many years. Dad was one of the men who built it. There is a wonderful Museum on the front – talk to Gary on Sunday, he can tell you all about it.
Inland Normandy is beautiful – rolling hills and small fields with hedges and tree-lined ditches (bocages). You can’t imagine the horror of war in this scenery but we came upon the British Military cemetery at Saint Charles de Percy, where 800 men are buried. Two of the first memorials I saw were for Royal Engineers aged 18 and 19. It was a very sobering thought that that could have been Dad.
“For your tomorrow, they gave their today” It is fitting that we honour all who served and commemorate the milestones in the passage of time.
