And now the story comes to an end
At the risk of sometimes repeating myself in previous posts let me express the following
Firstly, I have realized my dreams of touring these areas. All the places and events I read and heard about since I was a youngster have come to life for me, towns like St Mere-Iglese, Benouville, Omaha Beach, Pont-du-Hoc, Bastogne, St Vith are indelibly printed in my memory and I can now picture in my mind how events occurred during the battles.
Seeing the equipment and the tools of war at the museums was quite a different experience to seeing them in pictures – the King Tiger tank at La Glaize was an absolute thrill – there are not many of those left around. The diaramas, explanations and films shown at the museums were extremely informative and have given me a far better understanding of the history. To walk through the forests at Bastogne and see the foxholes used by the soldiers was very special and humbling, knowing exactly what kind of hell these men went through.
Visiting the military cemeteries of the protagonists was also very emotional for me. To see the graves of so many young men who lost their lives is sad and the words of Pete Seeger’s anti-war song “Where have All the Flowers Gone?” came to mind. Disregarding whom they fought for, each one had a life, was part of a family, was someone’s friend and had hopes for the future. The sheer scale of the killing was unbelievable – 4,500 Americans killed in 24 hours on Omaha alone. And we are not even talking about the civilians who died in the mayhem.
However, as a Jew, I can only but eternally thank the soldiers of the Allied forces who gave up their lives in order that an evil empire be destroyed. They should be forever honoured and remembered and I am pleased that I had the opportunity to pay homage to them.
The nature of life is that things go on. Both Normandy and the Ardennes have been fully restored to their former beauty. Their citizens, leading good lives and enjoying the fruits of freedom and vibrant economies, are proof of the circle of life.
Did this trip meet my expectations? Yes – 5 thumbs up. I can recommend it to anyone considering visiting these areas but with one provisor – do some reading up on the history of WWII before you go. You don’t have to become a military boffin but it would mean more to you if you had a basic general knowledge of the events before visiting these areas.
I wouldn’t like to attempt a similar tour in the future – it was physically very demanding, entailed much driving, a lot of walking and much concentration. Next trip will be to some beach where we can relax under an umbrella and evaluate the shells on the seashore.
In conclusion thank you for keeping up with this blog and I certainly hope that it was of interest to you.
Monday, July 12, 2010
RESOURCES EMPLOYED ON THE TRIP
In one of my first postings I described my sources of information e.g. books, internet, documentaries etc. There is no doubt that the weeks of pre planning for the trip paid off handsomely and from our first day in Normandy we knew exactly where to go
Now I will describe what resources we used during the trip.
Firstly our faithful chariot was an Avis 2010 Renault Scenic 1.9 Tdi manual gear shift which we picked up at Zervantem Airport on our arrival in Europe. We must have driven about 3,500 kilometers on all sorts of roads from gravel to autostrada, flat lands and steep, windy passes. The car never missed a beat. However both Charlotte and I believe our 2008 model Scenic in Israel is more comfortable, smoother and easier to drive. I have a strong feeling that Renault is utilizing a Nissan chassis on the new Scenic – if so, it is a pity as generally speaking the French cars are well known for their smooth rides. Nevertheless it searved us well.
Without our QUE GPS loaded with IGo navigational software the trip would have been far more difficult – only twice did it let us down. In the one instance we were looking for a village called Scheidt – it took us to a point in the middle of nowhere and said “you have arrived at your destination” – we were certainly in the shite there! But overall it was fantastic.
The camera I used was the Canon SX200IS which I purchased 6 months ago. All photos were taken on the 8MPI setting. The camera handles low level of light fantastically and most of the museum shots were taken on the indoor setting without a flash. The outdoor scene shots were crisp, clear and natural colour. The 12X optical zoom proved more than adequate for my purposes and its wide angle capability is amazing when large objects at close range need to be photographed. Whilst the camera is not pocket size it is still very compact and not heavy.
Charlotte used her Canon 850 camera and also achieved excellent results.
My old and faithful Dell Inspiron Computer (6 years old) accompanied us. Whilst utterly reliable and robust (I have dropped it on several occasions) it is very slow in processing information. I can see the time has come for an upgrade. The 3G dongle I rented in Belgium was a waste of time and money and early in the trip and used wi-fi wherever possible.
Now I will describe what resources we used during the trip.
Firstly our faithful chariot was an Avis 2010 Renault Scenic 1.9 Tdi manual gear shift which we picked up at Zervantem Airport on our arrival in Europe. We must have driven about 3,500 kilometers on all sorts of roads from gravel to autostrada, flat lands and steep, windy passes. The car never missed a beat. However both Charlotte and I believe our 2008 model Scenic in Israel is more comfortable, smoother and easier to drive. I have a strong feeling that Renault is utilizing a Nissan chassis on the new Scenic – if so, it is a pity as generally speaking the French cars are well known for their smooth rides. Nevertheless it searved us well.
Without our QUE GPS loaded with IGo navigational software the trip would have been far more difficult – only twice did it let us down. In the one instance we were looking for a village called Scheidt – it took us to a point in the middle of nowhere and said “you have arrived at your destination” – we were certainly in the shite there! But overall it was fantastic.
The camera I used was the Canon SX200IS which I purchased 6 months ago. All photos were taken on the 8MPI setting. The camera handles low level of light fantastically and most of the museum shots were taken on the indoor setting without a flash. The outdoor scene shots were crisp, clear and natural colour. The 12X optical zoom proved more than adequate for my purposes and its wide angle capability is amazing when large objects at close range need to be photographed. Whilst the camera is not pocket size it is still very compact and not heavy.
Charlotte used her Canon 850 camera and also achieved excellent results.
My old and faithful Dell Inspiron Computer (6 years old) accompanied us. Whilst utterly reliable and robust (I have dropped it on several occasions) it is very slow in processing information. I can see the time has come for an upgrade. The 3G dongle I rented in Belgium was a waste of time and money and early in the trip and used wi-fi wherever possible.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
CHARLOTTE'S THOUGHTS ON THE TRIP
Dennis was living his dream.
Everyone thought that I would be bored with the trip as we would be touring museums, traipsing through cemeteries and visiting battle sites. The whole trip came as a pleasant surprise. First of all, the Normandy beaches have been turned into a tourist paradise for all the thousands of British and Americans who come to pay homage to their fighting heroes.
The museums are actually interesting, the stories very moving and the actual battle sites very pretty green fields. I couldn’t get my mind around the fact that so many young men died in terrible battles on long white beaches or in beautiful fields covered in red poppies. A lot of the beaches have now been built up with holiday homes and restaurants for the tourists. One wonders who would like to live in these places but life goes on and 65 years later these beaches are a holiday maker’s paradise.
The scene is different in southern Belgium where the Battle of the Bulge took place. Here we were very close to the German border and many Belgium residents in this area speak German and welcomed the invading German army. The museums whilst proclaiming their neutrality are more German orientated. They have many donations of uniforms, weapons, medals etc from the German soldiers themselves. The dioramas depict scenes of German troops in their well made winter uniforms and excellent equipment making the whole war seem much more real to me. It sent shivers down my spine to see the models in the museums with the waxen faces copied from actual soldiers in their German uniforms driving their kuegelwagens, motorbikes or tanks or directing civilians through bombed out buildings.
Whilst watching a movie on the Battle of the Bulge, we were lucky enough to meet an old American soldier from the 106th Infantry who was visiting Europe for the first time since the war and to listen to his story.
Surprising enough in all the museums we visited only two had any reference to Jews being deported to concentration camps. One showed deportation papers and a yellow star and another had clothes from the concentration camp and photographs of families leaving at the station.
The Jewish museum in Brussels [it was open on a Saturday and we had to pay an entrance fee!] also does not have enough information about the Jews’ plight in the war.
After traipsing after Dennis through forests looking for foxholes that are still there after so many years, it was a pleasure to share the roads with Harley Davidsons and antique cars as everyone is out on a Sunday looking for a restaurant in the country to eat lunch or an antique fair.
I was amply compensated after viewing all the war scenes by our visits to lovely little ports at Hornfleur
and Point et Bessin on the North Sea
and Mont St Michel, a beautiful Abbey built on an island in the sea.
We also visited the Bayeux Tapestry and the exquisite gardens of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet.
Brugge and Brussels are cities that are not to be missed and the quaint old town of Monschau on the German border was a trip through time that I loved.
The highlight was a stay in a real castle in Brugge with its own moat, towers and family portraits from centuries ago.
Everyone thought that I would be bored with the trip as we would be touring museums, traipsing through cemeteries and visiting battle sites. The whole trip came as a pleasant surprise. First of all, the Normandy beaches have been turned into a tourist paradise for all the thousands of British and Americans who come to pay homage to their fighting heroes.
The museums are actually interesting, the stories very moving and the actual battle sites very pretty green fields. I couldn’t get my mind around the fact that so many young men died in terrible battles on long white beaches or in beautiful fields covered in red poppies. A lot of the beaches have now been built up with holiday homes and restaurants for the tourists. One wonders who would like to live in these places but life goes on and 65 years later these beaches are a holiday maker’s paradise.
The scene is different in southern Belgium where the Battle of the Bulge took place. Here we were very close to the German border and many Belgium residents in this area speak German and welcomed the invading German army. The museums whilst proclaiming their neutrality are more German orientated. They have many donations of uniforms, weapons, medals etc from the German soldiers themselves. The dioramas depict scenes of German troops in their well made winter uniforms and excellent equipment making the whole war seem much more real to me. It sent shivers down my spine to see the models in the museums with the waxen faces copied from actual soldiers in their German uniforms driving their kuegelwagens, motorbikes or tanks or directing civilians through bombed out buildings.
Whilst watching a movie on the Battle of the Bulge, we were lucky enough to meet an old American soldier from the 106th Infantry who was visiting Europe for the first time since the war and to listen to his story.
Surprising enough in all the museums we visited only two had any reference to Jews being deported to concentration camps. One showed deportation papers and a yellow star and another had clothes from the concentration camp and photographs of families leaving at the station.
The Jewish museum in Brussels [it was open on a Saturday and we had to pay an entrance fee!] also does not have enough information about the Jews’ plight in the war.
After traipsing after Dennis through forests looking for foxholes that are still there after so many years, it was a pleasure to share the roads with Harley Davidsons and antique cars as everyone is out on a Sunday looking for a restaurant in the country to eat lunch or an antique fair.
I was amply compensated after viewing all the war scenes by our visits to lovely little ports at Hornfleur
and Point et Bessin on the North Sea
and Mont St Michel, a beautiful Abbey built on an island in the sea.
We also visited the Bayeux Tapestry and the exquisite gardens of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet.
Brugge and Brussels are cities that are not to be missed and the quaint old town of Monschau on the German border was a trip through time that I loved.
The highlight was a stay in a real castle in Brugge with its own moat, towers and family portraits from centuries ago.
DENNIS'S THOUGHTS OF THE BATTLES OF NORMANDY AND THE BULGE
Combined with the knowledge accumulated over many years and what I saw during this trip I will attempt to reach certain conclusions and opinions on various aspects of the battles between the protagonists in Normandy and the Bulge. Remember that these are my opinions only with which one may agree or disagree. I have tried to analyze the subject clinically and without bias.
I believe that the allied choice of General Eisenhower as Commander of Chief of the combined forces was excellent. He was a responsible, intelligent and professional soldier and was extremely concerned about the wellbeing of his men. He also had the political “smarts” to handle the disputes between his various subordinates from different countries.
General Omar Bradley, commander of the American forces, was a level headed leader and “the soldier’s general”. He was at times somewhat over cautious in his planning because of his concern for his troops.
General George Patton (Old Blood and Guts), commander of the American 3rd Army, was a complex and fascinating character. He was a tank man throughout his army career and a professional soldier extraordinary. He could inspire his troops to give their all and led from the front always urging his men forward. He was a charismatic and direct character, always immaculately turned out and well versed in history – in fact he thought he had been reincarnated several times, having been a warrior in battles past. Above all he could read the battlefield better than any of his colleagues and was always ready to grab opportunities against the enemy. His greatest failings were in the political and media arenas which were eventually to lead to his downfall. In my opinion – the best allied commander in WWII
Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery (Monty) commanded the British and Commonwealth forces. An egoist who thought himself as being a prima donna he would not engage in an offensive without having overwhelming superiority in men and materiel. For some reason he perceived Patton as being his completion and was always scheming to upstage him. Although the Brits like to make a hero out of him he was responsible for several blunders such as his failure to capture Caen and then bombing it to smithereens, the debacle at Arnheim and his transparent attempt to claim the Ardennes victory for himself. I believe he was the weakest point in the link.
As for the German commanders……..
Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was in my opinion the greatest of the German commanders. A career soldier having fought in WWI he was a specialist in infantry and tanks. He, like Patton, could read a battle and was adept at using whatever resources he had available to their maximum efficiency. He was the man in charged with the building of the Atlantic Wall and maintained that the allies needed to be beaten on the beaches. His main problem was his relationship with Hitler who countermanded him on many crucial decisions and later had him commit suicide for being involved in the July 1944 assassination attempt.
Generals von Rundstedt, von Kluge and von Mantheufel were extremely able and excellent career officers but they too suffered from Hitler’s interference. General Jodl was a lackey to Hitler and absolutely ineffectual.
The German field officers, non- commissioned officers and troops were in a class of their own. They were highly trained and motivated and were generally brave men. To their advantage they were also cross-trained which meant that a signalman was able to double in as a mortar man, a machine gunner a to operate all German infantry equipment. The Waffen SS were the elite of the ground forces and were ruthless and efficient fighters.
The American soldiers were not as well trained as the German but were extremely brave and tenacious. Their Airborne units were outstanding and proved themselves to be tenacious and excellent soldiers with lots of initiative.
The British forces were well disciplined and generally good but I think they lacked initiative. I believe that their biggest problem was a lack of good field leadership but there were of course exceptions.
There is no doubt of the superiority of the German weapons and equipment . Their MG42 machine gun outclassed the British Bren and its American counterpart having twice the rate of fire and being more reliable. The Schmeiser sub machine gun was also far more effective than the British Sten or the American Tommy gun. The Panzer tanks were excellently engineered and the King Tiger was mounted with the dreaded 88mm canon completely outclassing the Shermans and Churchills having an effective firing range of 2,000 meters compared to the 700 meters of the allied tanks – it usually took 4 to 6 Shermans to take out a Tiger.
Where the Germans really fell short was in the air – Allied airpower completely dominated the skies constantly attacking the German ground forces and we all know that he who controls the sky controls the ground. The Germans were also heavily outnumbered and couldn’t replace men and materiel at the rate the Allies could.
We can also be thankful that Hitler thought himself to be a great military tactician and disregarded the advice of his military commanders. Had he listened to them things would have been much tougher for the Allies. He also extended himself by opening a second front in the east and by allying himself to Japan, thus by default adding America to his list of enemies after Pearl Harbour.
The 2nd World War was total war – there was no such a thing as human rights. Cities were mercilessly bombed by both sides killing and maiming many thousands of civilians and turning their lives into a living hell. We must hope and pray that we or our descendants never experience misery like that again. But as I said previously, the one thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.
I believe that the allied choice of General Eisenhower as Commander of Chief of the combined forces was excellent. He was a responsible, intelligent and professional soldier and was extremely concerned about the wellbeing of his men. He also had the political “smarts” to handle the disputes between his various subordinates from different countries.
General Omar Bradley, commander of the American forces, was a level headed leader and “the soldier’s general”. He was at times somewhat over cautious in his planning because of his concern for his troops.
General George Patton (Old Blood and Guts), commander of the American 3rd Army, was a complex and fascinating character. He was a tank man throughout his army career and a professional soldier extraordinary. He could inspire his troops to give their all and led from the front always urging his men forward. He was a charismatic and direct character, always immaculately turned out and well versed in history – in fact he thought he had been reincarnated several times, having been a warrior in battles past. Above all he could read the battlefield better than any of his colleagues and was always ready to grab opportunities against the enemy. His greatest failings were in the political and media arenas which were eventually to lead to his downfall. In my opinion – the best allied commander in WWII
Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery (Monty) commanded the British and Commonwealth forces. An egoist who thought himself as being a prima donna he would not engage in an offensive without having overwhelming superiority in men and materiel. For some reason he perceived Patton as being his completion and was always scheming to upstage him. Although the Brits like to make a hero out of him he was responsible for several blunders such as his failure to capture Caen and then bombing it to smithereens, the debacle at Arnheim and his transparent attempt to claim the Ardennes victory for himself. I believe he was the weakest point in the link.
As for the German commanders……..
Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was in my opinion the greatest of the German commanders. A career soldier having fought in WWI he was a specialist in infantry and tanks. He, like Patton, could read a battle and was adept at using whatever resources he had available to their maximum efficiency. He was the man in charged with the building of the Atlantic Wall and maintained that the allies needed to be beaten on the beaches. His main problem was his relationship with Hitler who countermanded him on many crucial decisions and later had him commit suicide for being involved in the July 1944 assassination attempt.
Generals von Rundstedt, von Kluge and von Mantheufel were extremely able and excellent career officers but they too suffered from Hitler’s interference. General Jodl was a lackey to Hitler and absolutely ineffectual.
The German field officers, non- commissioned officers and troops were in a class of their own. They were highly trained and motivated and were generally brave men. To their advantage they were also cross-trained which meant that a signalman was able to double in as a mortar man, a machine gunner a to operate all German infantry equipment. The Waffen SS were the elite of the ground forces and were ruthless and efficient fighters.
The American soldiers were not as well trained as the German but were extremely brave and tenacious. Their Airborne units were outstanding and proved themselves to be tenacious and excellent soldiers with lots of initiative.
The British forces were well disciplined and generally good but I think they lacked initiative. I believe that their biggest problem was a lack of good field leadership but there were of course exceptions.
There is no doubt of the superiority of the German weapons and equipment . Their MG42 machine gun outclassed the British Bren and its American counterpart having twice the rate of fire and being more reliable. The Schmeiser sub machine gun was also far more effective than the British Sten or the American Tommy gun. The Panzer tanks were excellently engineered and the King Tiger was mounted with the dreaded 88mm canon completely outclassing the Shermans and Churchills having an effective firing range of 2,000 meters compared to the 700 meters of the allied tanks – it usually took 4 to 6 Shermans to take out a Tiger.
Where the Germans really fell short was in the air – Allied airpower completely dominated the skies constantly attacking the German ground forces and we all know that he who controls the sky controls the ground. The Germans were also heavily outnumbered and couldn’t replace men and materiel at the rate the Allies could.
We can also be thankful that Hitler thought himself to be a great military tactician and disregarded the advice of his military commanders. Had he listened to them things would have been much tougher for the Allies. He also extended himself by opening a second front in the east and by allying himself to Japan, thus by default adding America to his list of enemies after Pearl Harbour.
The 2nd World War was total war – there was no such a thing as human rights. Cities were mercilessly bombed by both sides killing and maiming many thousands of civilians and turning their lives into a living hell. We must hope and pray that we or our descendants never experience misery like that again. But as I said previously, the one thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.
DENNIS'S IMPRESSIONS OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE
In a previous post I gave my impressions of Normandy and the landing beaches and so now onto the Battle of the Bulge.
Hitler’s Ardennes gamble was his last desperate attempt to salvage some sort of a victory on the Western Front – it failed miserably for various reasons. Shortages of fuel and the unsuitable terrain hampered his tank units. The inclement weather cleared earlier than anticipated allowing the American and British aircraft to wreak havoc against the German army with their fighter bombers and enabling transport aircraft to re-supply the allied troops. Most of all Hitler underestimated the fighting resolve and bravery of the American troops, especially the Airborne divisions, whose tenacity ultimately saved the day.
Following the trail of Kampfgruppe Peiper was fascinating – only be physically doing this can one fully appreciate the difficulties he entailed in his attempt to navigate the totally unsuitable tank territory because of its steep and winding cartography. Whatever war crimes Peiper may have been guilty of, as a soldier and commander he was superb and his final action in the area by leading his men on foot back to German lines was truly a feat of excellence.
The bravery of the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) at the defense of Bastogne will forever be an example to American warriors – outnumbered at times by as much as 9 to 1, fighting in sub zero temperatures in snow and ice in summer uniforms, being deprived of water and food and having limited supplies of ammunition these men performed their duties heroically.
The American cemeteries as usual are impeccably maintained as are all their monuments and memorials. They certainly honour their fallen with the respect they deserve.
In spite of Montgommery’s feeble attempt to claim credit for the Battle in the Ardennes it was undeniable an American victory and all credit must go to them.
Hitler’s Ardennes gamble was his last desperate attempt to salvage some sort of a victory on the Western Front – it failed miserably for various reasons. Shortages of fuel and the unsuitable terrain hampered his tank units. The inclement weather cleared earlier than anticipated allowing the American and British aircraft to wreak havoc against the German army with their fighter bombers and enabling transport aircraft to re-supply the allied troops. Most of all Hitler underestimated the fighting resolve and bravery of the American troops, especially the Airborne divisions, whose tenacity ultimately saved the day.
Following the trail of Kampfgruppe Peiper was fascinating – only be physically doing this can one fully appreciate the difficulties he entailed in his attempt to navigate the totally unsuitable tank territory because of its steep and winding cartography. Whatever war crimes Peiper may have been guilty of, as a soldier and commander he was superb and his final action in the area by leading his men on foot back to German lines was truly a feat of excellence.
The bravery of the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) at the defense of Bastogne will forever be an example to American warriors – outnumbered at times by as much as 9 to 1, fighting in sub zero temperatures in snow and ice in summer uniforms, being deprived of water and food and having limited supplies of ammunition these men performed their duties heroically.
The American cemeteries as usual are impeccably maintained as are all their monuments and memorials. They certainly honour their fallen with the respect they deserve.
In spite of Montgommery’s feeble attempt to claim credit for the Battle in the Ardennes it was undeniable an American victory and all credit must go to them.
Friday, July 9, 2010
BRUSSELS
Charlotte's impressions
If you haven’t been to Brussels, you have missed out on one of the loveliest cities in Europe-from the Grand Place that is surrounded by the most beautiful buildings built in the 17th century to the most modern globes of the Atomium built for the 1958Universal Exposition. Brussels has something for everyone.
The old city has buildings that are covered in lovely sculptures and some shine with gilded decorations. The main square is full of tourists – many youngsters gather to talk in groups or just lie on the cobblestones and take in the view.
Further along is the famous bronze statue of Manneken-pis. I was rather disappointed as it is only a metre high and he is covered in different clothes –they say he has 650 outfits.
We took a city hop-on hop-off bus tour and passed the modern European Union and office buildings. They even have their version of the twin towers.
The silver globes of the Atomium towers into the sky and one can go to the top to get a great view of Brussels.
Brussels has a King and Queen and the royal Palace is set in beautiful gardens with huge glass houses for plants.
The food is so good that they say you can’t get a bad meal in Belgium. The fish is fresh and delicious from the mussels, prawns and lobster to the sole that is as big as the kind you get in South Africa. For dessert, there are Belgian waffles with strawberries, cream and syrup and the crepes with sugar or chocolate.
Of course, the Belgian chocolates beckon you from every second shop window. Irresistable!
The streets of Brussels are full of restaurants and the night life around the square and attract thousands of visitors.
The shops have everything and you can shop at C & A and H & M or Versace and Gucci. The Galeries Royales de Saint-Hubert built in 1847 is the most elegant shopping promenade in Europe.
It’s a pity so many travelers pass Brussels by in their tour of Europe as they are missing an important tourist attraction.
An added bonus was meeting up with Geoff and Pam Dusheiko in Brussels and spending a weekend together. Geoff had given a lecture at a medical conference near the city on Thursday and he and Pam decided to make a weekend of it and spend some time with us. Thanks guys.
If you haven’t been to Brussels, you have missed out on one of the loveliest cities in Europe-from the Grand Place that is surrounded by the most beautiful buildings built in the 17th century to the most modern globes of the Atomium built for the 1958Universal Exposition. Brussels has something for everyone.
The old city has buildings that are covered in lovely sculptures and some shine with gilded decorations. The main square is full of tourists – many youngsters gather to talk in groups or just lie on the cobblestones and take in the view.
Further along is the famous bronze statue of Manneken-pis. I was rather disappointed as it is only a metre high and he is covered in different clothes –they say he has 650 outfits.
We took a city hop-on hop-off bus tour and passed the modern European Union and office buildings. They even have their version of the twin towers.
The silver globes of the Atomium towers into the sky and one can go to the top to get a great view of Brussels.
Brussels has a King and Queen and the royal Palace is set in beautiful gardens with huge glass houses for plants.
The food is so good that they say you can’t get a bad meal in Belgium. The fish is fresh and delicious from the mussels, prawns and lobster to the sole that is as big as the kind you get in South Africa. For dessert, there are Belgian waffles with strawberries, cream and syrup and the crepes with sugar or chocolate.
Of course, the Belgian chocolates beckon you from every second shop window. Irresistable!
The streets of Brussels are full of restaurants and the night life around the square and attract thousands of visitors.
The shops have everything and you can shop at C & A and H & M or Versace and Gucci. The Galeries Royales de Saint-Hubert built in 1847 is the most elegant shopping promenade in Europe.
It’s a pity so many travelers pass Brussels by in their tour of Europe as they are missing an important tourist attraction.
An added bonus was meeting up with Geoff and Pam Dusheiko in Brussels and spending a weekend together. Geoff had given a lecture at a medical conference near the city on Thursday and he and Pam decided to make a weekend of it and spend some time with us. Thanks guys.
Friday, July 2, 2010
THE PATTON MUSEUM IN ETTELBRUK, LUXEMBOURG
After the Germans had been repulsed on all fronts in the Ardennes, Patton advised Eisenhower and his staff to allow him to attack the Germans at the shoulder of the bulge in the south and that the British attack in the north where they were positioned near Holland. Like at Falaise in Normandy this would have caught the German army in a pocket which could have been closed entrapping them. Again the allied command refused Patton's request, mainly on Montgomery's advice.
The allied forces then proceeded to push the Germans back from the tip of the bulge and it took them over a month to regain the positions they held before the battle. In the meantime the Germans were able to extricate a lot of their men and materiel to be used against the allied forces in the fighting in Germany.
There is no doubt that Patton was often frustrated by his superiors who just couldnt, or would not, see the larger picture. I believe that Patton was probably the greatest allied general in WW II but his great failure was that he could not understand the politics and the media, and this eventually led to Eisenhower sacking him.
Patton was a soldier's soldier, a natural commander of men and a true professional military leader.
If any of you did not know it Patton is the hero in Luxembourg
In the town of Ettelbruck there is a huge monument of Patton which stands on the main road as well as a Sherman tank.
The Patton Museum in Ettelbruck is in honour of its namesake. A lot of personal details and documents relevant to Patton’s career and life are on display
A great tribute to a great soldier
This concludes our World War II trip to Normandy and Belgium
After I get home I intend making up photo albums which I will put on the net for you to see
I hope that this blog has been of interest to you. It has only but scratched the surface of the events of D – Day and The Battle of the Bulge.
For me it has been a marvelous experience which I shall forver remember. I am pleased that one of my lifelong ambitions to visit this area and to pay homage to those brave men who sacrificed their all for us that we could live in a free world
When I have fully digested what I have seen and have focused my thoughts and impressions I will do one more posting and will inform the followers of this blog when I do so.
In conclusion I thank Charlotte for her invaluable assistance and support she gave me on this trip – I know it was a huge sacrifice for her. I also somehow think that she also came to enjoy the trip and has also realized the immensity of the events.
Oh yes – a special thanks to Sadie the Lady who resides in my GPS. Sadie mostly gave us spot on directions and instructions fulfilling our navigational needs and like all women kept constantly nagging YOU ARE OVER THE SPEEDLIMIT.
Thank you Sadie
The allied forces then proceeded to push the Germans back from the tip of the bulge and it took them over a month to regain the positions they held before the battle. In the meantime the Germans were able to extricate a lot of their men and materiel to be used against the allied forces in the fighting in Germany.
There is no doubt that Patton was often frustrated by his superiors who just couldnt, or would not, see the larger picture. I believe that Patton was probably the greatest allied general in WW II but his great failure was that he could not understand the politics and the media, and this eventually led to Eisenhower sacking him.
Patton was a soldier's soldier, a natural commander of men and a true professional military leader.
If any of you did not know it Patton is the hero in Luxembourg
In the town of Ettelbruck there is a huge monument of Patton which stands on the main road as well as a Sherman tank.
The Patton Museum in Ettelbruck is in honour of its namesake. A lot of personal details and documents relevant to Patton’s career and life are on display
A great tribute to a great soldier
This concludes our World War II trip to Normandy and Belgium
After I get home I intend making up photo albums which I will put on the net for you to see
I hope that this blog has been of interest to you. It has only but scratched the surface of the events of D – Day and The Battle of the Bulge.
For me it has been a marvelous experience which I shall forver remember. I am pleased that one of my lifelong ambitions to visit this area and to pay homage to those brave men who sacrificed their all for us that we could live in a free world
When I have fully digested what I have seen and have focused my thoughts and impressions I will do one more posting and will inform the followers of this blog when I do so.
In conclusion I thank Charlotte for her invaluable assistance and support she gave me on this trip – I know it was a huge sacrifice for her. I also somehow think that she also came to enjoy the trip and has also realized the immensity of the events.
Oh yes – a special thanks to Sadie the Lady who resides in my GPS. Sadie mostly gave us spot on directions and instructions fulfilling our navigational needs and like all women kept constantly nagging YOU ARE OVER THE SPEEDLIMIT.
Thank you Sadie
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