There are Polish graves and 150 German soldiers are also buried here
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
BAYEAUX MILITARY CEMETERY
The British Cemetery in Bayeaux is the repository of the remains of some 5,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers and was the main burial place of British troops who lost their lives in Normandy
There are Polish graves and 150 German soldiers are also buried here
There are Polish graves and 150 German soldiers are also buried here
VILLERS BOCAGE
The Germans were unable to take the main Normandy city of Caen some 20 miles east of Bayeaux and which was of strategic importance – it took Montgomery 4 major battles before the city was eventually seized a month after the invasion began
Villers Bocage is town situated some 20 kilometers south of Bayeaux and the British hoped to launch a flanking attack on Caen from here.
While they were gathering their forces in this area ace German SS tank commander Michael Wittmann on his own snuck in behind a British tank and truck convoy destroying 14 vehicles in quick succession. He and five of his Tiger Tanks then entered Villers Bocage and took the British by surprise destroying several more of their tanks.
The British troops then rallied and retaliated. Wittmann’s tank was damaged but he managed to escape – he was killed about a month later near Caen during Operation Totalise
A statue to General Eisenhower is in the town centre
Villers Bocage is town situated some 20 kilometers south of Bayeaux and the British hoped to launch a flanking attack on Caen from here.
While they were gathering their forces in this area ace German SS tank commander Michael Wittmann on his own snuck in behind a British tank and truck convoy destroying 14 vehicles in quick succession. He and five of his Tiger Tanks then entered Villers Bocage and took the British by surprise destroying several more of their tanks.
The British troops then rallied and retaliated. Wittmann’s tank was damaged but he managed to escape – he was killed about a month later near Caen during Operation Totalise
A statue to General Eisenhower is in the town centre
LONGUENS BATTERY
Three German artillery batteries were part of the Atlantic Wall defenses and were attacked by British destroyers before the invasion – two were destroyed but the one at Longuenes –su - Mer was repaired and operational within 24 hours.
The navy again attacked it and it was soon pounded into submission and its troop surrendered to British forces
One can now visit this battery which remains intact with its 152mm canons
The navy again attacked it and it was soon pounded into submission and its troop surrendered to British forces
One can now visit this battery which remains intact with its 152mm canons
GOLD BEACH - ARROMANCHES
Gold Beach was the centre of the invasion beaches and was assigned to the British forces,
After heavy fighting the British established a beach head at Arromanches, a town on the coastline of Gold.
Here they positioned one of the 2 “Mulberry Harbours” specially built for the invasion – the other was on Omaha but it was is destroyed by a storm a week after the invasion
The Mulberry was an engineering and logistical marvel. It consisted of a number of huge steel containers which were towed from England, then pinned and hinged together with a hinged ramp leading to the shore. Thousands of tons of equipment, tanks, trucks and other supplies were off loaded onto this harbour and brought to shore.s
At Arromanches is an excellent museum mainly depicting the Mulberrys and how they were operated.
A new 360 degree movie theatre using 9 projectors was opened in 2006. It is an amazingly realistic experience viewing the film shown there and combined with its special sound effects one feels that you are in the middle of the battle
After heavy fighting the British established a beach head at Arromanches, a town on the coastline of Gold.
Here they positioned one of the 2 “Mulberry Harbours” specially built for the invasion – the other was on Omaha but it was is destroyed by a storm a week after the invasion
The Mulberry was an engineering and logistical marvel. It consisted of a number of huge steel containers which were towed from England, then pinned and hinged together with a hinged ramp leading to the shore. Thousands of tons of equipment, tanks, trucks and other supplies were off loaded onto this harbour and brought to shore.s
At Arromanches is an excellent museum mainly depicting the Mulberrys and how they were operated.
A new 360 degree movie theatre using 9 projectors was opened in 2006. It is an amazingly realistic experience viewing the film shown there and combined with its special sound effects one feels that you are in the middle of the battle
Monday, June 21, 2010
ST-LO
The town of St-Lo lies south west of Bayeaux
As the American troops moved inland from Omaha and Utah Beaches they entered the bocage terrain between Bayeux and St- Lo. The high mounds and vegetation on the sides of the roads make for extremely difficult fighting conditions which you will see from the fotos below and from my explanation in a previous posting.
Eventually after 4 weeks of being bogged down in the bocage the American reached the outskirts of St-Lo which was vigorously defended by the Germans because of its strategically important position.
Heavy bombing raids were ordered on the town and it was virtually destroyed. Afterwards the 35th US Infantry Division led by Major Howie led the assault into the town. Howie wanted to be the first soldier to enter St-Lo so when he was killed his soldiers had his body taken to the ruined church in St-Lo where it was left covered with the Stars and Stripes. There is a memorial to Howie in the city.
The large cathedral in town was almost destroyed. The surviving tower and one side wall have been left as a reminder of the terrible destruction inflicted on the town.
To the west of the city the Americans bombed German troops with napalm and inflicted horrific casualties on them.
St-Lo has been rebuilt and is again a thriving modern town.
As the American troops moved inland from Omaha and Utah Beaches they entered the bocage terrain between Bayeux and St- Lo. The high mounds and vegetation on the sides of the roads make for extremely difficult fighting conditions which you will see from the fotos below and from my explanation in a previous posting.
Eventually after 4 weeks of being bogged down in the bocage the American reached the outskirts of St-Lo which was vigorously defended by the Germans because of its strategically important position.
Heavy bombing raids were ordered on the town and it was virtually destroyed. Afterwards the 35th US Infantry Division led by Major Howie led the assault into the town. Howie wanted to be the first soldier to enter St-Lo so when he was killed his soldiers had his body taken to the ruined church in St-Lo where it was left covered with the Stars and Stripes. There is a memorial to Howie in the city.
The large cathedral in town was almost destroyed. The surviving tower and one side wall have been left as a reminder of the terrible destruction inflicted on the town.
To the west of the city the Americans bombed German troops with napalm and inflicted horrific casualties on them.
St-Lo has been rebuilt and is again a thriving modern town.
AVRANCHES
Avranches is one of the oldest towns in Normandy and is a key point of access to Britanny and to the south of France. It is situated at the south western point of the Cotentin Peninsular.
After the Americans seized St-Lo the Allieds decided that the time had come to take the initiative to breakout from Normandy towards Brittany, Paris and the south – Operation Cobra was to be effected.
Who better to lead this operation than General George Patton who was based at Avranches with his 3rd US Army. He stormed through Britanny and seized Brest in the west, Cherbourg in the north and powered on to Falaise in the east.
Patton was extremely popular amongst the French civilian population in Avranches and they have honoured him by placing a memorial near the centre of the town as well as a bust of him. This is real Patton country!
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After the Americans seized St-Lo the Allieds decided that the time had come to take the initiative to breakout from Normandy towards Brittany, Paris and the south – Operation Cobra was to be effected.
Who better to lead this operation than General George Patton who was based at Avranches with his 3rd US Army. He stormed through Britanny and seized Brest in the west, Cherbourg in the north and powered on to Falaise in the east.
Patton was extremely popular amongst the French civilian population in Avranches and they have honoured him by placing a memorial near the centre of the town as well as a bust of him. This is real Patton country!
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