Prior to my visit I researched the area using Major and Mrs Holt's Definitive Battlefield Guide to the D-Day Landing ( a very good buy - same as I used for the Somme and Flanders). It mentioned Dead Man's Corner just to the north of Carentan in the American sector off Utah Beach. This site was held by the Germans as a center for their operations to protect the peninsula from further incursions by the Americans. It was therefore fought over intensely. It formed the basis of the book and tv film, Band of Brothers.
The house at the road junction was fought over and at one point a tank was hit and put out of action. The commander was killed and his body hung out of the hatch for 3 days before it could be taken down and buried - hence the name.
Originally the house was set up as a private museum and specialist military shop selling high quality (and high priced) original clothing and military ware. It is still there and I can see the couple of rooms are quite good but very limited in scope.
Now, here's the interesting bit - look behind the house, to the right...
...and you will see this...a brand new hanger with high quality exhibitions, a good gift shop and a Dakota aeroplane (I'll come back to that). It's only a month old and there's not even a muddy mark on the gleaming white car park and concrete paths.
Anyway, I was one of the first to arrive (always a good thing, before the people carriers and coaches arrive). I was advised it would take about 30 minutes to see the first bit of the exhibition, which it did. The young lady then said we were now ready for our briefing so the five of us, another gent and a family of three, went around a corridor into a mock-up of an air-force briefing room.
We sat down on the benches and waited. We could see a table and chair in the room, and a door. The lights went down and, as they came slowly back up again, the door opened and a flight lieutenant came in. He then went about briefing us on this momentous flight we were about to make; the culmination of all our training, to parachute into occupied France on D-Day. Gripping stuff.
After the briefing, we were taken into the next room, which looked like the hardstanding of an airfield and on it stood the Dakota. We were told to get in and strap ourselves in to our seats, which we did. The girl followed us to make sure we were ready and she then left, closing the door behind us. We waited.
In a few seconds we could hear the huge engines start and the plane vibrated under the strain. It started to move down the runway and we could see out of the windows, the airfield whizzed past. As it gathered speed it took off and it rocked and juddered as it gained in height. We could see other Dakotas alongside us doing the same in rough formation. We flew over the channel and as we reached the French coast we were targeted by anti-aircraft flak. We were battered about and then we heard a loud bang and could see one of our engines on fire. The plane took a nose dive and smoke came out of the cockpit. The tannoy told us to brace ourselves. We hit the ground in a controlled but heavy landing. As we came to a halt the girl came back in and told us to get out. It all lasted about 4-5 minutes I suppose but was a very good impression of the real thing (I guess) and I found it quite emotional really.
While this was a bit at the theme park end of things, it was nevertheless a good experience and unique as far as I could tell. So, there is money in this military tourist experience. As I said, I just wonder how far it will go.
It was too dark too take any pictures inside. In fact, to be honest, it was so engaging, I forgot to take any but I did find this rather nice Landy parked outside...
Anyway, this museum is worth going to, especially before the carpark gets too may oil drips on it.
The C47 Museum at Ste Mere Eglise is another 'must see' museum.
It contains, as you might expect, a full sized C47 and numerous other exhibits set in opulent surroundings.
You know, on that last point, once you've seen a few of these sites you start to realise the Americans know quite a bit about visitor attractions, the real visitor experience and how much has to be spent to get their message across. As the number of WW2 veterans and military geeks reduce over time, they seem to be replaced by thousands of tourists seeking a place to go while on holiday and a quick fix of 'history and culture'. They bring loads of dough, which is obvious from the high financial investment put into the old and new sites, and, in away, you shouldn't knock it. It's good for the local economy, and its good for raising standards of provision and general understanding but I do wonder where it will all end. Will we, one day, see Normandy looking like Orlando?
The museum on Utah Beach has had money spent on it but it still retains much of its old style.
A new exhibition hall, (should I say Hanger?) with a full scale B26 aeroplane and truck in it is a good example of something done well without turning it into a theme park ride.
Talking of which, I now turn inland to Dead Man's Corner - my next post.
Back to Omaha. Just at the top of the entrance road you will find the Omaha Museum containing some very good diaramas of battle scene with original refurbished vehicles and very life-like models (some older museums often have models, it seems, are taken from shop windows; some even have faces that are clearly female when they should obviously be male. I guess these will be replaced in the fullness of time!)
Elsewhere at Omaha you will find many memorials and plaques, too numerous to mention.
The American Nation Guard Memorial is bold expression...
... as is the modern sculpture nearby, Les Braves...
The more traditional sculpture on the promenade may be to most people's taste...
Arromanches is most famous for being the location of the main Mulberry Harbour. It also has a fine 360 degree cinema Visitor Centre on the top of the eastern St Come cliff and an equally fine museum in the centre of the town. This naturally focuses on the harbour and you are left with the firm impression of the vast scale of this undertaking - it was truly astounding and without it the liberation would not have been sustained.
220,000 soldiers landed there together with 39,000 vehicles and thousands of tons of equipment and stores - breathtaking numbers.
Opps, this is out of order. It should be between Juno and Omaha
The America Gold Beach Museum is off the beaten track, tucked inside a small housing estate as part of a Tourist Information Centre at Ver-Sur-Mer.
The first half concentrates on early American flight (locally important stuff) and the second half looks at the British storming of Gold. This place only cost 4 euros entrance fee so I was not expecting much and, to be honest, that's what I got. You could miss out this museum if you're pressed for time.
The American Cemetery at Omaha Beach is another 'Must See' site. This is the view over the reflective pool towards the cemetery.
It lies just inland from the beach itself and you can walk down to the beach along a new pathway. This gives a good impression of what the Americans were up against.
The new Visitor Centre, which leads to the cemetery, cost $30m to build and equip but once you get through security, including airport style X-rays, you are presented with a dimly lit and very thought-provoking exhibition and theatre presentation called, They walk with you. I won't tell you how it ends but I found the closing scene very moving, as did many others in the audience.
Then walk through the vast cemetery. It is as seen at the end of Saving Private Ryan. Again, very thought-provoking.
Just sitting behind the sandy beach lies the shiny Juno Beach visitor Centre and Museum.
This is one of the nicest centres; very modern and well presented, with very helpful staff in the reception area.
Outside are various memorials, plaques, and the odd bunker or two. Again, this is a 'must see' site for any visit to the beaches.
One very moving relic is what's known as Cosy's Bunker, just down the beach...
After intense fighting, it was eventually taken by Lt William (Cosy) Aiten and his men of the Canadian Winnipeg Rifles by attacking with machine guns and rifle fire and throwing grenades into the apertures.
Seeing this site and, of course, you can often see Hollywood films portraying such situations, I still find it hard to imagine what it must have been like to be under such intense fire and to move forward towards almost certain death. Minute by minute these men faced similar challenges, whether it was fighting in the streets, in the fields or house by house, room by room - quite remarkable and something I can only view with the utmost pride and respect.
