D-Day. June 6th, 1944 was months in the planning- the invasion and saving of Europe by Allied forces. With air and sea support and paratrooper insertions, Allied soldiers began turning the tide of the Second World War at five beaches in Normandy, France that morning- Utah and Omaha for the Americans, Sword and Gold for the British, and Juno for the Canadians. The Normandy campaign is extensively covered here in the War Museum.
A balcony here looks out onto Lebreton Gallery, which is filled with military vehicles and other equipment from Canada and other countries, and which is an area that concludes a visit to this museum. It is dominated by the CF-101F Voodoo fighter jet.
Stepping back into the exhibit gallery we return to panels and artifacts of Normandy.
They include this Sherman tank, one of many that was involved in the Normandy campaign.
The Allied western military kept pushing the German army back through Europe. Canadians found themselves driving into the Rhineland and into the Netherlands as part of that effort.
Here we have another set of panels on individuals involved in the Rhineland campaign.
This painting, Scheldt Crossing, is by Orville Fisher, and shows the dismal weather that Canadians dealt with in the Rhineland.
Today I finish with this Jeep and another perspective on the panels of those soldiers. You might also note the pistol in the display case in the background. I didn't photograph it in close up this time, but it's one of my favourite artifacts here. A wounded Canadian soldier was taken prisoner by Germans, but grabbed one of their guns and forced them to take him back to his lines, taking them prisoner instead. That pistol is now given pride of place in the Museum.
Hello William.
ReplyDeleteI have read books and seen documentaries and movies about the WW2.
And about the bloody battle of Normandy. I really like all your pictures and informations of the great exhibition about the war.
Have a lovely day and a happy week!
Dimi...
Nice sequel again, William. This chapter of history is more familiar to me.
ReplyDeleteStarting June 2019 there will be year with a lot of celebrations, I think.
You are finishing this episode with a great story.
Wow -- I love folloing you on this journey. This is a topic I've revisited now and then. I find it fascinating. They were so very courageous.
ReplyDeleteContinuo a acompanhar com muito interesse esta exposição, aproveito para desejar um bom fim-de-semana.
ReplyDeleteAndarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados
...sadly, one of many!
ReplyDeleteThe jet looks tiny!
ReplyDeleteA fanatical enemy indeed! Excellent series of posts William, a time in history hopefully never repeated ✨
ReplyDelete@Dimi: thank you.
ReplyDelete@Jan: there is more to come.
@Jeanie: they were.
@Francisco: thank you.
@Tom: indeed.
@Marie: not so small when you compare it to the people below.
@Grace: hopefully.
May there be an end to bloody battles. Seems like a pre-21st century solution to disagreements. Can't we do better?
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
Oh, the sacrifices that were made....
ReplyDeleteAnother great historical display of WWII ~ My father-in-law was a paratrooper in the Battle of Bastogne ~ War is always tragic ~ yet we won and am grateful that we did.
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
That was some clever Canadian, grabbing the gun!
ReplyDeleteAlso that they didn´t kill each other.
Interesting how the tools and machines of war change rapidly. I've been comparing your WWI posts the WWII posts.
ReplyDeleteRed is right. How things change, yet remain the same.
Delete@Janis: you sometimes wonder.
ReplyDelete@Sharon: and yet had to be made, because the alternative was worse.
@Carol: as am I.
@Iris: very clever.
@Red: that is true.
i enjoy the shot of the tanks all in a row. i think it is wild to see them up close. they are so huge.
ReplyDelete( ;
Another informative post William!
ReplyDeleteInterestng. We've learned so much about it on school. Great museum!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first battle that is familiar to me. D-Day was an incredible day in the history of the world.
ReplyDeleteVery informative William. Your photos illustrate it well.
ReplyDelete@Jennifer: quite true.
ReplyDelete@Beth: that they are.
@RedPat: thank you.
@Aritha: it is quite a museum to visit.
@DJan: yes it was. The turning of the tide.
@Bill: thank you.
Very interesting to remember the battles of the past. I was in Normandy.... I saw the bomb craters and walked on beaches where battles were fought, where so many died.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Normandy for myself someday.
DeleteIn addition to the Pacific theatre my father was at Normandy. He never spoke of it though "Victory at Sea" was on our t.v. whenever it was scheduled. I was too young to truly understand the war and what he'd experienced.
ReplyDeleteMost soldiers wouldn't speak of it.
DeleteCollin would love this.
ReplyDeleteHe would.
DeleteWith war vehicles, this place reminds me of our Museum of Polish Arms.
ReplyDeleteI can see that.
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