On June 6th, 1944, Allied forces invaded Normandy at five beaches. While the British came ashore at Gold and Sword Beaches, and the Americans landed at Utah and Omaha Beaches, the Canadians landed at Juno Beach. D-Day became one of history's turning points.
Panels show different moments of that day.
Two works of art are here. At top is Invasion Pattern Normandy, by Eric Aldwinkle, showing a Canadian Mustang flying over Juno Beach. The patterns on the wings are invasion stripes meant to identify it to other Allied air forces. At bottom is a story in and of itself. D-Day: The Assault is by Orville Fisher, a commissioned war artist who had the singular distinction of being the only war artist to land on the beaches of Normandy that first day, coming ashore with the 3rd Canadian division. His landing craft came to a halt off shore, and Fisher quickly realized that his art gear would weigh him down in the water. He jettisoned most of it, coming ashore with waterproof pads and pencils, beginning to draw what he was seeing around him while the battle raged on. His drawings would be the basis of his paintings.
Here we have some of the German weaponry of the Normandy campaign.
And some of the hand weaponry of both sides.
As was the case with other Allied forces pouring into Normandy on D-Day and in the weeks that followed, the Canadians found a fierce enemy facing them.
I visited the cemeteries in Normandy and could not keep my tears...
ReplyDeleteSo many precious lives have to be sacrificed to fight these wars.
ReplyDeleteWhile we were starving or ended up in a concentration camp ! My uncle was 15 years old when he was caught by the Russians and spent 10 years in Siberia ! He was 25 when he came home, in the 50th I always remember that, I was 5 or 6 years old.
ReplyDeleteGreat museum and exhibit. Wars, they are such a waste.
ReplyDeleteTake care, enjoy your day!
...it's difficult to count all the war that Europe has endured.
ReplyDeleteFascinating. I saw the movie about "The Longest Day" and have never forgotten many of the scenes that are captured in this post.
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have to storm that beach on D-Day. Thank goodness for them all.
ReplyDeleteHitting the Beaches---how scary for sure
ReplyDeleteMB
So many young lives lost.
ReplyDelete@Agnieszka: thank you.
ReplyDelete@Italiafinlandia: that I can imagine.
@Nancy: that is quite true.
@Gattina: unimaginable.
@Eileen: thank you.
@Tom: that is true.
ReplyDelete@DJan: I've seen that one as well.
@Jeanie: if ever there was a justifiable war, it was that one.
@MB: and yet it had to be done.
@RedPat: definitely.
Nice museum, it has some great exhibits and shares lots of history.
ReplyDeleteIt really does.
DeleteA sad and frightening day in history
ReplyDeleteBut it had to happen.
DeleteI'm glad, at least, that we are at least as good at developing vaccines as we are weapons.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteAlthough less lives were lost then ~ it still must have been hell and much worse than the Covid we are all trying out best to cope with
ReplyDeleteLive with love each moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
That's true.
DeleteI have just seen two documentaries about D-Day. It was horrible, but necessary. But it was still no more than the beginning of Europe's liberation.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteHow determined they all were.
ReplyDeleteVery much so.
DeleteWhat an adventure Fisher must have had!
ReplyDeleteAt least as an officer he had a sidearm to use. Imagine being a chaplain on that beach, and being unable to use a weapon.
DeleteThat particular time in history I just think those poor buggers and what they went through.
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing what those men did that day on those beaches.
DeleteSo many young lives lost.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
But if ever there was a just cause, that was it.
Delete