A doorway at the Normandy section comes out onto a balcony, looking over the Lebreton Gallery, where numerous vehicles and equipment from a wide range of countries and time periods are displayed.
Back inside, for some of the equipment of both sides during the Normandy campaign, which became one of attrition and hard won victories.
One of the enemies the Canadians fought was a brutal German SS commander named Kurt Meyer, who would later be convicted of war crimes.
More Canadian faces, from officers to enlisted. One of the great strengths of the War Museum is in its telling of the stories of individuals.
And here we have another Normandy veteran. Forceful III is the name of this Sherman tank that saw action throughout the campaign, and now calls this spot home.
Major David Currie won the Victoria Cross by leading a handful of soldiers, keeping a larger force of Germans occupied for several days, capturing or destroying multiple pieces of equipment and taking over two thousand German prisoners in the process.
Alongside the other Allies, the Canadians pushed the Germans back more and more, freeing more of France as they went. It was the beginning of the end.
While the Allies were able to secure Antwerp, the vast estuary of the Scheldt downstream of it had to be cleared of Germans. This task was assigned to Canadians, and the campaign would be a tough one.
It's always interesting to hear the stories of the individual soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteAll the sad stories
ReplyDeleteLots of them.
DeleteThe vehicles are impressive and the stories are so sad! Take care, have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Delete...my father was in the Pacific in WWII, he talked about his buddies, but never about the war!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't talked about.
DeleteEvery inch of territory taken back from the Germans was costly beyond measure. We must never forget!
ReplyDeleteCostly but absolutely necessary.
DeleteSo many individuals were lost.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteThis is why we should keep standing shoulder to shoulder to support Ukraine, I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteThey wore each other down in this conflict. The Germans wore down a little faster as they ran out of resources.
ReplyDeleteThat's true.
DeleteSo very sad.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeleteThey have an impressive collection of tanks and tracked vehicles. Normandy was a tough battle with losses on both sides.
ReplyDeleteIt was.
DeleteQuite the display of Normandy battle vehicles ~ thanks ~ It was quite battle for all ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
You're welcome.
DeleteI love this kind of stuff William! The Sherman tanks one to one where inferior to the German. But there were so many more Sherman's produced by general motors! It's good to remember what's right about our democracies ! Thank you Aloha
ReplyDeleteShermans were tough tanks, and their numbers made the difference.
DeleteFormidable.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeleteGood pictures. What's weird about exhibits is when you stand beside a tank, for example, the way I think about war has a reality perspective, looking at such big beastly things are made to hurt each other.
ReplyDeleteIt's ironic, something that has the primary purpose to kill cam also be beautiful.
DeleteI didn't know there were so many varieties of tanks.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot.
DeleteHaving been there, seeing that bluff they had to get over while being shot at and soaking wet -- I cannot even imagine.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see Normandy.
Delete