REMEMBERANCE 2006 - A LEADERS JOURNAL
Friday 10th November 2006
We met at the District Campsite. The coach was yet to arrive, not
knowing which Company has been booked to take us. The mind
contemplated the coach we may have, will it be luxurious or a bit
of a bone shaker.
Then our coach pulled into the outer car park. All doubts were
dispelled; it was indeed a luxurious coach. We loaded the
luggage, and then had to do a bit of unloading, as some passports
had been stowed in the luggage. We finally departed and set off
for Vigo and then the M20 to Folkstone.
Making good time on the journey down the M20 we arrived at
the Channel Tunnel and then boarded a shuttle. Having arrived
in France we headed for Normandy. We stopped at a service
station for Lunch. The rest of the afternoon was taken up
motoring along the Autoroute's of northern France, stopping
frequently at the tolls. The time was occupied by The Longest Day
on the DVD Player.
By late afternoon we crossed the River Seine, we then stopped at
Honfleur for a break. Most of us stretched our legs and took a
stroll into the Town. Then we set off for Caen and onwards to
Bernieres-s-Mer. Unfortunately we hit the outskirts of Caen at
rush hour and to compound things we have finally found out that
they do have road works in France. For some of us it was just like
any other week day evening, sitting in traffic!
Finally we left Caen and arrived at Bernieres-s-Mer slightly
behind schedule. Locating our hostel we unloaded the coach and
went straight to Dinner. The rest of the evening was spent
relaxing and un packing.
Saturday 11th November 2006
We rose reasonable early for Breakfast. Then we took stroll to the
beach. To gain an awareness of how things might have been for
the invading troops on D-day we took off our shoes and socks and
waded out into the cold channel and turn round to appreciate
Juno beach. We headed ashore and regrouped in front of a house
overlooking the beach which was there on D-day. As we walked
along the sea front we meet a local who tells us he was there on
D-day and quiet clearly still didn't think much of the Germans.
We returned to our hostel and changed into our Uniform ready for
the church service and remembrance parade. We formed up and
then marched through the Hostel gates and across the road to the
church. After a few minutes concerns grew that no one else
appeared to be coming to the church for the service. Had we got
the right time? Had we got the right church? Or was the service at
the memorial we found on the sea front?
One of our leaders who couldn't speak French and the owner of
the Hostel who spoke not a lot of English, drove to the sea front
to check. They returned with no news and then with the help of
our main interpreter a local told us that the Vicar was ill and so
the church service had been cancelled.
To fill in the time we paraded through the town to the War
Memorial on the beach which we had found earlier. We performed
our own act of rememberance. Our coach driver later told us that
he had seen us and that other locals had stopped to watch us. We
returned to the hostel and changed out of our uniforms to while
away the rest of the time until the remembrance parade.
We regrouped back in our uniform and marched back to the
church. This time the locals were also starting to gather.
A contingent of army cadets was also present, when the parade
started we were the largest group present. Our leader joined the
Mayor and other dignitaries at the centre of the parade. During
the parade two of our number laid our wreath, which we had
brought with us.
After the parade we went to the Mairie along with the local
residents and partook of the hospitality provided. We presented
the Mayor with one of our scarves decorated with our badges. In
return she presented our representatives with a badge of the
Town's emblem, one for each of us. Before we left we posed for
pictures with the army cadets and the mayor.
After lunch we returned to our coach and headed west along the
coast. Our first stop was at a viewing position over looking
Arromanches and the remains of a Mulberry Harbour, which was
built off Gold Beach. Next we moved on to the remains of a
German coastal battery at Longue sue Mer. Here some of the
party met a D-day veteran who could have kept them enthralled
with his memories for hours.
Eventually we left and continued west to our ultimate destination
for the afternoon. The Americans had landed at Utah and Omaha.
At Omaha they took heavy loses breaking out from the beach.
On the top of the cliff overlooking Omaha beach they have built
their war Cemetery.
Having started watching 'Saving Private Ryan' on the Coaches
DVD, seeing the rows of white cross on the screen as the
characters visit a grave didn't prepare you for seeing them in
reality. We made our way to the edge of the cliff top, the plan had
been to go down to the Beach so that we could endeavour to get
some idea of what had faced them. As we didn't have the time we
turned and climbed the slope towards the cemetery.
As we approached we could see a few regimented rows of white
crosses. As we progressed to the top of the slope the enormity of
the number of individual graves became apparent. We spent a
while looking and reading some of the inscriptions. What struck
this author most was the proportion of those looked at, that said
'known only to god'.
Then we moved to a garden around whose walls had been
engraved the names of all those who had been killed but not
identified. The party all moved by the experience some more
visibly than others returned to our coach and headed back to the
Hostel.
After dinner we once again boarded the coach and set off to visit
a Scout Group in Caen. I'm not sure if our hosts where aware how
many of us there would be, but we must of have out numbered
them by about four to one, and then only half a dozen or so where
French Scouts or Guides.
After introductions from our French hosts in brilliant English,
it came the turn of our Leader to make our introductions. Having
seen the linguistic skills of our hosts and come to realise the lack
of skills of our Leader the demand from our party went up for a
reply in French. Perhaps wisely our urgings were ignored.
After presentations and drinks everyone started to mingle a
combination of English, French and phrases read from phrase
books led to a convivial evening before time came for us to say
goodbye and return to our Hostel.
Sunday 12th November 2007
Rising early the hostel was a hive of activity as the Explorers
busied themselves stripping beds and sweeping out the
dormitories. After breakfast we took our luggage to the coach and
collected the packed lunches that the Hostel had provided.
Having said our goodbyes and expressed our thanks for a
pleasant stay we headed east and ultimately for home.
Our first destination was Sword beach. We boarded the coach just
as the first rain of the weekend arrived. We now headed inland in
the same general direction that the landing troops would have
done. Our destination was one of the places this author was most
looking forward to from the whole trip.
Pegasus Bridge was taken by Allied Troops landing by glider
in the first hour of 6th June. They then carried out their orders to
'hold until relieved' this relief was the troops coming from the
beaches. Arriving with plenty of time before we were booked in
for a tour of the Museum. We all disembarked from the coach and
crossed the current bridge in the same direction as the Allied
forces had. Our destination now as then was the Cafe on the
other side of the canal which Pegasus Bridge spans.
Your author knew that the Patron of the Cafe was still Madame
Gondree. She was a child during the war when her parents ran
the Cafe. Our coach driver had said that as we were going on a
Sunday there was a chance we would meet her. Crossing the
bridge at the rear of our party, I entered the Cafe into a room the
size of the Lounge in the wardens house at the District Campsite.
The scene that confronted the author saw the majority of our
party in this room looking at the souvenirs and paying for their
purchases. There were other people having a cup of coffee.
When I paid for my own purchases I found myself being served by
Madame Gondree herself.
Madame Gondree then agreed to speak to all of us, we then had
all forty plus of our party including our coach driver, who had
joined us, crammed into this little room. Everybody was quiet and
for how long I cannot say Madame Gondree held the entire party
spell bound recounting her memories of life here on D-day. If
there had been no traffic crossing the bridge and Madame
Gondree hadn't been speaking you could have heard the
proverbial pin drop.
Leaving the cafe we crossed the bridge once more and visited
the landing sites of three gliders. How they landed within a minute
of each other and so close to the bridge is quite amazing.
Entering the museum we had a presentation on D-day and were
shown some of the major exhibits. These included a replica Horsa
glider, parts of the original gliders and the original bridge.
With time marching on we departed Pegasus bridge and headed
to our final stop before the journey home, the British Cemetery at
Ranville. We all decided to lay our poppies on the grave of a fallen
serviceman with our own surname. Some could only find a name
which was similar. Others found someone with more of a link than
just the same name.
After another emotional visit on this trip we returned to our coach
and headed for home. On route we stopped at a service station
and ate the lunches we had been provided. Finally we reached
the Channel Tunnel and crossed back to Folkstone. Being ahead
of our schedule hurried arrangements where made to have the
District Campsite opened and parents notified of our early arrival.
We arrived safely after a thoroughly enjoyable, thought provoking
and memorable trip. Our thanks must go to our Leaders, the
hostel staff and our coach driver for helping to make it so.
