Sunday 26 May 2013

Assignment 5: The Normandy Landings

Grandcamp-Maisy, Lower Normandy, France

HDR Study of propeller, outside one of the displays at "musée Airborne"

"Uxbridge Remembers" silk flowers and pebbles on Juno Beach

Mulberry harbours along the coastline

Mulberry harbours along the coastline

Mulberry harbours along the coastline

Poppies

Detail of  ships at one of the pathways to Juno Beach


Hanger display at "musée Airborne"

Juno Beach Centre

Detail inside hanger at "musée Airborne"

Juno Beach Centre, commemorating the fallen Canadian soldiers

Model Spitfire WWII, Juno Beach centre

Normandy American Cemetery, view from the visitor's centre looking out to sea

"The Spirit of American Youth" memorial at the Normandy American Cemetery, overlooking the graves of those fallen in battle.

Detail of the D-Day landings at the American Cemetery

Mosaic on the ceiling of the memorial chapel at the Normandy American Cemetery depicting America blessing her sons as they go into battle 

Detail of the ceiling of the memorial chapel

Normandy American Cemetery

Tribute to the unknown fallen soldier

 Normandy American Cemetery

Normandy American Cemetery

Visitor's Centre, American Cemetery, east of St. Laurent-sur-Mer.

Beach, Normandy

Mannequin representing Private John M Steele, who famously survived the assault on Sainte-Mère-Église by pretending to be dead while hanging from his parachute trapped in one of the church's spires.

WW2 reenactors. I found them quite distasteful, however the did create a photo opportunity!

Mulberry Harbours along the Normandy coastline used to offload cargo on to the beaches

One of the displays at the Airborne museum, evoking some of the scenes the villager of Sainte-Mère-Église would have witnessed on D-Day, many US paratroopers attempting to land were caught in trees and were shot dead by the German forces before being able to cut themselves loose.


Entrance to "musée Airborne" in the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, showing the Church of St Mary in the background.

Omaha Beach, view from the beach

Stained glass windows in the Church of St Mary, Sainte-Mère-Église honouring the paratroopers, many of whom lost their lives in freeing the village on the night before D-Day

Omaha Beach memorial, details of engravings on the masonry.

Omaha Beach memorial, taken on the move

Details of National Guard Association of the United States memorial at Vierville-sur-Mer

Details of the National Guard Association of the United States memorial at Vierville-sur-Mer


National Guard Association of the United States memorial at Vierville-sur-Mer

"They have come back" One of the stained glass windows in the Church of St Mary, Sainte-Mère-Église commemorating the 25th anniversary of D-Day.