Thought I’d start off a new thread specifically for this topic which has started to develop on the Madingley thread.
I found this on the International Herald Tribune site
“They’re going to seal off Arromanches on June 5,” said Patrick Lerebour, who runs a souvenir shop in the town. “They haven’t told us what time yet.” Security will be so stringent, he said, that the mayor of Arromanches will have to drive to Caen, 45 minutes away, to board a special bus that will carry him back and get him into the event.
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For local people, the 60th anniversary is shaping up as a boon and a bother. Hoteliers in Arromanches broke into howls of laughter when asked whether rooms were still available for the D-Day weekend. “We’ve been fully booked for 2 or 3 years,” said Lénaîc Durand, owner of the Hotel de la Marine facing the Arromanches shore. But Lerebour, who presided in his souvenir shop during the 40th and 50th anniversaries, worries that there will be fewer tourists this time because so many officials are coming – “far too many.”
Moggy
By: allan125 - 29th May 2004 at 15:06
Allan, if we make it to B11 I’ll certainly do a picture or two for you. No problem.
Moggy
Hi Moggy – Many thanks, 🙂 I hope you are successful. Enjoy your trip anyway – it will be a humbling experience with the veterans. I am looking forward to meeting Vic Murphy tomorrow. I have just been speaking to my father and I told him about the Stele at B.11 – so he would love to see a photo if possible. thousands visit the gun battery every year and very few know that an ALG operated nearby. I recently sent him the 2004 update of “The Big Show” by Clostermann – I have the 12/6d 1954 edition that Dad bought whilst we were living in France at A.A.F.C.E. Fontainebleau. I have just printed out a few photo’s of Dad taken in 1944 which I am taking with me tonight – I have also made a scan copy of his Eisenhower “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade etc.” leaflets handed out in their thousands which funnily enough I saw someone had for sale on e-bay a few weeks ago as a rare document and they wanted £93 for it !!! Like his France/Belgium & Luxembourg/Holland and Germany booklets – which are inscribed with his route – I wouldn’t part with them for anything. cheers – Allan 🙂
By: Moggy C - 29th May 2004 at 12:22
Moggy
Are you going over in a civvy vehicle or military one?
Mrs Moggy’s diesel Citroen (65mpg and the fuel is 2/3rds the price of unleaded over there)
The Ferret, at 9mpg on leaded, and also not of the period would be a bit over the top I fear. (It’s still for sale)
Allan, if we make it to B11 I’ll certainly do a picture or two for you. No problem.
Moggy
By: allan125 - 29th May 2004 at 08:07
Stele at B.11 – Pierre Clostermann
If anybody gets to the Stele ceremony at B.11 I would be grateful for a photo please? 🙂 I was there last year for the 59th anniversary of my father arriving at B.11 as I reckoned that this year would just be too crowded with Politicos etc.
A friend of mine from Canada is still awaiting his official pass to the events, and he arrives in the UK on Monday before moving over to France later in the week. His brother (Frank Clark) died in a collision with the 127 RCAF Wings Wing Leader Lloyd Chadburn on 13 June. Dave’s website is on http://www3.sympatico.ca/angels_eight/ and he has written a superb book on the Normandy air campaign “Angels Eight”
Not aviation related but attached is a photo of my daughters at the nearby Le Chaos gun battery at Longues last year, which was about 250 metres from B.11. 🙂
By: skypilot62 - 28th May 2004 at 18:01
Moggy
Are you going over in a civvy vehicle or military one?
By: Moggy C - 28th May 2004 at 16:13
Wish I knew.
We’ve got a tent, but nowhere booked.
Moggy
By: Jasonp51d - 28th May 2004 at 15:43
Where are you staying Jason?
Moggy
Am staying in a tent at a campsite (Camping Portland) near Port en Bessin.
Where are you staying??
VBR
Jason
By: Arabella-Cox - 28th May 2004 at 15:15
The sheer hassle factor of so many puffed-up politicos throwing their weight around is the reason why I’m staying firmly in the UK for this anniversary. It would have been nice to pay my respects at an appropriate site on the right date but I feel I can do that any time, and then it won’t be jammed with tourists and politicians who besmirch the memory of those who fought by turning up and pretending to care.
My thoughts exactly, which is why I have already been over twice in the last 18 months but will be sticking to Blighty and Duxford next weekend.
By: Moggy C - 28th May 2004 at 15:13
Where are you staying Jason?
Moggy
By: Jasonp51d - 28th May 2004 at 14:16
It certainly will be a highlight – I have always wanted to meet Pierre Closterman and have re-read his book many times.
However it clashes I think with para-drop and flying display at St Mere Eglise and events at Pegasus bridge (seems an awful lot of good stuff going on the afternoon of the 5th).
Difficult to choose what to do although with the restictions it may be able to get anywhere.
6th seems confined to the lage interbational ceremonies where no doubt the security will be frightful as jammed packed with politicians climbing on the bandwagon.
VBR
Jason
By: Moggy C - 28th May 2004 at 13:45
Here’s a highlight. At Longues Sur Mer
– Inauguration of a stele to B 11 runway in the presence of Pierre CLOSTERMANN followed by the inauguration of a street named after him (4 pm)
Moggy
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May 28, 2004 at 12:56 pm