War Cemeteries, some pictures I wish to share

[maple_leaf_eh]

Some troops get involved in crime.

A friend of mine who has been the longtime archivist for the Canadian Military Engineer Association told a story about an inquiry he received. It seems an Engineer died in Holland and the family didn't know why. So he researched. Well, he was shot dead by military police after attempting to rape a Dutch civilian. How do you tell the family? So, he hedged the story that the MPs were involved, the honour of civilian was involved, there was no enemy action, and the soldier had died relating to the woman's honour.

(If you are reading this story for the first time and know what I am talkng about - story for breaking the news.)

[Robert Bergeron]

gents,

I am going to France and Holland end of April and early May for VE Day celebrations. Could you tell me what are in your opinion the essential not to miss and have to visit Canadian sites in France and Holland please ?

I do not have that much time so i will have to choose.

Thank-you very much.

Robert

[Alex van de Wetering]

Robert,

Well "not to miss" is a personal thing, I guess. I would say Bernieres-sur-Mer and the Falaise/Vimoutiers (Tiger 1 as monument) area in Normandy. The huge bunkers near Calais (Wissant, Cap griz nez, cap blanc nez), Scheldt area in Belgium/Holland and in Holland maybe Holten, Rijssen, Nijverdal.

Alex

[Jes Andersen]

Alex, Thank you for posting these pictures. I was fortunate to have visited many of those places with a group of my friends several years ago. It was, a most humbling experience to say the least. On behalf of a friend, I located the resting place of one of the Regina Rifles, who was captured and executed. According to my friend, no one from her family had ever visited his grave and I was the first. Sad, that it should have taken so many years for us to come to visit him. RIP John Sawatzky, Regina Rifles, Beny-Sur-Mer Cemetary.

Lest We Forget

[Robert Bergeron]

Thank-you Alex,

In the past , I have mostly visited battlefields because of my Staff College studies, this time i will concentrate on cemetaries and your pictures convinced me. Thanks for the good work.

I am particularly interested in the one in Bretteville sur Laize commune de Cintheaux. A good friend of mine from the Legion has his father buried there. Soldat Donati from le Régiment de la Chaudière..

As i am myself a former member of Le Régiment de la Chaudiere i owe it to my friend Réal ( Donati ) to pay a visit.

But i have never visited Holland before so it is a bit intimidating for me . I do not know were to start . That's why i was asking. I think i will stick to Holten and then go back another year just to visit Holland . it is a must.

Best regards.

Robert

[Jon Skagfeld]

Robert:

From the Bretteville-sur Laize cemetery, an experienced guide can point out the position of Radley-Waters tank troop vice the Northhamptonshire Yeomanry both of whom claim the kill. I know you also have an interest in the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment. If you wish to pursue this I'd suggest you beg, borrow, buy Norm Christie's "Battlefield Mysteries", Episode 1 named "Who killed Michael Wittman?". Then you can decide which force blew Wittman's tank apart.(Hint: Radley-Waters was 400 yds away, the Yeomanry were 1200 yds away.)

WRT the Chauds, at Juno Beach there is an upright plaque showing a Platoon of Chauds leaving from the beach down a road. Then there is shown the same picture from the same location in modern times. A perfect Then and Now vignette.

I'd highly recommend a tour guide by bus. Driving a rental, unless you have a good navigator with you, will drive you nuts. Besides, some items of interest are very much out of the way, known only to locals and tour guides.

Bonne chance!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

But i have never visited Holland before so it is a bit intimidating for me . I do not know were to start . That's why i was asking. I think i will stick to Holten and then go back another year just to visit Holland . it is a must.

Robert,

Take a look at traces of war, AFAIK the most comprehensive listing of what can be seen in the Netherlands.
Let me know the dates when you are over and we'll try to meet up. As for cemetaries, I would put Groesbeek in the list. There is a museum there too, as well as museums and cemetaries in Arnhem/Oosterbeek and Overloon.

Hanno

[Robert Bergeron]

Jon and Hanno,

Thanks very much for your help.

Jon ,my interest for the Sherbrooke's stems from the fact that i am originaly from Sherbrooke and that i knew David Fowlis son of Sgt Harry Fowlis from the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regt. David and i were scouts together . His father commanded a Sherman in the action around and against the famous German officer . We played with a Luger pistol that was requisitioned from a certain SS Panzer Officer . My Grand father , my father and i were members of '' Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke'' the militia unit , not the wartime Tank regiment whose traditions are perpetuated by the Sherbrooke Hussars , also a fine militia unit.

I will be driving and navigating. I love to get lost and ask directions from the Normans . I usualy ended up drunk a few hours later on Calvados after the request in a nice bed over a shop or Café. Once you tell them or they notice by your accent that you are a French Canadian you are done. I remember meeting a particular older lady that was younger in Normandy in ' 44. She had me as a guest for three days and two nights for free . I was very gratefull so i plowed her large garden and tended her yard . People remember what our fathers and grandfathers did for them.

Hanno, thanks for the invitation. Send me a PM with your private email and we will start from there. Is it reasonable to think driving from Bretteville to Holland , tour, celebrate and be back in Paris to board my plane all in one week ?

Tally-ho as Montgomery must of said sometime to '' his'' beloved '' canadians ''

Robert

[Alex van de Wetering]

Le Paradis war Cemetery (France)

The place where 97 Royal Norfolks were massacred in 1940.

Alex