Normandy relics and musuems report

From: Nigel Hay (Nigel@milweb.net)
Date: Mon Aug 25 2003 - 13:44:55 PDT


A friend and I spent an hour this weekend or so "scratching" for relics in
the ditches and hedgerows at the narrow ford near St Lambert Sur Dives where
thousands of German troops tried to escape in the Corridor of death (Falaise
Gap) in late August 1944.
Even 59 years on, in a place well known to collectors and amateur
archaeologists we found signal cartridges, ammunition, leather straps, large
and small pieces of shrapnel and melted glass, remains of radio batteries
and burnt tyre pieces.

We then visited the museum at Falaise - which looks promising but is now too
dingy and dusty and though has some interesting relics they are not in very
good condition. There is a very nice Horch command car though. The Panzer
IV on loan appears to be all up and together and undamaged. There is a very
"as found" 88 mm artillery piece outside with a fairly sorry looking DUKW,
inside is a fully restored 88 however. Shame cos with a bit of money this
important museum could be a very good visitor attraction.Other vehicles
include a Kettenkrad - minus its tracks engine and most of the bits to make
it look like the real thing, a halftack, Dodge and some motorbikes.
However, dont avoid the museum on my sayso -it is just a little tired and
dated.
By contrast the excellent and brand new museum at St Martin des Besaces (
just off the A84 at exit 41) is an audio visual presentation of the fighting
for this seemimngly non descript Normandy village that played such a vital
part in the breakout fighting in 1944. it has many personal anecdotes from
the men who fough there and a very clever panoramic and interactive model
that guides you through the battle. It takes the visitor through the 11th
Armoured Divisions "lucky break" when by pure chance 5 soldiers discovered a
hitherto unknown lane and bridge that allowed them through the German
lines - known to this day as "Bridge of the Bulls" after the 11th Armoured
Divisions insignia.

If you are making a trip to Normandy - put it on your itinery. Its only open
between June and September but it ranks as one of the best.

Nige



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