A few weeks ago now – I dashed off to see the Normandy beaches along with the likes of Barack Obama, and the required splash of royalty and policticians. As with all places in Europe that have seen the ravages of war early last century, it is almost unfathamable what had happened. The beach is sandy, the sea tranquil. In fact you can even by a sneaky icecream on top of the dunes.
A far cry to the noise, carnage and fear that was experienced along the coast line in June, 65 years ago. And despite these memories there were veterns in uniform with families and friends. Smiling and chatting in groups. This being said if you watched carefully you could see a moment of sorrow flicker across their face. I can not imagine what it must take to go to war – then or now.
I suspect it is a compulsion rather than anything more calculated that led those people to jump from boats and planes into an armed, and equally as bold and frightened enemy.
War remains such a curiosity for many. While we were there talking to the people who were there, who fought, we met as many people who were playing ‘dress ups’; wearing the kit, sleeping in replica-camps and zooming about in replica cars. It did seem a bit odd to have the fantasy-fancy dress camp together with the real thing. Peculiar.
I am pleased to have been. To have listened to the people who were there.
“It did seem a bit odd to have the fantasy-fancy dress camp together with the real thing.” I couldn’t agree more. There were some who got it right – proper uniforms, level of fitness and way of carrying themselves. There were also many who had partial uniforms (or patches in the wrong spots), beer-bellies or too much gray, and some who simply didn’t act like soldiers. The ones who got it right added to the feeling of “being there”. The others… made it seem like a renaissance faire.
Two who truly impressed me were actually not even 10 years old. Their uniforms were spot on and they looked like soldiers. I wonder, though, sitting here quietly tapping away, if those two boys will be able to avoid the horror that is war….