British D-Day Beaches Airbrushed by French Tourism Chiefs

[ORAC]

D-Day heroes wiped off the map by the French: Veterans' fury after tourism chiefs ignore Sword Beach in promotional campaign (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2336615/D-Day-heroes-wiped-map-French-Veterans-fury-tourism-chiefs-ignore-Sword-Beach-promotional-campaign.html?ito=feeds-newsxml)

It was the scene of some of D-Day’s fiercest fighting, where almost 700 brave British troops were killed or wounded. Exactly 69 years ago today - June 6 1944 - courageous UK forces went ashore at Sword Beach into a ferocious barrage from German guns.

But on the anniversary of the Normandy landings, as thousands congregate on the coast to remember the selfless Allied sacrifice, veterans are furious their role in history is being airbrushed by money-grabbing French tourism chiefs........

[rjtjrt]

Whilst I can understand the feeling, I am not sure the Daily Mail is totally unbiased in its handling of this.
I was just reflecting the other day at how totally impressed I was how ordinary men and women of the towns that host the WWI battle sites and graveyards behave as custodians of that history. Towns in France and Belgium that show such tender respect for the fallen, and the families of those who fought and now make pilgrimages.
I have nothing but gratitude for those folk, and suspect the average men and women in France and other European countries show the same respect for the fallen and returned servicemen of WWII.
John

[Heathrow Harry]

Synthetic headline...........

Possibly taken off the tourist trail as its now very much a suburb???

[Archimedes]

I regularly go over there with Staff Ri... sorry, sorry, Ex: We Are Not Allowed To Call Them Staff Rides Anymore, and rjtjrt is correct. The French do take this very seriously, as a quick shufti at the story reveals.

The Mail is running a story which is, in fact, about two months old - the locals have been all over this, at DEFCON Prepare to Launch Tractors on Paris, since the middle of April, as a search on google will demonstrate.

When the idea gets kicked into touch, I daresay that this will be another of those 'victory for the Daily Mail' headlines, when the hard work will in fact have been done as a result of protests by the locals, who appear - unless they work for the tourist board - to be vehemently against it...

[Wander00]

We recently went to the commemoration of 70th anniversary of a Lancaster that was shot down in 1943 - whole village turned out, band, school choir - whole thing prdicaterd on gratitude of the French for Liberation. Very touching

[Pontius Navigator]

And this is news? Topical may be but news, no. It was in the papers back in April I think but trust the Mail.

[SASless]

Fitting we still remember the courage of ALL who landed on the beaches that day.

The Omaha Beach losses are staggering to contemplate....2500 Dead in one Day. Some units took 95% Casualties in less than 15 minutes.

Hand Salute to all who served!

[Jayand]

rtjjrt, the majority do, however the inhabitants of Caen still have quite a bad memory of their liberation and whilst I'm sure they are glad to be free from German occupation they have a somewhat skewed view of us brits and Canadians.

[thetimesreader84]

I was in Caen a few weeks ago, there were plenty of leaflets for battlefield tours, plenty of official town guides featuring the D-Day beaches, events, etc, in French and English.

None in German though... :}

[racedo]

Lt. Billie D. Harris Tribute (http://www.354thpmfg.com/BillieDHarris_part1.html)

I was in Normandy just before D-Day last year when at US Cemetery I was told the story of this guy and his grave. He has been honoured for many years even though his wife took 60 years to find out what really happened.

I have posted on here before about it as guide told us about it and the lady visiting each year and would have been there the following day.

It was a rainy day and just as well as seemingly many people seemed to suffer from precipitation from the eyes.

[glad rag]

Hand Salute to all who served! :yuk:

I DELIBERATELY avoided your quote of casualty figures as I would not wish to defame those men who gave their lives in La grande libération...you just go on digging that deep hole for yourself...

..EVERYTHING you post on here distorts facts and figures to match your own twisted perceived viewpoint and it's become B O R I N G.