The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

After yesterday's successful Tour challenge we were both exhausted probably due to the excitement and the prolonged roadside exposure to the intense heat (34 degrees).

We went for a drive towards the WWII beaches and experienced the storm force gales at Gold Beach at Arromanches les Baines where some of the British forces landed in 1944. I don't think we have ever experienced anything like that sort of storm force gale - I wondered if it was like that all the time and had been in 1944.

Earlier though we visited the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer which overlooks Omaha Beach.

This is no doubt this picture is what could be considered a stereotypical picture but it's very difficult not to be deeply moved by all the white crosses and stars of David headstones.

It must be so emotional for Americans to travel all the way here to locate their loved ones final resting place. It must be heartbreaking for those who never make it.

There are 9,387 burials of which 307 remain unidentified. I tried to take shots which showed the names of the soldiers or the phrase indicating that the soldier who was buried below's identity was "known only to God".

The stone at the front here is that of Private Raymond Ward.

All these young men who died thousands of miles from home within days of landing in Europe.

There is a German cemetery in Normandy and I often wondered what German tourists felt when they saw this, that is if they did, and how they were treated by the French now.