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David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > D-Day +65 Normandy: A Personal Journey photo
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Batterie du Longues
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > D-Day +65 Normandy: A Personal Journey photo
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Beyond these are, tangled woods surrounded by yellow ropes strung between red signs "Danger Entre Interdit Munitions Non EclatÚe" (undetonated explosives).
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Vimy: Canadians in WW 1 photo
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > The Grange tunnel. Part of a vast maze of tunnels built to protect the soldiers from the "toxic" open fields. Eighty two years ago on this ridge, on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917 there was no peace, no leaves, no grass, no memorial, only ceaseless noise, unending mud (tilled by countless artillery shells) swallowing the bodies of thousands of nameless men. Four divisions -one hundred thousand Canadians- men and boys, many as young as sixteen, fought together for the first time as a distinct army corps. Here 20,000 soldiers, marching behind a "creeping artillery barrage" from 1079 guns rose out of their tunnels and trenches and launched into the north-west wind that swept the devastated countryside with sleet, snow and machine gun fire. Three days later they emerged, having accomplished what the French, with one hundred and fifty thousand casualties over three years had failed, to achieve. They had taken Vimy Ridge. Of the 10,602 casualties, 3,598 were young Canadians. They would never in the words of John McCrae, "feel dawn or see sunset glow" again. Many claim that this battle marked the end of our country's adolescence. This was the place where we earned the right to play at war with the bigger, older boys. In recognition, the French government gave the land to Canada and has recognised it as Canadian soil. When I read this I thought: so now we own a piece of French real estate, the price, only sixty six thousand Canadian lives, a bargain at the time. I put my hand on some of the names engraved on the monument, the ones whose bodies disappeared in the mud without a trace, and felt chagrin replace my earlier feelings of pride. Pride would have meant I had a right to glory in the suffering, pain, the fear and death of these Canadians who willingly or not, lost their lives defending their King and his British empire.
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Behind the memorial the battlefield has been preserved. The mud is gone. The trenches are lined with cement "sand bags." The tunnels and the great craters, some more than thirty metres across, named after Canadian cities (Montreal, Winnipeg) are now covered in grass.
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Sheep are used to crop the grass as it is too dangerous for humans to do it.
David Cale (ImagesOfTheJourney) > Finally there was Omaha Beach the place of the most savage fighting of D-Day and above it the huge American cemetery with over 9000 American dead. Row, upon row, upon row, of white crosses including General Theodore Rosevelt Jr. who died because he insisted on landing with his men on D-Day. The narrative is continued below. View Map
D-Day +65 Normandy: A Personal Journey photo
See photo in original gallery.
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This site and my photography business have developed from a passion for wonder, for wandering and for story telling. In the past few years I have traveled to more than 700 cities and places in pursuit of wonders from which come my stories and photographs.

IMAGES OF THE JOURNEY PHOTOGRAPHY


High quality photographs that capture the essence of exotic travel which will bring that blank wall in your office or home to life. Photo gifts, calendars, clothing, are also available.
We are located about 20km (12mi) NW of the Toronto International Airport in the city of Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
My services include travel photojournalism, political or commercial event photography (no weddings).If you are in the home decorating business then call for wholesale pricing. Images or stories on this site may not be used for personal or commercial use without written permission or purchase from this site.
NOTE Many charitable or non profit organizations (NGOs) will be eligible to use these photos, or my services for NO FEE (expenses only) Contact me at david@imagesofthejourney.com or 416-890-0740.

copyright 1996-2009 David Cale [Images Of The Journey Photography] All Rights Reserved