Pondful of Fish

A garden pond at feeding time.

Sent by Paul Needham

Goldfish, famous painting by Henri Matisse

Apples Galore

Norman apples

Sent by Francesca Bostock,
South Manche

New D-Day monument at Utah Beach

On Saturday, 27 September 2008, a new D-Day monument will be unveiled at Utah Beach. The ceremony begins at 14:30 near the Utah Beach museum.

The Naval Order of the United States has made it possible to honour 1,068 sailors killed in action and the significant role the Navy played in the success of the greatest amphibious operation in history.

More than 60 monuments and markers in Normandy commemorate the service and sacrifices of all American and Allied services except the U.S. Navy. The 2,000-member Naval Order’s all volunteer organisation raised more than $500,000 from the private sector to erect a tribute that is long overdue.

L’Ordre Naval des Etats-Unis érige un monument dédié à la Marine Américaine, à Utah Beach Normandie. Ce Monument, le seul dédié à l'U.S. Navy dans le monde, commémore la participation de la Marine dans ce qui fut la plus grande opération amphibie de l’Histoire.

Le sculpteur américain Steven Spears a crée un monument avec 3 symboles forts : le commandant, les marins et les unités de combat (les bataillons en charge de nettoyer la plage). Ces trois unités travaillaient dans une même direction avec un objectif unique, libérer la France et l’Europe.

Cette statue de 4,50 m de haut est située sur une base qui a la forme d'un pentagone dont chaque coté rappelle les 5 différentes plages. Les noms de tous les bateaux qui ont pris part à l'opération Overlord sont gravés de façon à ce que toutes les familles de vétérans puissent toucher les noms des bateaux sur lesquels naviguaient leurs pères ou grand-pères.

Sent by Séverine LETOURNEUR,
Musée d’Utah Beach

Read more in the September Rendezvous and at www.normandymonument.org

My Chickens

Speckled hen and white hen... read in the October Rendezvous what happened when chickens ran into a Normandy gite just as it was being inspected for inclusion in a famous travel guide series.

Sent by Francesca Bostock,
Manche

Autumn colours

I took this photo at 'la butte aux cerfs' aka 'green park', Normandy.

Josh Holmes age 16

Dragonfly Beach

Here is one of a dragonfly... there were literally thousands of them scuttling across the sand on the beach... It must be either mating season or migration season. This one stopped for a breather and I snapped him/her.

Sent by Francesca Bostock,
Sourdeval, South Manche

Arromanches: playing on the beach

Children playing among the remains of the British Mulberry harbour at Arromanches on the last day of the Summer holidays. Isn't it what the D-Day sacrifices were all about?