Municipality of Vierville-sur-Mer
Municipal Information - Bulletin No. 3 - December 2003
"http://vierville.free.fr"
Editorial
Six months after what many Normans consider "the last great appointment" with the veterans who landed on our beaches on June 6, 1944 (and the following weeks), many private, associative, municipal, intermunicipal, departmental and regional initiatives are born; everyone is committed to welcoming our liberators as well as possible, or even to leave their mark on these historical commemorations...
These men and women who came from so far away to liberate our country and who will return in 2004 to gather on the graves of their comrades who fell on our beaches deserve this tribute.
However, let us strive to keep it readable in the midst of an abundance of parties, ceremonies, receptions; sometimes, too much is the enemy of the best. And how to finance all these festivities?
For its part, the City Council will remain faithful to its principle of offering veterans a caring welcome for ceremonies where they will be, we hope, surrounded by all the warmth of our fellow citizens. During these hours of recollection, our thoughts will also go to the civilian victims and the resistance fighters who paid with their lives for the return of peace.
As important as this appointment is, we must continue to think and prepare for the future of our village. During 2004, a reflection process currently underway with the Regional Directorate of the Environment will take place on the merits of classifying part of the Vierville site, the future basis for a revision of the Land Use Plan. This essential tool for managing space must promote the emergence of private initiatives in the tourism field, the only hope of economic activity for our coastline.
These two approaches, classification of the site and revision of the Land Use Plan, will allow the residents of Vierville to express themselves on these development proposals. I invite you now to participate in the consultations that will be offered to you in 2004 and 2005.
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Pre-project of the municipal commemorative festivities
January 27, 2004 at 8:30 p.m., Salle Communale, with Ouest-France and Radio-France-Bleue-Normandie-Caen,
Vigil of remembrance (open to all). Hosted by a historian and a journalist, this vigil should allow the inhabitants of Vierville and neighboring municipalities to bring to the younger generations a testimony about their daily life at the time of the Liberation.
June 3 to June 9
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- Bedford Avenue (VA), historical reconstruction of an American military camp.
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- Center of the village, exhibition of military equipment of the time, from the different belligerent countries.
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- Communal Room, exhibition of 160 models.
- Old schools, Militaria Exchange on June 3, then exhibition of models (1/35), some sailing on a body of water in the courtyard.
To be confirmed, June 5 in the evening Ceremony at the Monument of the National Guard, followed by a fireworks display.
June 6 in the morning Ceremony at the Monument of the 29th Division.
June 12 afternoon "My village tells itself", from occupation to liberation.
evening Concert of the Dallas Choir (USA)
An appeal is therefore made to the elders of Vierville to testify on January 27 and June 12,
To young people and children to take an active part in the ceremony of June 5 and in the reception of veterans of the 29ème,
To all to help in the preparation of these events, and to boast of tricolor colors throughout this week.
Do not hesitate to contact us at the town hall, thank you very much in advance.
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Safety: Reminder of some rules of caution
Météo-France broadcasts warning bulletins when it predicts storms, heavy rain or snowfall, thunderstorms...
Everyone is invited to take this into account by respecting some basic rules of caution and especially in high wind:
- bring inside objects that may be taken away
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- Close doors, windows, shutters
- cancel any trip to sea
- do not drive boulevard de Cauvigny if the sea has invaded it
- do not touch electrical and telephone wires that have fallen to the ground
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- Avoid leaving home during the storm
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Practical information Town hall: Opening hours: Monday and Friday 10:30-12:00 Tel.: 02.31.22.42.66 Fax: 02.31.21.38.57 La Poste: Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mail up from Monday to Friday at 4:30 p.m., And on Saturday at 11:30 am. Party room: capacity 100 people, information at the City Hall. Cult: mass in Trévières on Sunday at 10:30 am Christmas: December 24, 7:30 p.m. in Trévières, December 25, 10:30 am in Vierville Firefighters: Tel. 18 Gendarmerie: Tel. 17, or 02 31 22 51 03, SAMU: Tel. 15 Diste disposal: The Port-en-Bessin waste disposal facility is open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., closed on Thursday. These schedules could be modified later (display in town hall). Other waste disposal facilities are available in the West of Bessin. Information in City Hall which issues the essential access card. |
Tennis Club Viervillais: an outdoor court open all year round from 8am to 10pm. Information: Multi-Service Grocery Tel. 02 31 51 08 05 Household Waste: From September 15 to June 15, removal early on Tuesday morning. Waste sorting and recycling Containers are at your disposal, rue de la Chasse aux Prix, for glasses, paper and plastic and metallic packaging. Take care to respect the sorting, because sorting errors result in additional costs charged to our taxes. In addition, make sure not to deposit household waste on the space reserved for containers. Library It is open to all on Mondays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the City Hall. The secretariat will take the registrations. Vierville-St-Laurent Hunting Society Contact: René LENOURICHEL 02.31.22.40.27 |
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Sanitation The lagoon treatment plant was inaugurated on June 27. A large number of properties have already been connected. It is essential to ensure the proper functioning of the whole, but also to try to obtain the A classification of our bathing waters, that all the houses located in the collective sanitation area are so for next spring. The Municipalities of the Community of Trévières have completed their zoning plan; the Community Council now wishing to intervene for all the Municipalities, the "sanitation" competence will be transferred to the Community on 1er January 2004. On a technical level, nothing will change and your interlocutor will remain the SOAF (02 31 39 87 95). On the administrative level, you will now have to contact the Communauté de Communes de Trévières. |
Viervillais Educational Leisure Contact: Georgette RACINE, tel. 02.31.22.40.83 - From September to June, manual activities every Tuesday from 2pm to 5pm - December 6, at the old schools, Telethon, Point Don from 10 a.m. and afternoon scrable from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. - On December 13 and 14, participation in the Christmas Market with the Maison des Associations, at the Manoir de Douville. The Friends of the Beach Contact: Danielle GUILLOTTE, tel. 02 31 22 60 41 In 2004, the Association plans to organize a St-Jean fire, a popular ball followed by a fireworks display for July 14, a fair to all in August, a New Year's Eve on December 31. Old Combatants Contact: Henri Guédon, tel. 02.31.22.49.83 - D.Day Omaha Museum open from 1er April to November 11 and at the request of groups, off-season Contact: Mr. Brissard - Tel.: 02.31.21.71.80 - Fax: 02.31.21.71.80. Website: http://www.dday-omaha.com/ Email: dday-omaha@day-omaha.com |
A little history of Vierville: The church of Vierville was destroyed during the landing
On June 6 in the early afternoon, the Americans occupied the center of Vierville with a few hundred infantrymen, without heavy weapons or vehicles. Their leader, Colonel Canham (of the 116th Regiment) was isolated, controlling only 200 men from the 1st Battalion and 500 Rangers. He had no radio connections, neither with the beach nor with ships at sea. General Cota (of the 29th Division) had left on foot to the beach by road, in search of his other landed units.
It was in the midst of this confusion that the church was bombed. She had not been affected during the bombing of the coast just before the landings, and at that time she did not worry anyone in Vierville. None of the Americans who were there thought that the bell tower could house Germans.
Nevertheless, at 1:50 p.m., a helmsman of the LCI 538, then off the coast of Omaha Beach, sent an optical message to the destroyer "Harding" who was crossing in front of Vierville looking for targets. No ship had any radio links with troops ashore.
"According to information from the observation teams on land, we believe that the bell tower is an artillery observatory. Can you destroy it?"
"Harding"'s answer: "Which church is it?"
"Vierville" replied the LCI 538
"Don't you want to talk about Colleville?"
"Colonel Houston (??) Said no"
The "Harding" insisted: "Where do you get this information?"
Answer: "From Colonel Houston"
The "Harding" reported the request to the Command of the Advanced Observers of the O Force. He responded 5 minutes later, granting permission to shoot at the church for 1 minute, indicating that no more than 1 minute of ammunition should be devoted to it.
The "Harding" operation report notes, "At 2:13 p.m., opened fire at 3200 yards (2900m) and completely demolished the church, used 40 shots (of 127mm), all to the goal."
As for whether all the blows were to the goal, it is certain that the church received many shells (except the choir, it was completely destroyed, the bell tower shot down on the nave). The neighboring presbytery received several shells in its roof, and the Colliers house, 100m ahead, was also destroyed.
On the Viervillais side, we have preserved the memories of Jeanne Coliboeuf (refugee with her husband and children in the cellar of her accommodation, the Vierville station), reported by Michel Hardelay: "Jeanne heard the ringing of the bells when they fell with the bell tower arrow and said to her husband (Louis Coliboeuf was a field guard, in charge of ringing the bells): "You will not have to ring the Angelus and probably those to come for a long time".
The destroyed church, in 1945
The USS "Harding" in front of Vierville on June 6, 44
A few days later, on June 9, Michel Hardelay told:
"Shortly after the end of our lunch we heard the bom-bom near a heavy machine gun. I got on my bike and went to see what was going on.
The gravedigger was digging a grave for the husband of the postwoman (dead on June 7 in the bombing of the crossroads by the Germans) that was to be brought back in the late afternoon when a bullet whistled in his ears and crashed on the bottom of the almost-finished grave. According to the impact, the blow could only come from the top of the bell tower staircase. Father Hélène, who did not want this tomb to be his, jumped out of the hole and warned the Americans.
They sent a half-track on the spot, and he pulled (with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun) through the thin slits illuminating the staircase. I was assured that then a black man had climbed the tower...and had killed or completed the German who was supposed to be there since Wednesday evening (June 7), having come with the enemy counterattack and being in charge of informing his people about the movements of the U.S. units. But it was not the last German hidden in the commune. Indeed, on July 6, a German, tired of waiting for the return of his people and also having finished the provisions accumulated in his cache, came out of it, located in the current campsite and went to a black man in charge of handling a balloon."
In the early 1950s, the bell tower was rebuilt identically, because it was classified. The nave was also rebuilt but its vault, originally from the 14thth century, was simply rebuilt in a cradle.
The bell tower rooster before it is put back in place. Will a Viervillais tell us the name of the person who presents him??
Activities of the Municipal Council
June 20, 2003
Tariff for concessions and occupations of the municipal domain, numbering in Pavée Street, future of the wreckage on the beach (this dangerous wreck, which was not a vestige of the Landing, was removed in November 2003), reinforcement of the BT power grid of the "Beach" post, 60th anniversary of the landing, Operation "Grands Sites", wind turbine project, "taxibus" project, provision of the communal hall.
September 9, 2003
Financing of a CCAS housing, development project of the town center under the Pôle contract, 60th Anniversary of the landing, purchase of a used tractor for the safety boat on the beach.
October 22, 2003
As part of the Pôle Contract, Vierville proposes a project to improve the village in its main East-West crossing.
Household waste: Accession to the SIROM after dissolution of the SITSMB, 60th anniversary of the landing, Operation "Large sites"
19 November 2003
Presentation by DIREN of the national classification project of the Omaha Beach site (Operation Grands Sites)
Hotels-Restaurants
Casino Hotel:
Tel.: 02.31.22.41.02 - Fax: 02.31.22.41.12
Hôtel de la Pie qui Tète: Tel.: 02.31.22.40.09
Restaurants
La Plage d'Or, Brewery: Tel.: 02.31.22.40.30
Crêpe shop: Tel.: 02.31.22.44.47
Camping: Mr. and Mrs. Chitel, Tel.: 02.31.22.41.73
Gîtes, Bed and Breakfast, Furnished: according to the list available at the City Hall.
Shops:
Grocery store, bread deposit: Episervice, M. GODARD -
Pavée Street - Tel.: 02.31.51.08.05
Buchery-charcuterie: M. LEMAROIS -
Paved Street - Tel.: 02.31.22.40.07
Garage / service station / breakdown: Mr. and Mrs. GICQUIAU - Route de Port-en-Bessin -
Tel.: 02.31.22.40.18
Bazar de la Plage d'Or (beach and fishing articles, souvenirs, press): Mr. and Mrs. HAMEL - 14, bd de Cauvigny - Tel.: 02.31.22.40.30
OMAHA-BEACH BEDFORD Association (VA)
For the year 2004, as part of the 60th anniversary of the Landing, the Association has planned on June 7 in St-Laurent a free lunch and snack for all those who witnessed the Landing or the Liberation of their associated municipalities. If you wish to participate, make yourself known either at the City Hall or directly with our Association. People who lived in these municipalities in June 44 and who now live elsewhere are also invited.
From June 5 to June 8, 2004, the Association will receive a delegation from Bedford.
Some young Americans with their French teachers will join this visit (they will then visit Paris from June 8 to 11, and the Bayeux region from June 14 to 20). They will participate with young English (from Ivybridge), Germans (from Altena) and French (from Bayeux) in the various events of the Remembrance.
As in previous years, please let the Association know if some of you could welcome a couple or a single person.
To join this association, contact: Philippe YGOUF. Phone: 02 31 21 30 98 Fax: 02 31 22 25 49.
E/mail: philippe.ygouf@laposte.net
Cadastre
You can now consult and print extracts from the cadastral plan of Vierville sur Mer on the General Council's website: "www.cg14.fr"
Communal Center for Social Action
1 - Santa's usual supplier has decided to change his toy ordering system which has forced us, with regret, to abandon the small catalogs offered each year.
For this Christmas 2003, children will be invited to discover their surprise gift on Saturday, December 20, at 3:30 p.m., at the Communal Hall.
2 - The elders of the village will be received in this same room on Sunday, January 25 to shoot the Kings.
3 - one of the CCAS housing located on rue du Hamel aux Prêtres requires improvement work. It was decided to expand and completely renovate it. This project funded under the OPAH has received support from the Commune.
RECALL: Planned housing improvement assistance: OPAH
An OPAH is currently underway, which aims to help people wishing to improve the comfort of their home in terms of heating, sanitary, insulation, waterproofing.
This operation, which began on 1er January 2001, ended on 31 December 2003. Those who want to take advantage of it must urgently make themselves known to the Intercom office in Trévières
OPAH permanence in Trévières every Tuesday morning, 10:30 a.m. / 12:00 p.m. (Tel. 02 31 92 78 70).
News from the Intercom
- The Maison de la Communauté will be completed in Formigny in February 2004. It will also house the Maison des Associations, the Sainissements Cell and the Tourist Office.
- A new Topoguide is in preparation. It will present about fifteen loop hikes, commented and marked, including one on the territory of Vierville and Louvières.
- The construction of the Colleville nautical base has been postponed by 1 year. Summer antennas are still being considered in St-Laurent and Vierville.
D-Day Omaha Association
Safeguarding and promoting the historical heritage of the Second World War
Contact: Mr. Brissard - Tel.: 02.31.21.71.80 -
The Association is currently pursuing the project to present walkways to Vierville from the former American port of 1944, in a private grasslage along Bedford Avenue (VA).
This presentation supported by the Mayor and members of the City Council received the favorable opinion of the competent administrations and the Architect of the Buildings of France. Nevertheless, some Viervillais expressing their opposition to the choice of the site, submitted a petition to the town hall.