Memory associations — history and documents

In its edition of May 7, 2010, La Renaissance du Bessin presented the relaunch of the Association of Alumni of the Vierville School. A new office wanted to extend the meetings hitherto devoted to students who attended school before 1950, by opening them in the period 1950–1970.

The president, Isabelle Guilbert-Watel, recalled that the school then regularly welcomed more than fifty children from Vierville and neighboring municipalities. Two classes, divided into several levels, covered the schooling of the CP to the certificate of studies. The legend said that the modern school had been rebuilt after the war on a new location and had functioned until the 1980s.

The association announced an annual meeting. That of 2010 was to take place on July 9 in the form of a picnic at the Vaumicel.

The board brought together Isabelle Guilbert-Watel as president, Antoine de Bellaigue as treasury and Michèle Françoise-Anger as secretariat. The contribution was set at ten euros. The cut then indicated 02 31 22 42 10 and the section "École primaire Vierville-sur-Mer" of the Copains d'avant website for information.

Fifty former students of the municipal school, attended between 1950 and its closure in 1988, met for a happy day. Good weather, laughter and childhood memories accompanied the meeting.

Jacques Héleine, the last teacher, had excellent memories of his former students. In particular, he wanted other people who were educated between 1975 and 1988 to join the reunion in the following years. The article reports with humor that a participant would have come with his former nanny.

Fifty former students of the municipal school, attended between 1950 and its closure in 1988, met for a happy day. Good weather, laughter and childhood memories accompanied the meeting.

Jacques Héleine, the last teacher, had excellent memories of his former students. In particular, he wanted other people who were educated between 1975 and 1988 to join the reunion in the following years. The article reports with humor that a participant would have come with his former nanny.

Relaunched a few weeks earlier, the Vierville Primary School Alumni Association organized its first reunion on a Sunday. About sixty former schoolchildren were present. Some had kept in touch; others saw each other for the first time in a long time and exchanged many memories.

President Isabelle Guilbert-Watel was pleased with the result of her research to find the participants. A new class photography has joined the collection. The meeting was to be renewed every year.

After the weekend of the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Landing, hundreds of collectors of vehicles, equipment and military uniforms remained in the area until Wednesday. British, Americans, Belgians and French met in Vierville-sur-Mer for a military scholarship.

The MVCG, Military Vehicle Conservation Group, organizer of the Sunday parade in Bayeux, had installed this exchange under the hangars and around the agricultural buildings of the Laronche farm. The entrance cost fifteen francs. Mechanical parts, accessories, clothing and badges from all over the world were bought, sold or exchanged. The enthusiasts explained that these transactions also made it possible to finance their trips. Many left by jeep, GMC or vintage motorcycle, after a last pass along Omaha.

A box gave the floor to "Titus", who came from the Paris region as during the birthdays of 1989 and 1994. With his friends, dressed as gendarmes, he had been refused at the Bayeux parade. The group, independent of the organizing association, nevertheless claimed the authenticity of its approach. He owned a Traction and a Citroën U23 truck, presented as vehicles taken back from the Germans by the FFI.

Titus insisted on the difference between wearing a historical uniform and dressing up. He criticized anachronistic or carelessly reconstituted outfits, jeans in fashion shows and modern equipment added to vehicles. According to him, wanting to represent history meant going to the end of the requirement of fidelity. The photograph of the purse showed him with his comrades in Navy uniforms, after their gendarmes uniforms.

One Wednesday in the late afternoon, a detachment of the 76th Infantry Regiment came to pay tribute to the dead of the two wars in front of the church of Vierville. The young soldiers of contingent 76-04 stood on guard while their commander, Captain Ego, laid a wreath in front of the memorial plaque. The mayor, Mr. de Bellaigue de Bughas, the municipal councilors, Abbé Tourquetil and the flag of the veterans of the municipality were present.

After this brief ceremony, the conscripts had to go to the Pointe du Hoc before returning for a wine of honor offered by the municipality. Sheaves were deposited simultaneously at the monuments to the dead of Saint-Laurent and Colleville.

The veterans of Vierville held their general assembly at the town hall on a Saturday. President Guy Campserveux recalled historical events from the months of March 1976 to 1996, then the assembly observed a minute of silence for the dead French.

The secretary returned to the arrival of Guy Campserveux as president on October 27, 1995, on the distinctions and activities of the association, then presented a positive financial balance sheet. The amended statutes provided for a renewable council of six members per third, supplemented by rules of procedure. Jean-Paul Ygouf became deputy secretary; René Lenourichel and Alphonse Palmieri entered as members.

The municipality was lending the party room for an Indo-Chinese meal scheduled for Saturday, July 20. Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant, honorary president, specified that the municipality would offer the friendship drink of November 11, while that of May 8 would be supported by the association. The legend indicates a reduced participation in the assembly.

Created in September 2010 by Carol Duval and Tenno Dogger, passionate about the history of the Second World War and Operation Overlord, the Deep Respect association was preparing the reception of veterans from June 4 to 11, for the 67th anniversary of the Landing. It had 25 members and honorary members of French, Belgian and Dutch. Tenno Dogger was the president and Carol Duval the secretary.

The association wanted to preserve and transmit the memory of the fighters by laying plaques, restoring monuments or burials, depositing flowers and transmitting individual stories. She also offered to help veterans and their families make their wishes come true. Schools in the region could participate and sponsor projects.

Three American veterans were expected: Charles N. Shay, Steve Kellman and David A. Nelson, all presented as having landed in Omaha on June 6, 1944. They were to be joined by four British: Eric L. J. Rackham, Richard Morrison, Robert Rome and Cyril G. Banks.

On Sunday, June 5, with the Passerelles d'Omaha, a reception was scheduled at 11 a.m. in Grandcamp-Maisy by Mayor Serge Bigot and Deputy Jean-Marc Lefranc, followed by ceremonies at the monuments F. Peregory and Ranger. At 2:15 p.m., the veterans were to arrive by jeep at the Vierville museum, where Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant would welcome them for a meeting with the public. At 5:30 p.m., at the U.S. National Guard monument, David Nelson was to receive the Legion of Honor and the veterans of the diplomas of Honorary Citizens.

On Monday, June 6, the program announced an inauguration at Pointe du Hoc at 10:30 a.m., a ceremony in Hermanville at 3 p.m., then a ceremony with deposit of wreaths and Souvenir medals in Vierville at 6 p.m. On Wednesday, June 8 at 11 a.m., a plaque dedicated to the crews of British minesweepers was to be inaugurated at the Arromanches circular cinema, with an English school, the general councilor Jean-Pierre Richard, the cinema director Jean-Claude Lefranc and Léon Gautier, veteran of the Kieffer commando.

The contacts published were 02 31 51 93 12 and 02 31 10 03 53; the annual membership was set at €20.

For the sixty-seventh anniversary of the Landing, the Deep Respect association welcomed American and British veterans around the ceremonies of June 6. David A. Nelson, who landed at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 at the age of twenty-seven, was to participate and receive the insignia of the Legion of Honor of Admiral Brac de la Perrière, during a ceremony organized by Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant.

Aged ninety-four and never returned to France, he had finally declined the invitation, fearing too much emotion. His son then warned those responsible for the association of the rapid deterioration of his health.

They left immediately for Florida and were able to give him his decoration before his death at the end of July. The badges and certificate were to be officially given to his son by the French consulate in New York, at the annual meeting of Big Red One veterans in Buffalo. The cut was published on August 12, 2011.

The members of Deep Respect and Marie-Christine Costy, president of the Gateways of Omaha, received a Monday evening the veteran Eric L. J. Rackhman to present the commemorations scheduled for June 2 to 9. Founded by Tenno Dogger and Carole Duval, the association intended to preserve and transmit the memory of Operation Overlord fighters, by working throughout the year with their families.

Born in London on May 22, 1925, Eric Rackhman voluntarily joined the British army at the age of eighteen. Present off Arromanches on June 6, 1944, he had landed on the 7th and remained about five weeks as a DUKW driver, to transport the equipment until the completion of the artificial port.

For the 68th anniversary, five British veterans were announced: Cyril G. Banks, of the 18th MSF, HMS Ready, Royal Navy; Eric J. L. Rackhman, of the DUKW Force, Royal Army Service Corps; Leslie Dobinson, of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, Royal Air Force; Edwin Jeffrey, radio-telegraphist of the Royal Navy; and Albert Figg, attached in the newspaper to the 43rd Welsh Division.

Four Americans were also expected: Charles N. Shay, of the 1st Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion; Jack Port, of the 4th Infantry Division, 12th Infantry Regiment, company E; Bernard Dargols, of the 2nd Infantry Division; and Donald J. Robertson, of the 29th Infantry Division, 175th Infantry Regiment, company M.

The program began on Saturday, June 2 with the arrival and reception of veterans. On Sunday 3 at 2:30 p.m., the Gateways of Omaha and the Mayor of Vierville were to receive them before a jeep ride. At 3 p.m., a public meeting at the party hall combined 1940s music, films, photographs, book signings and small catering. A visit to the Vierville Museum was scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

On Monday 4 at 2:30 p.m., a recollection in front of the ashes of a US Navy veteran, in the presence of his daughter, was announced at the U.S. National Guard monument. At 5:30 p.m., a ceremony was to inaugurate a new Rangers monument in Grandcamp-Maisy. On June 3 and 4, the Gateways of Omaha also offered a passage from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at a rate of €3 per vehicle and €1 per pedestrian.

On Wednesday, June 6, the British were to participate in the Bayeux and Ranville ceremonies, the Americans in those of the Colleville-sur-Mer and Utah Beach cemetery. In Vierville, a ceremony was announced at 6 p.m. at the Monument of the 29th Division, with Donald J. Robertson, presented as landed on June 6. At 6:30 p.m., a plaque dedicated to RAF technicians was to be inaugurated in front of the monument of the American National Guard, before a wine of honor offered by the municipality at 7:15 p.m. at the party hall.

On Thursday 7 at 4 p.m. a guided tour with veterans, museums and a barbecue at the Bénédictines farm in Grandcamp-Maisy were planned. On Friday 8 at 4 p.m., the lime kilns of Aignerville were to host the inauguration of a plaque in memory of the civilians sheltered during the bombings of June 6 to 9, 1944 and the soldiers of the 2nd American Infantry Division.

The coordinates published for Deep Respect were 02 31 51 93 12 and 02 31 10 03 53; the announced annual membership cost €20. This program and information are those of the article dated Tuesday, May 29, 2012.

The D Day Omaha association had managed to land five walkways of the artificial port of Omaha. On Monday, May 24, the Cadel company used a crane with a capacity of seventy tons to place these twenty-ton elements on their supports, to the nearest centimeter. Concrete pillars kept them two meters from the ground.

Michel Brissard and a group of friends had carried this construction site. He compared the whole to a giant mechanic: the elements were precisely adjusted while maintaining their flexibility. He said he admired their design and the state of steel after sixty years.

A Navy blue treatment and painting were to allow a conservation of at least half a century, provided that maintenance was maintained every seven years. The cost of the product, more than three hundred euros per pot, was emphasized. The floor, consisting of metal plates of two hundred and fifty kilograms each, was to arrive within the following week and be installed.

The objective was an identical reassembly. Some footbridges still bore their place of manufacture in England or Scotland, as well as the "Colleville" destination engraved in steel. Exhausted by months of work, Michel Brissard planned to continue until the inauguration of June 9.

A party was planned with a concert, projection on a giant screen, fireworks and the passage of an amphibious vehicle designated as a "Duck", as well as other vintage vehicles, on the walkways. A second photograph recalled that a dozen volunteers had been working daily on their assembly for a month.

In its edition of September 21, 2012, La Renaissance du Bessin reports a day of maintenance of the Omaha walkways, organized on Sunday of Heritage Days on the initiative of Deep Respect with the Gateways of Omaha. About twenty French, English, Dutch and Icelandic volunteers worked with a brush and brush. Veteran Eric L. J. Rackham accompanied them, especially for painting the 3,000 bolts.

The article places these bridges in the history of the artificial port of 1944. It describes dikes consisting of sunken cargo ships and concrete boxes, as well as Whale floating roads connecting the beach to the docks. After the destruction of the facilities by a storm, barges, self-propelled pontoons and amphibious trucks provided the shuttle between the cargo ships and the shore. The newspaper attributes to the traffic of certain days of the summer more than 24,000 people, 3,500 vehicles and 15,000 tons of supplies. He mentions all the port operations over the six months of 1944.

Michel Brissard had found walkways in the Equipment's depots. Their transfer was accompanied by conditions: not to sell them or scrap them, and to put them on the market in the municipality where they had served. He had organized their return by exceptional convoys to reconstitute on land a portion of the floating roads, near the remains of fortifications and memorials.

A member of the association regretted the low participation of the inhabitants of Vierville and the surrounding area and invited them to join these friendly construction sites. Other maintenance days were to be scheduled, and the general meeting was announced for Saturday, December 1. The published contact was President Marie-Christine Costy, at 02 50 27 91 01. An archive photograph showed the construction site of the west footbridge on June 17, 1944.

In its edition of September 21, 2012, La Renaissance du Bessin reports a day of maintenance of the Omaha walkways, organized on Sunday of Heritage Days on the initiative of Deep Respect with the Gateways of Omaha. About twenty French, English, Dutch and Icelandic volunteers worked with a brush and brush. Veteran Eric L. J. Rackham accompanied them, especially for painting the 3,000 bolts.

The article places these bridges in the history of the artificial port of 1944. It describes dikes consisting of sunken cargo ships and concrete boxes, as well as Whale floating roads connecting the beach to the docks. After the destruction of the facilities by a storm, barges, self-propelled pontoons and amphibious trucks provided the shuttle between the cargo ships and the shore. The newspaper attributes to the traffic of certain days of the summer more than 24,000 people, 3,500 vehicles and 15,000 tons of supplies. He mentions all the port operations over the six months of 1944.

Michel Brissard had found walkways in the Equipment's depots. Their transfer was accompanied by conditions: not to sell them or scrap them, and to put them on the market in the municipality where they had served. He had organized their return by exceptional convoys to reconstitute on land a portion of the floating roads, near the remains of fortifications and memorials.

A member of the association regretted the low participation of the inhabitants of Vierville and the surrounding area and invited them to join these friendly construction sites. Other maintenance days were to be scheduled, and the general meeting was announced for Saturday, December 1. The published contact was President Marie-Christine Costy, at 02 50 27 91 01. An archive photograph showed the construction site of the west footbridge on June 17, 1944.

The Passerelles d'Omaha held their general assembly on a Saturday morning at the town hall, in the presence of Mayor Antoine de Bellaigue and municipal councilors. Before the annual review, President Marie-Christine Costy and the members observed a minute of recollection for Michel Brissard, who died on November 24.

The article recalls his action to save floating landing bridges, found in a DDE depot in Indre-et-Loire and threatened with reinforcement. He had brought them back to Vierville, facing Omaha. Five bridges had been reconstituted on the site for the sixtieth anniversary, June 6, 2004. The cut indicates that they had been stored since 1944; this precision belongs to the story it reports.

Antoine de Bellaigue announced the holding in the municipality of the national ceremony organized by the Landing Committee for the sixty-ninth anniversary. On this occasion, the association wanted to reconstitute a camp on the neighboring land and propose a picnic on June 8.

The members requested the administrative support of the town hall to obtain the classification of the footbridges. Antoine and Fabien, the sons of the deceased, were particularly keen on this recognition in tribute to their father. An explanatory panel was also desired.

For 2013, the association was considering a New Year's Eve and a lottery. Several weekends were to be devoted to cleaning and repainting the walkways to prepare for their tenth anniversary in 2014.

The Passerelles d'Omaha held their general assembly on a Saturday morning at the town hall, in the presence of Mayor Antoine de Bellaigue and municipal councilors. Before the annual review, President Marie-Christine Costy and the members observed a minute of recollection for Michel Brissard, who died on November 24.

The article recalls his action to save floating landing bridges, found in a DDE depot in Indre-et-Loire and threatened with reinforcement. He had brought them back to Vierville, facing Omaha. Five bridges had been reconstituted on the site for the sixtieth anniversary, June 6, 2004. The cut indicates that they had been stored since 1944; this precision belongs to the story it reports.

Antoine de Bellaigue announced the holding in the municipality of the national ceremony organized by the Landing Committee for the sixty-ninth anniversary. On this occasion, the association wanted to reconstitute a camp on the neighboring land and propose a picnic on June 8.

The members requested the administrative support of the town hall to obtain the classification of the footbridges. Antoine and Fabien, the sons of the deceased, were particularly keen on this recognition in tribute to their father. An explanatory panel was also desired.

For 2013, the association was considering a New Year's Eve and a lottery. Several weekends were to be devoted to cleaning and repainting the walkways to prepare for their tenth anniversary in 2014.

A cut dedicated to Vertou's collectors of antique military vehicles presented their trip to Vierville to commemorate the Landing. On June 6, CVMA members went to Normandy with eight vehicles. Their president Jean-Claude Mallet had offered a case of muscadet Sèvre and Maine to Mr. Hauserman, owner of the Château de Vierville, to thank him for his welcome.

The article recalled that the property, after being occupied by the Germans, had housed General Bradley's headquarters from June 6 to July 21, 1944. He mentioned several hundred restored vehicles and English, German, Belgian, Dutch, Canadian and Scottish participants. Uniforms and land or air vehicles allowed the public to discover this period. A parade in Bayeux closed the day, dated June 6, 1999 in the text.

François Salmon, former reserve commander and member of the association, explained the objective: to recover the military equipment from 1939–1945, preserve it, reconstitute it and restore it to working order to transmit memory. A former non-commissioned officer he had known during the Algerian war had invited him to join the group.

About thirty members regularly participated in commemorations. She had paraded and exhibited her vehicles for the ten years of the squadron escort Maillé-Brézé. A trip to Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier was announced for the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment. The collections were presented at the CVMA headquarters, rue de la Maladrie in Vertou.