War time memoribilia

As you may have picked up, In October last year Mrs Z and I had a break by the coast down near Admiral Drax (who'd have thought our favourite Admiral lived by the sea ?!?).

Any way, one of the street names in Salcombe caught my eye:

So, whilst the crowds whiled away their late summer break cruising the grockle traps of South Devon, I and my helpful friends (who are actually no help at all and just wanted to go back to the beach and chase sticks floating on the waves) had a closer look. 

As Brits, we get a bit precious about WW2 in general.  But the facts speak for themselves.  The US Army, regardless of all other considerations, had over 70 Divisions in the field in NW Europe by the end of the war.  We are proud of our part thoughout the war, but let's not forget Mr Churchill's words on hearing that the USA had joined the war.  We as a nation arn't that good at giving credit for USA's achievements in WW2. 

If you are a visiting American and were wondering where to go on your European vacation, the southern coast of Britian and Normandy coast of France are studded with memorials like this, mostly too small for internet mentions of their own.  There is a small Woodland Trust place near here where the ancient woodland has a B17 shaped stand of newer (now fully mature) trees.  There is a recovered Sherman hulk guarding the beach at Slapton, near where Admiral Drax lives.  South of there, across the wet bit there is a memorial at Piriac Sur Mer to another 8th Air Force crew. Europe is studded with memorials like this, if you can one or two and get your eye in, they become easier to spot.  If you actually visit Normandy, it becomes apparent that this seemly idylic stretch of coastline was at one time where tens of thousands of men met their deaths.  A sobering thought.