Anzac Day

G'day you lot,

just a short note from Normandy.

Months ago we saw a program on television of an old Australian Air Force veteran visiting the village in France where he and some of his bomber crew were hidden from German capture by the villagers and given assistance to escape after being shot down.
After some research I found a group of Australian airmen's graves in a cemetery not far from where we would be staying and decided that it would be good to visit on ANZAC Day and pay homage to these aircrew who died and were buried so far from home.

St Desir War Cemetery, Normandy

Pilot Officer  J.T.N. Frost
R.A.A.F
20-8-1944
Age: 22

Flight Sergeant E.H. Gunders
R.AA.F.
15-8-1943
Age: 22

Flight Sergeant E.Harrison
R.A.A.F.
11-11-1943
Age: 32

Pilot Officer M.A. Line
R.A.A.F.
11-11-1943
Age 26

Warrant Officer L.L. Mc Kenny
R.A.A.F.
15-8-43
Age: 24

Flying Officer A.H. Reardon
R.A.A.F.
15-8-1943
Age: 34

St. Desir War Cemetery

German Section, St Desir.


Hoo-roo, Possums,
Shane.

Fair stood the wind for France

Shane at airport

G'day Possums,

originally from the Elizabethan poet Michael Drayton and used as the title for H.E. Bates’ 1944 book of a British bomber pilot escaping occupied France "Fair Stood the Wind for France" seemed a suitable title, particularly as we have planned a sort of reverse "invasion " from Paris through Normandy to Brittany .              

Melbourne 

Looking bleary after 20 hours

Fight art, Qatar Air

I thought finding an image of  Warrnambool's ,"The Twelve Apostles" as part of the Qatar flight's decor  an interestingly ecumenical choice of pretty landscape....  the flight itself uneventful in its tedious length, save for the "Creche Chorus" of the three infant amigos who made valiant efforts at group yodelling for many hours. 

Then Mrs Wombat and I re-found a slightly lesser confusion in directions at CDG than previously but after waiting 11/2 hours for our luggage to carousel we were happy to be training (with what seemed like half of Africa) our way to the delightful "Chrystal Palace" of  Port Royal's architecture. 

Paris accommodation.

Marshal Ney: Francois Rude

Standing at its steps we could see we were only 200 metres from our accommodation, so with a nod of "Bonjour, Marechal," to the sculpture of General Ney we were soon settled, showered, changed and coffee'd and on our way back around the corner to "Bullier" for Onion Soup, a beautifully cooked shin of Lamb (Thyme, Rosemary and Honey) and some silky Norman Oysters (to tempt for further into the trip)  and lovely wine.

Good conversation with three patrons at the next table , too... and then we sat there, just sat looking ...imbibing. 

We're in Paris, again.

Hoo-roo Petals,

Shane.