John Oram's photos with the keyword: Ouistreham

The tug Caen Ouistreham 3 off the starboard side of the Brittany Ferries Normandie, waiting to assist her departure from Ouistreham. TZ30_P1050061

The weather on my visit to Sword Beach began to clear only as we prepared for departure from Ouistreham. The most striking views of the day of these now tranquil sands were from the ferry and reveal nothing of the horror of only 70 years ago. 200_P1020596

Riding at Ouistreham (L'Équitation à Ouistreham) I chose this view from the day's photographs as it encapsulates the contrast between the beach at Ouistreham today and its role as Sword Beach in 1944. 200_P1020599

The Caen Canal (Canal de Caen), Ouistreham. The canal links Caen itself with the sea at the Orne estuary at Ouistreham. 200_P1020594C

The Orne estuary (L'estuaire de l'Orne), Ouistreham. 200_P1020590

The Grand Bunker, Museum of the Atlantic Wall (Le Grand Bunker, le Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique), Ouistreham. 200_P1020588

The weather on my visit to Sword Beach began to clear only as we prepared for departure from Ouistreham. The most striking views of the day of these now tranquil sands were from the ferry. The view across the port car park and vehicle waiting area reveals nothing of the horror of only 70 years ago. 200_P1020587C

The lighthouse at Ouistreham framed by two severely polled trees on a very gloomy afternoon. 200_P1020584

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colleville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. This simple but striking monument 'La Flamme' by Yvonne Guegan is accompanied by stones marking individual casualties in the action here led by Commandant P Kieffer. 200_P1020555_OL

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colleville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. Amongst the several memorials at this site, is a stone erected by the people of Ouistreham marking the joint Anglo-French action led by Commandant P Kieffer. 200_P1020560

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colleville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. Today's beach is peaceful and clean. It is hard to imagine the scenes of only 70 years ago but shocking to see how exposed the liberators were as they disembarked the landing craft. 200_P1020558

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colleville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. An action took place here early on D-Day involving 177 men led by Commandant P Kieffer who is commemorated on this stone. Commandant Kieffer was wounded and initially refused evacuation. He rejoined his unit on 14 June 1944 and later became one of the first of the Free French Forces to enter Paris. 200_P1020554

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. The simple but striking monument 'La Flamme' by Yvonne Guegan is accompanied by stones marking individual casualties in the action here led by Commandant P Kieffer. 200_P1020553

Bad weather and a schedule change disrupted a trip to the Normandy beaches. I had hoped to visit at least three but managed only Sword at Ouistreham and Colleville-Montgomery. The rain fell on golden sand like tears for the fallen. The monuments there and the atmosphere were moving. This plaque commemorates the 177 men who landed here under the command of Commandant P Kieffer in a joint Anglo-French action; several were killed and 33 wounded. 200_P1020552

A view from Ouistreham towards Merville-Franceville-Plage across the Orne estuary. 200_P1020593C