Student Tour Blog

Written by Hannah Stack

Since I first found out that I was lucky enough to be selected for this tour, the days around D-Day have been marked on my calendar. Today (June 8th), we explored the area around the beaches, starting our morning at Omaha Beach.

Before recapping our day, I want to reflect on yesterday, and more specifically our experience at the Abbey d’Ardennes, which has had a profound impact on me. The 12 of us were fortunate enough to participate in the ceremony, and it was also where I delivered my second presentation, focusing on the murders that took place in the garden. After researching these events before the trip and then experiencing the ceremony firsthand, I found myself quite emotional. It was a heavy reminder that the Allies were not only fighting an opposing army, but also a radically different ideology that viewed human life as expendable. That thought stayed with me as we explored Omaha Beach today.

We began the day with a talk about Omaha Beach. Like most of the group, I had seen it portrayed in Saving Private Ryan, but standing on the beach makes it all feel so real. Even with the sun shining, people out enjoying the day, and a burger restaurant opening for business, it is still easy to picture what happened there.

After spending time on the beach, we made our way to the American cemetery. Through conversations with Julia and Brandon, we immediately noticed how different the space felt compared to the Commonwealth cemeteries we have become so accustomed to visiting. The crosses stand in perfect rows with minimal flower beds, the trees are trimmed symmetrically, a grand statue overlooks the graves, the large inscriptions are engraved in gold, and the central section reminded me of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. I found it very thought-provoking to compare the different ways nations choose to honour their fallen.

This was a stark contrast to the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, which we visited later in the day. Although we laughed about how strange it is to have a “favourite cemetery,” many of us agreed that this might be ours. The flowers were in full bloom, visitors could climb a tower overlooking the rows of graves, the sun was shining, and there were many personal tokens left behind, including Canadian coins and photographs of fallen soldiers. Throughout the trip, I have been consistently in awe by how beautifully maintained the Commonwealth cemeteries are.

In addition to visiting the “lads that had fallen,” we toured the Mulberry Harbour, the D-Day Museum in town, and the British Normandy Memorial. Between stops, we chatted, sang songs, and laughed. Even though we have only known each other for just over a week, I am incredibly grateful to be experiencing these moments with such wonderful people!

-Hannah Stack (Queen’s University)