Student Tour Blog

Written by Denver Prevost

Our day began with a brief breaking down the overall vision and obstacles for the Canadians’ D-Day landings. Yesterday, we examined the other allied landings and the ways in which they are commemorated. I felt excited to re-examine the Canadian experience on D-Day, with an enhanced ability to place Canadians and Juno Beach in the larger history and narratives.

As we approached our first stop, St. Aubin-sur-mer, looking out at the expanse of fields, we could see where the 21st Panzer division would have come up the flank. This, combined with the images of the sea walls and obstacles we saw this morning, helped us to better imagine the scale of the task the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment faced on D-Day. While walking from St. Aubin-sur-Mer to Bernières-sur-mer I noticed a plaque dedicated to the Acadian soldiers of the North Shore regiment who fought to liberate “la terre de leurs ancêtres.” This facilitated a rich and meaningful conversation with Brandon about the evolution of memory and narratives of Acadian Canadians in New Brunswick.

Physically standing on the same beaches where Canadians landed, fought and died was surreal. While we all have images and ideas from the collective memory and popular representations of D-Day, I had not anticipated how being there would amplify my mental images of the landings. Feeling the same furious wind and crashing waves as the Canadians here 82 years prior changed me. The connection built from this experience will shape the way I interact with the history of the Canadians in Normandy. 

At Bernières-sur-mer, we learned about several important, though often overlooked, aspects of the Canadian efforts on D-Day and beyond. One of the key questions we were asked to consider is ‘how does one reconstruct these units?’ The dynamics between soldiers matter. We learned how uniformity in training doctrine and Robert Engen’s concept of “swift trust” helped to navigate some of the tensions when reinforcements joined.

Next, we returned to the Canada House, where we had previously participated in a ceremony on the anniversary of D-Day. I was grateful to be able to return here, experiencing this place both as a site of commemoration and as a means to understand the past. I could not help but think, not only of the experiences of the soldiers landing on D-Day, but also those that arrived later. Being here, I could better imagine the sensations of disembarking on these beaches in July 1944. The scope of desolation and death present in July 1944 is something about which I have studied across many sources. I pictured this same land covered with dead bodies and dead animals, and the horrible smell described in all accounts. I imagined how, as Jean Vaillancourt describes, “the men could feel the world as they know it closing from behind them behind the horizon and themselves become engulfed immediately into a prehistory.” (Les Canadiens Errants, 11)

At each of our beach stands today, we learned about different stories of Canadian heroism. We discussed Charlie Martin and how memory can fill post-war gaps in the narratives. We also learned about the incredible feats of Lieutenant Bill Grayson in capturing several objectives under heavy fire. Professor Hayes emphasized how every experience on D-Day was profoundly individual, each person’s experiences shaped by differences in terrain and each of the choices made by the second. Individual experiences were also shaped by the work of units that are seldom represented in the historical narratives. C.O.P.P. units and engineers, for example, were integral to the success of the landings. I was fascinated to learn about how micro reconnaissance, like collecting soil samples ahead of time, was one part of the elaborate planning of the invasion.

At the Juno Beach Centre, we explored their exhibits and saw how memory is shaped by the present. We have recognized this theme of memory in the monuments we have visited, noting the context within which they were created. The Juno Beach Centre does this in a way that centres around inclusivity, which is something I really appreciate. Each room offered a concise view of an aspect or time range during the war, with some interactive and kid-friendly elements.

Our second-to-last stop of the day, the D-Day Academy, was a trip highlight for our group. The academy team proudly showed us their incredible collection of authentic vehicles, weapons, uniforms, and artifacts from the Second World War. They shared in our excitement to see and interact with their items, trying on the uniforms, and touching the weapons. I loved seeing how happy everyone was and the look of childlike wonder on Will’s face looking at and holding all the guns. Our excitement grew as we were called outside to go on a ride in the large truck. We stopped at a monument dedicated to the Regina Rifles and their successful repulsion of German counterattacks near Rots. Our leaders called the actions of the Regina Rifles here one of the most remarkable by a small unit of the Second World War. We then returned, by truck, to the D-Day Academy, where we bid their team goodbye. The bus was stirring with excitement about our experience at the D-Day academy on our way to our last stop of the day; some said it was their favourite activity of the trip so far.

Our last stand, near the Carpiquet airfield, was at a monument dedicated to the North Shore Regiment and their successful thwarting of German counter-attacks. After Professor Sheffield explained the significance of these events and Operation Epsom, Julia presented here about military slang in the Second World War. She covered a range of ciphers, colloquialisms, and codes with their purposes and functions. Julia’s presentation rounded out the range of knowledge we had gained today.

When we returned to Moulin Morin, we spent the evening as a group, talking, enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful scenery.

-Denver Prevost (Nipissing University)