From: Convoy Magazine (convoymagazine@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Apr 28 2004 - 19:31:05 PDT
MORE- Actually, having read the whole thing, it leaves
a few questions unanswered- still Bravo to him!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The “D-day Association” is rebuilding a part of the
artificial port at Vieville sur mer in a field not far
from the sea. Five sections of the bridging have been
reassembled by a dozen volunteers. The restoration
will be complete in time for the June ceremonies and
will be on display just a few hundred metres from
where in 1944 they helped in getting Allied supplies
ashore.
They look great, says Michel Brissard with a big smile
brightening his face. It’s a smile that gets bigger
with each passing day as the project progresses. This
enthusiast has achieved his dream of rebuilding part
of the artificial port at Vierville in a field offered
by another individual Jean-Paul Hauserman, just a few
hundred metres from where they were originally located
in 1944. To enable the landing of vehicles and
equipment, the Americans built an artificial harbour.
Three roadways made up of floating bridge sections
enable the unloading of the trucks.
Of the 37 sections placed in 1944, each weighing
between 25 and 40 tons, Michel Brissard recovered 20
some three years ago. This was when the idea for his
project was born. “The first problem was to recover
all the pieces. More than 40 trucks were required.
Then I had to find people to help with the cleaning
and assembling.” So he created the D-Day Omaha
Associaiton, the name of his museum located at
Vierville.
FIVE SECTIONS WHOLE
Soon people were coming from all over the region,
inspired by the idea of rebuilding a small part of the
monument that had been the artificial port, the
biggest in Normandy, and which in a few months of its
operation had enabled the landing of huge amounts of
men and materiel for the Allied offensive.
“First of all, we have to get rid of the rust, and
then apply a special product (rust inhibiter??)
supplied by a sponsor <<<note typical use of English
word here- in proper french its “commanditaire>>> of
our association. Then we assemble the pieces like a
Meccano set. Its amazing to see the ingenuity of these
sections built in Scotland and northern
England..everything’s easily replaceable- modular”
Five sections have been rebuilt. Cement bases will be
poured and the section placed on top as if floating
above the ground “I negotiated with EDF <<electrical
authority in France??>> for lighting” Michel Brissard
has some other plans as well to highlight the site. It
will not be accessible to visitors, but its close to
the road and easily visible at no charge. “Its not
really part of the museum, its like a memorial, a
symbolic reminder of what once existed”
It site will be inaugurated on June 9th an Michel
Brissard plans to make it a big celebration with a
concert, a show, and a giant screen projection for all
those who helped in his project and who believed.
CHEERS
Marc
Convoy and LGA
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat May 07 2005 - 20:29:38 PDT