Wargaming Your Way Across Europe

Final Thoughts, Normandy Museums,
Bibliography, and Shopping Notes

by Charley Elsden

"It was a damned near run thing."

    --Wellington on Waterloo

As you can see, it was quite a trip. I'm still thinking about what I saw, reading, watching, or listening to some of what I brought back, and talking with others about my experiences. There is plenty to see and do Over There, if you want to go see for yourself. Although Bill said we saw much more than they did on the previous trip, I can consider all that we did only a preliminary reconaissance! After all, there's still Dunkirk, and Dieppe, and...

What the school group of children think about this history, as they make their way around the museum at Caen doing their book reports, I can't say. But I don't think the Europeans will be forgetting anytime soon. Not with all that is there to remind them-and us--about what happened. And more each year. Peace to us all.

"On the road again! Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway. We're the best of friends,
Considering that the world keeps turning our way, And our way is on the road again.
I just can't wait to get on the road again. Seeing things that we may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again!"

    --Willie Nelson

Travel is one of the best things in my life. On this trip I logged my 19th country, and I've been around the States quite a bit as well. While there are a few places I would avoid, Western Europe is certainly not one of them. The combination of a specialized itinerary, the ease of movement and flexibility with a small group, and organized tour services turned out to be quite a winner on this trip. Bill's responsiveness to our suggestions both before and during the trip, plus last minute decisions that had to be made along the way (we had to triage and miss Chartres Cathedral due to a massive traffic jam) also made it great fun.

All you need to travel is time, money, and health. I hope I have some of each of these when Bill gets the WWII Eastern Europe tour together in a few years (Prague-Helsinki-St. Petersburg-Moscow-Borodino-Stalingrand-Crimea?) Only time will tell exactly what our schedule will be. Join us if you can. Now its time for me to go rewatch my copy of The Longest Day, so I can say "Yep, they got that scene right-that's the real place." Happy Trails on your own journeys!

APPENDIX: MUSEUMS ON THE NORMANDY COAST

For those who don't usually travel, but might want to know what is over there to see, here is a list just of local museums in Normandy, from a reduced price discount flyer: Musee du General LeClerc-Alencon * Musee deo la Seconde Guerre Mondial-Avranches * Musee du Debarquement-Arromanches * Musee Radar-Douavres * Batterie D"Azeville * Arromanches 360 Cinema * Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie-Bauyeux Musee du General de Gaulle-Bayeux * Musee Memorial de Caen * Musee de la Liberation-Cherbourg * Musee de Rangers-Grandcamp Maisy * Batterie de Longues sur Mer * Musee de la Batterie Merville-Franceville * Musee de la Liberte-Quineville Memorial Pegasus-Ranville * Musee du Debarquement-Sainte Marie du Mont * Musee Airborne-Sainte Mere Eglise * Musee Memeorial d'Omaha Beach-St. Laurent sur Mer Musee de la Percee du Bocage-Sainte Martin des Besaces * Musee de la Bataille de Tilly-Tilly sur Seulles * Musee American Gold Beach-Ver sur Mer* Musee D. Day OmahaVerville. Additional sites suggested by the guide books includes: Musee de Mur de I'Atlantique-Oustreham * Musee de Debarquement Sword No. 4 Commando-Oustreham * Colleville-Montgomery Fortifications Hillman-Ouistreham * Musee de Epaves SousMarin du Debarquement-Escure * Crisbecq Battery-Sainte Marcouf * Musee Juin 44Place Fulbert de Beina. * Musee Aout 44-Falaise. Most of these are small museums that you can see in an hour. There is also much more to see in Normandy away from the invasion area, especially for the Medieval architecture enthusiast.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SHOPPING NOTES

I have not included the many local exhibit pamplets and maps you can only obtain by visiting the sites; they are many and varied. There is almost no specialty wargaming equipment available in the general gift shops, unless you want Solido 25mm vehicles, which are made in France. Books and more general items are available in quantity. Inexpensive plastic 54mm figures are also once again appearing, mostly from the BMC company. Here is what I picked up, besides general souvenirs like T-shirts and caps. A fun item for children of all ages is the reproduction US Airborne cricket. "One click (snap) is to be answered by two clicks (snap, snap)."

Books and Publications

1. The Second World War

Bernage, Georges The D-Dav Landinq Beaches: The Guide (Heimdal, 2001) ISBN 284048-137-5
Buffetaut, Yves Militaire Magazine: Le Grand Bataille de la Second Guerre Mondial No 39: "La Bataille des Ardennes" (Histoire & Collections)
Bunker Eperlecques (Official Guide in English/German)
Gaudez, Rene and Champillon, Herve A Tour of Normandy English Edition (Editions Quest-France) ISBN 2-7373-1718-5
Quellien, Jean The Landinq Beaches (Editions Le Memorial de Cane, 2003). ISBN 2914230-60-5
Tolhurst, Michael Bastoane: Battle of the Bulqe Battleground Europe Series (Leo Cooper/Pen and Sword Books 2001) ISBN 0-850-52-798-8
Vliegen, Rene Fort Eben Emael (Official Guidebook, 1993 Fort Eben Emael www forteben-email.com)
Historical Map: D-Day/J-Jour 1944 & The Battle of Normandy (Le Memorial de Caen)
Historical Map: Formation Badges Europe 1944-45 (OREP Editions)

(Pre-trip research)
Ambrose, Stephen D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II (Touchstone, 1994) ISBN 0-671-67334-3
Citizen Soldiers: The US Army From The Normandy Beaches To The Bulge To The Surrender of Germany June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945 (Touchstone, 1997) ISBN 0-684-81525-7

2. Other Periods
Baueux Tapestry Complete Reproduction 1/7 in English (Edition Ville de Bayeux, 2002)
Haythornthwaite, Philip Uniforms of Waterloo (Arms and Armour, 1974) ISBN 1-85409394-0
Hibbert, Christopher The Marlboroughs: John and Sara Churchill 1650-1744 (Penguin, 2001) ISBN 0-14-028493-1
Masi, Stephano Art and History: Rome and The Vatican (Special Edition For The New Milennium) (Casa Editrice Bonechi, 2000)
Weller, Jac Wellington at Waterloo (Greenhill, 1992/1967) ISBN 1-85367-339-0

Music On CD
"Oh! Its A Lovely War: Songs and Sketches of The Great War 1914-1918" Vol. 1 (CD41*001) There are currently 4 volumes.
"Songs That Won The War: 50 Wartime Favorites: 50th Anniversary Edition (Prism Leisure Corp 1994) World War II music hall and cabaret style.

Videotape
"William The Conqueror: A Destiny For Normandy and England" (la golette, 26 min.) "Ypres: Battle of 1917" British Battle Series

Hobby Items Acquired and Newly Available at SALUTE 2003
Boardgame: WATERLOO; NAPOLEON'S LAST BATTLE, Alexander S. Berg (Richard Berg); Phalanx.Fantasy Flight 2003, $39.95) An enhanced Eurogame; plays in a few hours with only 20-30 pieces a side. I'm currently organizing a mini-tournament at my club.
English Civil War Gaming Scenarios For Use With Any ECW System by Steven Maggs (Partizan Press/Caiver Books)

Wargaming Your Way Across Europe 2003: A Tour Commentary

Back to MWAN # 125 Table of Contents
Back to MWAN List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum
This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com