King Kareoke
Striker
The Balanced View said:It's called the Menin Gates.
after the slovenia v Norway match in Arnhem in Euro 2000 me and my mates paid a visit to the war museum there. Fascinating stuff.
As we were pushed for time 3 of us had to leave to catch the ferry but the other 3of my mates were pushing onto amsterdam so they stayed to have a look around the cemetary.
I spoke with them when we all got together again after the torunament and they said that there was a special Jewish part of the cemetary that left them fighting back tears.
Arnhem was the scene of some ferocious and of course famous fighting and although I cant remmeber the whoel story the allies suffered a lot of casualties.
As I said on the first page my Great Uncle also died on HMS Hood. He is still very much in my family's thoughts even to this day. I believe they found Hood in the icy waters off Iceland.
I think fate dealt a hand in sealing the final resting place of The Bismarck. It nearly made it home...but not quite. The bismarck survivors said that they didnt realise the enormity of what they had done until they staretd to be huinted by what appeared to be half the Royal Navy.
elation at sinking Hood gave way to a sober thought that they might not make it home...and so it proved.
RIP.
Arnhem was one of the disasters - lost a hell of a lot of men when apparently intelligence had suggested there was a tiger division waiting. It was inferred that there was no tactical reason for it either.
Whilst inter railing in Austria/Germany we visited a concentration camp- I was staggered and I have never heard 6 people so quiet after that - very disturbing and shocking