Re: Great Battle Fields to visit...

[bobsled]

Re: Great Battle Fields to visit...

This thread is way out in left field, but something I'd like to do before I die...again.

I'd like to visit a few of the great battle fields in History, and just stand there and take it all in. Am I going crazy? It is on my mind.

Who wrote this poem? It's not the whole poem, but I liked these versus.


THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY

Through the travail of the ages,
Midst the pomp and toil of war,
Have I fought and strove and perished
Countless times upon this star.

I remember all the suffering
Of those arrows in my neck.
Yet, I stabbed a grinning savage
As I died upon my back.

Still more clearly as a Roman,
Can I see the Legion close,
As our third rank moved in forward
And the short sword found our foes.

Once again I feel the anguish
Of that blistering treeless plain
When the Parthian showered death bolts,
And our discipline was in vain.

Hear the rattle of the harness
Where the Persian darts bounced clear,
See their chariots wheel in panic
From the Hoplite's leveled spear.

I have fought with gun and cutlass
On the red and slippery deck
With all Hell aflame within me
And a rope around my neck.

So as through a glass, and darkly
The age long strife I see
Where I fought in many guises,
Many names, -- but always me.

-----------

I have thought about Normandy, France and the beaches, but I need other ideas. Can anyone make suggestions based on their travels?

When I get there, perhaps I will remember what happened to me.

Later,
bobsled.

 

[cancowboy2001]

Who wrote this poem? It's not the whole poem, but I liked these versus.

George S. Patton, Jr.

No battle field experience but I was wondering if you were interested in any particular war periods - obviously Normandy, et al. is WW2.
The US probably has some primo sites if you are a Civil War buff.

 

[bobsled]

Re: George S. Patton Jr.

Thanks for your input. And you are right, it was George S. Patton Jr.

Fascinating man to say the least.

I would consider the great battle fields in the US Civil War a definite possibility to visit.

I have been to Quebec and seen the Plains of Abraham where Montcalm and Wolfe fought it out out with their armies. I have been to the Northern part of New York where the War of 1812 was fought. God, I love it. (hope I got my facts right).

A friend of mine was from Brockville, Ontario. It was named after the man who defeated the American forces in our struggle for soverignty (I couldn't spell that if you paid me). It really doesn't matter. It's wonderful to grasp our History and stand there where it happened. That is what I want to do.

Young men and women should not die in vain and be forgotten. I want to see these places, and realize how scared and how brave they were.

Thank you Cancowboy.

Later,
bobsled.

 

[bobsled]

Re: Place I'd like to see....

Here's a few...

I have been to places where the movie..."A Bridge Too Far" was filmed. It was haunting.

Normandy, France where the Allies landed.

Where the first Atomic bomb fell. When I was in grade three, we had a woman come to class to talk about her experience. I was just a kid. It was difficult.

Where the great tank battles of WWII took place. El Alehmain (spelling?)

Some suggestions on where the Romans fought.

Where Romel fought.

Vimey Rigde would be of interest, WWII battle fields, and Ancient history battle fields. The Greeks, the Romans, etc, etc. Any experiences in visiting these places would be greatly appreciated. I can't visit them all, but I want to find at least three or four to visit.

Later,
bobsled.

 

[taiga]

Through a Glass Darkly.

Didn't that later on become a Rolling Stones album cover or something like that.

Anyway, Gettysburg is a fabulous place to visit. You get to see Big Round Top, Little Round top, picture the defenders on the cemetary, picture the formation of the fishhook defense. Custer beatig back Jeb Stewart.

The field, very wide field for the Pickett's last charge is very sobering.

 

[gotsome2004]

Waterloo

Beautiful little village a few hours walk from Brussells Belgium. Much of the site is untouched to this day including that farm to Wellington's left, I forget the name, where Napoleon's voltageurs launched several failed attempts to assault. Several grafitti names of those participants etched on the chapel wall remain. Late in the 19th century they built this huge man-made hill called "place de la Lion" where you can look over the whole battle site which has a really pastoral romanticist look to it. Had my lunch up there.

 

[dirtydan]

What part of the world are you most interested in Bobsled? Canada and the US have many battlefield sites. Europe is loaded, especially Belgium. Some research and you'll find sites all over the place.

Perhaps one to check out would be later on this year when Saskatchewan celebrates its 100th. I understand the Metis will be making a trek by ox cart to Batoche.

In the US there would numerous sites from their Revolution, the War 1812-14, and the Civil War. And of course there is the Alamo from Texas' war of independence from Mexico. In fact Mexico would have quite few sites from its wars during the 1800's.

While not battlefields per se, in Japan there are Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Plus in Tokyo harbour I believe there is the last pre-Dreadnought battleship in the world that fought in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05.

I don't know if you would want to travel in Russia as I hear it's pretty dangerous. But there would be terrific sites from its Great Patriotic War.

Like I mentioned before Belgium would be a good place. Many battles, usually between foreign armies fought there throughout history. And not to forget there is France. Perhaps a trip to memorial at Vimy Ridge?

In fact head down to a bookstore or a well supplied magazine store and thumb through the military history magazines. You will find ads for guided tours.

Most importantly DON'T FORGET to post your pics!

 

[daddywarbucks]

While not a battle field, The Australian War Museum in Canbera is the best that I have ever visited.

DWB

 

[dirtydan]

While not a battle field, The Australian War Museum in Canbera is the best that I have ever visited.

DWB

I toured the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa back in the 1980's. I understand they have a new and larger museum. One place I would like to see is the Tank Museum at Bovington in Britain.

 

[BC visitor]

Go to Gettysburg

Through a Glass Darkly.

Didn't that later on become a Rolling Stones album cover or something like that.

Anyway, Gettysburg is a fabulous place to visit. You get to see Big Round Top, Little Round top, picture the defenders on the cemetary, picture the formation of the fishhook defense. Custer beatig back Jeb Stewart.

The field, very wide field for the Pickett's last charge is very sobering.

I have to agree about Gettysburg. This summer they will reenact the battle actually on July 1,2 & 3. It would be a good experience to see how hot it really had to be that summer (especially in wool clothing).

http://www.gettysburgreenactment.com/

An excellent book on the lead up to the battle and Lee's invasion of the North in the summer of 1863 is:

Beneath a Northern Sky by Steven E. Woodworth

Also as a side note, the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks still does terrain walks at Gettysburg.

 

[bobsled]

RE: Great Battle Fields..

Holy S--t,

Great response!! Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm taking notes and I want to make this my next vacation abroad, or over the boarder.

Really I didn't think anyone would be interested in my idea. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I've got homework to do. Any more ideas, please post them. Ideally, I'd like to pick at least two destinations or even three, depending on location and cost to get there. This is something I'd really like to do.

Normandy and Vimy Ridge are high on my list. I watched Shaving Ryan's Privates last night for the millionth time just to motivate me to see this magnificant place in History.

By the way, I've been to Batoche, Sask about in 1998. Great site to visit.

Later,
bobsled.

 

[Beldar Conehead]

Eastern Europe

I have travelled extensively through out Belarus and essentially the whole country is a battlefield. Just about any farm or small village had some old rusted WWII relics. Belarussians refer to WWII as the Great Patriotic War with over 1.2 million people killed by the Germans. Visited Khatyn, a war memorial north of Minsk and was floored at the attrocities the germans committed. The story is to long and depressing, check this out.....

http://www.belarusguide.com/travel1/Khatyn.html

 

[frost]

One place that nobody has mentioned yet is Turkey(which is a great country on its own), but is also the site of Troy for an ancient battlefield and Gallipoli for a 20th century battlefield.

 

[bobsled]

Re: More battle fields...

Dear Beldar Conehead and Frost.....

Excellent information. Appreciate your comments and time in responding. I'm rather amazed at how many places you folks have been to, that have answered this thread. Fascinating.

Choosing is going to be alot harder than I thought. Any experiences are welcome. It might help others with the same asperations. I'm sure I am not the only one.

Gear up, fall in, and I'll see you on the beach.

Later,
bobsled.

 

[Lefty]

"Theirs but to do and die"

Tennyson's famous poem was originally written in reference to the battle in Crimea and the Charge of the Light Brigade. A virtual slaughterhouse battlefield where old-school military thinking met a fast evolving military technology.
The Crimean peninsula has been an area of historical battles that go back before the Roman Empire.

There's also some great deals on accomidations and some super horny Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian girls.

 

[cancowboy2001]

More information to overwhelm you

Try this Google query (battlefields and tourism): http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=tourism+battlefields&btnG=Search&meta=

202,000 hits

This site seems to be a good guide for WW2 places:
http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_battlefield_tourism.htm

 

[bobsled]

Re: Crimea and the Charge of the Light Brigade

Dear Lefty,

Well done. That goes on my list. This is really getting interesting.

You said...

"There's also some great deals on accomidations and some super horny Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian girls."

Get back in line soldier, let's try to be professional. We're not here to chase skirts. I've got an important mission here, and I won't tollerate disrespect for the civilian population. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, SOLDIER!!?

I want you in my quaters at 07:00 hours tomorrow. And I want a full report on accomidations and super horny woman in the Ukraine. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, SOLDIER!!!!? NOW DROP AND GIVE ME 50!!!

Sorry,
I lost it for a moment.

This is a good thread. Awesome information. Thanks Lefty.

Later,
bobsled.