A Company Report
Mbar. Dante Antoni – If your school offered a trip to travel to France to see historical sites, Paris and the French countryside, would you go?
The Fall Ex had just ended and while I was waiting for Halloween, I heard about an Academy trip to France and immediately thought this was really a town in northern Ontario, until a skype call with my Mom. She mentioned a trip to France was possible and asked if I wanted to go. “Sure, why not,” I replied.
Next thing I knew, Lt. Heida was telling me to turn up in her classroom to learn about the itinerary, and logistics of the trip.
During multiple classes, she informed us about what historical sites, museums and landmarks we were going to visit. We all had our fingers crossed that we could get to tour the Eiffel Tower.
As March Break got closer, we had more classes to learn about more details of the trip.
Before I knew it, we were dashing off to Pearson International Airport, ready to fly to France.
During the seven-and-a-half-hour flight to Paris, I tried to get some of my homework done, eat as many in flight snacks as I could get my hands on, and the best action movies Air Canada had to offer.
As soon as we collected our checked luggage, we ran around the Paris airport like headless chickens searching for the Van rental counter. We were so very thankful that our newly acquired tour guide was able to navigate the airport and routes for us.
Spoiler alert, the tour guide drove the peppy van through the narrow, cobble stone streets with expertise, making every sharp turn with ease, ensuring we did not waste time getting lost in older neighbourhoods.
The lush, green rolling hills that seem to go on forever, the antique-looking windmills spinning in sequence, the expertly groomed fields of crops, all made our countryside trips very vivid and impressive.
During the week, the best part of the trip for me was when we visited the D-Day Memorial Museum.
Unlike traditional museums we were able to hold artifacts, try on historical uniforms, sit in historically active vehicles.
Being able to sit in the cockpit of a Typhoon and feel what it must have felt like for an allied pilot in WW2, but just a bit shorter, was exhilarating. Being able to handle flame throwers (non-operational), Panzerfaust’s, Thompson machine guns (not loaded), hand grenades and Luger pistols was amazing to compare the weight and feel of the weapons to more modern ones we have now.
Before we left the Museum, we were able to sit in the back of a deuce-and-a-half and experience what troops from World War 2 felt riding in the back of this transport. We all had our fingers crossed that they would take us out for a spin through the small town to see the memorial.
We were given a picture of a house with a burned-out Panzer tank off to the side. Once I dropped the picture the house that was now replacing the picture was exactly the same house!
Exactly where I was standing a Panzer Tank had been taken out by allied forces from that house. It was an eerily, mind-boggling feeling.
An equally impressive point on the trip was Normandy Beach.
We visited Juno, Sword, Omaha, Gold, Normandy beaches and others. However, the stories of the Rangers having to scale the steep cliffs using grappling guns and ladders to disable German heavy artillery in the elevated bunkers.
During one of our tours of the underground bunkers the tour guide talked about how the Allies would mistakenly throw grenades into the ventilation shafts of the bunkers, only to realize that the grenade would end up through an exhaust vent at their feet. A clever design that unfortunately led to many allied troops being killed by their own grenades.
Just before we got to Vimy Ridge, we had a tour on trench warfare on a battlefield. We had the opportunity to stand in the trench that the Allies occupied facing the German trench.
It was terrifying how close they were, approximately twenty feet apart.
It was taught to us that even though they were supposed to kill one another, on Christmas Day they would stop shooting and sing Christmas carols with each other.
In this trench, the Allies had tunneled under the German trench and detonated explosives beneath the German trench, leaving giant craters and many German casualties.
Despite at times being rushed, or not having enough vending machines available for snacks, this was an incredible trip. Being able to learn about World War II history, visiting countless museums, climbing the Eiffel Tower, visiting the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the French countryside, and touring the Allied and German cemeteries was a collective experience I will always be thankful for.
Multiple staff members at the Academy have asked me if I have the chance to go back, would I? In a heartbeat…in a heartbeat! I will never forget my great experiences on this trip.
Thank you, Lt.’s Heida and Lewis. Vive le France!
