Visit to Brest

lesrae · 06-13-07, 09:40 AM

At the weekend I went to Brest to work on an RFA that's visiting there, I'd done a bit of reading up hoped to get a look at the u-boat pens there. It turned out I was very lucky, the ship I was on was berthed right next to the Clemenceau at the end of the western breakwater and so I had to walk right past the pens to get to the ship. But first - a beer!

Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos within the naval base (they get a bit twitchy about that and my French is too poor to argue my case succesfully) but walking so close to the pens was very impressive, I got a real feeling of history. The pens are starting to suffer from the elements and are being patched up, but they're still in use and there were a fair number of smaller patrol ships berther in and around them.

When walking around Brest I also visited the US memorial to the Naval Forces from WWI, I got photos of that - see below for the memorial and the commemorative plaques on the ground in front of it, sorry about the size but if I shrink them the text becomes difficult to read (excuse my feet too - pedicure required).

ReallyDedPoet · 06-13-07, 10:06 AM

Nice pics

Seeing the pens must have been something. Someday I will be going to France, my wife speaks French fluently, she can be my interpreter.

RDP

Jimbuna · 06-13-07, 11:43 AM

So you forgot to cut your toe nails before you went

06-13-07, 09:40 AM	#1
lesrae Grey Wolf Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Somerset, UK. Posts: 932 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Visit to Brest At the weekend I went to Brest to work on an RFA that's visiting there, I'd done a bit of reading up hoped to get a look at the u-boat pens there. It turned out I was very lucky, the ship I was on was berthed right next to the Clemenceau at the end of the western breakwater and so I had to walk right past the pens to get to the ship. But first - a beer! Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos within the naval base (they get a bit twitchy about that and my French is too poor to argue my case succesfully) but walking so close to the pens was very impressive, I got a real feeling of history. The pens are starting to suffer from the elements and are being patched up, but they're still in use and there were a fair number of smaller patrol ships berther in and around them. When walking around Brest I also visited the US memorial to the Naval Forces from WWI, I got photos of that - see below for the memorial and the commemorative plaques on the ground in front of it, sorry about the size but if I shrink them the text becomes difficult to read (excuse my feet too - pedicure required). __________________ DOLPHIN 38

06-13-07, 10:06 AM	#2
ReallyDedPoet Canadian Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada. The one and only, East Coast Posts: 10,884 Downloads: 946 Uploads: 5	Nice pics Seeing the pens must have been something. Someday I will be going to France, my wife speaks French fluently, she can be my interpreter. RDP __________________ Back in the Day

06-13-07, 11:43 AM	#3
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,461 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	So you forgot to cut your toe nails before you went __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!