Gold beach Mulberry
by Weston Westmoreland
Title
Gold beach Mulberry
Artist
Weston Westmoreland
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
View of Gold Beach in Normandy an the remains of the astonishing Mulberry Harbor that was built after D-Day.
The Allies could not rely on being able to penetrate the Atlantic Wall to capture a port of significance on the north French coast. However, large ocean-going ships of the type needed to transport heavy and bulky cargoes could not use small ports, because they lacked the sufficient depth of water or dockside equipment to off-load cargo. The solution to the problem was to build "temporal" docks by the landing beaches themselves to be used until proper harbors were retaken from the German.
Thus, the Mulberries were created to provide the port facilities necessary to offload the thousands of men and vehicles, and tons of supplies necessary to sustain Operation Overlord and the Battle of Normandy. The harbours were made up of all the elements one would expect of any harbour: breakwater, piers, roadways etc.
The worst storm of the previous 50 years in Normandy destroyed the port in Omaha, but the remains of the one in Gold Beach are still there for us to see and gape.
You can learn more about what drives me in my blog:
http://inspiringthoughtsandimages.com/
Uploaded
December 1st, 2014
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