During my 10 days in France a few years ago, I visited countless cemetaries, memorials, museums, battlefields and historical sites. None had the effect on me like the Abbaye D'ardenne. The hair on the back of my neck stood up when I walked through the gate into that garden. I'm not sure why. Being Canadian and having read numerous accounts of what occurred in that garden likely had some effect but that eerie feeling never left during the 30 minutes I spent there. For the well travelled members of this forum, I wonder if there is a place or places that have had the same effect on you?
Kranji Cemetery in Singapore. As I walked into it, a thunderstorm started (not an uncommon event but the timing was good).
The ruins of St. Matthew's cathedral in Trier. Could hear the echo of the birds chirping inside from 100 yards away.
This from an article describing my Day Leave in Rome: BBC - WW2 People's War - Day Leave in Rome We had been dropped off at a lorry park near the Colosseum and so this was an obvious starting point. I followed the early crowds into the amphitheatre and tagged on to a group that had managed to secure the services of an Italian guide. After a short while I slipped away to visit the cells underneath the arena where the slaves and early Christians were held prior to the games and their subsequent death. I have never considered myself to be significantly claustrophobic but the atmosphere in the dank, shaded quarters felt unbearably evil, and I was glad to get back out into the sun and the heat.
Tim, what a great thread! A few years back, my son and I visited the War Museum at Overloon Holland. We went in the middle of the week and it was very quiet with hardly anyone about. While my son was looking at something of interest to him, I said I would go over to the building away from the others that housed the Holocaust Exhibition. I went over, opened the small entrance door (the place was empty of people) and as I walked in I hit what felt like an invisible brick wall and physically could not move into the building. A terrible feeling came over me and I had to back away. Very, very unplesent and frightening! Rob
Rob...My war ended at Overloon. The very name is an emotional thingy. My last act was on the Overloon Venraij road, in the early hours, when I collected the next days battle orders. Overloon museum was originally dedicated to the Third British Infantry Div. Then later became the war museum. What was it? Oorlog> something like that Sapper
From History my visit to Paradis....A tear or two was shed. From real life...The road from Basra IA to Shaibah Airfield. The night I turned to God.
I once visited a church in Dorset,very scary place!! No sound could be heard apart from my laboured breathing,then from nowhere i heard the words ,crystal clear " I DO". They said it was me but i`m not so sure. Those words have haunted me for 19 years. Cold,damp and dusty,but shes good with the kids!!!! LOL
Lovely !!! Have you been to Dorset's Morton Church? With Whistlers engraved church windows? Beauty... Just beautiful and serene.... Gorgeous. Lawrence of Arabia's grave is just around the corner. Very drab and unkempt for a man that had such an influence in earlier days. Sapper
I will take a look next time i am around there thx. Dorset is a beautiful county. Yes you do get the feeling that someone "high up" really did`nt like him. Isnt there some kind of mystery about flowers with odd messages being left at his grave? Or am i thinking of someone else? Theobob
Visiting Bergen-Belsen gave me an eerie sensation. Perhaps due to the lack of buildings, just mounds with plaques stating how many were buried in each. Regards Tom
Visiting Bergen-Belsen gave me an eerie sensation. Perhaps due to the lack of buildings, just mounds with plaques stating how many were buried in each. Regards Tom having lived just down the road on the edge of hohne Garrison camp - I know that feeling. Had a few friends who visited the site out-of-hours, when you gain access via the side gate when the museum is closed. They stated they felt a distinct change in air temperature etc My nephew was with the family one day when they visited Bergen -Belsen, he was only 3 or 4, and he was sat on his own in the quiet room 'chatting' with the children who were playing there. My wife was 'visited' by a little old man, he had little pebble glasses and no teeth. His name was Josef. Our flats were used as an extension of the care facilities provided when they decanted survivors fromBelsen into Hohne camp and then ran out of space and started using the german army married quarters
Sapper Many thanks for the recommendation, for some unexplained reason I always feel I have company with me when I walk on the Cobb at Lyme Regis a beautiful place. The only other place I have had a feeling similar is walking between Lendall Bridge and the Minster in York at night. Ps Sapper I love Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door wonderfull scenery and a great place to recharge the batteries.
The place that I found had the most wonderful atmosphere, with a great welcome as soon as I went through the door, was my war time convalescent home. Lake House. The Elizabethan Manor house... Owned by Lady Janet Inchcape... The Cunard family. And where Sir John. Then Major John Charnley, the inventor of the hip joint that everyone has to replace the worn hips now. That is now owned by the Pop Star "Sting" I have been back there several times, and each time I return the old manor opens her arms and makes me welcome. A wonderful feeling. That is also made even more interesting, as nothing has changed.. It is exactly the same as in 1945. To such a degree that I half expected old friends to walk through the door. I did a programme there for the BBC They Rewarded me with a large framed picture of me inside what was out dormitory, but in fact was the dining room Sapper
