Thus far, leading up to a Le Havre departure, my father has moved from Schleiz, Germany, to Luxembourg City, to camp Oklahoma City outside Reims, France, to Camp Home Run outside Le Havre, from the end of May through the end of June, 1945. After being malnourished during his six month POW stint, the journey must have been mentally and physically exhausting. I’m so glad he recorded the journey with these photographs, and especially with his writings on the back.
Our convoy rolling along a French highway toward Le Havre, France.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
French flags such as shown flying here were hoisted in France as the Jerry’s were pushed out.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
Jerry’s is a term used by British and American soldiers to refer to Germans during WW1 and WW2, from Urban Dictionary.
The routine physical inspection. This particular physical took place at Camp Oklahoma City, France. (near Reims)
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
War is hell! Ask the residents of Le Havre–if you can find any.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
A typical German pill box. This particular one was located near the harbor at Le Havre, France.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
The truck just ahead of the vehicle I was riding in enroute to Le Havre from Germany. Chuck Miller seated and facing my camera.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
Enroute to Camp Oklahoma City, France (assembly area near Reims) our convoy stopped frequently for breaks. We amateur photographers had a lot of material here.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945, near French Border in Germany
Vineyards by the acres were a common sight. This flat section of vineyards was nothing like the mountainous ones in the Moselle River area.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945, near Bonn, Germany
Willie, Herman Rhinehart, & Peck. Bivouac area near Schleiz, Germany.
Bernard McKenzie, June 1945
Three or four roofs remained intact at Le Havre.
Bernard McKenzie, June 22, 1945
Can Le Havre ever be a great city (again)? The used stone should be a prosperous business.
Bernard McKenzie, June 22, 1945
French girls were on hand at Camp Home Run to make for a less “G.I.” atmosphere.
Bernard McKenzie, June 23, 1945
A German-constructed pill box surrounding their old fort at Le Havre, France.
Bernard McKenzie, June 23, 1945
A distant view of Le Havre, France. Taken from the top of an old German fort. Church and other buildings in the foreground were relatively untouched–buildings in the background were demolished.
Bernard McKenzie, June 23, 1945
Entrance gate to Camp Home Run.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 23, 1945
Underground tunnel barracks that we were housed in during our 5 days at Home Run.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 23, 1945
A sector of Le Havre that had missed some bombs.
Bernard McKenzie, June 23, 1945
Service deluxe was to be had at Camp Home Run. Here are a few French girls who dished out food in the kitchen.
Bernard McKenzie, June 23, 1945
Once a German fort, Camp Home Run was a restful place for American G.I.’s awaiting shipment home.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 23, 1945
Veteran’s Day need not be a politicized holiday. Looking back at these amazing photos that are the greatest gift my father left us, I see Americans fighting oppression and tyranny. I see the great nation and people of France so devastated yet only weeks after the end of the war the smiles have returned to many of their faces. Veteran’s Day is a day to remember what binds us all together, the valor of generations of young people to protect fellow humans. I am proud to say that my dad was a veteran of World War 2 along with his brother, who landed in Normandy 24 hours after D-Day, and their dad before them was a veteran of World War 1.
Le Havre & her harbor from the distant hill at Camp Home Run.Bernard McKenzie,
June 24, 1945
German PW’s are completing work on a volley ball court. Soon after they finished we played a game.
Bernard McKenzie, June 24, 1945, Camp Home Run
A flag raising ceremony at Camp Home Run.
Bernard McKenzie, June 24, 1945
Here we could write letters, play cards, checkers, ping pong, read, etc. (Camp Home Run Day Room)
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 24, 1945
At Camp Home Run–near Le Havre, France–we had all the service one would want. French girls served us in a cafeteria manner.
Bernard McKenzie, June 24, 1945
Think about communication and getting your hand on news in the World War 2 era. Cables. Wires. Telegrams. News reels. First word of events that changed the course of world history were first discovered by everybody in 72 point type in newspaper headlines. Seeing the devastation in these photographs of Le Havre 73 years later, the utter horror of World War 2 is shocking. To the people who lived here, they must have thought humanity was ending.
A view from Camp Home Run looking out to the ocean.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 25, 1945
Le Havre & the Harbor.
Bernard McKenzie, June 25, 1945
A limited view of Le Havre from the distant point at Camp Home Run.
Bernard McKenzie, June 25, 1945
More ruins of Le Havre.
Bernard McKenzie, June 25, 1945
Le Havre was just coming back to life after being destroyed for its location as a gateway to the European theater in World War 2. Le Havre took a major hit when the Germans seized control, then suffered utter devastation when the Allies regained the stronghold.
Business “not as usual” in the heart of Le Havre proper.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
German forts (pill boxes) at the harbor front. The Jerries at one time were very entrenched here.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 26, 1945
Our bombers scored here.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 26, 1945
Home was never like this. Thank God.
Bernard McKenzie, Le Havre, France, June 26, 1945
The “Ghost City” of Le Havre, France.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
Le Havre offered a setting for the large-scale U.S. exodus from the War. Tens of thousands of GI’s gathered in the Cigarette Camps, including Camp Home Run where my dad Bernard McKenzie spent his final days in-continent.
A view of Camp Home Run. Notice the German fort surrounding the camp.
Bernard McKenzie, Camp Home Run, Sanvic, France, June 26, 1945
M. P.’s out on a little stroll in Le Havre, France. Many white and negro troops were stationed in Le Havre.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
Le Havre played an enormous role for both sides during World War 2. It was a highly strategic harbor for the Germans to protect during their occupation. And it was a critical re-entry point for the Allies, with the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy approximately 50 miles to the southeast. Because of this its native French inhabitants took a horrendous beating at the start, middle, and end of the war.
For US soldiers in mid 1945 the long journey to the French coast must have been fraught with a mixture of haunting memories, national pride, and both angst and excitement about returning home. To help organize the mass exodus from the European continent, the US Army created an Advanced Rating Score to help make sense and order of the process needed to return nearly 2 millions GI’s home. When they finally arrived at their exodus point (in the case of my father Bernard McKenzie it was Camp Home Run just outside Le Havre, France) they were met everywhere by destruction and even more waiting, with some stuck for up to a year waiting for their name to be called to board a ship home.
On a high cliff overlooking the remains of Le Havre. The harbor and a lone ship in the distance.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
From atop the high fort and looking out to the ocean. Le Havre.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
This sector and this only received only a limited amount of bombs. The bombed area is in the background.
Bernard McKenzie, June 26, 1945
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