Page 76 - The Cormorant Issue 14

Exercise Cormorant Finale
Normandy – a Non-Western Perspective
By Lt Cdr Sharad Sinsunwal (Indian Navy)
The final staff-ride to Normandy was viewed in different ways by the ACSC 14 student body. Some saw it as a final hurrah, a sen- timental au revoir to a year well spent, making new friends, expe- riencing varied cultures, and doing some decent learning on the side. Many others saw it as an opportunity to drown the miseries of the past year in some fine French wine. Still others viewed it somewhat impatiently, as an unavoidable inconvenience, as they shifted focus onto their next jobs. And then there were the ‘ever- smiling’ cynics, who saw it as another exercise in being treated like a child by fellow 40-year olds.
I belonged more to the ‘sentimental au revoir’ party – having thor- oughly enjoyed the past year – and was keenly looking forward to the trip as a last chance to enjoy the company of ACSC 14. But even my happy enthusiasm could not gloss over the fact that I was amongst the least knowledgeable in the course on the sub- ject of D-Day. I had not even seen The Longest Day. Commando Comics and Saving Private Ryan constituted the limit of my awareness on what was being touted by many as the most criti- cal military action of the last century. In order to become part of this Normandy-knowledgeables in-group, I did my best to read- up on the subject and appreciate its significance. But I just didn’t get it: Germany appeared weak, the Allies appeared strong; the conclusion seemed as foregone as the landings seemed inevita- ble. While there was no denying the bravery and sacrifice on the beaches, I failed to understand why the operation was critically different and vastly more significant than others during the Sec- ond World War. So I looked forward to the staff ride with a mixture of bemused curiosity and non-Western scepticism.
The trip itself was thoroughly thought through and engagingly enlightening. Each of the eleven stands was carefully selected for relevance and to provide a good visual backdrop. Put together, they allowed for the effective recreation of events in the early days of Overlord. The format at each stand was an academic introduc- tion followed by a discussion within the syndicate, and a short
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