French hospitality ‘extraordinaire’

Dateline: Normandy, Sunday, June 6th 2010

THIS week’s edition of “Lyme Matters” comes to you from a a typical French cafe in the quaint Normandy village of Creully.

There’s a few locals enjoying the late afternoon sun and an early evening drink outside the Saint-Martin hotel opposite.

I have to admit there’s a certain ‘Allo ‘Allo quality about the scene.

The street would have been very different 66 years ago today when Creully was one of the first Normandy villages to be liberated - by the Canadians from the east and the Royal Dragoon Guards, who came ashore on Gold beach, from the west.

They may well have met right outside the cafe where I am writing this column.

Over the first crucial days following the Normandy landings Creully played a vital role in communications as the Allied Forces embarked on the liberation of Northern Europe.

The BBC set up their recording studios in the tower of the Chateau de Creully to report on the Battle for Normandy.

Churchill met Montgomery in Creully on D-Day+7 to review the campaign. This is a village with serious modern history.

Earlier in the day I was privileged to be among a few footballers from Lyme who placed a wreath at the war memorial of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards who lost 87 men in the fight for Creully.

The Lyme club has done so every year since the 50th anniversary of D-Day when, on our bi-annual twinning visit to US Creully (the village football club), we were asked to do so by the Royal Dragoon Guards Regimental Association (known at the Creully Club).

Our wreath was laid with great dignity by our oldest member, 82 years-old Ted Bignall, former landlord at the Angel Inn.

The Rattenbury brothers - Stephen, Brian and Stuart - stalwarts of this unique twinning arrangement - were present. US Creully were represented by Patrick Marie, a great friend of the Rattenburys and a regular visitor to Lyme over the years.

After a weekend of ceremony and great festivities, I have just waved goodbye to the party from Lyme who travelled over in three mini-buses. They are catching the ferry back from Quisterham this evening.

I travelled independently and will fly back tomorrow from Paris and plan to spend the next couple of hours writing this column and reflecting on a weekend in which the French have entertained their English friends with usual gallic bonhomie and hospitality.

I came out primarily because I wanted to be part of the 30th anniversary celebrations, having enjoyed many visits to Creully over the years, although I am no longer one of the organisers, and also I wanted to report on this unique milestone in British and French grassroots football.

My report with photographs recording the occasion will appear in next week’s View from Lyme Regis.

I was a member of the original party of Lyme players back in 1980 on the very first trip to Cruelly, organised by David Cozens MBE, who was our club manager, and captain Richard Austin.

We were just a bunch of young blokes looking for a good time. We beat the French 8-0, although they improved greatly over the years, and enjoyed a barbecue after the game. We were also introduced to the lethal delights of the local tipple, Calvados, pure fire water which most of us now try to avoid at all costs.

I didn’t actually play in the game because I broke my leg two weeks prior to that first trip in the final of the Axminster Hospital Cup and my left leg was in plaster.

Because of this I was billeted in the local bar, The Renaissance, run by a typical French bartender called Moustache (for obvious reasons). I didn’t get much to eat but rarely went without a full glass in my hand.

One of the highlights of this weekend - apart from beating the French 4-1 (always a pleasure!), was the naming of the road to the Complex Sportif “Allee Lyme Regis”.

It was a simple but memorable ceremony at which the Lyme club chairman Howard Larcombe made a brilliant speech in French with town crier Phil Street, in full garb, contributing a special cry, also in both French and English.

I am pleased to report that the boisterous boys of Lyme Football Club conducted themselves in exemplary fashion - a credit to their club and their country.

Don’t miss My Postcard From Creully in next week’s edition.

No shortage of talent in Lyme

FROM the various theatrical and school stage events I have covered in Lyme over the years, I know that there is plenty of talent in the town.

So I’m hoping that the “Lyme’s Got Talent” contest we are organising as a family as our contribution to this year’s Regatta and Carnival programme will be a great success.

The first auditions take place this coming Sunday (June 11th, 10 am to 12 noon) at the Woodmead Halls with two other auditions being held at the same venue on Sundays June 13th/20th.

The best 12 acts will be invited to participate for the £200 first prize at the “Lyme’s Got Talent” finals to be held on Tuesday, August 10th as part of Regatta and Carnival Week. There will also be runners-up prizes of £100 and £50.

On the finals night, the best three acts will be selected by a panel of judges (to be appointed) and then the audience will pick the final winner.

We have made one change to the original format. Originally we decided that all the acts should be aged 14 and over but due to popular request we have lowered this to ten.

Entry forms are available from the View From offices in St Michael’s Business Centre or acts can just turn up at one of the auditions. They will be given five minutes to give an interim panel of judges an indication of their talent.

The auditions are not open to the public although the acts can bring along friends or parents for support.

Tickets for the finals, priced £6, will go on sale next month.

The whole event is loosely based on the popular TV programme “Britain’s Got Talent” , although it is not our intention to have a “Mr Nasty”, like Simon Cowell, on the panel of judges.

The event is being held at no cost to the Regatta and Carnival Committee who will receive all profits (guaranteed at £250).

www.viewfromonline.co.uk