This is not a *story*. It is simply one of the strangest
things that ever happened to me. I have chosen to give
publicity to this strange occurence only after a lot of
consideration, and about four years after it happened.
The only reason I am doing this is, on behalf of these
soldiers I dreamt of. I have come to the conclusion that
they were just trying to say "Hello, we're here" or
even "Hello, we're *still* here"... Don't know...Maybe
trying to send a msg. home, after all these years.
Approaches to the Port of Le Havre, France.
Early December, 2000
The vessel I served aboard as a Second Mate, was chartered
to call to one or more safe ports in the vicinity of Le
Havre, France; loading or discharging, it is of no
relevance for the purpose of this text.
It all started at 23:45 LT, when I got to the bridge to
relieve the Third Mate. I was to be the O.O.W. (Duty
Officer) doing the 0001-0400 shift, sometimes known as
the "graveyard shift" in the Navy.
On entering the bridge, I noticed the Third Mate, the
Master, and the COMMS in the Chart Room, pondering over
something that looked like facsimile weather reports. The
two AB's were on the port wing on lookout duty. The Master
told me that we did not drop the anchor on arrival,
as gale force winds were expected during the night and/or
in the early hours of the morrow. He also told me that he
intended to let the vessel drift for the night along a
safe course well clear of some unidentified WWII wrecks.
When I reached a certain position, I was to put the wheel
hard over and get back again on course with the engines
on "Half Ahead" to the initial position and then drift
towards the second marked position, then do the same over
and over again, until relieved by the Chief Officer.
The Master also instructed me, since I was the
only person on board who spoke impeccable English, to call
the Port Control and check if there were any berthing
instructions for the vessel, shortly before being actually
relieved by the C/OFF.
After being properly briefed by the junior Mate, and my
eyes were perfectly adjusted to the darkness, I
said "Second Mate has the conn" and there started the most
noteworthy watch of my sea career up to this day.
Noteworthy it may be, but it was uneventful...There were
few inbound and outbound vessels, if any at all, and
everything was normal, as it was supposed to be. All alarm
panels were quiet, and even the GMDSS, usually quite a bit
of a nuisance (to put it on civil terms) was
peculiarly quiet that night.
Time went by very rapidly, and before I knew it, I heard
the C/OFF saying "Good morning". "Time to call the Port
Control on the VHF", I thought. Which I did, and there was
no answer, I prepared to squeeze the talk button on the
VHF for the 2nd time, when this crazy thought suddenly
struck me. I thought "When was the last time an American
used a Marine V.H.F. to communicate with those ashore
in these parts?"
I hesitated. This thought seemed completely out of place.
I shook my head, and called them for the second time. They
did answer, I was given a working channel, and got my
info. Since they said the vessel was most probably not
going in this day, I briefed the Chief on the vessel's
situation, said my goodbyes, and went straight to my cabin
to sleep as I felt a little tired.
Now, I am not the kind of person who has what we
call "vivid dreams". Very rarely do I have any
recollection of my dreams, if I do dream
at all. Needless to say, I am completely oblivious to the
paranormal, if such a thing does exist at all. Sure
enough, I have heard stories, but I had never up to that
day had any clue about something "supernatural" so to
speak.
I dreamt of a U.S. Platoon Section, that is 5-6 men. They
were unmistakably clad in US Army WWII fatigues, similar
to the uniforms I have seen worn by actors in WWII movies.
I think that they were wearing standard issue
winter jackets too. It was a somewhat hazy afternoon, and
it was very quiet. There were no signs of armed conflict
anywhere, no bodies, no burned houses, no wrecked tanks,
nothing. It was just this muddy country road, the tall
trees, peaceful surrounding countryside, and this small
group of soldiers marching.
They were marching in a casual and somewhat relaxed
fashion. One of them was an Officer, the one marching
ahead of the others that is. I could tell he was an
Officer, because of the white stripe on the front of his
G.I. helmet. I can't remember if he was a Lt. or a Cpt.
though. They were all young, I'd say no-one was over 25,
and they were all White. They were all wearing their G.I.
helmets, and they were all holding weapons in their hands,
except the Officer.
The soldiers had serious, grim expressions on their faces.
It seemed as if they had their eyes fixed at something
ahead, far away beyond the road. They didn't seem to
notice me at first, as they were coming slowly towards me.
I suppose I was just standing there in the middle of the
road, though I could not see myself.
The Platoon section got closer and closer, and then they
stopped. The Officer looked at me squarely in the eye, and
I can't remember his face, it was just a common face,
except he had this very serious expression, and he just
said to me in a clear, calm and level voice: "BLACK
NORMANDY"...
Let's stay here for a while. I have never been to France
before, though I can swear this road, and the trees, and
the surrounding countryside were definitely in France. I
don't know, I just had this impression. Something else
too. I don't know how, they didn't tell me anything,
I had the impression that these soldiers were
U.S.M.C....Strange, but I just believe them to have been
Marines.
Then the scenery changed. I saw something that looked like
a U.S. Army Base, complete with barracks and all. Like
before, I just KNEW that this base wasn't somewhere in the
US, but it was somewhere in France. I saw about 150
soldiers, divided into three columns, standing in full
attention, line abreast. I was standing on their left,
maybe abt. 50 metres away. While I was looking on, they
yelled out loud: "GLORY, GLORY, GLORY".
Let me clarify something: I don't know what's the
impression you received from my written English, but I am
NOT American, Canadian, British, Australian or from any
other former British colony or protectorate. I am European
yes, I am white yes, but I am of Greek and Germanic
heritage and thus I suppose that it would make more sense
for me to dream of German soldiers instead of Yank troops,
don't you think?
I have a small theory for this unique and weird dream I
had in Le Havre roads.
I speak English with an American accent which I picked up
from repeatedly visiting U.S. ports for years since 1993.
It so happened, and the vast majority of the vessels I
served on traded mostly in U.S. waters and called to U.S.
destinations.
My theory is that the ghosts of those American Soldiers
somehow listened to me talking to that port control radio
operator (????) which I have no idea where it
was located and they decided to drop by and say "Hello".
Maybe they were homesick, or eager to send a message home
that "here we are"?
I quite simply fail to comprehend why on earth a group of
soldiers dead for almost sixty years would still care to
yell "Glory, Glory, Glory". And I still don't know
what "Black Normandy" means.
Maybe they still don't know the war is over? I suppose
I 'll never know. One thing's for sure though: Some of
them at least, "are" still there.
I for one, feel much better now that I have publicised
this weird "experience". If the American Soldiers wanted
to send a msg home, now I can consider that this
msg is in a way "delivered" since it is my understanding
that many Americans visit this website.
I have never dreamt of the soldiers again, I have never
visited Normandy or Le Havre again, nor did I ever "dream
in English" again; when I am having dreams about
people talking or reading things, they are in my mother
tongue which isn't English.
If somebody knowledgeable in WWII U.S. Military history is
reading this, could you please e-mail me in the address
given below, to explain to me what was this
"Glory-Glory-Glory" and "Black Normandy" thing? Does my
dream possess any credibility at all, or it was just a
somewhat "weird" dream having no meaning at all?
Thanks in advance.
Contact me here: alkonst1@in.gr
Submitted From: