178: WWII and Cider

178: WWII and Cider

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist May 1, 2019 Duration: 54:28

178: WWII and Cider | Paying Tribute on Tour

Midweek on the Totally Cider Tour to Normandy our first stop of the day was to tour the Brittany American Cemetery also referred to as the Saint James Cemetery.

It is located approximately an hour from Mont-Saint-Michel, 3.5 hours from Paris. It lies not in Brittany, but just north of the region in Normandy.

Photo: Sergeant C. Orton of The Highland Light Infantry of Canada drinking cider, France, 20 June 1944.

The cemetery is managed by:

  • American Battle Monuments Commission - honors the services of overseas U.S. Armed Forces by maintaining and promoting America's overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials.
  • This commission was created in 1923 to commemorate US war dead.

The Cemetery overview

  • 4,408 gravesite at  this cemetery
  • all men are bored at this cemetery
  • only family members were buried together
  • only cemetery constructed in a predetermined shape taken from the shoulder patch.

The tour at this cemetery was conducted by the superintendent of the cemetery Dave Bedford who said "Cemeteries are more than grass, hedges and tress. They are about guys buried here."

The majority of people who visit the cemetery are French.

The cemetery land is owned by France, who has granted the US use of the land.

On the front of each headstone the following is listed for each solider.

  • Name
  • Rank
  • Unit
  • State where the solider entered military
  • On the back of the headstone is the solider's serial number

Also discussed in this chat

  • Segregation of both Jewish and African American soldiers

Mentions in this Chat

 


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
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