Latest news with #FrankGalvin
Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Memorial for British soldiers killed in ‘forgotten corner of battlefield'
Nine British soldiers who were killed in the Second World War are to be honoured with a memorial after their tank was found buried in a Normandy hedgerow. James Holland, an author and historian, stumbled upon the remains of Lieutenant Frank Galvin's tank near the village of Berjou, in the north-west of France. Fragments of shells and shrapnel, and the cap badge from the beret of one of the men who died, were found on a nearby roadside. 'It was incredible to have such a palpable link to such a tragic moment,' said Mr Holland. 'A friend I was with suggested putting a memorial there, and that was the seed.' Writing in his blog, Mr Holland said: 'The turret burst off like a champagne cork and the five men inside were incinerated. 'The only comfort is that they almost certainly would have known nothing about it. Tank warfare was – and is – absolutely brutal in its violence.' Since his discovery, Mr Holland and his friends have raised over £19,000 for a memorial to be built. The memorial, which will be unveiled on Aug 16, honours five crewmen of a Sherman tank and four other soldiers from the C Squadron of the Nottingham-based Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) who lost their lives in the summer of 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. 'It's not on the D-Day beaches but far inland, a forgotten corner of the battlefield – but I've not forgotten them and I hope that many more will learn about their heroism,' he said. Around a dozen former Sherwood Rangers are expected to attend the ceremony, including Chris Whitamore, chairman of the SRY. It will be hosted by the Berjou's Blackwater Musée de la Libération. Mr Whitamore told The Telegraph that attention on the Normandy campaign usually focuses on D-Day, but 'the campaign continued for 10 further savage weeks before the Germans acknowledged defeat'. He added: 'This memorial commemorates men who fought throughout to bring that about, some of whom had also fought through El Alamein and the desert campaign. They and their comrades deserve our respectful memory.' Designed by architect Stuart Bertie, the memorial is fashioned out of steel, the same material used to build the wrecked tank, and contains the silhouettes of the fallen men cut out of the metal. 'It will be a poignant, moving and appropriate reminder of their heroism and sacrifice,' said Mr Holland. The Rangers now lie in a large Commonwealth War Graves to the south-east of Caen. They were buried together because their remains were indistinguishable. In July, Mr Holland joined a small group – including Mr Bertie and David Christopherson, the son of the SRY's commanding officer in 1944 – who walked the route the Rangers took as part of a partial retracing. They travelled 70 miles from the D-Day landing zone on Gold Beach to Berjou, via Bayeux, Tilly-sur-Suelles, Caumont, Ondefontaine, and Proust to the River Noireau.
News.com.au
23-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Where to get ocean views from $495k
The developer behind a $60 million development at Airlie Beach has released designs to give buyers an idea what can be achieved on the elevated, sloping blocks and make the most of their panoramic views. Airlie Summit is positioned some 200m above sea level and offers showstopping vistats over Coral Sea Marina, Port of Airlie Marina to Pioneer Bay and out to the Whitsundays. To help buyers visualise what can be achieved on the hillside blocks, developer Alder has released The Luxe Design Collection. Alder's general manager of development Frank Galvin said the concept empowers buyers to conceptualise the land at Airlie Summit and make the most of the unique characteristics the development has to offer. 'We've purposely embraced the natural slope of the hillside with the home concepts in the Luxe Design Collection,' Galvin said. 'Maintaining each block's natural slope and aspect maximises the views, prioritises privacy and invites a more interesting architectural response, inspiring designs that engage more completely with the natural surroundings. 'The design partners have an intimate knowledge and understanding of the topography and climate experienced at this elevation, along with a passion for creating designs that simultaneously showcase and celebrate the exquisite natural beauty and sweeping vistas on offer at this incredible site. 'This collection is a great place for buyers to start and depending on the design choices and the land value of the desired lot, these concepts open up the possibility of owning a remarkable coastal sanctuary on some of the highest zoned land in the suburb from around $2.5 million.' Land within the development starts from $495,000. To put that figure into perspective, an average block of land in Brisbane is now a mind-blowing $702,000 or $1623 per square metre. A 600sq m vacant block of residential land in suburban Brisbane recently sold for a staggering $2.38m. Each house design at Airlie Summit was crafted to optimise the views, integrate the outdoor living spaces, and ensure privacy and seclusion. The designs consider the unique landscape of the location while enhancing airflow, ventilation, and creating seamless indoor-outdoor living. Design partner Beau Valentine-Greer from Valentine Building Design said his design concept for the Luxe Design Collection highlighted the seamless integration between the land, sea and sky. 'The design concept for this exclusive collection is an ultimate place of retreat that acknowledges the gentle inception point where design meets nature and carefully seeks to sit within the landscape, framing the horizon rather than competing with it,' Valentine-Greer said. 'The homes are perched softly on the land while offering a strong attachment to ground, with level outdoor living and landscaped areas - a rare commodity on sloping sites. 'Each space within the design concept has been intentionally orientated to capture light, breeze and expansive sightlines while also offering privacy and protection from the neighbouring properties thus creating a feeling of exclusivity.' Qld's top-selling suburbs revealed Luxe Design Collection design partner Steve Rhodes from Considered Colab Design Studio said his expertise in designing for tropical and subtropical climates had resulted in a design concept that has a strong connection to its natural surroundings. 'Designing for tropical and subtropical environments presents a unique set of requirements that in design encourage an emphasis on harnessing the abundant natural light and promoting cross ventilation while creating homes that are both timelessly stylish and environmentally friendly,' Rhodes said. 'These designs have been conceived to enhance the natural aspects ensuring an unparalleled living experience where form meets function to offer both visual sophistication and practical comfort.' Access to the Luxe Design Collection concept plans comes at no cost and can be viewed at the sales office or by virtual showcase. Buyers will have the opportunity to work with their chosen designer to customise their preferred design package upon purchase of land at Airlie Summit and a detailed scope of work and fee schedule will be provided for the design and build process. Airlie Summit will ultimately comprise 94 residential and apartment lots. The Panorama release recently hit the market, with 13 prime water view homesites on offer, ranging in size from 616sq m to 898sq m priced from $495,000. Airlie Summit, which backs onto the Conway National Park, is one of the last remaining major subdivisions in the coastal town of Airlie Beach.
