Norman D. Landing

[General Apathy]

Crisbecq bunker visit . . . . . . .

 

Whilst enjoying the guided tour around the newly opened command bunker we went down into the basement rooms which had previously been flooded for a number of years. Tragic that it was flooded but in a strange way it also helped preserve the wall insulation from being vandalised or torn off by souvenir hunters, it is the first example of wall insulation that I have encountered around the bunkers in the Utah beach area. ( I have a small section of this material I was given from a private bunker in another area, I will photograph and show later )

 

Whilst in the basement area which appears to have been sleeping accommodation I spotted what appears to be a hand painted sign above one of the doors, the bunker owner hadn't seen this and will now try to preserve it and make it more legible, here is a photo taken while I was there and after seeing it.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 1 2016.

 

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[LtRGFRANK]

Crisbecq bunker visit . . . . . . .

 

Whilst enjoying the guided tour around the newly opened command bunker we went down into the basement rooms which had previously been flooded for a number of years. Tragic that it was flooded but in a strange way it also helped preserve the wall insulation from being vandalised or torn off by souvenir hunters, it is the first example of wall insulation that I have encountered around the bunkers in the Utah beach area. ( I have a small section of this material I was given from a private bunker in another area, I will photograph and show later )

 

Whilst in the basement area which appears to have been sleeping accommodation I spotted what appears to be a hand painted sign above one of the doors, the bunker owner hadn't seen this and will now try to preserve it and make it more legible, here is a photo taken while I was there and after seeing it.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 1 2016.

 

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History untouched. Good eye

[General Apathy]

History untouched. Good eye

 

Hi Robert, pity it spent so much time under water, hope he can save and restore it enough to read, pleased you enjoyed it.

 

Here is a photo of the insulation used in bunkers ( when used ) in this case the basement was a room used for sleeping, can't imagine what the conditions would have been like in a dark, dank subterranean concrete bunker with no windows and only a narrow and single exit.

 

It consists of thin slivers of wood shaving mixed into a concrete mix fixed to the wall and then skimmed over with a flat plaster finish and painted, often white or cream. Note there are two square rust spots where it was spread over something metal on the walls.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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[LtRGFRANK]

 

Hi Robert, pity it spent so much time under water, hope he can save and restore it enough to read, pleased you enjoyed it.

 

Here is a photo of the insulation used in bunkers ( when used ) in this case the basement was a room used for sleeping, can't imagine what the conditions would have been like in a dark, dank subterranean concrete bunker with no windows and only a narrow and single exit.

 

It consists of thin slivers of wood shaving mixed into a concrete mix fixed to the wall and then skimmed over with a flat plaster finish and painted, often white or cream. Note there are two square rust spots where it was spread over something metal on the walls.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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back in the 60s I built some buildings the had huge slabs of that for base roofing

[General Apathy]

back in the 60s I built some buildings the had huge slabs of that for base roofing

 

Hi Robert, well this is the reason that this particular piece was given to me, it was removed post war as a memento when the bunkers were stripped of anything worthwhile, initially veterans took mementos, then scrap metal dealers took away all the metal content, people living local to bunkers took anything that might have a future use.

 

I have read somewhere that post war WWII the French army were blowing up about 800 bunkers a week, until it was audited how many bunkers there were to be destroyed and what it would cost to do so.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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[patlee6]

 

Hi Robert, pity it spent so much time under water, hope he can save and restore it enough to read, pleased you enjoyed it.

 

Here is a photo of the insulation used in bunkers ( when used ) in this case the basement was a room used for sleeping, can't imagine what the conditions would have been like in a dark, dank subterranean concrete bunker with no windows and only a narrow and single exit.

 

It consists of thin slivers of wood shaving mixed into a concrete mix fixed to the wall and then skimmed over with a flat plaster finish and painted, often white or cream. Note there are two square rust spots where it was spread over something metal on the walls.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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Hi Ken, That insulation type material is "Stramit board". Invented in Sweden in the early thirties. We used it a few times back in the sixties. It came in 6x3`` sheets about 2" thick I seem to recall, but various sizes were available. It is still being made today. Lee.

 

[MCDUFF]

 

Hi Robert, well this is the reason that this particular piece was given to me, it was removed post war as a memento when the bunkers were stripped of anything worthwhile, initially veterans took mementos, then scrap metal dealers took away all the metal content, people living local to bunkers took anything that might have a future use.

 

I have read somewhere that post war WWII the French army were blowing up about 800 bunkers a week, until it was audited how many bunkers there were to be destroyed and what it would cost to do so.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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Hi Ken, that is a fascinating piece of Normandy history there, albeit a bit chilling! Glad it was saved for posterity!

Cheers, Graham

[General Apathy]

 

Hi Ken, That insulation type material is "Stramit board". Invented in Sweden in the early thirties. We used it a few times back in the sixties. It came in 6x3`` sheets about 2" thick I seem to recall, but various sizes were available. It is still being made today. Lee.

 

 

Hi Lee, thanks for the input and joining in with the name of the insulation board, and thanks also for the photo you sent me a few days ago showing your two daughters in the US. one proud father.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 02 2016.

 

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[General Apathy]

Hi Ken, that is a fascinating piece of Normandy history there, albeit a bit chilling! Glad it was saved for posterity!

Cheers, Graham

 

Hi Graham, as you say fascinating history but only seventy years ago, here's another piece of Normandy history I was given today by a stonemason friend, it's possibly 12th century or so and maybe from a monastery or something similar to have such nice detail carved into it.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 02 2016.

 

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[General Apathy]

From the shoebox ( well a bunker originally ) . . . . . .

 

as I had recently made comment on a newly opened bunker museum at Crisbecq battery I thought I would show this item from my shoebox, it's a periscope designed for bunker use. I believe there is some original footage of the German army attacking the Belgian bunkers at Fort Eben Emael in 1940, a periscope the same as this one is evident in some of that footage. Sadly the padded face protection around the area for the eyes has deteriorated a little with age.

 

I bought this piece many years ago from a scientist who at the end of the war evaluated captured German equipment, and a very interesting chappie to talk with.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 04 2016.

 

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[LtRGFRANK]

From the shoebox ( well a bunker originally ) . . . . . .

 

as I had recently made comment on a newly opened bunker museum at Crisbecq battery I thought I would show this item from my shoebox, it's a periscope designed for bunker use. I believe there is some original footage of the German army attacking the Belgian bunkers at Fort Eben Emael in 1940, a periscope the same as this one is evident in some of that footage. Sadly the padded face protection around the area for the eyes has deteriorated a little with age.

 

I bought this piece many years ago from a scientist who at the end of the war evaluated captured German equipment, and a very interesting chappie to talk with.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 04 2016.

 

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you can keep an eye on things

 

[General Apathy]

 

you can keep an eye on things

 

 

 

Hey Robert your right, I can see what you mean . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 04 2016.

 

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[mikie]

 

you can keep an eye on things

 

Working with a periscope has it's ups and downs. I'm really sorry, but I just couldn't resist that one.

Mikie

[General Apathy]

 

The Digital Library of Virginia, Signal Corp Collection . . . . . . . .

 

Hundreds of WWII photographs to be found at this link, many with identified personnel, vehicles shots etc.

 

 

http://digitool1.lva.lib.va.us:8881/R/7KQ3J3MG2PEC1UJK434CF5FPKJK7J5QR1QNHTRVPF678XBBGD9-03301?func=collections-result&collection_id=1641&_ga=1%2E174103650%2E1559994136%2E1473498911&pds_handle=GUEST

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, Sepetmber 10 2016.

 

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[General Apathy]

Working with a periscope has it's ups and downs. I'm really sorry, but I just couldn't resist that one.

Mikie

Just off to see the Crisbecq bunker again, open today but not many more days before the winter period.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 10 2016.

 

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[LtRGFRANK]

Just off to see the Crisbecq bunker again, open today but not many more days before the winter period.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 10 2016.

 

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have fun

 

[General Apathy]

Photo of captured Sherman ' War-Daddy ' undergoing German evaluation . . . . . . . . . . .

 

yesterday while looking through a WWII copy of the German army ' Signal ' magazine I found this photo of a captured Sherman undergoing comparison evaluation against German army tanks. I was intrigued with the name painted on the side of the tank ' War- Daddy ' as this name came to prominence in the 2014 Brad Pitt film Fury.

 

I wondered if there had been any connection as to the use of the name ' War-Daddy' in the film and with any original usage of the name during WWII.

 

Note a lot of small arms fire on the turret star . .. . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 11 2016. ( remember 9/11 )

 

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[American Graffiti]

Hi Ken,

That is interesting the photos of the sherman, and the name. Gotta love old copies of Signal.

Also very envious of your location regarding bunkers, you could say you're in bunker heaven. I'm a sucker for them, every time I saw a pill box as a kid I wanted to go inside and explore, I guess we are all secret troglodytes!

 

AG

[mikie]

 

Hi Robert, pity it spent so much time under water, hope he can save and restore it enough to read, pleased you enjoyed it.

 

Here is a photo of the insulation used in bunkers ( when used ) in this case the basement was a room used for sleeping, can't imagine what the conditions would have been like in a dark, dank subterranean concrete bunker with no windows and only a narrow and single exit.

 

It consists of thin slivers of wood shaving mixed into a concrete mix fixed to the wall and then skimmed over with a flat plaster finish and painted, often white or cream. Note there are two square rust spots where it was spread over something metal on the walls.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 01 2016.

 

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This looked vaguely familiar to me but has taken a while for me to pin it down. It reminds me of some of the works made by my late Aunt Stella, an artist. There were some pieces she made by gluing strips of shredded newspaper or other items to a canvas and then whitewashing it. This was all many years ago, but she would get a couple of thousand each for them.

Mikie

 

[General Apathy]

Hi Ken,

That is interesting the photos of the sherman, and the name. Gotta love old copies of Signal.

Also very envious of your location regarding bunkers, you could say you're in bunker heaven. I'm a sucker for them, every time I saw a pill box as a kid I wanted to go inside and explore, I guess we are all secret troglodytes!

 

AG

 

Hi AG, funny only yesterday I was telling a local friend who is interested in bunkers that when I was ten back in the UK, I went into an old wartime air-raid shelter. It was quite dark inside and only some faint light entering from the broken down door of the entrance, It was many years since this was last in use so anything of interest or value was long gone, however I spotted an open cupboard ( small closet ) high up on the wall, the top of which touched the ceiling.

 

Standing on tip-toes I could just reach into the cupboard ( closet ) with my fingertips, it was then that there was a loud bang and a large flash and I was thrown clear to the other side of the room, the electrics had never been disconnected . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Another episode in my life that when I went home I never related to my parents . . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 14 2016.

 

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[General Apathy]

This looked vaguely familiar to me but has taken a while for me to pin it down. It reminds me of some of the works made by my late Aunt Stella, an artist. There were some pieces she made by gluing strips of shredded newspaper or other items to a canvas and then whitewashing it. This was all many years ago, but she would get a couple of thousand each for them.

Mikie

 

 

Hi Mikie, I suspect that this would have possibly been around the time of Woodstock, . . . . . . hey, cool man

 

Norman D. landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 14 2016.

 

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[LtRGFRANK]

 

Hi AG, funny only yesterday I was telling a local friend who is interested in bunkers that when I was ten back in the UK, I went into an old wartime air-raid shelter. It was quite dark inside and only some faint light entering from the broken down door of the entrance, It was many years since this was last in use so anything of interest or value was long gone, however I spotted an open cupboard ( small closet ) high up on the wall, the top of which touched the ceiling.

 

Standing on tip-toes I could just reach into the cupboard ( closet ) with my fingertips, it was then that there was a loud bang and a large flash and I was thrown clear to the other side of the room, the electrics had never been disconnected . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Another episode in my life that when I went home I never related to my parents . . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 14 2016.

 

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is that when you lost your hair

 

[General Apathy]

 

is that when you lost your hair

 

 

 

Hi Robert, no it was not then, according to a well known Trichologist it was some time later and something to do with regular contact with bed headboards . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 15 2016.

 

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[cutiger83]

 

is that when you lost your hair

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Robert, no it was not then, according to a well known Trichologist it was some time later and something to do with regular contact with bed headboards . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 15 2016.

 

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Both of these responses made me laugh out loud! Y'all are too funny! I love this thread because of the fun banter back and forth.

 

Ken,

 

Did you have any burns from that electric shock? Scary that it threw you across the room!

 

...Kat

[mikie]

 

 

 

 

Both of these responses made me laugh out loud! Y'all are too funny! I love this thread because of the fun banter back and forth.

 

Ken,

 

Did you have any burns from that electric shock? Scary that it threw you across the room!

 

...Kat

Me too Kat. I have to watch out when I read these things at work.

Mikie