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6 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Local Normandy find . . . . . . . 

 

I don't have the full story but this has just been recently recovered from a local property. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_e8e3.jpeg.7296ee20d56842fdfe5c9edd8cb886ab.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 26  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

That seems to be in excellent shape.

 

...Kat

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General Apathy
8 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

Ken,

 

I love how you see so many details. It took a minute but I figured out what you meant by the wood painted white. However, I still can't find what you mean about the decontamination handle. Is that the very small handle near the left side of the hood near the hinge?

 

..Kat

.

Hi Kat,

 

yes that's the one, the top of the decontamination container, retro fitted in the field. ( after manufacture )

 

.fullsizeoutput_e8ea.jpeg.6a0c172b7361fdcacd2123c7ec294f12.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 27  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

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Johan Willaert
3 hours ago, General Apathy said:

yes that's the one, the top of the decontamination container, retro fitted in the field. ( after manufacture )

 

 

The M2 Decontaminator was to be used for the decontamination of vehicles after an attack with chemical agents.
It was never fitted from the factory but was supplied through regular channels for each vehicle around 1943.

Technical Bulletin (TB) ORD161, dated 28th May 1943 suggests location for fitting the M2 on each type of vehicle, listing on the body floor under the passenger seat for the Jeep. This was not always adhered to and the M2 was commonly fitted on the slope side of one of the front fenders.
With the introduction of the ACM2 body type in January 1944, 6 holes were predrilled in the floor under the front passenger seat and already fitted with matching screws which allowed for easy installation of the M2 in the unit's motorpool.

 

Below an original M2 with its box from my collection. Early gloss black bracket with one retaining strap, later brackets were olive drab with two retaining straps.

 

 

M2Decontaminator (1).JPG

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General Apathy
27 minutes ago, Johan Willaert said:

 

The M2 Decontaminator was to be used for the decontamination of vehicles after an attack with chemical agents.
It was never fitted from the factory but was supplied through regular channels for each vehicle around 1943.

Technical Bulletin (TB) ORD161, dated 28th May 1943 suggests location for fitting the M2 on each type of vehicle, listing on the body floor under the passenger seat for the Jeep. This was not always adhered to and the M2 was commonly fitted on the slope side of one of the front fenders.
With the introduction of the ACM2 body type in January 1944, 6 holes were predrilled in the floor under the front passenger seat and already fitted with matching screws which allowed for easy installation of the M2 in the unit's motorpool.

 

Below an original M2 with its box from my collection. Early gloss black bracket with one retaining strap, later brackets were olive drab with two retaining straps.

 

 

M2Decontaminator (1).JPG

.

Hi Johan.

 

thanks for showing a better photo of a Decontaminating Apparatus, never bought one myself or Jeep radios, always found the Jeep worked well enough without them . . . . . . . p.s. flipped the photo. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_e8ec.jpeg.c845280a970d770dcd61441e97d9c145.jpeg  

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 27  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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17 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

Ken,

 

I love how you see so many details. It took a minute but I figured out what you meant by the wood painted white. However, I still can't find what you mean about the decontamination handle. Is that the very small handle near the left side of the hood near the hinge?

 

..Kat

These  guys are amazing, aren't they? 

Mikie

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General Apathy
3 hours ago, mikie said:

These  guys are amazing, aren't they? 

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

well thank you,  but I take my hat off to Johan he studies Jeep websites such as the G503 site where details are talked of in great depth.  I messed around with Jeeps somewhat earlier before there were computer sites, but what was great about those days for me was 99% of Jeeps had original parts, the manufacturing of reproduction parts hadn't got started back then. Most often myself and friends at that time saw and bought original Jeeps, that hadn't yet been ' rebuilt ' by collectors using reproduction parts.  Sadly for collectors now lots of the reproduction parts break-up, malfunction or fall apart within days or weeks of fitting.  

 

Just recently there has been many reports about foreign built combat rims breaking apart whilst driving, new contact points and condensers that weren't even worth getting out of the boxes to fit, also over here there have been several Jeeps with brake failures as the foreign made Flexi-hoses spilt apart, brand new brake-light switches that don't work or malfunction inside.

 

a couple of photos from back in the day. Also a few old road tax discs from one Jeep I bought in the late 60's  ( I have probably shown some of these previously ) The top two discs show the annual cost of road-tax £10 pounds a year or it was possible to buy partial years tax as in the bottom two both dated 1959. Due to the age of Jeeps now I believe that they may be exempt tax currently, as they are collectors cars and probably not used daily.

 

.fullsizeoutput_e962.jpeg.6de33c819f0bc7330f0881a0898c88b0.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_e963.jpeg.24672e72da819544bc99d98f3b3c15b5.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_e964.jpeg.940bbbb0ba38dbde6c4e0323741753a7.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_e96f.jpeg.c00d4984393ecd3c97f3653647a664ae.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_e970.jpeg.c8670f49481f33de7f9e0b719d8946ab.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 27  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

 

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General Apathy

.

Normandy find today . . . . . . 

 

Driving through Montebourg today I spotted this cut down German fuel barrel outside the gate of a house. I whipped around and went back for a photo, sadly the embossed German manufacturing details had long been gone.

 

.fullsizeoutput_e96b.jpeg.e776f7dea10ab971518493f7ee6b204d.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 27  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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Ok, I've got to ask about the photo of the jeep up to the top of the rims in mud. How the heck did you manage to get in that situation? I've seen the pic in the past. Sorry if you told the story before, but I don't recall it. Just one of those "jeeping" things?

Mikie

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5 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Normandy find today . . . . . . 

 

Driving through Montebourg today I spotted this cut down German fuel barrel outside the gate of a house. I whipped around and went back for a photo, sadly the embossed German manufacturing details had long been gone.

 

.fullsizeoutput_e96b.jpeg.e776f7dea10ab971518493f7ee6b204d.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 27  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

It amazes me how you know what rusted, cut down, unmarked militaria truly was once upon a time.

 

...Kat

 

 

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15 hours ago, earlymb said:

Here it is better visible:

 

G503_Decontaminator_Pic_Italy_1945.JPG.83bac21e36a46a15f278d035f9f4f131.JPG

 

14 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

 

The M2 Decontaminator was to be used for the decontamination of vehicles after an attack with chemical agents.
It was never fitted from the factory but was supplied through regular channels for each vehicle around 1943.

Technical Bulletin (TB) ORD161, dated 28th May 1943 suggests location for fitting the M2 on each type of vehicle, listing on the body floor under the passenger seat for the Jeep. This was not always adhered to and the M2 was commonly fitted on the slope side of one of the front fenders.
With the introduction of the ACM2 body type in January 1944, 6 holes were predrilled in the floor under the front passenger seat and already fitted with matching screws which allowed for easy installation of the M2 in the unit's motorpool.

 

Below an original M2 with its box from my collection. Early gloss black bracket with one retaining strap, later brackets were olive drab with two retaining straps.

 

 

M2Decontaminator (1).JPG

It also amazes me that when a jeep question is asked, y'all quickly post original pictures of the item in use AND pictures of the item in your collection!

 

...Kat

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General Apathy
12 hours ago, mikie said:

Ok, I've got to ask about the photo of the jeep up to the top of the rims in mud. How the heck did you manage to get in that situation? I've seen the pic in the past. Sorry if you told the story before, but I don't recall it. Just one of those "jeeping" things?

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

short answer is we used to go out LOOKING for mud tracks to test our driving skills and the Jeeps capabilities through mud.  Many a great days of fun with friends and Jeeps were had. 

 

The one Christmas time when we did this we went into an overcrowded pub at lunchtime, being Christmas the bar was packed with people trying to get served I eventually got to the bar close to a guy who was just being served.  When the barmaid looked who to serve next I cried out box of matches please, thinking it was a quick sale she placed a box of matches in front of me and I held out a twenty pound note she looked at me with disdain holding a twenty pound note for a ten pence box of matches.  I followed up with four pints of beer and two Gin & Tonics please, a wry smile appeared as she realised I had tricked her and she poured the drinks . . . . . . . .  I thanked her and tipped her well. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 28  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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General Apathy
10 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

It amazes me how you know what rusted, cut down, unmarked militaria truly was once upon a time.

 

...Kat

 

 

.

Hi Kat,

 

It pays dividends trying to know something about anything and everything.  I went with Jeeping friend Mike this morning to a street flea market, I spotted a two metre tall German barbed wire stake and Mike got it for a really good price.  For myself I spotted this 1935 Carlsberg beer bottle, knowing that the Swastika on the top and the bottom did not mean German Army item, I bought it as it was pre war 1935.  The Swastika was used by the brewery for many years until the German army began to use it and the brewery stopped using it on their bottles.  But there are early WWII photos of German troops drinking from identical bottles, so there is a tenuous German army connection,  just as they used to drink Cola-Cola prior to America discontinuing supplies after Pearl Harbor.  

 

I do have a couple of bottles with a similar flip top and they are marked ' Luftwaffe ' and if I recall dated around 1939.  The seller of the Carlsberg bottle this morning said that it was recovered from the CAEN area after I had already bought it, I liked it anyway and with local provenance then even more. .   

 

.fullsizeoutput_e987.jpeg.88916b6c4bf042c4bd6d0a143ad79313.jpeg

 

.fullsizeoutput_e983.jpeg.7728923695e8957f579cacd0dfb12433.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_e986.jpeg.4358ddea976e0ad31b7e8249eff916b6.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 28  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

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2 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie,

 

short answer is we used to go out LOOKING for mud tracks to test our driving skills and the Jeeps capabilities through mud.  Many a great days of fun with friends and Jeeps were had. 

 

The one Christmas time when we did this we went into an overcrowded pub at lunchtime, being Christmas the bar was packed with people trying to get served I eventually got to the bar close to a guy who was just being served.  When the barmaid looked who to serve next I cried out box of matches please, thinking it was a quick sale she placed a box of matches in front of me and I held out a twenty pound note she looked at me with disdain holding a twenty pound note for a ten pence box of matches.  I followed up with four pints of beer and two Gin & Tonics please, a wry smile appeared as she realised I had tricked her and she poured the drinks . . . . . . . .  I thanked her and tipped her well. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 28  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's 7:20 AM. I just got up and checked my notifications and found this post. Always great to start the day with a good laugh! 

Mikie

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General Apathy

.

Sad find yesterday . . . . . 

 

Looking in a display case of small items I spotted that the small flat tin of plum jam appeared to be weeping the contents in a number of areas, I took it out and inspected it and found that there numerous pin holes in the rear, the contents were literally eating the can from the inside out. 

 

So today I did as suggested and put a thin blade into the pouch-line around the top and lifted it enough to submerge in hot water and soap and shake the contents out, eventually I totally cleaned out the inside and then stood it on top of the log burner and dried it out.  Tomorrow I will spray the inside and outside with a clear matt varnish spray and try to insulate it from further corrosion, better an empty tin than no tin. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9ab.jpeg.40d72a8bf8de646e3a764762f2f1bafe.jpeg

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9a8.jpeg.3f9105b597dac873a062956a85401882.jpeg

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9a5.jpeg.0e85dcf2694d140953463b296c9a12c6.jpeg

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 28  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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Great to see photographs of St James (Normandy) Cemetery.  I've only been there once on my many trips to the area.  It was in my way from St Lo to Mt St Michel.  There are around 6,000 interred there and almost 10,000 interned at Coleville-sur-Mer.  Interesting to me was the grave of Lt Harris, killed 30 July 1944.  I was wondering as he was a member of my 3 uncles unit:  110th Field Artillery.  Sad that they didn't do Companies/Batteries on the stones.  This had to have been during St. Lo.  My uncles talked quite a bit about Martinville Ridge.  I knew many veterans of the 110th, as I attended many reunions.  But now almost all of them have gone to the next playing field.  I hope many have caught-up with army buddies that didn't make it back.  I corrected a mistake after my first trip to Normandy.  My uncle's friend, CPL Donald E. Myerly was from my hometown and was in the 110th FA as a truck driver.  He was headed up the Vierville (D-1) Draw on 7 June from the beach.  His ammo truck had a full-load and got to the the Vierville-sur-Mer intersection when it took a direct hit!  B-Battery lost 18 men, 2 trucks and a couple guns.  I later met the Battery Cimmander, Bill Boykin, who still had the after actions report, and how he tried to beat-out the fire on a truck's canvas.  Anyway, I retraced the movements with my uncle's map he carried that day.  At the cemetery, (as my uncles didn't know) Donald's grave was there.  They weren't sure if he was there or I'm Westminster, Maryland?  But I was puzzled by the 24 June 1944 date?  I have the official records "Omaha Beachhead" that mentions the trucks and men lost in the crossroads incident.  I got a statement from my uncle who was there and sent other documentation to Battle Monuments.  They changed the date.  But they won't change the marker.  As it turns out, many in-correct dates are on those tone.  The 29th Division first buried their dead on the beach.  Later a 29th Division cemetery was constructed in La Cambe.  And in 1948, a National Cemetery was opened at Colleville-sur-Mer. I saw Donald's records and he was buried with a blanket 3 times.  It was like a musical cemetery.  They left the open holes at La Cambe and made that the German Cemetery.  

I attended a Memorial Day parade in my hometown many years ago and spoke to Russell Martin who was with the 175th Infantry.  He told me when he arrived back home, he went to see the Myerly family.  They received a telegram in July 1944 with the same in-correct date of 24 June 1944.  Russ told them that was wrong, as the 175th landed that day and unfortunately landed at St. Laurent and marched across the beach to The Vierville draw and saw a large portion of the carnage on Omaha. Then they marched up the draw.  It wasn't until many years later I received an email from Donald's younger brother, Richard.  I had tried to find the family when I returned, but no Myerly's were in the phone book!  He had moved to Ohio.  I met with him on one of his visits. He told me of the July 1944 afternoon when a Western Union man brought a telegram to the family.  His parents weren't home, and told the 16 year-old that he'd return the next day.  Well, Rich told him that he'd give it to them.  The man agreed and said, "Let me you an idea, wait until tomorrow before you give it to them.  Let them get a good night's rest tonight".  And that's what Rich did.  I alway's went to his grave when I returned to Normandy.  I thought I might be the only person from his hometown to see his grave,  Rich told me he'd been there twice.  Once on company business he rented a car and on his way there, got a hotel room in Evereux on Rt 13. (Pris-Cherbourg Road).  The young girl asked him where he was going?  And he explained he was headed to the U.S. Cemetery that had opened in 1948 to see his brother's grave.  The young lady stood there and cried.  I have a good friend in Normandy that places flowers on Donald's grave who belong's to "Les Fleurs de la Rememberance". He and his family were here several years ago and we went to the cemetery where Donald's parents are buried.  I had heard that a marker was there for Donald.  We began to comb the cemetery.  Well, Patrick found the marker.  Donald's name is on his parents stone.  And it also has the incorrect date of 24 June 1944, and not 7 June.  

 

Tim

www.ww2dday.com

see D-Day Photo-Gallery

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20 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Sad find yesterday . . . . . 

 

Looking in a display case of small items I spotted that the small flat tin of plum jam appeared to be weeping the contents in a number of areas, I took it out and inspected it and found that there numerous pin holes in the rear, the contents were literally eating the can from the inside out. 

 

So today I did as suggested and put a thin blade into the pouch-line around the top and lifted it enough to submerge in hot water and soap and shake the contents out, eventually I totally cleaned out the inside and then stood it on top of the log burner and dried it out.  Tomorrow I will spray the inside and outside with a clear matt varnish spray and try to insulate it from further corrosion, better an empty tin than no tin. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9ab.jpeg.40d72a8bf8de646e3a764762f2f1bafe.jpeg

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9a8.jpeg.3f9105b597dac873a062956a85401882.jpeg

 

.fullsizeoutput_e9a5.jpeg.0e85dcf2694d140953463b296c9a12c6.jpeg

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 28  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

That is just plum terrible.  Sad to hear you getting into that kind of jam. 

Seriously, too bad there wasn't a good way to preserve the jam since it is as much an artifact as the can. 

Mikie

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General Apathy
5 hours ago, Mapman said:

Great to see photographs of St James (Normandy) Cemetery.  I've only been there once on my many trips to the area.  It was in my way from St Lo to Mt St Michel.  There are around 6,000 interred there and almost 10,000 interned at Coleville-sur-Mer.  Interesting to me was the grave of Lt Harris, killed 30 July 1944.  I was wondering as he was a member of my 3 uncles unit:  110th Field Artillery.  Sad that they didn't do Companies/Batteries on the stones.  This had to have been during St. Lo.  My uncles talked quite a bit about Martinville Ridge.  I knew many veterans of the 110th, as I attended many reunions.  But now almost all of them have gone to the next playing field.  I hope many have caught-up with army buddies that didn't make it back.  I corrected a mistake after my first trip to Normandy.  My uncle's friend, CPL Donald E. Myerly was from my hometown and was in the 110th FA as a truck driver.  He was headed up the Vierville (D-1) Draw on 7 June from the beach.  His ammo truck had a full-load and got to the the Vierville-sur-Mer intersection when it took a direct hit!  B-Battery lost 18 men, 2 trucks and a couple guns.  I later met the Battery Cimmander, Bill Boykin, who still had the after actions report, and how he tried to beat-out the fire on a truck's canvas.  Anyway, I retraced the movements with my uncle's map he carried that day.  At the cemetery, (as my uncles didn't know) Donald's grave was there.  They weren't sure if he was there or I'm Westminster, Maryland?  But I was puzzled by the 24 June 1944 date?  I have the official records "Omaha Beachhead" that mentions the trucks and men lost in the crossroads incident.  I got a statement from my uncle who was there and sent other documentation to Battle Monuments.  They changed the date.  But they won't change the marker.  As it turns out, many in-correct dates are on those tone.  The 29th Division first buried their dead on the beach.  Later a 29th Division cemetery was constructed in La Cambe.  And in 1948, a National Cemetery was opened at Colleville-sur-Mer. I saw Donald's records and he was buried with a blanket 3 times.  It was like a musical cemetery.  They left the open holes at La Cambe and made that the German Cemetery.  

I attended a Memorial Day parade in my hometown many years ago and spoke to Russell Martin who was with the 175th Infantry.  He told me when he arrived back home, he went to see the Myerly family.  They received a telegram in July 1944 with the same in-correct date of 24 June 1944.  Russ told them that was wrong, as the 175th landed that day and unfortunately landed at St. Laurent and marched across the beach to The Vierville draw and saw a large portion of the carnage on Omaha. Then they marched up the draw.  It wasn't until many years later I received an email from Donald's younger brother, Richard.  I had tried to find the family when I returned, but no Myerly's were in the phone book!  He had moved to Ohio.  I met with him on one of his visits. He told me of the July 1944 afternoon when a Western Union man brought a telegram to the family.  His parents weren't home, and told the 16 year-old that he'd return the next day.  Well, Rich told him that he'd give it to them.  The man agreed and said, "Let me you an idea, wait until tomorrow before you give it to them.  Let them get a good night's rest tonight".  And that's what Rich did.  I alway's went to his grave when I returned to Normandy.  I thought I might be the only person from his hometown to see his grave,  Rich told me he'd been there twice.  Once on company business he rented a car and on his way there, got a hotel room in Evereux on Rt 13. (Pris-Cherbourg Road).  The young girl asked him where he was going?  And he explained he was headed to the U.S. Cemetery that had opened in 1948 to see his brother's grave.  The young lady stood there and cried.  I have a good friend in Normandy that places flowers on Donald's grave who belong's to "Les Fleurs de la Rememberance". He and his family were here several years ago and we went to the cemetery where Donald's parents are buried.  I had heard that a marker was there for Donald.  We began to comb the cemetery.  Well, Patrick found the marker.  Donald's name is on his parents stone.  And it also has the incorrect date of 24 June 1944, and not 7 June.  

 

Tim

www.ww2dday.com

see D-Day Photo-Gallery

.

Hi Mapman,

 

Thanks for sharing your family history and Normandy connections with us, these unrecorded stories fill some of the spaces left out of unit histories and books.  That's some detail that I was unaware of about the La Cambe cemetery. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 29  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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General Apathy
2 hours ago, mikie said:

That is just plum terrible.  Sad to hear you getting into that kind of jam. 

Seriously, too bad there wasn't a good way to preserve the jam since it is as much an artifact as the can. 

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

Well here you are with the puns again . . . . . . if the lost jam had been a bunch of Blueberries with guitars we could have had a Jam-Session. !!!

 

What  kind of Jam can't you eat . . . . . . . .  Traffic Jam.  !!!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 29  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie,

 

Well here you are with the puns again . . . . . . if the lost jam had been a bunch of Blueberries with guitars we could have had a Jam-Session. !!!

 

What  kind of Jam can't you eat . . . . . . . .  Traffic Jam.  !!!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 29  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

😁 Ha! 

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General Apathy

.

more detail on the cemeteries in Ste Mere Eglise. . . . . . . . . 

 

A couple of days ago I added a couple of Then & Now shots of the cemeteries in Ste Mere Eglise, I thought maybe with the aid of an aerial shot I have annotated then anyone who hasn't visited the town might get a little more detail.

 

So first shot shows the locations of the two cemeteries ( 3,000 & 5,000 ) in Ste Mere Eglise and the cemetery ( 6,000 ) at Blosville a couple of miles away.  On the Utah beach side of the town remains the monument to the cemetery containing 3,000 KIA, and the monument to the 6,000 KIA at Blosville, Retired Colonel Elbert Legg on a post war visit to the wartime location of the cemetery, in June 1944 Sgt Legg of the Graves Registration Unit was in one of the first gliders that landed and he immediately started the registration and burial of dead soldiers. 

 

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.This next image is a close up of the location of the cemetery on the inland side of the town which contained the 5,000 KIA's. It shows other details of the area and the four houses / farms seen from the cemetery in 1946, these I have annotated #1, #2, #3, #4 on the aerial map and again on the landscape image I took last week. The current monument to the cemetery stands in the entrance to the then carpark on the bottom edge of the aerial photo.

 

After WWII the auto-route N-13 was built across the landscape removing passing traffic from entering the town.

 

According to Richard Winters ( 506th ) he landed close to house #3 on the left side of the photo, he moved through the gardens on the left side edge and exited the town on the top left circuiting the town and gathering men and heading in the direction of Brecourt Manor to the rear of Utah beach. ( about nine years ago around twenty of us followed his described route to Brecourt manor starting around 01h00 in the morning roughly being a similar time that he covered the same route. )

 

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Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 29  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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American Graffiti

Wow, those are sobering numbers. Cemeteries full of thousands of men, really brings it home, and that is one small corner of the battlefield.

Some great posts as usual Ken, from jeeps to Jam you've got it covered.

I can't help but think you and your jeeping buddies in the 70s would fit into Oddball's outfit from Kelly's Heroes quite easily. Kind of long haired road pirates terrorising country lanes and small English villages where no barmaid was safe! Ha! But I could be wrong..

Thanks for all the good stuff

AG

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General Apathy
44 minutes ago, American Graffiti said:

Wow, those are sobering numbers. Cemeteries full of thousands of men, really brings it home, and that is one small corner of the battlefield.

Some great posts as usual Ken, from jeeps to Jam you've got it covered.

I can't help but think you and your jeeping buddies in the 70s would fit into Oddball's outfit from Kelly's Heroes quite easily. Kind of long haired road pirates terrorising country lanes and small English villages where no barmaid was safe! Ha! But I could be wrong..

Thanks for all the good stuff

AG

.

Hello AG.

 

Yes there are a great number of American cemeteries throughout Europe ( and Pacific ) so may lives never lived a full and filled lifetime. 

 

Back to Jeeps again,  looking for something else I just pulled out these old UK road tax discs from another Jeep I owned in the late 60's, I don't recall the date I actually parted with it.  I just checked the British government website and it is currently owned but not being used, It left the army in 1947 ( first disc ended Dec 1948 ), it was last taxed in 1984, and the log book ( title / Carte Gris ) is shown as changed owner 2005. 

 

and yes thanks some people would have considered it a wild ride over the years . . . . . . . .

 

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Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, November 29  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

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Thank's for the reply,

I was just admiring your photos of the cemeteries around Ste Mere Eglise and Blosville.  I also have ties to that area, as I was in the 82nd Airborne during the 30th Anniversary.  We still had 3 of the WW2 guys on jump status at that time.  All 3 jumped back in at the 30th.  I spent a great deal of time with D-Day Pathfinder Robt. M. Murphy, A-505th PIR, who landed not far from La Fiere Bridge at Drop Zone O, as did Julius Eisner, D-505th PIR.  I remember at the bottom of the square, "The Stop Bar" which sort of became the 82nd HQ's during the anniversaries.  It was Bob Murphy that started the anniversary jumps there in 1964.  Funny thing was, he was portrayed in "The Longest Day" landing behind Madame Levrault's (schoolteacher) back yard as she came out on her stoop hearing commotion and looking up in time to see a man land and lookup at her and raise his index finger to his mouth to stay quiet.  Bob immediately told Cornelius Ryan, "That didn't happen to me".  Ryan laughed and told Bob he knew that, as he'd written the book. "Just a bit of Hollywood" Ryan told him.  Well, Bob must have had a premonition, because there wasn't a time in Normandy that someone said to him:  You landed behind the lady's house!  And Bob spent a huge amount of time explaining how he jumped at around 300 feet an hour before the main body of 505th jumped and most landed at DZ O.  A stick of F-Co, 2/505th landed over the square. (See briefing: www.ww2dday.com  65th anniversary photos at bottom of page).

I will tell you a not so funny story about the cemeteries and the movie:  Saving Private Ryan.   I would hangout with many of our guys at the Stop Bar. A lot I never asked who they were with.  We had a mini reunion near Arlington Cemetery one year.  I had my book that many of the guys signed, "Saga of the All-American".  One of the guys that went over every year was there. I had him sign my book. He signed it on the same page Lt. General Gavin had signed it. (Gavin had been the 505th Commander).  I looked and saw the guy I only knew as "Frank" signed it:  Frank Billich D-505.  I looked at him and said, "Frank, did you know Bob Niland"?  Well, Niland was his squad leader and Frank was with him when he got killed at Neuville-au-Plain.  The real name wasn't "Ryan", it was "Niland".  Back to the movie:  The movie portrays Tom Hanks as a Ranger Captain taking a small patrol from Pt du Hoc and looking for a paratroop in the 101st Airborne who's brothers were killed.  We're talking a long hike even under friendly conditions. That NEVER happened.  A chaplain in the 101st Airborne, Captain Francis Sampson received a message to try to locate a Private Fritz Niland.  Sampson put word out to the units asking Niland to come see the Chaplain.  Niland reported and Sampson told him that his brother got killed at Utah Beach.  Sampson to Fritz to jump in the jeep, and they were going to the cemetery. They found the cemetery near Blosville.  And they found the marker.  Well, Fritz looked at it and said, "Oh, it's my brother Bob"?  Sampson was a bit miffed?  He stopped a worker passing by and explained who he was looking for.  The worker said, "Was he in the 82nd Airborne"?  And Sampson replied "No, he was in the 4th Division".  The worker replied, "Oh, well this is the 82nd Airborne's Cemetery.  The 4th Division's cemetery is down the road a ways".  And when they got there, Fritz was devastated when he found his other brother's grave.  Today, both of them are buried in Colleville-sur-Mer in the U.S. cemetery, side by side.  I believe there are 14 pairs of brothers in that cemetery.  American Monuments just identified remains of another twin just before the 75th D-Day Anniversary.  Both were in the Navy when a mine exploded after D-Day at Omaha Beach. Now they are both at Colleville-sur-Mer.  

Not sure if you read the book by Bob Murphy, "No Better Place To Die".  About the battle at La Fiere Bridge.  The 82nd lost over 500 men at that ordeal.  I usually stay theIr at the Manoir House owned by Yves and Chantel Poisson.  Much of the battle was in their home. 

 

Tim

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