Jump to content

Norman D. Landing


bilko1
 Share

Recommended Posts

General Apathy
18 minutes ago, Johan Willaert said:

Spent this Sunday afternoon putting markings on a friend’s freshly restored 1943 Dodge WC-52 3/4 Ton truck.

It is marked for mechanics of A Company of the 126th Ordnance Maintenance Battalion attached to the 4th Armored Division.

The 4th AD landed in Normandy in July 1944 and was the unit which broke the Bastogne siege in December 1944.

Also shown is an original photo I based the markings on…

 

More on the 4th AD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Armored_Division_(United_States)

 

Ken, this belongs to one of the guys that were with us in Normandy earlier this month.

 


 

3A889E8E-C13D-4723-99C2-54A17536052D.png.2a1968250b6734b0f87e337b4b2993a9.png

 

6CFDAC3F-F4DF-42ED-9CF7-4AE5283725BD.png.197bbde87d3cfbf184923f8f1e2bdf70.png

 

 

0DE0A0F7-CAB9-4D37-91B1-C463E238CF27.png

.

Hi Johan,

 

well done using an original photograph as inspiration for the markings,  looking at the photograph further inspiration could be taken next weekend by finding a muddy field for a little run through . . . . . . . . . 😈

 

Say hi to the guys for me.  

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 19  2022.

 

...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Graham.

.

Very kind,  how do I thank or respond to an accolade like that, give me a year and maybe I could think of something,  Many Thanks Graham

 

Yes lets try and meet again in 2024.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 19  2022.

 

...

 

Ken,

 

I quickly run out of "likes" when reading this thread.  This is always my first "go to" to see if anyone has posted anything.  Sometimes I only have time for a quick glance but always come back again to read closer. I can only echo Graham and Mikie in saying thank you for ALL you do for this hobby and this thread.

 

...Kat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Johan,

 

well done using an original photograph as inspiration for the markings,  looking at the photograph further inspiration could be taken next weekend by finding a muddy field for a little run through . . . . . . . . . 😈

 

Say hi to the guys for me.  

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 19  2022.

 

...

😄

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Apathy
33 minutes ago, BryanJ said:

I’m just curious, how many WWII vehicle restorations have you guys been involved in?  

.

Hi BryanJ,

 

Speaking for myself I think that's on par with ' what's the meaning of life ', I have never kept count of restorations, repairs, helping friends with rebuilds, etc, etc. just been playing with these things since I was sixteen.  When I joined the UK club the MVCG ( now MVT ) in 1972 I took out life membership as I knew that having that much fun I would be doing this stuff all my life.  

 

In fact only yesterday morning over coffee in Ste Mere Eglise I proposed to friends that in place of brass handles on my coffin I would have Jeep grab handles, and a representative sized windscreen laying flat on the coffin and a Ford script on the rear panel.  !!!!  as I said if you can't laugh at yourself don't laugh at others . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 20  2022.

 

...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Activity at an USAAF Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Normandy France, possibly near Beuzeville - June 1944

LIFE Magazine Archives - Ralph Morse Photographer

 

 

287496945_516017636984500_7386075735706633356_n.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi numbersix,

 

Thank you very much for sharing details and a photograph of the map room, all the more enjoyable being taken personally by a forum member and a contributor to this thread. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 19  2022.

 

...

 

Very welcome, it is nice to contribute in some small way to such a grand thread and brings me great joy to be able to be part of it; thank you.

 

An additional note for the map is that the original order, to maintain secrecy of the operation, was for a map that covered the area from Scandinavia to the southern Spanish coast and it was made by a subsidiary company owned by Tri-ang, the toy maker. Most of the map was discarded on delivery and the bit we see is all that was used. The two carpenters who put it in place were then placed under house arrest at Southwick House until September 1944 to maintain secrecy as they were now part of the small group that knew where the then coming invasion would take place! By all accounts this was not so bad as food and other items were not rationed there so they were detained in some considerable comfort.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi BryanJ,

 

Speaking for myself I think that's on par with ' what's the meaning of life ', I have never kept count of restorations, repairs, helping friends with rebuilds, etc, etc. just been playing with these things since I was sixteen.  When I joined the UK club the MVCG ( now MVT ) in 1972 I took out life membership as I knew that having that much fun I would be doing this stuff all my life.  

 

In fact only yesterday morning over coffee in Ste Mere Eglise I proposed to friends that in place of brass handles on my coffin I would have Jeep grab handles, and a representative sized windscreen laying flat on the coffin and a Ford script on the rear panel.  !!!!  as I said if you can't laugh at yourself don't laugh at others . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 20  2022.

 

...

 

Ken,

 

I love it! Sounds just like you! 

 

...Kat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi BryanJ,

 

Speaking for myself I think that's on par with ' what's the meaning of life ', I have never kept count of restorations, repairs, helping friends with rebuilds, etc, etc. just been playing with these things since I was sixteen.  When I joined the UK club the MVCG ( now MVT ) in 1972 I took out life membership as I knew that having that much fun I would be doing this stuff all my life.  

 

In fact only yesterday morning over coffee in Ste Mere Eglise I proposed to friends that in place of brass handles on my coffin I would have Jeep grab handles, and a representative sized windscreen laying flat on the coffin and a Ford script on the rear panel.  !!!!  as I said if you can't laugh at yourself don't laugh at others . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 20  2022.

 

...

 

and why not for good measure mount a shovel and axe to the sides?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, numbersix said:

 

Very welcome, it is nice to contribute in some small way to such a grand thread and brings me great joy to be able to be part of it; thank you.

 

An additional note for the map is that the original order, to maintain secrecy of the operation, was for a map that covered the area from Scandinavia to the southern Spanish coast and it was made by a subsidiary company owned by Tri-ang, the toy maker. Most of the map was discarded on delivery and the bit we see is all that was used. The two carpenters who put it in place were then placed under house arrest at Southwick House until September 1944 to maintain secrecy as they were now part of the small group that knew where the then coming invasion would take place! By all accounts this was not so bad as food and other items were not rationed there so they were detained in some considerable comfort.

 

This is very interesting! 

 

...Kat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, BryanJ said:

I’m just curious, how many WWII vehicle restorations have you guys been involved in?  

 

The only vehicle me and my dad ever owned is the jeep we still have, but I have helped working on many... Far too many to remember or list all. I have also driven or hitched a ride in some pretty amazing vehicles over the years too, but a ride in a Sherman has eluded me till now 😋

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, doyler said:

Activity at an USAAF Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Normandy France, possibly near Beuzeville - June 1944

LIFE Magazine Archives - Ralph Morse Photographer

 

 

287496945_516017636984500_7386075735706633356_n.jpg

 

The jeeps appear to have the vesicant paint between the circle and the star on the hood. I always liked that contrast myself. Also note the orientation of the stars on both, the white edges on fender and grab handles on the left jeep etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johan Willaert
18 hours ago, BryanJ said:

I’m just curious, how many WWII vehicle restorations have you guys been involved in?  

 

Well got my Jeep in 1983 and did some minor work on that to make it presentable.
Since then, I've re-restored it completely twice, restored my Harley 42WLA between 1994 and 1997, did two Jeep trailers of which I kept one, restored three WW2 US Army bicycles, a Brit bike and both a Utility Hand Cart and Reel Cart along the way.
Then with friends, I (helped) restore a Dodge WC63 6x6, Dodge WC54 Ambulance, worked on their Jeeps, a couple of GMC 2 1/2 Ton Trucks, Harleys, trailers and other stuff...

And still plans to redo another Harley to today's quality as I write this....

Like Ken, for me it never ends...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

 

Well got my Jeep in 1983 and did some minor work on that to make it presentable.
Since then, I've re-restored it completely twice, restored my Harley 42WLA between 1994 and 1997, did two Jeep trailers of which I kept one, restored three WW2 US Army bicycles, a Brit bike and both a Utility Hand Cart and Reel Cart along the way.
Then with friends, I (helped) restore a Dodge WC63 6x6, Dodge WC54 Ambulance, worked on their Jeeps, a couple of GMC 2 1/2 Ton Trucks, Harleys, trailers and other stuff...

And still plans to redo another Harley to today's quality as I write this....

Like Ken, for me it never ends...

So what do you do in your spare time?😁

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Apathy

.

Then & Now from UK friend Len . . . . . . 

 

The Royal Albert Bridge Inn, Plymouth, US troops loading for D-Day. . . . . . . . Thanks Len

 

.fullsizeoutput_12d88.jpeg.01076c6e8159cd34dc50233d993c19b5.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_12d89.jpeg.d7ed7824fc927939abd1ef834f09868d.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_12d8f.jpeg.73552356ff8c052518ace0aed7b5d279.jpeg

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 22  2022.

 

...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Apathy

.

Ste Marie du Mont village church.

 

The story goes that a church warden / cleaner heard German voices in the confessional box inside the church in Ste Marie du Mont and went outside and reported it to an American soldier who went inside and sprayed the booth with Thompson rounds. !!!!!  I took the photo of the Confessional box last week, the box is just inside the front door of the church and on the right.     Ste Marie du Mont is the first village encountered when leaving Utah beach heading for the larger town of Carentan. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_12d78.jpeg.785b43f20878fa14e1e2dec66d866814.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_12d87.jpeg.b89a1fc9df3380e8d1d8924876a02c66.jpeg

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 22  2022.

 

...

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Ste Marie du Mont village church.

 

The story goes that a church warden / cleaner heard German voices in the confessional box inside the church in Ste Marie du Mont and went outside and reported it to an American soldier who went inside and sprayed the booth with Thompson rounds. !!!!!  I took the photo of the Confessional box last week, the box is just inside the front door of the church and on the right.     Ste Marie du Mont is the first village encountered when leaving Utah beach heading for the larger town of Carentan. 

 

.fullsizeoutput_12d78.jpeg.785b43f20878fa14e1e2dec66d866814.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_12d87.jpeg.b89a1fc9df3380e8d1d8924876a02c66.jpeg

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 22  2022.

 

...

 

 

 

 

Wow! Very interesting that the bullet holes are still there.

 

...Kat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, cutiger83 said:

Wow! Very interesting that the bullet holes are still there.

 

...Kat

Interesting for sure! But begs the question if the bullets are still in the holes?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Apathy
5 hours ago, mikie said:

Interesting for sure! But begs the question if the bullets are still in the holes?

.

Hi Mikie,

 

The wood of the confessional is only the width of a finger and the the Thompson would have only been a couple of paces away so little chance of the heads still being in the wood, when you look through the holes there is daylight on the other side.  A good point though its made me think that I should check the other side of the box next time I visit to see if there are any exit holes on the opposite side.  . 

 

I would say that hundreds of people have opened that door and looked inside without ever making any confessions. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 23  2022.

 

...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Apathy

.

Local field find . . . 

 

A local friend found this American toothbrush in a field near his house, I have checked what toothbrushes I have and don't have a matching brush to try and ascertain the actual maker. The word ' Professional ' is clearly seen, little else. 

 

Here's the last remaining unissued ' Park Avenue ' brush I kept along with the shipping carton when I sold militaria, with the matching manufacture I found in a field near Bastogne maybe thirty years ago.

 

fullsizeoutput_1292f.jpeg.d84a76c7576dcc5511cabc39b2f7adee.jpeg

 

fullsizeoutput_12db7.jpeg.70441cc01e09770b5944b8e545158e2e.jpeg

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  June 23  2022.

 

...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...