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Norman D. Landing


bilko1
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I was going to ask, do they leave that trooper there all year round?! Now I know, hehe :)

When did they first put it there and do the ever 'service' it or clean it so to speak. I could imagine bad weather and high winds playing havoc with it in the rainy season!

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I was going to ask, do they leave that trooper there all year round?! Now I know, hehe :)

When did they first put it there and do the ever 'service' it or clean it so to speak. I could imagine bad weather and high winds playing havoc with it in the rainy season!

 

 

Hi Blake, I think he's on his 65th original camo chute ??? however I think they ran out of orginal M-42 jump suits a couple of years back

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 17 2010.

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Ken...any chance you could shimmy up the belltower after dark one night to check on the helmet? If it's an M2 it'd be such a shame to leave it up there to deteriorate in the elements. I know just the place for it...a shelf in my war room!

 

Ian ;)

 

PS. I could use a square metre or two 'o' that camo 'chute silk too!

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Ken...any chance you could shimmy up the belltower after dark one night to check on the helmet? If it's an M2 it'd be such a shame to leave it up there to deteriorate in the elements. I know just the place for it...a shelf in my war room!

 

Ian ;)

 

PS. I could use a square metre or two 'o' that camo 'chute silk too!

 

Hi Ian, welcome back from your vacation, look forward to your additions here and into other topics.

 

' Shimmy' wasn't there a song called ' I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate ', I know it's a bit before my time but you might recall it ??

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 17 2010

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Johan Willaert

 

 

Headed home, two of the best words in the English language, lot's of us wish we could say that,



Indeed.... We're no longer headed home, but have arrived safely home after a GREAT!! holiday in the US....

Seems I will have to change collecting-era as the rest of the family is now all into Civil War... :lol:

post-92-0-91442700-1399557458.jpg

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me neither. :pinch: Robert

 

 

Hi Robert, I believe you when you say you have never heard of that song, but I figure that Ian's telling porkie Pies :think:

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 17 2010

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Indeed.... We're no longer headed home, but have arrived safely home after a GREAT!! holiday in the US....

 

Seems I will have to change collecting-era as the rest of the family is now all into Civil War... :lol:

 

USA2010-Blue-Gray.jpg

 

Hi Johan, pleased your all home and had a great time looking at the smiles in the photo's, wait to see some more of them and where you visited.

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 17 2010

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Hi Robert, I believe you when you say you have never heard of that song, but I figure that Ian's telling porkie Pies :think:

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 17 2010

I'm afaid I'm with Ian on the porkie pies. ;) Yes I know the song. Dang that ages me. Robert

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post-344-1282146177.jpg

 

A friend died today Bill Millin, who was Lord Lovat's bagpipe player on D-Day, he died today aged 88.

 

He was immortalised in the 1962 film ' The Longest Day ', Rest in peace Bill it was a pleasure to know you

 

 

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/bill_millin.htm

 

 

Bill playing a lament on the pipes for the death of the starter motor on my Jeep, Paris 1976.

 

Great Guy, so modest and quiet in nature, cheers Bill I will raise a Gin & tonic to you at 6 pm this evening :salute:

 

Lewis

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 18 2010

 

 

 

apologies for image quality, old film stock pre digital days.

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May he rest in peace. :salute: That is funny that he played the bagpipe for your dieing jeep...Is that you with the beard?

 

...Kat

 

Hi Kat, thanks for thinking of Bill Millin. ;)

 

Yep that's me with the beard, six months later no beard and regulation haircut. :lol:

 

Ken

 

Norrman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 18 2010

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Hi ken,

Is it true that the Jon Steele maneqin is on the opposite side to where he got hooked up Or is that just a wives tale someone told me?

 

Si

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Hi Forum Members & Readers,

 

In this weeks edition of the local newspaper there's a report on the recovery of a German Focke-Wulf 190 from the marshes near Carentan, about eight miles from my house. The text below is a computer translation of the newspaper text. It has been said to me by locals that during the dry summer months during WWII that the Germans used the marshes for landing fields due to the large flat area that they cover without having to lay a strip. Due to copyright issues I have not included a photo of a Focke-Wulf

 

 

La Manche Libre Newspaper report,

 

The remains of a German plane had been found in the marshes of Carentan on the territory of the commune of Saint-Andre-de-Bohon. The aircraft would have fallen at this place in July 1944. During excavations unearthed from the wreckage, propeller almost perfect condition and many elements of the aircraft were brought to the surface. In contrast, and to the disappointment of many people on the site, no trace of the body of the aviator. The time which has elapsed since the crash would have allowed the aircraft, an FW 190 to sink into the ground.

 

Lewis

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 19 2010

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Hi ken,

Is it true that the Jon Steele maneqin is on the opposite side to where he got hooked up Or is that just a wives tale someone told me?

 

Si

 

Hi Stonewaller, I have also heard the same stories that it was in fact on the other side of the church in the narrow street, but sorry to say that it is now virtually impossible to find anyone alive that lived in St Mere Eglise in 1944 to authenticate the comments. It's now passed into folklore without any obvious photographic evidence. However I will try and get what information I can from my contact at the town hall when I can.

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 19 2010

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Ken,

 

That is interesting about the FW-190 maybe sinking in the marsh. Recently, I was reading the book "You'll be Sorree" by Sid Phillips. In it he talked about a man driving some machinery that sank in the mud. They were able to rescue the man but the machinery sank completely out of sight with the engines still running.

 

...Kat

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Ken,

 

That is interesting about the FW-190 maybe sinking in the marsh. Recently, I was reading the book "You'll be Sorree" by Sid Phillips. In it he talked about a man driving some machinery that sank in the mud. They were able to rescue the man but the machinery sank completely out of sight with the engines still running.

 

...Kat

 

Hi Kat, yes interesting stuff that just keeps turning up or found around Normandy. I got an auction catalog the other day and was amazed to see a V-I rocket bomb for sale in the auction I think it had a suggested price of 40,000 Euros very rare I would have thought.

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 20 2010 ( 70th Anniversary Battle of Britain )

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Hi Stonewaller, I have also heard the same stories that it was in fact on the other side of the church in the narrow street, but sorry to say that it is now virtually impossible to find anyone alive that lived in St Mere Eglise in 1944 to authenticate the comments. It's now passed into folklore without any obvious photographic evidence. However I will try and get what information I can from my contact at the town hall when I can.

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 19 2010

 

Ken Russell who also came down on the church along with John Steele has confirmed this prior to his passing a few years back. He also went on to say that He and Steele both owed thier lives to their Sgt Johnny Ray who on his dying breath shot the German who was about to shoot both of them. Russell cut himself lose and dropped the last 20 feet or so but Steele was too high up to do so.

 

Hope this helps. And just when I was getting my "fix" for the day...

post-261-1282344968.jpg

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Ken Russell who also came down on the church along with John Steele has confirmed this prior to his passing a few years back. He also went on to say that He and Steele both owed thier lives to their Sgt Johnny Ray who on his dying breath shot the German who was about to shoot both of them. Russell cut himself lose and dropped the last 20 feet or so but Steele was too high up to do so.

 

Hope this helps. And just when I was getting my "fix" for the day...

 

Hi Jake, thanks for coming in on the church hang-up question and mention on the other two guys in St Mere Eglise. :thumbsup:

 

One of my friends has recently bought a house in St Com du Mont, after buying it he found American camo chute material in the loft along with a part of a German Zeltbahn and other bits.

 

He has now acquired a book showing his house relating the story of an American parachutist landing on the roof and being captured by the Germans, the story goes on to say that he was held for a couple of days and then shot with two or three other guys in a field off behind the church. I believe the parachutist is named in the book.

 

Return to " fix " :lol:

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 20 1020

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post-344-1282385374.jpg

 

Hope this helps. And just when I was getting my "fix" for the day...

 

Hey Jake, it was a little late in the night last night, but I checked it out this morning, it appears I have a copy of that same book that you added into your post last night, same author as well, ahum pretty strange coincidence I feel. :huh:

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 21 2010

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Weird ... I have that book too ... and it is signed by this illustrious author ... should we move these last posts to the "haunted section"????

 

Btw, wasn't Steele captured by two Germans who were either hiding or observing in the bell tower?

As I recall, these Germans were later captured.

I remember reading an article about one of the Germans telling about the capture.

 

Erwin

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Weird ... I have that book too ... and it is signed by this illustrious author ... should we move these last posts to the "haunted section"????

 

Btw, wasn't Steele captured by two Germans who were either hiding or observing in the bell tower?

As I recall, these Germans were later captured.

I remember reading an article about one of the Germans telling about the capture.

 

Erwin

 

Hi Erwin, you have the same book too ! , wow spooky :blink:

 

Thanks for your addition about Steele and being captured, really need to read up on this little episode of the church and what really happened.

 

Ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 21 2010

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Now lets see. Captured and rescued or hang there. Whats the best choice? Hmm

By the way I have that book also. Except mine is the second edition and sadly not signed. And its starting to show its age from all the use. Robert

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