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Norman D. Landing


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General Apathy

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Hi Ken. That calling card has a remarkable collection of famous signatures on it! It's the kind of item that autograph collectors would kill for! I hope it'll be preserved for future generations to see and enjoy. Maybe, after the gentleman's days it should be donated to one of the principle Normandy/D-Day museums, along with his other related papers, for the sake of preservation in an appropriate environment?

 

Ian

 

Hi Ian, looks like I missed mentioning the signature of William H. Tucker on the calling card, it appears he may have been an author of a book relating to the 82nd Airborne. ( Attached photo )

 

Tucker, William H. : The 82nd Airborne in World War II; From North Africa to Italy and D-Day through the Battle of the Bulge c. William H. Tucker Airborne Books Harwichport MA

 

Sorry to say that museums are not always the guardians of artefacts that people hope and expect them to be.

 

Sadly due to the design of one Normandy museum although looking like a concrete parachute canopy over an original glider the circular windows all around the outside allowed daylight to fade many original artefacts during the 1970 - 1980's, the display cases were arranged directly in front of the windows. Tragic loss of paper, photographic and original military artefacts occurred. I believe and hope that this problem has since been rectified now with modern UV screening.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 5 2010

 

 

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Sadly due to the design of one Normandy museum although looking like a concrete parachute canopy over an original glider the circular windows all around the outside allowed daylight to fade many original artefacts during the 1970 - 1980's, the display cases were arranged directly in front of the windows. Tragic loss of paper, photographic and original military artefacts occurred. I believe and hope that this problem has since been rectified now with modern UV screening.

 

 

Hi Ken. I didn't know about that. Unforgiveable! Hopefully, modern day methods of conservation will prevent any further losses. Even we "domestic" collectors take basic precautions against the potentially harmful effects of U.V. rays on our precious artefacts!

 

Ian

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Someone wondered about the term mermite. It comes from the French item used in WW1 to carry hot food up to the front lines known as "Mermite Norwegians." Named after something the Norwegians used. It has nothing at all to do with Marmite.

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General Apathy
Someone wondered about the term mermite. It comes from the French item used in WW1 to carry hot food up to the front lines known as "Mermite Norwegians." Named after something the Norwegians used. It has nothing at all to do with Marmite.

 

 

Hi Jon, thanks for coming in and explaining the term ' Mermite ' and also the correct spelling :thumbsup: , maybe a little too much fooling around with the ' marmite ' jar spread earlier in the posts, as they advertise ' you love it or hate it '

 

When I was small I always thought it was horses doofers ground up and turned into a paste spread. wah :w00t:

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 5 2010

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General Apathy

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Hi Forum Members & Readers

 

Seen here is a very famous and often used photograph taken within the first two days of D-Day, the field with the crashed gliders was eventually turned into the American cemetery, which work on burying the bodies started on the 7th June.

 

Although the cemetery was titled ' Bloseville American cemetery ', Bloseville is actually off to the top right of the photo, the boundary of Bloseville is the road in the centre of the photo running left to right. All the fields below the road running across the centre of the photograph are in the commune of Carquebut, the monument now standing at the side of the field is dedicated to the American cemetery in the commune of Carquebut, during the war the Americans were unawre of the boundaries of the local communities.

 

When the new auto-route N-13 was constructed it ran parrallel to the central road on the lower side of it using the ground of the field between the old road and the cemetery, the buildings at the cross-roads ' Les Forges ' mentioned often in wartime reports were demolished for the auto-route.

 

Note on the photo above there's a line of vehicles to the left on the central road, this road led to St Mere Eglise, with Carentan off to the right of the photo, Utah beach is beyond the top of the photo.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 5 2010

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General Apathy

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Cont ....................

 

Please note that I have inverted ( turned top to bottom ) the attached photograph, this is an attempt to line the photograph up with the one in the previous post of the crashed gliders in the field. Here can be seen the laid out cemetery in the field that held the crashed gliders.

 

When the new auto-route N-13 was constructed it ran parallel to the central road on the lower side of it using the ground of the field between the old road and the cemetery, the buildings at the cross-roads ' Les Forges ' mentioned often in wartime reports were demolished for the auto-route.

 

The ' Bloseville ' named cemetery was in use up until 1948, a little before this the work was started on the large American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer ( Omaha Beach ), several cemeteries were closed down at this time when the bodies were either returned to the States or moved to the Omaha beach cemetery.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 5 2010 [/font]

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I'm curious question Ken. How were the locations for the cemeteries chosen? Were the farmers compensated for the loss of their land? Or did they donate their land as a way of honoring those who had secured their freedom? Did Graves Registration just pick a field and say, "This one will do."

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General Apathy
Enjoying your historic updates as always Ken, love that shot there especially ^ :)

 

Hi Blake, thanks enthusiasm for the historical stuff, there will be more tomorrow when I have processed the shots to add here.

 

Part of my daily cycling routine is past the field which was the cemetery, I approach it on the road seen in the bottom right hand of the photograph and then turn left onto a post war road that now runs along the lower edge of the cemetery, then turn right towards the cross roads in the photo.

 

The post-war auto-route national N-13 dissects across the photograph just below the crossroads, so through the underpass of the auto-route to the crossroads and turn right and through the village of Blosville and on, a circular route back to the house of 18 Kilometres. :pinch: :thumbsup:

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 6 2010

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General Apathy

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I'm curious question Ken. How were the locations for the cemeteries chosen? Were the farmers compensated for the loss of their land? Or did they donate their land as a way of honoring those who had secured their freedom? Did Graves Registration just pick a field and say, "This one will do."

 

Hi Dave,

 

I can't answer that one with any degree of authority on the answer, according to the historical report below Sergeant Elbert E Legg made the decision on which field and what part of the field, the quote I read went something like ' I walked into the corner of the field and dug my heel into the ground indicating the position of the first grave '.

 

Below is the very interesting link to the report by Sergeant Legg of the 603rd Quartermaster Graves registration Company, mention is made in the report of Blosville and the ' Les Forges' farm at the crossroads near Blosville, as I mentioned previously Les Forges was demolished when the new auto-route N-13 came through after the war.

 

http://www.qmfound.com/crosses.htm

 

Mention of sergeant Legg arriving in a crashed Horsa numbered ' 32 ' is made in the report and I have some wartime photographs of sergeant Legg and his crashed glider to add shortly, one of them is attached above.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 6 2010

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Thanks for posting a link to that site Ken. I read the report and found it to be very interesting. I'll surf around that site a bit more later on tonight.

 

Cheers,

 

David

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Chunky Monkey

Ken,

 

Thanks for posting that link to Sgt/Col Legg. It was very interesting that he was sent there ~ just something that someone like I don't realize. Also, interesting that there wasn't much coordinating between the graves units.

 

I thought the part about the Frenchmen eyeing up the jump boots was interesting. Intersting that they allowed them to have the German boots.

 

What a way to spend the war ~ processing dead.

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Ken,

 

Thanks for posting that link to Sgt/Col Legg. It was very interesting that he was sent there ~ just something that someone like I don't realize. Also, interesting that there wasn't much coordinating between the graves units.

 

I thought the part about the Frenchmen eyeing up the jump boots was interesting. Intersting that they allowed them to have the German boots.

 

What a way to spend the war ~ processing dead.

Even worse, I imagine, was when they disinterred and moved the cemetary later in the war. There were several of these temporary burial sites in Normandy which all were consolidated later into the St Laurent Cemetary (with many other soldiers being re-patriated at the family's request).

we visited one of the other temporary sites in 2006 at Le Chene Guerin, where fallen soldiers from operation Cobra were interred. The local people were very proud of their part in the war and even today the site of the cemetary is marked with a sign which says "Le Chene Grerin American Cemetary". Local historians also have photos taken there and have found artifacts in the field like parts of stretchers etc.

Maybe Ken has a photo of when we were there?

Tom Bowers

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post-344-1283724826.jpg

Hi Forum Members & Readers

 

Seen here is a very famous and often used photograph taken within the first two days of D-Day, the field with the crashed gliders was eventually turned into the American cemetery, which work on burying the bodies started on the 7th June.

 

Although the cemetery was titled ' Bloseville American cemetery ', Bloseville is actually off to the top right of the photo, the boundary of Bloseville is the road in the centre of the photo running left to right. All the fields below the road running across the centre of the photograph are in the commune of Carquebut, the monument now standing at the side of the field is dedicated to the American cemetery in the commune of Carquebut, during the war the Americans were unawre of the boundaries of the local communities.

 

When the new auto-route N-13 was constructed it ran parrallel to the central road on the lower side of it using the ground of the field between the old road and the cemetery, the buildings at the cross-roads ' Les Forges ' mentioned often in wartime reports were demolished for the auto-route.

 

Note on the photo above there's a line of vehicles to the left on the central road, this road led to St Mere Eglise, with Carentan off to the right of the photo, Utah beach is beyond the top of the photo.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 5 2010

Thanks a lot Ken for this information.

 

I have always thought how does this field look like today and what is there now? Thanks to you I know. As always you do excellent "then and now" reports.

 

Warm regards

 

Greg

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Thats a nice picture of the LZ's around Blosville! Earlier this summer, in june , i did some archeological work near Blosville, i have some parts that may be from a Glider but i'll never know, also i found a M1 magazine, M1 garand clip , Mae west parts, and a load of rations cans.

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General Apathy
Thanks for posting a link to that site Ken. I read the report and found it to be very interesting. I'll surf around that site a bit more later on tonight.

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

Hi Dave, well written and informative post-battle report, pleased you enjoyed it, take care hope the family are well ;)

 

ken

 

Noman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy
Ken,

 

Thanks for posting that link to Sgt/Col Legg. It was very interesting that he was sent there ~ just something that someone like I don't realize. Also, interesting that there wasn't much coordinating between the graves units.

 

I thought the part about the Frenchmen eyeing up the jump boots was interesting. Intersting that they allowed them to have the German boots.

 

What a way to spend the war ~ processing dead.

 

Hi Kevin, thanks for the comment on the link to Sergeant Legg, I have other stuff to process and post maybe tomorrow night.

 

On a side note, I still have an email to get together and send to you with attachments, hopefully tomorrow. ;)

 

 

ken

 

Noman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy
Even worse, I imagine, was when they disinterred and moved the cemetary later in the war. There were several of these temporary burial sites in Normandy which all were consolidated later into the St Laurent Cemetary (with many other soldiers being re-patriated at the family's request).

we visited one of the other temporary sites in 2006 at Le Chene Guerin, where fallen soldiers from operation Cobra were interred. The local people were very proud of their part in the war and even today the site of the cemetary is marked with a sign which says "Le Chene Grerin American Cemetary". Local historians also have photos taken there and have found artifacts in the field like parts of stretchers etc.

Maybe Ken has a photo of when we were there?

Tom Bowers

 

Hi Tom, thanks for making mention of the temporary cemetery that we went to in 2006 at Le Chene Guerin, sadly I have no photo's of that as I dealing with a vehicle problem at the time.

 

If you recall a young female driver decided to try and pit the strength of her Citreon against the armor of an M-8 armored car :blink: . Thankfully she acknowledged full responsibility for the Kamikaze attack :w00t: on the M-8 so the police and insurance were happy with that.

 

ken

 

Noman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy
Thanks a lot Ken for this information.

 

I have always thought how does this field look like today and what is there now? Thanks to you I know. As always you do excellent "then and now" reports.

 

Warm regards

 

Greg

 

Hi Gregory, thanks for adding into the post, you have actually made me think that I should get down there and take modern comparison shots of the field and the spot where ' Les Forges' stood, I actually passed the roadside sign today which still names the spot as Les Forges. Thanks :thumbsup:

 

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy
Thats a nice picture of the LZ's around Blosville! Earlier this summer, in june , i did some archeological work near Blosville, i have some parts that may be from a Glider but i'll never know, also i found a M1 magazine, M1 garand clip , Mae west parts, and a load of rations cans.

 

Hi EasyRed, so we might have been passing one another on the roads of Normandy a couple of months ago, maybe we and other forum members will meet up next June as forum member ' Stonewaller ' suggests. :thumbsup:

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy

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Hi Forum Members & Readers.

 

A pre 1948 photo of the the grave markers spreading across the field at the Blosville cemetery ( Carquebut commune )

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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Hi Tom, thanks for making mention of the temporary cemetery that we went to in 2006 at Le Chene Guerin, sadly I have no photo's of that as I dealing with a vehicle problem at the time.

 

If you recall a young female driver decided to try and pit the strength of her Citreon against the armor of an M-8 armored car :blink: . Thankfully she acknowledged full responsibility for the Kamikaze attack :w00t: on the M-8 so the police and insurance were happy with that.

 

ken

 

Noman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

Who could forget, we were the next M-8 in line and if she hadn't plowed into him she'd have hit us head on! She sure did bounce off though, and barely dented the M-8. That's why I didn't grab any photos either.

Tom Bowers

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General Apathy

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Hi Forum Members & Readers.

 

Here is a U.S. Army publication listing all the American cemeteries thoughout Europe, with these pages showing Blosville in Normandy.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy

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Hi Forum Members & Readers.

 

With the closure of the Blosville cemetery after the movement of the cemetery to Colleville sur Mer location then the officer in charge of public relations for the cemetery service was returning back to the States.

 

Here is a letter that he wrote in March 1948 to the gentleman who's memories and artefacts we have been sharing.

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 7 2010

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General Apathy

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Hi Forum Members & Readers.

 

Well working on that age old theory that one find or discovery can lead to another, then another, and maybe another then that's how I got to this discovery today. This is the metal towing attachment from the end of a glider tow rope, note the short lengths of telephone wire for connecting tow plane to glider.

 

The fantastic part of this discovery is that this was recovered from the field of crashed gliders in this iconic glider photo of D-Day June 6th 1944. :lol::lol: :thumbsup:

 

Tomorrow I am out chasing another lead to try and identify the buildings in a photograph taken in June 1944 but not identified at the time for the normal security reasons applied then. :think:

 

ken

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, September 9 2010

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