General Apathy Posted March 7, 2009 Share #476 Posted March 7, 2009 Great photo--very atmospheric. You can almost feel that peace is about to go by the wayside with INCOMING! Hi Gunbarrel, it was a great time, plenty of good like minded friends all willing to go that mile to be authentic. We found plenty of good locations for then and now photos, tasted the tribulations of foxholes in the snow at night, but not claiming that it was anything like the veterans suffering. The Ardennes can be cold even in summer, as it is very hilly and the sun disappears over the ridges a lot sooner than on flat ground. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 7 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 7, 2009 Share #477 Posted March 7, 2009 Hi Forum Readers, as stated a couple of posts above I said that I would drive out today to take a ' now' photograph of an original U.S. Army press release photograph. I have an original photograph with typed information sheet on the rear showing the dedication of the U.S. Engineer Special Brigade monument at Utah beach taken on June 6 1945. I believe at least one of the little dresses that the girls are wearing is in the Utah museum, just across from these steps I arrived at Utah beach and was heading for the monument when I met up with an American family checking out the area. We spoke to one another and I showed them the photograph that I was intending to replicate and asked them if they would entertain being my ' engineer soldiers' for the comparison shot, to which they kindly acceded. I thought it could be a cert anyway when you get one of the group wearing a ' U.S. Paratroops, Camp Toccoa' T shirt. So let me introduce you to the soldiers in my photograph, they are the Tilley family from Toccoa GA, and here's the great part about it, Steve Tilley is on the board of governors of the Toccoa paratroop museum. If you remember a couple of pages back here on my posts the Toccoa museum is where the 506th stables where relocated to from England a couple of years back. I told Steve that I had shown the village of Aldbourne in my ' Reports from Normandy' but that I didn't have any shots of the stables in the museum to add to my post, he kindly offered to email me some around the end of March when he's back at the museum. The other funny thing was that Steve had met my friend Joe Hobbs who worked on the clothing for ' Band of Brothers' and had visited the museum a couple of times before filming for research purposes They were a great family to meet, and with that lovely warmth that I admire in most Americans with a common subject around us here in Normandy. In my photo from left are Steve Tilley, Caitlin ( daughter ), Matt ( son ), Laverne ( mother ) and Ryan Greene ( daughters boyfriend ) and Pancho the dog, and thanks everyone for helping, I had taken a photo of the steps without anyone in the scene and it just appeared lifeless. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 7 2009 Apologies for photograph quality, somehow trying to squeeze two detailed photographs into the file allowance of 150K spoils the photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy13 Posted March 7, 2009 Share #478 Posted March 7, 2009 Wonderful photo in post #474 Ken. Being that it's a photo from 1979 and a little "grainy", it almost looks like an original colored wartime photo. Very nice. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted March 8, 2009 Share #479 Posted March 8, 2009 The only thing better is if it was me and my family standing there. As far as sleeping in a foxhole in the winter in the Ardennes- Better you than me Charlie Brown. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted March 8, 2009 Share #480 Posted March 8, 2009 O.k. Cue Ardennes photo, this is one of my favourites that I took in January 1979, ( apologies to forum member Brian D we couldn't have taken you with us as you were only six ) This was the best day of our time there camping out in the woods, in fact the only day of the trip that the sun came through. I think there were about thirty-five of us, English, Dutch and Belgian, maybe fifteen vehicles. Talk about the cold in the day which became worse at night. Right it's back to posts about Normandy tomorrow evening, I need to drive out during the day and capture a ' now ' shot for a ' then ' photo I have. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 6 2009 ONLY 6!!!! Ken, I would have qualified for a Volksturm member at that age! I am upset...... Great pic though. I do think that it has that "period" look to it though. And yes, as a six year old I MAY have looked a BIT out of place with this group! Who is the midget? would be a good and relevant question. You know, speaking of my age, it has been as a real disadvantage in collecting though. When I was old enough to start, the "good old days" were long gone! So, I never got to experience the days of $10 M1 helmets and surplus up the wazzooo. No, when I started collecting the interenet was here and everyone thought that their plain old Ike was worth $100! Oh well, I still have the passion for collecting and remembering it is just limited on what I can obtain. So instead, I read....lots! Thanks for your then and now post as it is great to see a few Americans that are still making the trip to see these sights where so many of us gave our blood way back then. I love em and implore you to keep them coming! All the best to you.............thanks for the great thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #481 Posted March 8, 2009 Wonderful photo in post #474 Ken. Being that it's a photo from 1979 and a little "grainy", it almost looks like an original colored wartime photo. Very nice. Troy Hi Troy, thanks for your thoughts on the Ardennes photo, above is a second photo taken at the same time, they were my two best photos of that trip, I loaned the photo to the Military Vehicle Trust for use on their 1997 winter issue of Windscreen magazine. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #482 Posted March 8, 2009 The only thing better is if it was me and my family standing there. As far as sleeping in a foxhole in the winter in the Ardennes- Better you than me Charlie Brown. Robert Hi Robert, as I have said to you before, the thing I most love about snow is when other people get it all, and none where I am. I was amazed at how much you get and for how long where you live, hope the 'cabin fever' is beginning to pass now that spring is nearly here. I think you have to try it at least once though. Cheers Normand D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #483 Posted March 8, 2009 ONLY 6!!!! Ken, I would have qualified for a Volksturm member at that age! I am upset...... Great pic though. I do think that it has that "period" look to it though. And yes, as a six year old I MAY have looked a BIT out of place with this group! All the best to you.............thanks for the great thread! Hi Brian, pleased that you enjoy the thread. Honestly we did call past your place on the way to the Ardennes, we asked your mother if you could come out to play, and she said no you couldn't as you had been a naughty boy, a very naughty boy and you had to stay in to do your homework ( must be obvious I wasted a lot of my youth watching Monty Python and the ' Life of Brian' ' and all their other output) Oh Yes by the way SPAMS Off Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted March 8, 2009 Share #484 Posted March 8, 2009 Hi Robert, as I have said to you before, the thing I most love about snow is when other people get it all, and none where I am. I was amazed at how much you get and for how long where you live, hope the 'cabin fever' is beginning to pass now that spring is nearly here. I think you have to try it at least once though. Cheers Normand D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. And we just got another shot of snow. Going out to shovel it. Sometimes last into May. I love your Ardennes pictures. Robert PS. Look at my posting in Latest finds. 50 Cal cleaning kit. Any help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #485 Posted March 8, 2009 And we just got another shot of snow. Going out to shovel it. Sometimes last into May. I love your Ardennes pictures. Robert Hi Robert, you take care out there shovelling that stuff I hear that it can seriously damage a persons health. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #486 Posted March 8, 2009 Hi Forum Readers, For tonight's post we are back to St Mere Eglise, and for this one it will be an added extra of a ' then, then and now' photo trio. As the shots are quite large and I have tried for some time to edit the three down into the 150K limit I gave up and will post three posts to show the photos. The featured buildings and road junction are just off the main square in St Mere Eglise and the photos are of 1910, 1944, 2009. The photo above is actually a post card dated 1910 and was an edition put out by the company shown in the square building on the left of the photo. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent. March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #487 Posted March 8, 2009 Hi Readers..........................Cont Unfortunately this is a poor quality copy of a photograph from June 1944 If you look at this photo and the one from the previous post then we almost have two prime characters in similar positions, you have the small dark figure on the right and the one stood in the middle of the road, while in the other photo the guy there is a few feet further over on the pavement. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent. March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #488 Posted March 8, 2009 Hi Readers..........................Cont Here is what the road junction and buildings look like today March 3 2009 Hope to be posting more stuff in next two days. Goodnight from Normandy Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent. March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ad82recon Posted March 8, 2009 Share #489 Posted March 8, 2009 Good night Ken.......see you soon .Ken any news on who liberated Carquebut yet ? as we need to know who to be on the friday night in the village..:-) Regards Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 8, 2009 Share #490 Posted March 8, 2009 Good night Ken.......see you soon .Ken any news on who liberated Carquebut yet ? as we need to know who to be on the friday night in the village..:-) Regards Lloyd Hi Lloyd, apologies I thought that I had answered this before, it's slated as the 325 GIR under Col. Lewis Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ad82recon Posted March 8, 2009 Share #491 Posted March 8, 2009 Thanks buddy........so who can we get to re create Col Lewis then.....???? ..so 90th Infantry from Wednesday morning following their route...down to Periers..then up to you on the Friday afternoon...and changing to 325th GIR appreciate the research Ken Regards Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 9, 2009 Share #492 Posted March 9, 2009 Hi Forum Readers, Pleased that you managed to find this thread again after being moved from the dealers section where I was originally posted. So for today's post I refer back to post #393 where I showed some pieces of camouflage parachute dug up in my village about a hundred yards from my house. Last night after posting the ' then and now ' photos of St Mere Eglise I decided to do something with the small pieces of parachute. For a number of years in collection I have had a long photograph of Co. F. 504th PIR so as my village was captured by the 325th Glider Inf, then I thought I would make up a frame with some relevant patches, so I hope you enjoy the results. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 9 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted March 9, 2009 Share #493 Posted March 9, 2009 Found you. Don't know if Misc/unknown fits you as there isn't much that you don't know but it works for me as long as I can still find your posts. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 9, 2009 Share #494 Posted March 9, 2009 Found you. Don't know if Misc/unknown fits you, but it works for me as long as I can still find your posts. Robert Hi Robert, Didn't know myself that I was being moved, took several attempts to find my ' Reports from Normandy' posts, but hey once you have found it it's easier the second time. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww2vault Posted March 10, 2009 Share #495 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Robert, Didn't know myself that I was being moved, took several attempts to find my ' Reports from Normandy' posts, but hey once you have found it it's easier the second time. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 8 2009. Hah, isn't that the truth! You post on this thread so much that I can easily find you under the View New Posts feature. Keep up the excellent work. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted March 10, 2009 Share #496 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Forum Readers, Pleased that you managed to find this thread again after being moved from the dealers section where I was originally posted. So for today's post I refer back to post #393 where I showed some pieces of camouflage parachute dug up in my village about a hundred yards from my house. Last night after posting the ' then and now ' photos of St Mere Eglise I decided to do something with the small pieces of parachute. For a number of years in collection I have had a long photograph of Co. F. 504th PIR so as my village was captured by the 325th Glider Inf, then I thought I would make up a frame with some relevant patches, so I hope you enjoy the results. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 9 2009. great display. I have one but can't show it cause its not US. A patch collection and pictures of Just Cause from Panama my Son put together and gave me. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 10, 2009 Share #497 Posted March 10, 2009 You post on this thread so much that I can easily find you under the View New Posts feature. Keep up the excellent work. - Jeff Hi Jeff, thanks for the support on my posts, you say I post so much, well I am still around 200 posts behind the number that you have posted to the forum. Hi Robert, you were asking for some bunker shots from Utah, well I went there again today o.k. to the ones I have already shown a few posts back, but there were a few more things to be found today. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 10 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 10, 2009 Share #498 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Forum Readers, we are back to Utah beach for today's post, the two attached photos are nothing startling, just two shots to show you how congested the beach is on most days So this is possibly mid-way along Utah with a shot in both directions and as you can see I was it, there was no-one else to be seen as far as the eye could see, this was taken about 4pm of the afternoon. You can see why the beach was chosen for an attack due to the length and flatness of the sands. If you take note that in the photo with the sand dunes to the right of the photo you can just about see the German bunkers I featured several posts back. The following photos will show the small new discoveries found there today. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 10 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 10, 2009 Share #499 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Readers................................ Cont So during the return visit to the bunkers that I visited last week it was once again obvious that there had been a great deal of digging going on in the last few days. This time they had reach the concrete floor at the rear end of the bunker. Again there were numerous unidentifiable pieces of rusty metal, one can only guess at what they may have or may not have found during their dig. The one part that that they had left due to the obvious solid weight of it was what appeared to be a breech block or such. It was solid steel and evident that there had been lots of machining and milling to the outside of it. To give some sense of size I laid my credit card on the block. I considered possibly taking it myself as they had done all the hard work of finding it. Anyway it was far too heavy to contemplate so I re-buried it under a fall of sand with thoughts of returning with some form of hand cart.. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 10 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted March 10, 2009 Share #500 Posted March 10, 2009 Hi Readers......................................Cont. A couple more items that were identifiable, a pig-tail barb wire stake, the piece is about 24 inches and there is one twist left, and the pointed top. The other item is a shell possibly 20mm or such sorry not something I can confirm in this condition, this piece is about five to six inches long. Funnily I think I found a broken off tip last week which may have been from this shell, need to get them together and check it. Cheers Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, March 10 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now