manayunkman Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6826 Posted January 30, 2014 Ken, I checked into the date and the first known mention of the church is in the 11th century. The name has become ambiguous over the centuries as well. At first it was the" The Church of St Mary" and became "Holy Mother Church" Apparently as the language became more refined "Mari" changed to "Mere" or Mary to Mother. When I was little I thought Mere was Mer since the church is by the sea. What is your opinion of the work they are doing ? And once the anniversary is over any other changes in the making ? Are you going to visit the Ardenne Abbey ? In 1982 I had the opportunity to visit for several days and interview the people who lived there during the war. Of course this is where an atrocity occurred. It probably wouldn't fit into any other USMF category and perhaps no this one. The Abbey was one of my favorite places in Normandy as the families that lived there were so nice, accommodating, the story intriguing and the surroundings spectacular. I believe much has been restored to how it looked before the June 14th, 1944 Allied Naval bombardment. I'm sure that the SS thought that was a fine how do you do ? Thank you for entertaining me. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6827 Posted January 30, 2014 Ken, Was the train track below street level? Is that what is on the left of the 1944 picture but is smooth ground in the current picture? ...Kat Kat, good questions first off we have a great deal of difference between whatever camera the war photographer used ( 35mm - plate whatever) and the small digital pocket camera I am using today, I can't get the same width or depth that they did. I have noticed in some of my comparions that objects seem either closer or further apart in my comparisons. As I see it the ground is all still pretty close as to what it was then, the rail-carriages would have been able to gain access to the building through the two large doors, and this would appear to still be the same level now. These are the sidings for loading-unloading, the through track is as you say on the left of the building, this would be the Paris to Cherbourg line. Regarding perspective or depth I believe I was stood closer to the warehouse, #A the house on the right behind the GMC's is not in my photo, #B Also note in my photo there is a sloping pier jutting out to the right of the central wall, I think that pier is there in the original. Look at the shape just a few feet ahead of the GMC in the distance, also look at the shadows of the rail trucks, they are all identical except that last shape just in front of the GMC, the pier maybe. ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6828 Posted January 30, 2014 I am soooo jealous. The pictures Ken has posted look great. Ian, please take lots of pictures for those of us who can't be there. ...Kat One will do one's best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6829 Posted January 30, 2014 Then ..............and Now to find. Another image I have in my files to try and find the same spot today, the bridge is going to be totally different, there's just the faintest hope that the house to the right may still be there to be found. ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6830 Posted January 30, 2014 Ken, I checked into the date and the first known mention of the church is in the 11th century. The name has become ambiguous over the centuries as well. At first it was the" The Church of St Mary" and became "Holy Mother Church" Apparently as the language became more refined "Mari" changed to "Mere" or Mary to Mother. When I was little I thought Mere was Mer since the church is by the sea. What is your opinion of the work they are doing ? And once the anniversary is over any other changes in the making ? Are you going to visit the Ardenne Abbey ? In 1982 I had the opportunity to visit for several days and interview the people who lived there during the war. Of course this is where an atrocity occurred. It probably wouldn't fit into any other USMF category and perhaps no this one. The Abbey was one of my favorite places in Normandy as the families that lived there were so nice, accommodating, the story intriguing and the surroundings spectacular. I believe much has been restored to how it looked before the June 14th, 1944 Allied Naval bombardment. I'm sure that the SS thought that was a fine how do you do ? Thank you for entertaining me. Peter Hi Peter, thanks for looking into the history of the church in Ste Mere Eglise. Yes I hope to get to the Ardenne Abbey, just don't know when, so much to see and do, so little time. And that reminds me I have to get cracking on my car-port that I started before Christmas and had to put on the back burner for a while, I have to add the rafters and 700 red tiles yet. You looked into the changing of the spelling for the church in Ste Mere, take a look at the meaning of Chateau where it originated ????, I will give you till tomorrow night and then if you have'nt got anything I will add it here. Pleased that you enjoy the forum, ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6831 Posted January 30, 2014 Hi Ken, Even in an unfinished state your carport puts most of those in the states to shame. It looks nearly indestructible. RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nine O Nine Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6832 Posted January 30, 2014 Hi Ken, great to see you back on here. Thanks for all your hard work in tracking down these Then and Now pictures. The Falaise corridor of death pictures are really interesting. Really hope to head further inland one day. Thanks as well for the Ste Mere Eglise update certainly looks different from July when we saw you! Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6833 Posted January 30, 2014 Hi Ken, Even in an unfinished state your carport puts most of those in the states to shame. It looks nearly indestructible. RC Hi RC, I like to go for the belt and braces approach, do the thing once, besides as I don't use the Sherman as often as the pick-up then the Sherman will be on the upper deck Only joking, there's no upper deck or a Sherman ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 30, 2014 Share #6834 Posted January 30, 2014 Hi Ken, great to see you back on here. Thanks for all your hard work in tracking down these Then and Now pictures. The Falaise corridor of death pictures are really interesting. Really hope to head further inland one day. Thanks as well for the Ste Mere Eglise update certainly looks different from July when we saw you! Tom. Hi Tom, don't expect it will be too long before your passing through again, see you then, take care ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6835 Posted January 31, 2014 forum Car Port Dec 2013 (15).JPG Hi Peter, thanks for looking into the history of the church in Ste Mere Eglise. Yes I hope to get to the Ardenne Abbey, just don't know when, so much to see and do, so little time. And that reminds me I have to get cracking on my car-port that I started before Christmas and had to put on the back burner for a while, I have to add the rafters and 700 red tiles yet. You looked into the changing of the spelling for the church in Ste Mere, take a look at the meaning of Chateau where it originated ????, I will give you till tomorrow night and then if you have'nt got anything I will add it here. Pleased that you enjoy the forum, ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Are you referring to the winery aspect or the fact that the word chateau comes from the Latin castellum and the French at one time spelled it chastel ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6836 Posted January 31, 2014 Are you referring to the winery aspect or the fact that the word chateau comes from the Latin castellum and the French at one time spelled it chastel ? Hello Peter, thank you for bringing the intellectual end of French to the table, and worthy points as well, you know your stuff I would like to slip down the scale now and return to beginners French and here's a few basic words a person learns when they begin speaking French. vache - cow eau - water chien - dog lait - milk chat - cat pain - bread voiture - car Anyway back to the question, the meaning of Chateau Chateau - castle, manor house, fort Now take this down to school boy humor ( oh dear ) Break chateau into two separate words chat & eau and using the basic words from the chart above chat is a cat, and eau is water and what sort of water do you get from a cat, the answer cat-pee, so why name a beautiful grand house Cat-pee. I'm sorry please forgive me, I couldn't resist it, just a kid at heart. ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6837 Posted January 31, 2014 Anyway back to the question, the meaning of Chateau Break chateau into two separate words chat & eau and using the basic words from the chart above chat is a cat, and eau is water and what sort of water do you get from a cat, the answer cat-pee, so why name a beautiful grand house Cat-pee. Ken, You are entirely too funny!!!! ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6838 Posted January 31, 2014 Normandy walks............ as it's winter and the tour guides are in a slack period then they and a few invited friends have been partaking in walks through areas of Normandy which are of interest to everyone on the walks. The guides share information and anecdotes with everyone relevant to that particular walk ( and that's how the rifle embedded in the tree was known about on the Falaise walk ). Our first walk followed the route taken by Dick Winters and our guide Paul has a copy of the route on a map given to him by Winters. The walk took place at night, as it would have done with Winters parachuting in during darkness. He landed on the outskirts of Ste Mere Eglise and we followed his directions through the outskirts and along mud tracks some of these mud tracks are within a few hundred metres of the town square, unseen but local knowledge Along the route we passed a darkened farm with barking dogs, Dale related that 20 - 30 Germans were massacred behind this farmhouse ( there's no suggestion here that Winters was involved in this ), on we went and eventually reached Brecourt manor. this is where the action occurred to eliminate the guns and crews. We were at the monument around 22.30 hours and Paul phoned a surviving member of E Co. 506 at his home in the US, we had an open chat with him for about fifteen minutes and explained what was happening. Dale had carried three bottles of Pomo in his ruck and with plastic glasses we toasted the vet and the memory of all the men in Normandy. We continued our walk and passed a farm where the barn trusses are made from glider ramps, all along the route we passed interesting places and significant spots related to the action of D-Day and the days after, all in we covered about 12 kilometres. kenNorman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyCanteen Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6839 Posted January 31, 2014 Hi Ken, That sounds like a fun and interesting way to spend the evening. I enjoyed the read. Thanks, RC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6840 Posted January 31, 2014 Ken...you're not known as our "roving reporter" for no good reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6841 Posted January 31, 2014 That sounds like a fun and interesting way to spend the evening. I enjoyed the read. I agree! It sounds very interesting to literally walk in the footsteps of history....Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6842 Posted January 31, 2014 Normandy walks............ as it's winter and the tour guides are in a slack period then they and a few invited friends have been partaking in walks through areas of Normandy which are of interest to everyone on the walks. The guides share information and anecdotes with everyone relevant to that particular walk ( and that's how the rifle embedded in the tree was known about on the Falaise walk ). Our first walk followed the route taken by Dick Winters and our guide Paul has a copy of the route on a map given to him by Winters. The walk took place at night, as it would have done with Winters parachuting in during darkness. He landed on the outskirts of Ste Mere Eglise and we followed his directions through the outskirts and along mud tracks some of these mud tracks are within a few hundred metres of the town square, unseen but local knowledge Along the route we passed a darkened farm with barking dogs, Dale related that 20 - 30 Germans were massacred behind this farmhouse ( there's no suggestion here that Winters was involved in this ), on we went and eventually reached Brecourt manor. this is where the action occurred to eliminate the guns and crews. We were at the monument around 22.30 hours and Paul phoned a surviving member of E Co. 506 at his home in the US, we had an open chat with him for about fifteen minutes and explained what was happening. Dale had carried three bottles of Pomo in his ruck and with plastic glasses we toasted the vet and the memory of all the men in Normandy. We continued our walk and passed a farm where the barn trusses are made from glider ramps, all along the route we passed interesting places and significant spots related to the action of D-Day and the days after, all in we covered about 12 kilometres. ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Great way to spend a winter's evening! Thanks for bringing us along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6843 Posted January 31, 2014 Ken, You are entirely too funny!!!! ...Kat Hi kat, thanks I'll put you down for the positive vote then, let's hope I don't get too many on the negative side, humor is a funny thing ( a well used pun ) ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6844 Posted January 31, 2014 Walk comments ................. * That sounds like a fun and interesting way to spend the evening. I enjoyed the read. Thanks, RC * Ken...you're not known as our "roving reporter" for no good reason! Ian * I agree! It sounds very interesting to literally walk in the footsteps of history....Kat * Great way to spend a winter's evening! Thanks for bringing us along. Erick Thanks RC, Ian, kat and Erick, it was a great walk crisp and dry, there was lots more that we saw and learnt about I just gave you a taster, sorry no photo's didn't think about it being in the dark, We have completed two more walks, and our fourth takes place 9th Feb, relevant to 2nd Inf Div. actions. I will probably write up each walk individually, but this may not happen until after the 9th Feb as I have family visiting. photo above features a friend Lee who was working on the latest Brad Pitt film ' Fury ', a story of Sherman tank crews, filming finished just prior to Christmas in the UK. kenNorman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6845 Posted January 31, 2014 Lee Money?! I'd never have recognized him!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6846 Posted January 31, 2014 Ken...you're not known as our "roving reporter" for no good reason! Ian, Its not all easy you know, it's hard work having a good time, a lot of effort has to be put into it............ There's the actual event, and then writing up here all the after action reports, and barely any liquid passes our lips when we are doing all this, don't you know ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6847 Posted January 31, 2014 Lee Money?! I'd never have recognized him!! Ian, bloody marvelous ain't it, what the make-up department can do with a youthful fifteen year old boy, that's not the face he uses everyday you know.................. ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 31 2013 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 31, 2014 Share #6848 Posted January 31, 2014 I don't think he was on set the day we were there...even if he was I'd have walked right past him! I'll bet he has / had one eye on buying up the surplus film props/costumes like he did after "Band Of Brothers"! That's where my reinforced M42 jumpsuit came from! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted February 2, 2014 Share #6849 Posted February 2, 2014 That's the story of my life. Too intellectual too serious. I used to date a girl who wore Eau de Chat. She left me for that brut with the scar on his face. That was life saving rejection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted February 10, 2014 Share #6850 Posted February 10, 2014 I don't think he was on set the day we were there...even if he was I'd have walked right past him! I'll bet he has / had one eye on buying up the surplus film props/costumes like he did after "Band Of Brothers"! That's where my reinforced M42 jumpsuit came from! Hi Ian, Lee has become very active in the film industry especially with war related ones, now that I exposed his scarred face and his German part in the film then no doubt a whole bunch of us will be looking at the film with interest trying to spot him. Wonder what his fate will be ........... ken Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, February 10 2013 . 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