General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10451 Posted August 1, 2017 . Normandy Then & Now, Carentan bridge and house . . . . . . . . not a lot to say here as the Bailey bridge and house is really all that there is in this image. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10452 Posted August 1, 2017 . Normandy Then & Now, Carentan bridge and house . . . . . . . . . . Sundays image I took of the current bridge and original house . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtRGFRANK Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10453 Posted August 1, 2017 NICE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10454 Posted August 1, 2017 Ken, Great picture! The sides of the bridge look higher in the "then" picture. Have just the sides been replaced or is the entire bridge new? Or am I seeing things? ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10455 Posted August 1, 2017 Great image Ken of the Bridges.Do you recall when the newer one was set in place? That area had to be a very hot and contested site during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10456 Posted August 1, 2017 . Hi Beast, Ho-my Can-I now call you ' Bull-Winkle ' as you probably live in Frostbite falls . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Yes sir, I am a proud alum of "Wossamatta U" where I studied international affairs. I even found a photo of the Dean of our school with two of our professors: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10457 Posted August 1, 2017 Ken, Great picture! The sides of the bridge look higher in the "then" picture. Have just the sides been replaced or is the entire bridge new? Or am I seeing things? ...Kat Hi Kat, Ron, Robert, the Bailey bridge in the original photo utilized double height sections to give the bridge the capacity to allow heavy vehicles to cross such as tanks or heavily laden transport vehicles. I'm sorry I don't have details as to when the current bridge was set in place, all I can add is that it is now a single width bridge for cars only, traffic having to give way alternately to opposing traffic. I will say though, that although fairly recently painted the bridge is in a pretty poor condition and some of the steel beams badly corroded, I will try and capture some images on my next visit. On the Brevans side of Carentan there is still a double height Bailey bridge in operation and wonder if this is a different bridge or the one from the Tucker bridge location once it was demounted., again I will capture some images next time I am that way. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent. August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10458 Posted August 1, 2017 Yes sir, I am a proud alum of "Wossamatta U" where I studied international affairs. I even found a photo of the Dean of our school with two of our professors: trio.jpg . Hi Beast, well it looks like you didn't turn out too badly having had professors such as these. Maybe I should have attended the same place it might have been a step up on the edjuckation I received . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10459 Posted August 1, 2017 . Destruction of St. LO . . . . . . . . . . I met up with a bunch of friends last week for a meal in St. Lo, arriving early a couple of us wandered around the town, I think this photograph graphically shows the destruction of the town endured by the inhabitants and combatants in 1944. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10460 Posted August 1, 2017 . Destruction of St. Lo, continued . . . . . . . . . . Walking along the side of the cathedral we spotted this reminder of the battle of St. Lo remaining in the wall, evidently this is one shell that failed to explode upon hitting the cathedral wall, however there was a great deal of damage done to the rest of the cathedral. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10461 Posted August 1, 2017 . Hi Rene, well it was always worth a try . . . . . . pity you don't have a sister, and I note that what you say that she probably wouldn't assist anyway, and I was probably hoping that she would be more hands-on anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Hi Ken, I thought you would........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10462 Posted August 1, 2017 Yes sir, I am a proud alum of "Wossamatta U" where I studied international affairs. I even found a photo of the Dean of our school with two of our professors: trio.jpg I've spent many an hour of profound academic activity studying there myself. And somewhere I have the t-shirt to prove it. Unless it has disintegrated by now. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10463 Posted August 1, 2017 Today I got to visit a friend in the town of Eindhoven. She moved there recently. As we got downtown for lunch I took, much to her surprise, the oportunity to take some Then and Now photos. I tried to explain what I was doing but I only got a look that women sometimes can give you . Thankfully there is this blog with likeminded people so there's little explaining to do First up men of the 101st airborne, HQ Co 3rd Bn, sitting in front of the St. Catharina church, Then and Now Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10464 Posted August 1, 2017 . Normandy Then & Now, Carentan bridge and house . . . . . . . . . . Sundays image I took of the current bridge and original house . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . Hi Ken, great Then and Now shot, keep 'm coming. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10465 Posted August 1, 2017 . Hi Terry, thanks for enjoying the images, yes that particular building appears unchanged on the outside, I don't think it's currently being used on a daily basis, council storage space maybe. Other things do change however, if not by the hand of man then by nature as time and tide wait for no man Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, July 31 2107. . This a hauntingly beautiful photo. It sums up the ultimate waste and futility of war, and the insignificance of man and his works. All at the same time. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10466 Posted August 1, 2017 . Destruction of St. LO . . . . . . . . . . I met up with a bunch of friends last week for a meal in St. Lo, arriving early a couple of us wandered around the town, I think this photograph graphically shows the destruction of the town endured by the inhabitants and combatants in 1944. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 1 2017. . I've seen this photo before. It once again boggles my mind thinking about how do you clean up something like that. Especially when you realize, it's not just one town, but the whole darned continent in this condition, more or less. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10467 Posted August 1, 2017 Today I got to visit a friend in the town of Eindhoven. She moved there recently. As we got downtown for lunch I took, much to her surprise, the oportunity to take some Then and Now photos. I tried to explain what I was doing but I only got a look that women sometimes can give you . Thankfully there is this blog with likeminded people so there's little explaining to do First up men of the 101st airborne, HQ Co 3rd Bn, sitting in front of the St. Catharina church, Then Cathatrina kerk.jpg and Now SAM_2117.jpg Rene I'm glad that Rene and Ken have such an appreciation for the past and all the ghosts that surround you, invisible to most. And I am thankful to you both for sharing with me. Man, I'm getting a bit too serious here. It must be time for me to sign up for another class at Wossamotta U. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10468 Posted August 1, 2017 I'm glad that Rene and Ken have such an appreciation for the past and all the ghosts that surround you, invisible to most. And I am thankful to you both for sharing with me. Man, I'm getting a bit too serious here. It must be time for me to sign up for another class at Wossamotta U. Mikie Hello Mikie, thanks! It's my pleasure and you are more than welcome to it. I said this before and I'll say it again. Over here we are still indebted to all those men and women that came to Europe to liberate us. It is something that should never be forgotten. And on this serious note I'm signing off....... Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10469 Posted August 2, 2017 Great Then and Now photos. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10470 Posted August 2, 2017 Great Then and Now photos. Thanks for posting. . Hi Sundance, thanks for the support on the Then & now shots . . . . . . . . . Another shot of the Cathedral at St. Lo, there should have been twin towers on the Cathedral, the left-hand one was virtually demolished, it was never rebuilt, simply roofed over at the level it was reduced to. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 2 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10471 Posted August 2, 2017 . St. Lo Cathedral . . . . . . . . . . . . hundreds of pieces of the medieval carvings were so badly damaged that they couldn't be re-used again and are displayed inside the Cathedral . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 2 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10472 Posted August 2, 2017 The St.Lo pictures are amazing.I often wondered too how these cities rebuilt after the war due to the utter destruction.England had their share too from the Blitz and later rocket attacks. Really interesting to see the carved pieces saved and displayed.Always something to see and learn in the then and now posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10473 Posted August 2, 2017 Another Then and Now from Eindhoven Some 101st paratroopers with a requisitioned vehicle Same place Now Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10474 Posted August 2, 2017 The St.Lo pictures are amazing.I often wondered too how these cities rebuilt after the war due to the utter destruction.England had their share too from the Blitz and later rocket attacks. Really interesting to see the carved pieces saved and displayed.Always something to see and learn in the then and now posts. Hi Ron This might give you an idea about the rebuilding of Venlo First Venlo summer 1945 And this is how it is nowadays. You can recognise the church tower with the new spire. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted August 2, 2017 Share #10475 Posted August 2, 2017 The St.Lo pictures are amazing.I often wondered too how these cities rebuilt after the war due to the utter destruction.England had their share too from the Blitz and later rocket attacks. Really interesting to see the carved pieces saved and displayed.Always something to see and learn in the then and now posts. . Hi Ron, my observation of rebuilding after the war looks like this, in Normandy to a greater part most of the buildings were built from quarried stone, by nature this is irregular shape and sizes. For hundreds of years these stones continued to be re-used from one old building into new buildings as witnessed by the destruction of old roman buildings, into middle age constructions and on and on so forth to buildings before D-Day. When a lot of these buildings were destroyed by bombing the rubble could be picked through and lots of the quarried stone saved for rebuilding. Contrast that with most British cities where the buildings were constructed of regular shaped and sized red clay bricks, when these buildings were bombed very little if any of the bricks survived intact to be used again. So post-WWII pre fabricated concrete sectional slabs were moulded and bolted together, allowing high rise blocks of flats to be constructed in most bombed towns and cities. These concrete constructions became known derisively as ' Concrete-Jungles ', the age old streets housing extended local families disappeared. Most children when they got married and left home only moved several streets away from their parents, but the concrete blocks finished these age old traditions, families and relations became more separated and distanced. as I was a teenager during the sixties I observed the decline of traditional housing and the overabundance of concrete construction, I coined a phrase at that time regarding concrete towns ' The changing architecture of London, Birmingham and Coventry was started by Adolf Hitler, and the local councils finished the project ', most became soulless wastelands. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, August 2 2017. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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