General Apathy Posted December 17, 2019 Share #15651 Posted December 17, 2019 Ken, The restaurant atmosphere looks great! Is the food just as good? ...Kat . Hi Kat, the restaurant is very fresh, clean and serves decent food, a number of the local Militaria collectors eat there regularly. Sadly it was closed for vacation when I held my birthday bash, otherwise it would have been a good choice. It is built on the old wartime A-10 forward airfield site, hence the use of A-10 in it's title. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Graffiti Posted December 17, 2019 Share #15652 Posted December 17, 2019 Great film Ken I also had noticed Walt Brennan's faded denim US Army smock, always good to see this kit being worn in old movies Hope all is well in Normandy and an early 'Joyeux Noel' AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2019 Share #15653 Posted December 17, 2019 Great wall art...…. and they probably will continue to serve those sprouts Rene . Hi Rene, apparently and unconnected to Brexit there has been an accident today on a Continental auto-route, an articulated truck full of Brussels sprouts turned over and now there will be even less sprouts for Christmas lunches, tragic news for me as I love them . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2019 Share #15654 Posted December 17, 2019 Great film Ken I also had noticed Walt Brennan's faded denim US Army smock, always good to see this kit being worn in old movies Hope all is well in Normandy and an early 'Joyeux Noel' AG . Hi AG, pleased to hear that you had spotted it as well in the film. I had a bunch of worn first pattern smocks and nine out of ten had all been slashed down the front for ease of wearing. Have a great Christmas, just eight days away now . . . . . . . . . . . . tic-toc, tic-toc Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15655 Posted December 18, 2019 Ken is proved to be cosmically connected yet again. I had to work late tonight and had to hit the stores. Tired and hungry, I stopped at Smash Burger for a bite. I've only been there once before. Much to my utter surprise, they have crispy Brussells sprouts on the menu! I declined to try them, but once again, an amazing coincidence! While on the subject, I'm curious now on how you like them prepared. Anyone have a favorite recipe? Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15656 Posted December 18, 2019 . Uniform used in films . . . . . . . . . last night I watched an old black & white movie ' To have & have not ' 1944, Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan and Lauren Bacall. Filmed in 1944 two of the lead characters can be seen wearing early 1940's US Army blue denim pieces. So I have to ask myself the question were the blue denim fatigue uniforms already being sold as surplus prior to wars end. The blue denim is prevalent in early war training photographs such as the Louisiana manoeuvres, but not in later war photographs generally only in POW photos. Seen here is Walter Brennan wearing a first pattern three button pull-over the head smock type jacket, with two large chest pockets, the front of the jacket has been cut down the front from below the third button to the bottom edge for ease of putting on. Notice the button hole placket ends just to the right of the white shirt button, notice also the aluminium US Army button on his left cuff. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2019. . fullsizeoutput_3503.jpeg Sent I'm having another Dr Watson moment here. I'm in awe of you spotting those details in an old film. Maybe they surplussed older stocks before the war? It's hard to imagine them dumping anything useful when everything was such short supply after Pearl Harbor. Maybe the Army provided them to the studios for PR purposes? It is interesting to see these uniforms since I don't see them very often. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15657 Posted December 18, 2019 . US Army informational film . . . . . . . . . . . I really recommend watching this very interesting film lasting 28 minutes, it shows the US Army Ordnance Corp collecting and gathering together all salvageable material from combat jackets to tanks. It then shows all the cleaning, disassembly, repair, reclamation, painting, humidity protection, packing and storage ready for future use. The numerical and monetary numbers mentioned are unbelievable, along with the photographical evidence of the quantities mentioned. I think there is a great deal to be learnt from this film watching all the work involved, some of the machinery designed and manufactured to deal with armaments is fascinating, watching the extensive machine delinking unsafe .50 Cal ammunition, pulling the heads, retrieving the powder, firing the primer, gathering the brass for resale. Also watch the degreasing and cleaning of stored Garand rifles and rebuilding and firing, I also like the simple operation for using cosmoline dip for package protection. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15658 Posted December 18, 2019 Ken is proved to be cosmically connected yet again. I had to work late tonight and had to hit the stores. Tired and hungry, I stopped at Smash Burger for a bite. I've only been there once before. Much to my utter surprise, they have crispy Brussells sprouts on the menu! I declined to try them, but once again, an amazing coincidence! While on the subject, I'm curious now on how you like them prepared. Anyone have a favorite recipe? Mikie . Hi Mikie, for me probably steam cooked and lightly basted in butter is the complete dish. Others like cooking them with bacon bits, or bacon bits and walnut bits, others hate them with a passion in any form. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15659 Posted December 18, 2019 If the British are forced to eat Brussels sprouts from being part of the EU, then Brexit makes perfect sense. But all I really know about Britain and the EU I learned from watching Yes, Minister... Mikie . Hi Mikie, I found it very funny that you were aware of the series ' Yes Minister ' it dates back to 1980 - 84 & 1986 - 88 the jokes and comments are just as relevant today as they were then, it's only when you see the 1980s cars that ages it . . . . . . . . I have the DVD's of both series and watch them now and again, for an English person still relevant and funny in December 2019 thirty five years later. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Graffiti Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15660 Posted December 18, 2019 Hi Ken, I think your'e right about that film, and also in terms of re-cycling re-selling they obviously realised even back then the intrinsic value of all this stuff. Prior to this I had always assumed the US Army had a very lax approach to re-purposing repairing re-cycling their equipment, because it seems they just abandoned vast quantities of it in every theatre they were. Think I said before it seems every farm in Lancashire in the 70s had a Willys Jeep. I think this is very relevant for this day and age, don't waste anything, don't throw good stuff away. And PS check out the guys pants in the photo, look to be the 2nd pattern denim work trouser? Thanks for posting, AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15661 Posted December 18, 2019 Hi Ken, I think your'e right about that film, and also in terms of re-cycling re-selling they obviously realised even back then the intrinsic value of all this stuff. Prior to this I had always assumed the US Army had a very lax approach to re-purposing repairing re-cycling their equipment, because it seems they just abandoned vast quantities of it in every theatre they were. Think I said before it seems every farm in Lancashire in the 70s had a Willys Jeep. I think this is very relevant for this day and age, don't waste anything, don't throw good stuff away. And PS check out the guys pants in the photo, look to be the 2nd pattern denim work trouser? Thanks for posting, AG . Hi AG, having messed with Jeeps since I was seventeen I saw that many Jeeps had been through rebuild facilities before being surplussed, during the rebuilds they were unconcerned about which manufacturers parts were used to complete a Jeep as all parts were interchangeable anyway. I think it was a case of whichever parts had been cleaned, re-conditioned, painted and arrived at the assembly spots as to what was fitted. It's very rare in Europe to find a complete original parts Ford or Willys Jeep. Most of the complete Jeeps all same manufacturer parts are to be found in the USA where the superseded models were sold off to farmers etc and not used through the military system. Attached photo showing completed Willys MA models for sale outside the Willys factory having been superseded by the Willys MB. The same happened with Willys MB's once the army decided they didn't require any more at wars end. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15662 Posted December 18, 2019 . Why were the soldiers so small in WWII . . . . . . . . . When I ran my Militaria supply store I was often asked why all the servicemen were so small in WWII as no large uniforms were to be found. My explanation was that the soldiers were regular size and larger in WWII which is why all the large uniforms were used up, and the smaller uniforms were less required and left over as surplus post war. The largest original uniform jacket I ever had was 54-inch chest, it was snapped up in the blink of an eye, here's a photograph showing evidence of a large set of jacket and pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15663 Posted December 18, 2019 . Why were the soldiers so small in WWII . . . . . . . . . When I ran my Militaria supply store I was often asked why all the servicemen were so small in WWII as no large uniforms were to be found. My explanation was that the soldiers were regular size and larger in WWII which is why all the large uniforms were used up, and the smaller uniforms were less required and left over as surplus post war. The largest original uniform jacket I ever had was 54-inch chest, it was snapped up in the blink of an eye, here's a photograph showing evidence of a large set of jacket and pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. .http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/public/style_images/usmf/attachicon.gif Size.Large.jpg How did he pass the physical!, I see he's special services but still had to go through basic. And he even has a row of hash marks. Lol Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15664 Posted December 18, 2019 How did he pass the physical!, I see he's special services but still had to go through basic. And he even has a row of hash marks. Lol Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk . Hi Bill, perhaps he passed the physical several years earlier and became the proverbial ' Chow-Hound ' in the intervening years. . . . . . regarding sizes it's always possible for the camp/fort tailors to resize a large uniform to smaller, but impossible to tailor small sizes to larger. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15665 Posted December 18, 2019 I count six hash marks at 3 years each, 18 years. Probably a skinny Minnie when went in, maybe cook/ musician Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15666 Posted December 18, 2019 . US Army informational film . . . . . . . . . . . I really recommend watching this very interesting film lasting 28 minutes, it shows the US Army Ordnance Corp collecting and gathering together all salvageable material from combat jackets to tanks. It then shows all the cleaning, disassembly, repair, reclamation, painting, humidity protection, packing and storage ready for future use. The numerical and monetary numbers mentioned are unbelievable, along with the photographical evidence of the quantities mentioned. I think there is a great deal to be learnt from this film watching all the work involved, some of the machinery designed and manufactured to deal with armaments is fascinating, watching the extensive machine delinking unsafe .50 Cal ammunition, pulling the heads, retrieving the powder, firing the primer, gathering the brass for resale. Also watch the degreasing and cleaning of stored Garand rifles and rebuilding and firing, I also like the simple operation for using cosmoline dip for package protection. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . I look forward to seeing that film when I get a moment to watch it, hopefully tonight. I think I have an old first aid pouch somewhere with a ton of repairs on it. If they could spend such time and resources patching up something as simple as a FA pouch, I can only imagine what they'd do to salvage a rifle or tank! I'll see if I can dig it out and post it here. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2019 Share #15667 Posted December 18, 2019 . Hi Mikie, I found it very funny that you were aware of the series ' Yes Minister ' it dates back to 1980 - 84 & 1986 - 88 the jokes and comments are just as relevant today as they were then, it's only when you see the 1980s cars that ages it . . . . . . . . I have the DVD's of both series and watch them now and again, for an English person still relevant and funny in December 2019 thirty five years later. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2019. . For many years, a local TV station used to have a British Comedy Night every Saturday. I got to love quite a few old British shows. Yes, Minister was and is absolutely brilliant. In fact, I gave set of DVDs to a friend for his birthday in June. He loved it too. BC Night ended at 11 PM, followed by complete stories of classic Dr Who. When an old company I worked at brought in a new hire Englishman, he was quite pleasantly surprised to learn I was more familiar with old British TV shows than he was. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted December 19, 2019 Share #15668 Posted December 19, 2019 . Uniform used in films . . . . . . . . . last night I watched an old black & white movie ' To have & have not ' 1944, Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan and Lauren Bacall. Filmed in 1944 two of the lead characters can be seen wearing early 1940's US Army blue denim pieces. So I have to ask myself the question were the blue denim fatigue uniforms already being sold as surplus prior to wars end. The blue denim is prevalent in early war training photographs such as the Louisiana manoeuvres, but not in later war photographs generally only in POW photos. Seen here is Humphrey Bogart wearing a second pattern pair of denim jeans, it has large rear patch pockets, large front patch pockets with pocket entrance at the top below the waist band. The first pattern has the same pocket characteristics with a two piece cinch belt above the two rear pockets, the pair Bogarts is wearing does not have this cinch belt. ( apologies I couldn't find a better shot of the jeans Bogart can be seen wearing ) The third pattern has internal pockets and side entrance like conventional trousers, and rear patch pockets. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2019. .{style_image_url}/attachicon.gif fullsizeoutput_350d.jpeg Simple answer If Hollywood wanted it they got it. Hollywood had full support of the military Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 22, 2019 Share #15669 Posted December 22, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted December 22, 2019 Share #15670 Posted December 22, 2019 Happy Christmas Ken! And may we all have a healthy and happy New Year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCDUFF Posted December 22, 2019 Share #15671 Posted December 22, 2019 Wishing you a very happy Christmas Ken, and a busy New Year keeping us updated with everything Normandy (and shoebox!) related! Cheers! Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Graffiti Posted December 22, 2019 Share #15672 Posted December 22, 2019 Ha! Great card, love the 'silencer' on the rifle Merry Christmas to all also AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 23, 2019 Share #15673 Posted December 23, 2019 Best wishes for a Merry Christmas to Ken and everyone else here! I Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted December 24, 2019 Share #15674 Posted December 24, 2019 Merry Christmas to you Ken and also to all participants, readers etc of this great thread/blog. And now for an appropriate thread picture Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 24, 2019 Share #15675 Posted December 24, 2019 . Thank you all for the Christmas Greetings . . . . . . . . . . Thanks each of you for adding greetings to the thread, hope it's a healthy and safe Christmas and Happy New Year for each of you and loved ones . . . . . . . ken xx 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