General Apathy Posted January 1, 2021 Share #17551 Posted January 1, 2021 . Normandy this morning January 01 2021 . . . . . . Out early this morning ( -5 ) the roads were pretty unused before I got out on them, and the road surfaces, gates, trees, fences, cars everything was covered in tiny cubes of ice, can't recall seeing anything like this before . . . . . . I could have taken some fantastic images today, the sun was bright, the sky a lovely shade of blue, the flooded fields without a ripple on them, and my camera phone battery DEAD . . . . . . managed to get about three shots and the battery died before I found the really beautiful scenery and no battery. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 01 2021. ( New Years Day ) . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFC Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17552 Posted January 2, 2021 that's just typically 🙂 Henrik PS.the 2 you got is nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17553 Posted January 2, 2021 . Hi Henrik, Thanks, and a happy New Year to you, family and friends . . . The weird ice may be familiar to Denmark, but I don't recall it here before yesterday in Normandy . . . . . . The flooded fields in the second photo were the location of a Luftwaffe summer airfield in 1939 / 40 during the Battle of Britain campaign, it's recorded locally that there were Messerschmitt Bf 109's based there and possibly Stuka's as well. I look back with a smile now and remember that when I was sixteen I hand painted a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt 109 squadron design on my scooter. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 02 2021. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Graffiti Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17554 Posted January 2, 2021 Great plane and squadron emblem, seems no end to your tinkering abilities :-) Amazing history in your local fields never ceases to amaze, and shame about your batteries running out the other day, even the landscape shots are lovely to look at. Happy New Year AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17555 Posted January 2, 2021 5 hours ago, General Apathy said: . Hi Henrik, Thanks, and a happy New Year to you, family and friends . . . The weird ice may be familiar to Denmark, but I don't recall it here before yesterday in Normandy . . . . . . The flooded fields in the second photo were the location of a Luftwaffe summer airfield in 1939 / 40 during the Battle of Britain campaign, it's recorded locally that there were Messerschmitt Bf 109's based there and possibly Stuka's as well. I look back with a smile now and remember that when I was sixteen I hand painted a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt 109 squadron design on my scooter. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 02 2021. . . Didn't you get a lot of flak for doing that?...........................😄 Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17556 Posted January 2, 2021 41 minutes ago, American Graffiti said: Great plane and squadron emblem, seems no end to your tinkering abilities :-) Amazing history in your local fields never ceases to amaze, and shame about your batteries running out the other day, even the landscape shots are lovely to look at. Happy New Year AG . Hi AG, thanks regarding anyones tinkering abilities, ' you have lost before you begin if you never try '. . . . . . . . . These maps show some of the flooded areas that had to be dealt with during D-Day weeks, it was annoying that the battery ran dry as I had fully charged it ready for New Years night messaging . . . . . . next morning DEAD. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 02 2021. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17557 Posted January 2, 2021 40 minutes ago, Dogsbody said: Didn't you get a lot of flak for doing that?...........................😄 Rene . Hi Rene, no not really as the character on the design had an umbrella for dealing with Flak . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 02 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17558 Posted January 2, 2021 46 minutes ago, General Apathy said: . Hi Rene, no not really as the character on the design had an umbrella for dealing with Flak . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 02 2021. . Ah, I see 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17559 Posted January 2, 2021 On 12/31/2020 at 4:57 AM, mikie said: Since we are all showing each other our Hawleys, here is mine. hey, it's a Hawley! US Navy contract dated 1944. Mikie Totally forgot to mention: that's a nice Hawley. Wasn't aware they made those as well. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 2, 2021 Share #17560 Posted January 2, 2021 On 1/1/2021 at 4:39 AM, General Apathy said: . Normandy this morning January 01 2021 . . . . . . Out early this morning ( -5 ) the roads were pretty unused before I got out on them, and the road surfaces, gates, trees, fences, cars everything was covered in tiny cubes of ice, can't recall seeing anything like this before . . . . . . I could have taken some fantastic images today, the sun was bright, the sky a lovely shade of blue, the flooded fields without a ripple on them, and my camera phone battery DEAD . . . . . . managed to get about three shots and the battery died before I found the really beautiful scenery and no battery. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 01 2021. ( New Years Day ) . . I lived through 23 snowy winters in upstate New York and can't recall ever seeing anything like those I've crystals before. Pity about that dead battery. That's a beautiful photo. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17561 Posted January 3, 2021 On 12/28/2020 at 5:48 AM, General Apathy said: . At this time of year . . . . . . . The image below is just a little bit of fun, but if you can please help your favourite charities, people, animals, ex-service personnel, or whatever you have thoughts of helping . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 28 2020. . OK, Ken, now that I'm done with all my holiday spending, I have a little money left I can send you. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17562 Posted January 3, 2021 8 hours ago, Dogsbody said: Totally forgot to mention: that's a nice Hawley. Wasn't aware they made those as well. Rene As a matter of fact, Hawley invented and patented the pressed fiber method of making these sun helmets. If I remember my research correctly, they first sold them on the civilian market in the late 1930s. The Army started using them in 1940. The Navy soon followed but ordered them in OD green instead of Army tan. At least 1 other company made them during the war, but I think Hawley made the majority of them. I tried taking a photo of the markings, but they are too faint to show up well. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17563 Posted January 3, 2021 22 hours ago, American Graffiti said: Amazing history in your local fields never ceases to amaze, Happy New Year AG . Hi AG, thanks for mentioning the local fields, I thought I would share with the forum this annotated map I made showing some of the details of the local area, it's no-where near complete, basically ever square inch of it has a story it's difficult to have enough room to list everything. The black numbers in circles are the bridges that were important to capture for free movement around the flooded areas. In the centre of the map the Commanding officer Col. Harry L. Lewis of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment is mentioned, I believe he was dead by August 1944 from Cancer, so he fought during the invasion probably knowing full-well of his condition. There are three U.S. cemeteries mentioned, the Blosville one started on June 6th by Sgt Clegg of Graves Registration who landed by glider and the first burials were beside the glider he landed in, the other two at Ste Mere Eglise happened after the town was captured. All three cemeteries were emptied and moved to Omaha Beach cemetery around 1947. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17564 Posted January 3, 2021 1 hour ago, General Apathy said: . Hi AG, thanks for mentioning the local fields, I thought I would share with the forum this annotated map I made showing some of the details of the local area, it's no-where near complete, basically ever square inch of it has a story it's difficult to have enough room to list everything. The black numbers in circles are the bridges that were important to capture for free movement around the flooded areas. In the centre of the map the Commanding officer Col. Harry L. Lewis of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment is mentioned, I believe he was dead by August 1944 from Cancer, so he fought during the invasion probably knowing full-well of his condition. There are three U.S. cemeteries mentioned, the Blosville one started on June 6th by Sgt Clegg of Graves Registration who landed by glider and the first burials were beside the glider he landed in, the other two at Ste Mere Eglise happened after the town was captured. All three cemeteries were emptied and moved to Omaha Beach cemetery around 1947. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. . The map is a great reference. Helps get the feel of what happened there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17565 Posted January 3, 2021 . Today a friend in London sent me a photo of an article in a UK newspaper . . . . . Here's my reply to him ' Hi John, thanks for the article, I note that it says that all the rare metals used in cars and technologies are bad for the earth. Perhaps we are the real green technology people as we drive JEEPS ', Just-Enough-Essential-Parts . . . . . . . . . . . 😇 😂 Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17566 Posted January 3, 2021 Sometimes it’s not about driving your Jeep or Landrover. It’s about working up the strength to dig it out. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17567 Posted January 3, 2021 41 minutes ago, kammo-man said: Sometimes it’s not about driving your Jeep or Landrover. It’s about working up the strength to dig it out. owen . Hi Owen, you're right its always said Landrover's need digging out . . . . . . . . . you must have heard the old anecdote . . . . . . . If you want to go to Africa go in a Landrover, If you want to come back, go in a Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17568 Posted January 3, 2021 Ha ha ha !! true true v 8s old chap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 4, 2021 Share #17569 Posted January 4, 2021 On 1/2/2021 at 6:24 PM, Dogsbody said: Ah, I see 😉 . Hi Rene, thanks not seen that shot before, looks as it that particular plane had suffered lots of previous damage looking at the rough repair work that had been carried out. back in the day when we had the scooters, most of the owners went with RAF roundels painted on their scooters, parka's and buttons, so I went the opposite side and went Luftwaffe . . . . . . . . The photo below was taken on a 2013 London and Isle of Wight trip using a local friends scooter to go to several retro scooter meetings. In this shot I am on a Vespa, my original scooter was a Lambretta. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 04 2021. . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 4, 2021 Share #17570 Posted January 4, 2021 21 hours ago, mikie said: The map is a great reference. Helps get the feel of what happened there. . Hi Mikie, pleased you liked the map, thought it would help with location of a few of the events of D-Day week. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 04 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 4, 2021 Share #17571 Posted January 4, 2021 On 1/3/2021 at 3:37 AM, mikie said: As a matter of fact, Hawley invented and patented the pressed fiber method of making these sun helmets. If I remember my research correctly, they first sold them on the civilian market in the late 1930s. The Army started using them in 1940. The Navy soon followed but ordered them in OD green instead of Army tan. At least 1 other company made them during the war, but I think Hawley made the majority of them. I tried taking a photo of the markings, but they are too faint to show up well. Mikie . Hi Mikie, Thanks for the shot of yourself in the sun helmet and some the historical details of manufacture. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 04 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 6, 2021 Share #17572 Posted January 6, 2021 On 1/4/2021 at 5:18 AM, General Apathy said: . Hi Rene, thanks not seen that shot before, looks as it that particular plane had suffered lots of previous damage looking at the rough repair work that had been carried out. back in the day when we had the scooters, most of the owners went with RAF roundels painted on their scooters, parka's and buttons, so I went the opposite side and went Luftwaffe . . . . . . . . The photo below was taken on a 2013 London and Isle of Wight trip using a local friends scooter to go to several retro scooter meetings. In this shot I am on a Vespa, my original scooter was a Lambretta. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 04 2021. . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 03 2021. Dad brought home an old italian scooter when I was about 12. We had fun with it for about a week. A cop caught my older brother riding it without a license or registration so Dad got rid of it. That was my last experience on a motor with 2 wheels. That was a loooong time ago but still remember it being fun. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 6, 2021 Share #17573 Posted January 6, 2021 First day of working on the Jeep in 2021 saw applying OD paint to the body... Pretty soon it will be assembly time.. Have a great year everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted January 6, 2021 Share #17574 Posted January 6, 2021 4 hours ago, Johan Willaert said: First day of working on the Jeep in 2021 saw applying OD paint to the body... Pretty soon it will be assembly time.. Have a great year everyone!! . Hi Johan, good to see progress being made, good luck with adding the bolt-on's. . . . . . . . . . . . . I believe nurse Schmidt on the Brussels Covid-Virus ward would like her PPE equipment back when you have finished spraying with it . . . . I won't mention to Lidl's supermarkets where to find a number of their pallets. . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 06 2021. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted January 6, 2021 Share #17575 Posted January 6, 2021 Been reliving some fond memories on hearing news of the passing of the Mom of 2 of my best friends. One story has a military connection. Her Mother took her to the movies in 1941 when she was about 10 years old. She was watching the movie happily chewing some gum when a tall thin soldier in uniform sitting next to her asked her to stop chewing her gum so loud. He said he couldn't hear the film over the noise she was making. There was no mistaking the soldier's voice. It was Jimmy Stewart! He was stationed at nearby Moffett Air Field at the time. He did his flight training and got his wings there. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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