Norman D. Landing

[General Apathy]

On 12/8/2021 at 2:25 AM, gravecreek said:

I live about a 1\2 mile from the factory that made these figures. They have been out of business for quite some time. I have a good many toys from there, but none of these figures. 🙁

.

Hi gravecreek,

 

thanks for joining in sorry to hear that you don't have any of this series, I have twelve but I believe the full set could be thirty, I am definitely missing Eisenhower. !!

 

I have a couple more Marx figures I will try and photograph over the weekend and post here. !!

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

[General Apathy]

On 12/5/2021 at 1:21 AM, cutiger83 said:

Ken,

 

These are great! Lots of detail for such small figures from the 50's.

 

...Kat

.

Hi Kat,

 

Thanks for mentioning the fine details on the figures,  I took a second look at them and with the use of a little resin they could be used to make chocolate moulds hahahaaaaaaa. !!!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

On 12/8/2021 at 10:23 AM, Johan Willaert said:

Next weekend will see the annual commemorations of the Battle of the Bulge which took place in the Belgian Ardennes from December 1944 well into January 1945, a battle which saw some of the bitterest fighting in grueling winter conditions of WW2 leading to enormous losses on both sides.

 

I try to attend this annual event regularly and will be in the Ardennes for a few days the coming week…

Last year there were hardly any events because of Covid restrictions and this year too a lot of activities have been cancelled but still I hope to be able to meet up with friends and visit some telltale place such as Baugnez, La Gleize and of course Bastogne…

 

Yes, the battle of the Bulge is of course much more than just Bastogne, but it is through the exploits of the 101st AIrborne Division in and around ‘NUTS’ city the general public knows about it…

 

BTW in my opinion the best movie about Bastogne still is the 1949 flick ‘Battleground’… 

 

 

 

 

.

Hi Johan,  I seem to recall that we crossed paths at one of these Ardennes events, it was probably the last time that I did one, was it at the NUTS museum.  !!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

[Mapman]

Gen Apathy,

Love your pics!  I've spent a bit of time in Belgium and some other places also.  I know Emile Lecroix that has the 82nd Jeep Group and I've been on his march, several years ago with the very first veteran to attend the march, "Larry Gourlie" who was Lt Col Billinglea's driver in the 325th Glider Infantry, 82nd Abn Div.  we went thru La Gleize after leaving Werbomont and Manhay.  We also drove the day after the march to Cheneux, Trois Pont and with Will Kavanaugh to Baugnez and the Malmendy Crossroads.  We went to the Siegfried Line with Will and Andre Meurisse who sponsored the march around Bastogne.  I went on that one time.  Larry took me to the old textile mill in Pepinster where the entire 325th Glider Regiment took a 2 week R&R after "The Bulge".  But since Larry drove a jeep for Billingslea, he had a second floor room at L'Hotel du Gare.  Those floors in that textile mill had to be freezing!  In May of 1985 I was at Reims for the anniversary of the German Surrender. 

 

Tim

www.ww2dday.com

[mikie]

17 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Johan,  I seem to recall that we crossed paths at one of these Ardennes events, it was probably the last time that I did one, was it at the NUTS museum.  !!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

It seems strangely appropriate that you two would meet up at a Nuts museum.  

 

Mikie

[mikie]

18 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Kat,

 

it's unbelievable when daughters surprise you as mine did a few days ago.  One of the films that we have watched together several times ' Lover Actually ' has a scene in it where one of the male characters turns up at the door of a woman that's he's been deeply in love with for some time but she recently  married one of his friends. He stands and shows her a series of cards with messages that he loves her and it was time that he should let her know.

 

Well I received two Christmas cards off my daughter and in the one card mentioning ' Love Actually ' she had included a photograph of her holding a sharpie written message, and had folded the same message into the card she sent me.

 

. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Awwwww...

[cutiger83]

22 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Kat,

 

it's unbelievable when daughters surprise you as mine did a few days ago.  One of the films that we have watched together several times ' Lover Actually ' has a scene in it where one of the male characters turns up at the door of a woman that's he's been deeply in love with for some time but she recently  married one of his friends. He stands and shows her a series of cards with messages that he loves her and it was time that he should let her know.

 

Well I received two Christmas cards off my daughter and in the one card mentioning ' Love Actually ' she had included a photograph of her holding a sharpie written message, and had folded the same message into the card she sent me.

 

. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Very nice! I can tell you two are very close.

 

...Kat

[cutiger83]

3 hours ago, mikie said:

It seems strangely appropriate that you two would meet up at a Nuts museum.  

 

Mikie

This one made me laugh out loud! Great response!

 

...Kat

[cutiger83]

On 12/8/2021 at 4:23 AM, Johan Willaert said:

Next weekend will see the annual commemorations of the Battle of the Bulge which took place in the Belgian Ardennes from December 1944 well into January 1945, a battle which saw some of the bitterest fighting in grueling winter conditions of WW2 leading to enormous losses on both sides.

 

I try to attend this annual event regularly and will be in the Ardennes for a few days the coming week…

Last year there were hardly any events because of Covid restrictions and this year too a lot of activities have been cancelled but still I hope to be able to meet up with friends and visit some telltale place such as Baugnez, La Gleize and of course Bastogne…

 

Yes, the battle of the Bulge is of course much more than just Bastogne, but it is through the exploits of the 101st AIrborne Division in and around ‘NUTS’ city the general public knows about it…

 

BTW in my opinion the best movie about Bastogne still is the 1949 flick ‘Battleground’… 

 

 

 

 

I love this Bastogne sign!

 

..Kat

[General Apathy]

4 hours ago, mikie said:

It seems strangely appropriate that you two would meet up at a Nuts museum.  

 

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

I was only visiting the museum, it was then that I realised that Johan lived there . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

43 minutes ago, cutiger83 said:

Very nice! I can tell you two are very close.

 

...Kat

.

Hi Kat.

 

Everyone of my friends say exactly the same . . . . . . . that's it's very evident.

 

.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

47 minutes ago, cutiger83 said:

I love this Bastogne sign!

 

..Kat

.

Hi Kat.

 

I am always keeping a look-out for local wartime signs but they are very-very-very difficult to find,  I was at an antique store today intending to buy some American PSP airfield matting that I had been tipped off about last night. While checking around the store I spotted a wartime sign for Barneville-Carteret but thats way over on the other side of the Cherbourg peninsula and it doesn't have the same cachet as the Utah beach side.

 

Anyway back to the PSP planks I went to see I managed to grab a few pieces, it appears that may have been barn used post war and still had remains of O.D. Green on the undersides, very unusual as normally when finding any they are field used and rusty both sides with no sign of any paint on them.  

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[mikie]

29 minutes ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Kat.

 

I am always keeping a look-out for local wartime signs but they are very-very-very difficult to find,  I was at an antique store today intending to buy some American PSP airfield matting that I had been tipped off about last night. While checking around the store I spotted a wartime sign for Barneville-Carteret but thats way over on the other side of the Cherbourg peninsula and it doesn't have the same cachet as the Utah beach side.

 

Anyway back to the PSP planks I went to see I managed to grab a few pieces, it appears that may have been barn used post war and still had remains of O.D. Green on the undersides, very unusual as normally when finding any they are field used and rusty both sides with no sign of any paint on them.  

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Building your own air strip now?  Did you buy a P-51 to go along with the jeep?  

Mikie

[mikie]

56 minutes ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie,

 

I was only visiting the museum, it was then that I realised that Johan lived there . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

That "LIKE" button the forum now has is highly inadequate.  They need to put in a "Laugh out Loud" button.  

Mikie

[mikie]

57 minutes ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Kat.

 

Everyone of my friends say exactly the same . . . . . . . that's it's very evident.

 

.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 10  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

I'm out of "LIKES" for the day.  So consider this one "LIKED".   Kassidy was never too demonstrative and the past few years is in the "too grown up" phase to pay much attention to the old man.  Unless of course she needs $$ from me.  Do all daughters go through a similar phase?  

 

Mikie

[General Apathy]

30 minutes ago, mikie said:

Building your own air strip now?  Did you buy a P-51 to go along with the jeep?  

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie.

 

Normandy in the winter is a quagmire of mud, even when it rained in the summer 44 the allies found out to be a problem when they tried to advance through here.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

22 minutes ago, mikie said:

That "LIKE" button the forum now has is highly inadequate.  They need to put in a "Laugh out Loud" button.  

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie.

 

I don't think it's right that you should wish to laugh at Johan like that . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

18 minutes ago, mikie said:

I'm out of "LIKES" for the day.  So consider this one "LIKED".   Kassidy was never too demonstrative and the past few years is in the "too grown up" phase to pay much attention to the old man.  Unless of course she needs $$ from me.  Do all daughters go through a similar phase?  

 

Mikie

.

Hi Mikie.

 

I can't really convey how gutted I was when I had to take my US pick-up back to the UK and sell it as it didn't meet French vehicle legislation standards . . . . . . . ????????????, if anything I think it exceeded them.

 

Anyway when I told my daughter that I was having to sell the pick-up which I said had meant so much to both of us she replied with ' At least we had those days together in the truck ' and clarified that with that she would always remember and treasure those days together.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[mikie]

2 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie.

 

I don't think it's right that you should wish to laugh at Johan like that . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Sorry, Johan. But Ken made me do it!

Mikie

[mikie]

2 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie.

 

Normandy in the winter is a quagmire of mud, even when it rained in the summer 44 the allies found out to be a problem when they tried to advance through here.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

We have been in drought alert again this year. But it has spit a tiny bit of rain here and there the past couple of weeks. And suddenly the weeds have been shooting up like crazy. This of course has resulted in my allergies attacking me like D-Day. Forecast is for us to get hit by a series of big rainstorms starting Sunday and lasting all next week. All or nothing, it seems. Maybe some of that matting could come in handy here?

 

Mikie

[Escht]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:47 PM, mikie said:

Dad was already in the Army, stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama when Pearl harbor was attacked.  He said that someone announced that Pearl Harbor was just bombed by the Japanese.  The reaction from everyone was "Where the heck is Pearl Harbor?".  He would soon find out.  He was on one of the first troop ships sent to defend Hawaii very early in 1942.  He said he saw the salvage operation still going on in the harbor.  He was stationed in Hawaii on and off until 1944.  Luckily for him, it was one of the more pleasant places he was at while in the Army.  

Mikie

Similar sort of thing when the Argentinians attacked the Falklands, most Brits had no idea where they were. Think most thought they were somewhere off the coast of Scotland until the press started to explain that they were the other end of the globe.

[General Apathy]

On 12/10/2021 at 7:30 AM, Mapman said:

Gen Apathy,

Love your pics!  I've spent a bit of time in Belgium and some other places also.  I know Emile Lecroix that has the 82nd Jeep Group and I've been on his march, several years ago with the very first veteran to attend the march, "Larry Gourlie" who was Lt Col Billinglea's driver in the 325th Glider Infantry, 82nd Abn Div.  we went thru La Gleize after leaving Werbomont and Manhay.  We also drove the day after the march to Cheneux, Trois Pont and with Will Kavanaugh to Baugnez and the Malmendy Crossroads.  We went to the Siegfried Line with Will and Andre Meurisse who sponsored the march around Bastogne.  I went on that one time.  Larry took me to the old textile mill in Pepinster where the entire 325th Glider Regiment took a 2 week R&R after "The Bulge".  But since Larry drove a jeep for Billingslea, he had a second floor room at L'Hotel du Gare.  Those floors in that textile mill had to be freezing!  In May of 1985 I was at Reims for the anniversary of the German Surrender. 

 

Tim

www.ww2dday.com

.

Hi Tim,

 

Thanks for the further details and liking the pictures .  ( there's a few more below ) 

 

Back around 1982 about thirty of us slept out in the open snowy fields around Bastogne wearing and using just the same clothing and equipment that would have been available to the troops in 1944.  The ground was covered in snow, it was minus 20 and lower at night !!!! each morning the Jeep engines would have to be turned over using the hand-crank to stir the oil around before trying to start with the battery start.

 

back to photo's I spent several hours today taking photographs of houses and annotating the photos that are to be seen in a 1946 aerial photograph of the Blosville cemetery.

 

So  . . . . . 

 

First photo is the aerial shot of the Blosville cemetery in 1946 bottom middle shown #A is the current location of the memorial to the 6,000 troops that were initially buried there.

 

photo # A.  shows retired serviceman Elbert Pegg of Graves registration who landed by glider in the field directly behind this monument and

immediately during the ongoing battles commenced burying the deceased.

 

Photo #B these two houses seen on the aerial photo no longer exist they were demolished and the location used for a post-war service station area.

 

Photos #C, #D, #E, #F border the road from Ste Mere Eglise from the left of photo towards Carentan off the right-side of the photo, this small

road was superseded in the 1970's / 1990's by the N13 auto-route that ran parallel to it covering the field that had been the parking area for the cemetery. 

 

Photo #G is the farm at the rear of the cemetery shot across the cemetery field from monument #A as seen in the aerial shot.

 

#H marked on the right of the aerial shot shows the direction of the Chateau used by Eisenhower, Bradley and Collins. 

 

I hope the annotated aerial shot and the accompanying photos make some sort of sense, it shows how little some of the buildings and landscape have changed in 78 years. 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

[General Apathy]

.

Flooded fields in 1944 . . . . . . . .

 

Vast acres of road and land were flooded by the Germans in 1944 to deter Allied operations through Normandy, below is just a small area I am explaining. 

 

Taking an original WWII road-sign as my base idea for showing the inconvenience of the flooded areas.  The direct route from Beuzeville la-Bastille to Carentan ( shown as arrowed route AA ) is probably about 7 kilometres but in 1944 these roads / routes were flooded.  So the alternative route ( Arrowed routes A, B, C, D ) is Beuzeville la-Bastille to Chef du Pont, to Blosville, to Carentan a distance of 16 kilometres.

 

These known un-flooded routes would have been exploited for ambushes by the Germans at various pinch-points on the drivable routes.   

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

.

Todays finds  . . . . . . . . . 

 

Two rusty British Jerrycans both dated 1943 but different manufacturers, and what I assume are a pair of German leggings, as to original, post-war or reproduction I have no idea. The rusty can on the right I have already donated it to a local friends ' rust garden' display. 

 

The sad part about all these old cans is that they are not really usable due to internal rust flakes which can fill vehicle filters or carburettors,

display or decoration only . . . . . .

 

 

.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[mikie]

8 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Tim,

 

Thanks for the further details and liking the pictures .  ( there's a few more below ) 

 

Back around 1982 about thirty of us slept out in the open snowy fields around Bastogne wearing and using just the same clothing and equipment that would have been available to the troops in 1944.  The ground was covered in snow, it was minus 20 and lower at night !!!! each morning the Jeep engines would have to be turned over using the hand-crank to stir the oil around before trying to start with the battery start.

 

back to photo's I spent several hours today taking photographs of houses and annotating the photos that are to be seen in a 1946 aerial photograph of the Blosville cemetery.

 

So  . . . . . 

 

First photo is the aerial shot of the Blosville cemetery in 1946 bottom middle shown #A is the current location of the memorial to the 6,000 troops that were initially buried there.

 

photo # A.  shows retired serviceman Elbert Pegg of Graves registration who landed by glider in the field directly behind this monument and

immediately during the ongoing battles commenced burying the deceased.

 

Photo #B these two houses seen on the aerial photo no longer exist they were demolished and the location used for a post-war service station area.

 

Photos #C, #D, #E, #F border the road from Ste Mere Eglise from the left of photo towards Carentan off the right-side of the photo, this small

road was superseded in the 1970's / 1990's by the N13 auto-route that ran parallel to it covering the field that had been the parking area for the cemetery. 

 

Photo #G is the farm at the rear of the cemetery shot across the cemetery field from monument #A as seen in the aerial shot.

 

#H marked on the right of the aerial shot shows the direction of the Chateau used by Eisenhower, Bradley and Collins. 

 

I hope the annotated aerial shot and the accompanying photos make some sort of sense, it shows how little some of the buildings and landscape have changed in 78 years. 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 11  2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

Well done! I was able to follow your directions with only minor confusion. Which for me is remarkable. 

 

Sleeping outdoors in overnight subzero temperatures when you really didn't have to! That's dedication! Or something.  In my younger days, my dad, brothers and I would spend many a winter day on weekends on Oneida Lake ice fishing. Subzero was the norm. And I loved it at the time. But when the sun started to go down, we would head on back in. In my old age, I can't imagine doing that now. 

Mikie