General Apathy Posted December 15, 2022 Share #22476 Posted December 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Johan Willaert said: Spotted in St Tropez, France in the Summer of 2018... A post WW2 Hotchkiss M201 Jeep with a Willys plate.... LOL It is a Belgian plate... you can buy your own plate for around 1000 Euro/Dollars... . Hi Johan, Sad, but at least it's not ' Ford GPW ', . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 15 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 15, 2022 Share #22477 Posted December 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Johan Willaert said: Spotted in St Tropez, France in the Summer of 2018... A post WW2 Hotchkiss M201 Jeep with a Willys plate.... LOL It is a Belgian plate... you can buy your own plate for around 1000 Euro/Dollars... . Hi Johan. I have to put my hands up and admit to adjusting the registration plate I had on a 1953 split window VW Beetle in the late 70's, the registration was ' SCX 210 ' for a bit of fun I added a blackened dome-head bolt to the centre of the letter C turning it into an E and so the plate looked like ' SEX 210 '. . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 15 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 15, 2022 Share #22478 Posted December 15, 2022 . Testing the bouncing bombs used by the Dam-Busters squadron . . . . . Several posts back I mentioned the death of the last surviving member of the Dam Buster squadron Johnny Johnson. Before these bombs were used on the German dams they were tested at various locations around the Uk both over water and land. My daughter lives within a mile of one of these locations in the New Forest in Southern England east of Southampton. Five thousand acres of this heath-land were fenced off and various buildings and such were constructed for testing bombs against. In the short video link it shows Mosquito aircraft dropping bouncing bombs against a wall resembling the German dams. Other bombs were tested here such as the ' Tallboy and the Grand-Slam ' these were 12,000 and 22,000 pounds in weight, if I am correct only the Lancaster with enlarged bomb-bays were capable of carrying these huge bombs. Attached is a short wartime clip of events at this bombing range. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m6M-YlKE-kc Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 13 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22479 Posted December 16, 2022 21 hours ago, General Apathy said: . Hi Johan. I have to put my hands up and admit to adjusting the registration plate I had on a 1953 split window VW Beetle in the late 70's, the registration was ' SCX 210 ' for a bit of fun I added a blackened dome-head bolt to the centre of the letter C turning it into an E and so the plate looked like ' SEX 210 '. . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 15 2022. ... haha... I seem to remember that many years ago when Belgian plates were still composed of three letters-three numbers , a well known Belgian collector who now co-runs a large museum in Normandy had a plate where the letters were 'DAY'.... and that he had added a D in front of the plate for obvious reasons.... Back in the day you could not choose your own plate; that changed when the government realised money could be made from them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22480 Posted December 16, 2022 20 minutes ago, Johan Willaert said: haha... I seem to remember that many years ago when Belgian plates were still composed of three letters-three numbers , a well known Belgian collector who now co-runs a large museum in Normandy had a plate where the letters were 'DAY'.... and that he had added a D in front of the plate for obvious reasons.... Back in the day you could not choose your own plate; that changed when the government realised money could be made from them... . Hi Johan, Back in the late 1970's an English friend spotted what has to be the most iconic plate with a WWII reference on a little old Austin mini outside a newspaper store, he waited for the owner to come out the store and then said that his wife wanted a red mini and would the owner sell it, making no mention of the plate which is what he really wanted, I believe he paid about £100 for the whole car including the plate. . I recall him driving it with great pride across the fields at one of the early military vehicle shows, everyone stood and stared at the plate, he transferred it to a different vehicle afterwards and still owns that plate. I don't wish to identify the owner or the plate without his permission. About 1999 the British government sold off at auction exotic number plates that they had held back for such a purpose, the one that I spotted listed in the auction report was ' GI JOE ' which at that time was sold to a LandRover owner. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 16 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22481 Posted December 16, 2022 Sadly the photo is a but blurry but you can still make out the plate on Jean's SchwimmWagen in Normandy in June of this year... It says: VW166 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22482 Posted December 16, 2022 . Carentan Then & Now . . . . . . . 1944 - 2022. Sadly I couldn't recreate this shot when the street was empty of modern cars. Note the Sherman is missing both it's tracks which are being replaced behind the soldier stood with hands in his pockets. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22483 Posted December 16, 2022 . Normandy Then & Now . . . . . 1944 - 2022. The church still has a clock but without the white face. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 16 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22484 Posted December 16, 2022 . WWII US Army lanterns. I have three different style of lanterns and will list them in three separate posts, this doesn't imply that any one is earlier or later than the other as I have no details relating to that. I would be interested if anyone has any written details ( manuals etc ) for any of the three lamps So my first post . . . . . would appear to be some sort of signal lantern the bulb and blue lens are concealed within a shielded cover directing light on a horizontal line. Although acquired with a blue lens perhaps red and/or clear lenses were possibly available. It either stands or is mounted by way of a side clamp or supported by a cutout on the side of the top handle. Made by the Delta Electric Co., Marion, Indiana. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 16 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22485 Posted December 16, 2022 . From The shoebox, WWII US Army lanterns. I have three different style of lanterns and will list them in three separate posts, this doesn't imply that any one is earlier or later than the other as I have no details relating to that. I would be interested if anyone has any written details ( manuals etc ) for any of the three lamps. Second post, again made by the Delta Co. Marion, Indiana. identified as the ' Powerlite Lantern ' it has a top dome light and a forward facing light, it can be stood on either end of the lamp, when stood on the frame surround this would direct the light downwards and sideways possibly good for map reading or such, it also has a calibrated carrying handle giving six positions if hung up. Removing the top dome light and cover it was found that there were two spare bulbs inside wrapped in a sheep of a JC Penney catalog. There are a few instructions pasted inside the base cover, and dated 6-44. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 16 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22486 Posted December 16, 2022 . From The shoebox, WWII US Army lanterns. I have three different style of lanterns and will list them in three separate posts, this doesn't imply that any one is earlier or later than the other as I have no details relating to that. I would be interested if anyone has any written details ( manuals etc ) for any of the three lamps. Third post, again made by Delta Electric Company, Marion, Indiana. Identified as the ' Flashing Powerflare '. This lamp can be laid on it's side and the shielding spreads the light around the lamp, again possibly good for map reading at night. It is fitted with a bracket for tent pole use, also on the opposite side a small metal loop for hanging the lamp. There are printed instructions inside the base and dated 10-43. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 16 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 16, 2022 Share #22487 Posted December 16, 2022 Wow! Then & Nows and Shoebox items all in the same day! It's like having an early Christmas! Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22488 Posted December 17, 2022 15 hours ago, mikie said: Wow! Then & Nows and Shoebox items all in the same day! It's like having an early Christmas! Mikie . Hi Mikie, Thanks, I ran out of posting time yesterday as I had more to post . . . . . . . . A couple of weeks ago when we did a little four vehicle convoy to see a couple of places of WWII interest we passed down a single lane track and passed this monument which I had never seen before, the track or the monument. Yesterday I had the opportunity to re-visit the monument as I passed close by and found it to be the official monument to the A-10 Advanced Landing Ground on the outskirts of Carentan, I had never given thought that the monument wasn't actually where the A-10 museum stands, however the museum is within the bounds of the old airfield . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22489 Posted December 17, 2022 . Normandy Then & Now . . . . . . Apologies I tried to enlarge the small wartime shot but it started to pixelate, must try and find a better image. However the building with four notable windows in the centre of the photo and the two large chimney's to the right make the photos comparable. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22490 Posted December 17, 2022 . Normandy Then & Now . . . . . . The first photo of the young girls with flowers and the destruction around them leaves little to focus on to make any comparison, the ancient tall monument centre of photo is no longer there and all the post war buildings obscure a long shot for any comparison. In this photo I am using the roof of the church to the right of the monument way at the back of the photo as the focal point and the house with the white window surrounds to the right of the church, a couple of posts back I made comparisons of this church roof and the white surrounded windows, I show these again to draw the eye into the comparison. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2022. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22491 Posted December 17, 2022 Wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22492 Posted December 17, 2022 54 minutes ago, mikie said: Wonderful! . Mikie, Thank you, it all takes time and memorising locations and buildings and features. Monday I was invited to join a local friend on a trip to St Malo the first time in eleven years but I was able to guide ourselves to the location he needed from buildings and road junctions, bridges and underpasses that I have held for these past eleven years . . . . . . in fact it's enticed me to make another trip there sometime in the new year, so wartime images of St Malo I need to look for. St Malo was actually the first time that Napalm bombs were used in WWII, dropped by P38 fighters. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2022. . ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 17, 2022 Share #22493 Posted December 17, 2022 4 hours ago, General Apathy said: . Mikie, Thank you, it all takes time and memorising locations and buildings and features. Monday I was invited to join a local friend on a trip to St Malo the first time in eleven years but I was able to guide ourselves to the location he needed from buildings and road junctions, bridges and underpasses that I have held for these past eleven years . . . . . . in fact it's enticed me to make another trip there sometime in the new year, so wartime images of St Malo I need to look for. St Malo was actually the first time that Napalm bombs were used in WWII, dropped by P38 fighters. Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 17 2022. . ... Memorizing is not big on my skill set. My high school teacher way back in 1975 told me I have the mental retention span of a guppy. That’s part of the reason I hold you in such high regard…. Ummm, what were we talking about? mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22494 Posted December 18, 2022 Totally not related to anything on the forum, but thought you’d be amused. After climbing out of bed this morning I was bent over changing my pants when I was quite surprised by something wet and cold suddenly going up somewhere cold things don’t usually go. Except at the doctors office. It was dear Gunji Boy giving me a doggie hello. Now I need to fix the dent in the ceiling. Mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22495 Posted December 18, 2022 13 hours ago, mikie said: Totally not related to anything on the forum, but thought you’d be amused. After climbing out of bed this morning I was bent over changing my pants when I was quite surprised by something wet and cold suddenly going up somewhere cold things don’t usually go. Except at the doctors office. It was dear Gunji Boy giving me a doggie hello. Now I need to fix the dent in the ceiling. Mikie . Hi Mikie, Gunji appears to be growing into a tall dog seeing those long legs. Paraphrasing a British beer advert ' Gungi's nose reaches the parts other noses can't' . . . . . . .🙀 😂 Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2022. . ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22496 Posted December 18, 2022 . On a night out last night we passed a serious road incident, there were a mixture of about ten vehicles attending fire, police and ambulances. This morning it seemed milder and only drizzling as I got the Jeep out for a Sunday morning coffee meet, I dressed in a hip length red duck-down jacket and a red Santa hat and chalked Christmas greetings on the front and rear of the Jeep and set off. As I turned off the drive onto the road I encountered a four wheel sideway slide across the road, after steering it under control I disappointingly realised that the roads were totally covered in ice invisible to the eye, I did about twenty yards and considered that it would be sheer folly to attempt driving six miles in these conditions and returned the Jeep back to the house. When I arrived in Ste Mere Eglise there was a man laying on the ground with others attempting to help him, he had slipped on the pavement ice and broken his leg. While sat in the cafe I saw through the glass that several other people were slipping and sliding on the icy surfaces, a para-medic ambulance arrived to tend to the fellow with the broken leg and whisked him away to hospital. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2022. . ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikie Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22497 Posted December 18, 2022 1 minute ago, General Apathy said: . On a night out last night we passed a serious road incident, there were a mixture of about ten vehicles attending fire, police and ambulances. This morning it seemed milder and only drizzling as I got the Jeep out for a Sunday morning coffee meet, I dressed in a hip length red duck-down jacket and a red Santa hat and chalked Christmas greetings on the front and rear of the Jeep and set off. As I turned off the drive onto the road I encountered a four wheel sideway slide across the road, after steering it under control I disappointingly realised that the roads were totally covered in ice invisible to the eye, I did about twenty yards and realised that it would be shear folly to attempt driving six miles in these conditions and returned the Jeep back to the house. When I arrived in Ste Mere Eglise there was a man laying on the ground with others attempting to help him, he had slipped on the pavement ice and broken his leg. While sat in the cafe I saw through the glass that several other people were slipping and sliding on the icy surfaces, a para-medic ambulance arrived to tend to the fellow with the broken leg and whisked him away to hospital. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2022. . ... Be careful out there! Glad you are safe and sound. Growing up in upstate New York, I’ve had more than a few encounters with icy roads. Scary stuff. mikie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22498 Posted December 18, 2022 . Some Things Never Change, possibly never will. . . . . . . . This could have almost been said anywhere at anytime this week . . . . . " My dear Watson there's a new spirit abroad in the land, the old days of greed and grab are on the way out. We are beginning to think about what we owe the other fellow not just what we are compelled to give him, the time is coming Watson when we shan't be able to fill our bellies in comfort when others go hungry or shiver in the cold. You might be right Holmes and I hope you are. God willing we might live to see that day Watson " Spoken in the final scene 79 years ago. !!! Sherlock Holmes Faces Death 1943 . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2022. . ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted December 18, 2022 Share #22499 Posted December 18, 2022 . From the Shoebox . . . . . Embroidered Wings. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 19 2022. . ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted December 20, 2022 Share #22500 Posted December 20, 2022 On 12/18/2022 at 9:18 AM, General Apathy said: . On a night out last night we passed a serious road incident, there were a mixture of about ten vehicles attending fire, police and ambulances. This morning it seemed milder and only drizzling as I got the Jeep out for a Sunday morning coffee meet, I dressed in a hip length red duck-down jacket and a red Santa hat and chalked Christmas greetings on the front and rear of the Jeep and set off. As I turned off the drive onto the road I encountered a four wheel sideway slide across the road, after steering it under control I disappointingly realised that the roads were totally covered in ice invisible to the eye, I did about twenty yards and considered that it would be sheer folly to attempt driving six miles in these conditions and returned the Jeep back to the house. When I arrived in Ste Mere Eglise there was a man laying on the ground with others attempting to help him, he had slipped on the pavement ice and broken his leg. While sat in the cafe I saw through the glass that several other people were slipping and sliding on the icy surfaces, a para-medic ambulance arrived to tend to the fellow with the broken leg and whisked him away to hospital. . Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, December 18 2022. . ... Ken, So glad you and your jeep are ok. Ice can be very scary. We get a lot more ice here than snow. I am so sorry that I have been remiss in posting. Been busy getting ready for Christmas. I have been trying to catch up on your posts. Mikey was exactly correct when he said shoebox and "then and now" at the same time is like an early Christmas! Take care... Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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