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WW2 Timeline

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by Commando, Oct 15, 2007.

  1. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Hi fellas.

    I have started on a rather crazy venture, which is to construct an exact time line of World War 2. Whenever I read a book or watch a video on WW2 I take notes of the times and dates of even the smallest events. If anyone has any less well known, or interesting facts with a date or time could they post them please? I would really appreciate some help if possible.

    Thanks,

    the Commando.
     
  2. Man

    Man New Member

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    Good luck. Be sure to show the finished timeline to us in 2034! :D
     
  3. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    I didn't say I ever would finish it did I :D . I don't believe I ever will, but I will include as much info as I can. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm still doing it :D ,
     
  4. merlin phpbb3

    merlin phpbb3 New Member

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    time-life

    How far have you got? I am on a time limit so can I have advance printings as you do them? In this thread.
     
  5. Roel

    Roel New Member

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  6. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    I haven't got very far, as I only started it last week and I am rather busy with other things, but I will try a put the latest installments on the forum. That also goes for my book on WW2 that I am writing. I am not a author of any sort so some of you who are will probably not think it is very good, but here is the first chapter:
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Freedom Fighter

    The night was cold and dark as Frenchman Claude Durant sat in his Paris apartment. Suddenly the stillness was shattered by a loud thumping on the door, and voices shouting in German to open it. The Gestapo! He snatched the revolver off the side table, and clutching it grimly, strode to the door.

    Chapter One

    This incident came in 1942 right in the middle of the Nazi occupation.

    A cold blast of air hit Claude, as he stepped out onto the street, to see his friend after breakfast. Three hours later he returned home, after receiving a list of dangerous people, from his contact; to find that everything was normal. What Claude did not know was that while he had been out, one of the Jewish refugees that he was hiding, hearing a knock on the front door, and seeing through the window that it was only a postman, decided to answer the door. Little did he know that this postman was a French traitor who worked for German Intelligence. The informer, as soon as his work for the day was done went to German headquarters, and notified the Gestapo. Claude, when he returned home asked the refugees if anyone had come. One of them replied that only the postman had come inside. Claude asked what the man looked like, and found to his horror that it was one of the men he had been warned about. “I’m sorry folks but I will have to move you to a safer place, as we can expect a visit from some very nasty customers tonight.” “I’ll arrange with my contact to collect you and take you to his house.” “While I am away I must insist that you do NOT under any circumstances open the door.” Late that afternoon he returned. “Gather your possessions”, he told them quickly. ”As soon as it is dark, a grocer’s truck will drive past.” “For safety’s sake it will stop several houses up the street, and you will go as quickly as possible and climb into the back and cover yourselves with potato sacks.” After he had told them this Remi quickly went through his entire apartment gathering together documents, and stowing some in secret pockets throughout his clothing, and destroying the rest. He placed two pistols in the holsters inside his overcoat, and the third he laid on the side table near the door. He carefully dismantled his Sten submachine gun, and put the parts in his briefcase. At nightfall, sure enough, a grocer’s truck drove by, and stopped further up the street. The refugees said goodbye for the last time, and slipped silently out the door and up the road to the waiting truck. Claude closed the door behind them and picked up the railway timetable. Because of curfew, the next passenger train would not leave until six o’clock the next morning. After finishing his preparations, Claude sat down to drink a quick cup of coffee before he left. It was then that they came. There was a loud banging on the front door and a voice calling in German to open up. Clutching his revolver grimly Claude strode to the door and flung it wide open. For a moment there was a stunned silence, then he opened fire. All two of the Gestapo officers were wounded, and one fell to the ground, hit in his leg. Claude grabbed his briefcase, sprang through the door and ran down the street. From behind came the roar of a powerful car, which pulled to a stop beside him. He flung open the door and dove inside. They were off like a shot, with the car skidding around a corner just as a German street patrol opened fire. He had arranged with his contact to be waiting with a car at the end of the road, in case the Gestapo came before he left, which is exactly what happened. Speeding through the outlying suburbs of the city, Claude and his friend heard a loud roaring sound coming from behind. Turning round in his seat Claude saw they were being followed by several more Gestapo men in a powerful looking Mercedes. Leaning out the window he emptied the magazine of his gun into their pursuers tires. The tires exploded and sent the car skidding almost out of control, stopping it fairly quickly. In an hours time they were a good many miles out of Paris on their way to Caen. There they were to join up with other members of the Resistance, for a joint attack on the railway lines which brought the supplies to the men building the forts on the Normandy coast, part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall.
     
  7. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Thanks for the link Roel, but just for fun I would like to make my own time line. Thanks anyway :D
     
  8. merlin phpbb3

    merlin phpbb3 New Member

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    commando

    'Commando', don't you think that you should change your 'User' name?
    You do know what going 'Commando' means do you not? :oops:
     
  9. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Yes I know very well what it means.
     
  10. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Anyway you can't change your user name.
     
  11. Simonr1978

    Simonr1978 New Member

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    No but the admin can change it for you if asked and have done so on a number of occasions previously.
     
  12. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Thanks. What do you suggest I change it to? :lol:
     
  13. merlin phpbb3

    merlin phpbb3 New Member

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    Knickerless Nickelby? :D
     
  14. Ricky

    Ricky Well-Known Member

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    You don't have to change your username - if we really considered it bad we would either have banned you or asked you nicely to change it.

    Mind you, Knickerless Nickelby has a nice ring to it :D
     
  15. Revere

    Revere New Member

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    nice story commando, we all know your freedom fighter is a terrorist :) just messing.
     
  16. merlin phpbb3

    merlin phpbb3 New Member

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    Claude Durant

    Wow Commi, you're famous!!!
    Google 'Claude Durant' and see what comes up!!!
    Google 'Jinx Tank' also and see what comes up!
     
  17. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    I honestly didn't know there was a person called Claude Durant. I just made it up.
     
  18. merlin phpbb3

    merlin phpbb3 New Member

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    claude

    Perhaps it's a different Claude Durant?
     
  19. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Yes. Anyway here is the next installment of the story.

    Chapter Two
    Claude awoke with a start. He was sure he had heard something. “Ah. There it is again,” he thought, as the faint knocking sound came from below. He leapt out of bed, and slipped into his overcoat. The knocking started on the front door again just as Claude was descending the stairs. “That is no German,” he thought. “If it were they would pound and shout, but not knock feebly on the door.” He went to the door and cautiously opened it. There stood a tall man in a leather jacket and wool lined flying boots. A British airman! “Who are you” Claude asked. “Flight Sergeant Joe White,” was the quick reply. “Whatever happened” Claude said. “They caught me hiding in the woods this morning, and when I tried to give the slip one of them shot me in the leg,” he said, motioning to a rough bandage tied around his left leg. “Then they took me to the guard house and left me in a small room adjoining the office, with only one guard." "So what did I do? As soon as it was dark I got up, took out my cigarettes, and offered one to the guard. He got to his feet, slung his rifle over his shoulder, and came over to get it." "Wait a minute", said Claude "Come inside. It is to dangerous to stand outside talking like this." "Good idea", said the sergeant. Claude shut the door behind them, and walked over to the stove to put on a pot of coffee."As I was saying", said the sergeant. "The guard got up and came over to get the cigarette I had offered him." "Well, as I held out the packet I 'accidently' dropped it, and he bent down to pick it up" "Pretty stupid thing for him to do, because as soon as he bent down to pick it up, what did I do? Jumped on top of him and knocked him out." “Well you can be sure I got out of there pretty quick, but as I went through the office I saw these lying around on the desk, so I pinched the lot of them”, he said, placing a bulky package on the table. Claude put the mugs of hot coffee down on the table, and opened the package. He gasped as he saw what was inside. “But, but this is to good to be true” he stammered “Here are the timetables for the transportation of prisoners to concentration, and prisoner of war camps.” “Also here are the plans for some new German aircraft.” “Well how about we release some of your friends next week, which is when the next train leaves for a permanent camp.” Just the there were three short knocks and one long one, on the door. “That’s the signal that it is a Resistance member.” Said Claude, for the first time mentioning his organisation. “Ah. The Resistance” said Joe “I was wondering” To Claude’s surprise it was a stranger that stood at the door. “Are you Monsieur Durant,” the man asked. “Yes” said Claude cautiously. “Who are you”. “Tony Walter” was the reply “Ah. So you’re the SOE agent that London was sending out” Claude said. “Yes I thought I’d drop by, to tell you not to go into town unless absolutely necessary, because the Germans are searching high and low for an airman, who knocked out one of the guards, and stole some documents.” “He’s in here” said Claude, “And I’ve got the documents”. “Good”, said Tony “I’d better go now, because the Germans will soon be here” “All right, but before you go. Do you think that you could get all the others together at the Café, on Tuesday night. I have something to tell them”, said Claude “Yes, I think that would be possible”, Tony said. “Goodnight, and remember, they will be here soon.” “Thanks I’ll hide our friend as soon as possible”, Claude said. He shut the door, and turned to Joe. “The Germans will soon be here, so follow me, and I will show you where to hide.” They went outside into the cold night; Claude carrying a bag of food, and bottles of water. He stopped at the foot of a large oak tree in a nearby wood, out of sight from the road. He knew that from the top you could see the farmhouse. “We go up here. Follow me”, he said. The tree was fairly easy to climb, but by the time they had reached a large platform like area, where several huge branches joined the trunk, they were both out of breath. "Scrape away those leaves" Claude panted, pointing to a layer of half decayed leaves, and bark which had collected near the trunk. Joe did so, revealing a heavy iron trapdoor bolted firmly into the wood. "Here is the key. The trunk is hollow all the way down, and at the bottom you will find a small room." "Also take this food, for I have no idea how long you may have to wait here. Do not come down unless you see a white cloth hanging in the attic window of the farmhouse, but even then be very careful, and do not come back until after dark", Claude said."I must return now, for they will soon be here. Goodnight". "All right", said Joe "You'd better hurry along now, because if they don't find you at the house, those Gestapo rats will be sniffing all over the countryside for you, as well as me." Back in the house Claude swiftly collected all the incriminating articles he could find, and hid them in the secret cupboard, that he had built halfway up the chimney. He did this none to soon, for just as he was going to bed, a truck pulled into the driveway, and stopped at the house. He went to the door, and opened it just as the SS officer, and his men were climbing down from their truck. "We've come to search your property, for a British airman who escaped from our guardhouse tonight", said the officer. "He would not happen to be a tall man wearing a padded leather jacket would he", said Claude. "That is the very same man, but where did you see him, fellow!" said the officer excitedly. "Why! late this evening I saw him ride past along the road on a bicycle, but I never dreamt he was an escaped airman." The officer blew his whistle, and the soldiers came and gathered around him. "This fellow says he saw the man ride past on a bicycle late this evening." "Well he isn't hiding anywhere around here, so we may as well go", said one of the men. "We are sorry for the inconvenience this has been for you. It will not happen again. Goodnight", the officer said, as he saluted, and climbed into his truck. Claude sighed with relief, as the truck drove away, and after another ten minutes, he climbed up to the attic to hang the white towel in the window.
     
  20. Commando

    Commando recruit

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    Here is the latest fellas.


    Chapter Three

    The group gathered around the table looked up from a map of France which they had been studying. Tony Walters glanced at his watch. "I hope Claude is all right. He's half an hour late." No sooner had he said it, than there was a tap on the door, and in walked Claude. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but you see there were a couple of officers upstairs having dinner in the Cafe, so I waited till they had gone before coming down." "All right", said Tony. "Now. What I called you all together for is this", said Claude, placing the stolen timetable on the bench. The men all crowded round him, to look at the document. “As you can see”, he said, “A train carrying seventy POW’s is leaving Cherbourg, for the Oflag VII in Poland, tomorrow night.” “Now”, he said. “I think we could ambush the train at that large cutting twenty kilometres out of Caen.” Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and the owner of the Café stuck his head in, and whispered. “You had better hurry. One of the soldiers who just left, said he was going to bring back some friends, and have a party.” “They will be here soon. You must hurry!” The poor man was almost shaking with fright, for everyone knew what the Germans did to people found helping the Resistance. “Thank you for warning us. We will leave very soon, so don’t worry”, said Tony quickly. “Now the idea would be of course for some of us to halt the train, dressed as railway workers. The rest of you will start a gunfight with the guards, while Claude and I release the prisoners”, said Tony. “Those of you who have cars, will take those who don’t. We must leave now, for it is almost curfew time, but remember to be at the large cutting at ten – thirty exactly, which will give us half an hour till the train comes. Take your Sten guns, pistols, and plenty of ammunition. Goodnight.” With that they left the Café, after saying goodnight to the owner, and carefully locking the cellar door. The night after the meeting at the Café was a busy one for Claude. First he drove into Caen, and picked up the two men who were to travel with him. They then spent a busy hour loading their weapons, and also assembling, and loading thirty Sten guns, which had been airdropped into the area by the R.A.F. The airdrops also included other equipment such as plastic explosives, mines, pistols, and money. At ten o’clock when they had finished loading the car with the guns, and ammunition, Claude locked the house, started the car, and drove out to the road. He took a back road to the railway, so as to avoid German patrols. They parked just out of sight in the trees near the railway cutting, and unloaded the weapons from the boot of the car. Within half an hour Tony, and all the other men had arrived, and taken up their positions. Two of the men carried red shaded lanterns, and were dressed as railway workers. Twenty minutes later, the rumble of the approaching train could be heard quite clearly by the waiting men. The two 'railway workers' stepped onto the track just as the train swung round a corner, its headlight piercing the darkness. The two men walked towards it, waving their lamps. The train pulled to a halt with a harsh scream from the brakes. "Was ist das". The cry rang out on the still night air, as the German guards climbed down from the locomotive. The two men dropped their lamps, and dove into the ditch. A moment later Tony’s cry rang out, “Fire!”. Bursts of gunfire from the ditches by the track scattered the Germans. Shouts came from down the line, as more guards ran up to join in the fight. Tony and Claude cut in behind them, and ran down the train opening doors and smashing windows. The prisoners were leaping out of the train, and scattering in all directions. Some grabbed Sten guns from the pile in the ditch, and joined in the fight. One man in a leather jacket, and flying boots fell out of the carriage, and almost landed on top of Tony. Claude shoved his rifle into the man’s hands, and drew his automatic pistol. “Thanks chum”, said the airman, pausing to spray some bullets at a guard who had appeared in the door of the carriage. Eventually the fighting stopped. The Frenchmen placed their wounded, and the Germans which they had captured in a truck, which would take them to a safe house on the outskirts of Caen. The men then set fire to the train, and collected their equipment. Another train was due any minute, so they quickly left the scene. As Claude stopped the car outside his house, he sighed with relief. About seventy POWs had been released in one night. Once again the Resistance had done its job. Unfortunately for Claude, this was the last job he would do with the Resistance for quite some time, but far more exciting things were to happen to him before he saw his friends of the Resistance again.
     

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