Pic : 'Favourite' WWII Battlefield....

Martin Bull · #1 (**permalink**) June 19th, 2007, 05:58 PM

'Favourite' is a silly word to use here when one considers the unimaginable misery and suffering which occurred on this spot. There are others which I like to visit, of course ; the Ardennes, Arnhem, 8thAF Airfields -but even so, this is always somewhere I'm fascinated to visit - to consider that for a day or two this tiny, unremarkable spot was the focal point of action in WWII....

sommecourt · #2 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 02:18 PM

Hi Martin - yes that's quite a battlefield. Been there once or twice myself. Maybe we should offer a prize if someone can guess where it is?

My favourite is this place:

Because it is unchanged since 1944, and it gives you a great view of this place:

Martin Bull · #3 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 05:36 PM

Yes - I forgot to mention where 'mine' was !

Maybe we should make it a quiz thread.....

tikilal · #4 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 05:39 PM

Lucky fellas who dont live thousands of miles away from the closet WW2 battlefields.

Are you going to tell us where these places are?

FramerT · #5 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikilal

Lucky fellas who dont live thousands of miles away from the closet WW2 battlefields.

Are you going to tell us where these places are?

Martin gave us a clue with his Tiger tank pictures "near" where the Falaise pocket happened. This pic could'nt be far from there.........guessing?

Erich · #6 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 06:17 PM

think I'll take Paul's Monte Cassino. Paul that wouldn't be the lower track going up the backside with Shermans that got popped by Fallschirm units would it be.........second pic ?

~ well maybe I can throw a hint of a great aerial battle took place - at least over it. this is south of the Misburg/Hannover oil refinery. 26 November 1944 was the date, my cousin KIA, his Fw 190A-9 still buried somewhere in this field...

Skipper · #7 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FramerT

Martin gave us a clue with his Tiger tank pictures "near" where the Falaise pocket happened. This pic could'nt be far from there.........guessing?

Not a real clue to me, the white house with the brown roof is 1980s style, the concrete brick shed only tells me it's not in northern France. The fertile ground tells me it could be close to the wheat belt, so I'd say between Chartres and Le Mans, maybe near LA FLECHE?

sommecourt · #8 (**permalink**) June 20th, 2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erich

think I'll take Paul's Monte Cassino. Paul that wouldn't be the lower track going up the backside with Shermans that got popped by Fallschirm units would it be.........second pic ?

Hi Erich - it is Monte Cassino, but it not's the lower road. It's the track that leads from Snakeshead Ridge to Point 593. This was the front line for several months in the lead up to the Polish attack in May 1944, and the British and Canadian breakout in the Liri Valley.

This part of the Cassino battlefield is virtually unchanged since 1944.

Martin Bull · #9 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 06:27 AM

Hehe....this is quite good fun.

Here's a panoramic view of 'my' battlefield - the place in my first photo just a mile or so down the road to the left. A famous Canadian VC was won in the group of buildings directly in front ( you can just see the flag).......

Skipper · #10 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 03:09 PM

I'll need some time for that one to check out the Canadian routes. could it be the Alencon area?

Martin Bull · #11 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 04:05 PM

Skipper - there's no excuse for you, a citizen of France !

No, it's not Alencon - whole books have been written about the area in my photo ; thousands of men died there......and if I say 'rocket-firing Typhoon' I've probably given the game away.....

tikilal · #12 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 04:19 PM

It is nice to know that weeds grow in all parts of the world.

FramerT · #13 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 06:13 PM

"Canadian VC"...............something in the GoodWood operation?

Skipper · #14 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 06:16 PM

Sorry Martin, but these small villages are everywhere and geographically I live as far away from Normandy (6 hour drive) as any southern Englishman. I did not mention the D-Day aera earlier because I so no boccage or any specific clue.
Fortunately you gave me another hint which drives me to the Falaise gap, so is it Mortain ?

Martin Bull · #15 (**permalink**) June 21st, 2007, 08:58 PM

Skipper, I shall put you out of your misery....

The 'favourite battlefield' is Moissy Ford on the River Dives. Just imagine elements of two entire German Armies, including a large part of the 9th SS Panzer Division, desperately trying to get across this tiny ford under intense artillery and mortar bombardment, plus constant attack from the 2nd Tactical Air Force......

...and the general view is St Lambert sur Dives, in the heart of the 'Falaise Gap'. The Canadian VC was Major David Currie, and the famous photo of him and his men accepting the surrender of German prisoners was taken just in front of the buildings in the foreground. Over to the right of the picture is the Foret de Gouffern, where thousands of Germans sheltered before making the dash across open country.....

Historic ground !

Skipper · #16 (**permalink**) June 22nd, 2007, 05:21 AM

Thank you for sharing these nice pictures. Hey I was pretty close with my Falaise gap guess, wasn't I ? I could have never guessed about the river Dives, but the setting is amazing.

Martin Bull · #17 (**permalink**) June 22nd, 2007, 07:10 AM

And here is that famous photo ( scroll down a little, bottom right ).....

http://www.saskd.ca/stlambert.gif

Skipper · #18 (**permalink**) June 22nd, 2007, 10:41 AM

Excellent! It's an exceptionnal photo . It's the first time I see it. Thank you Martin and sorry for my ignorance on this matter. As you have have noticed in most of my posts, I'm more like an airforce specialist.

Martin Bull · #19 (**permalink**) June 22nd, 2007, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipper67

Excellent! It's an exceptionnal photo . It's the first time I see it. Thank you Martin and sorry for my ignorance on this matter. As you have have noticed in most of my posts, I'm more like an airforce specialist.

Apologies absolutely not required, Skipper - we're all ignorant here on so many aspects of WWII ; that's the point of the Forum ! I have always been totally fascinated by 'Falaise' but ask me about the Pacific, the U-Boat War, and many other aspects....and my head is empty.

I just have this lifelong fascination with 'Then & Now' visuals.....

Skipper · #20 (**permalink**) June 23rd, 2007, 06:08 AM

Good to know that Martin, I'll think about you next time I go to Falaise. It wil be hard for me to trick you with the Pacific, it's not my cup of tea either and it's a bit far for picures, but I will keep on posting pictures from France.

traygreen · #21 (**permalink**) July 2nd, 2007, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Bull

...and the general view is St Lambert sur Dives, in the heart of the 'Falaise Gap'. The Canadian VC was Major David Currie, and the famous photo of him and his men accepting the surrender of German prisoners was taken just in front of the buildings in the foreground. Over to the right of the picture is the Foret de Gouffern, where thousands of Germans sheltered before making the dash across open country.....

Historic ground !

Very nice. Missed that spot last year. I will have to see if we can add it to our Falaise day this year, but will be tight as we are trying to get the guys down to Suamar.