Sword Beach to Bremen., A Veterans tale. Sapper

Brain so true ! more like squished like a bug.

The core of the Waffen SS was destroyed at Normandie utterly and it was never to regain itself in battle, not even in the Ardenne, or Hungary/Austria. It was over...........

 

Well if you read my post correctly you would see I was pointing out that a British field observer could tell the difference between damage by a 1000lb bomb and a rocket strike.

My Das Reich? Whatever. My grandfather fought in the BEF at Dunkirk, spent 2 years in hospital, and returned to service to be paralysed by a German bullet climbing Monte Cassino. You asked for the casualties of Das Reich... I gave them to you.

If you want to imply that I am some sort of Neo-Nazi then have the balls to do so. I study history, the facts. If you dont want to listen, fine. But dont insult someone who was trying to stick up for the British field observers.

Yours a very pissed of...

RED

 

For an analysis of the success of the typhoon in NW Europe se Ian Goodersons 'Air Power at the Battlefront'. He comments that the best use of air power was in the interdiction role.

 

Fair enough Red Baron.
If I misinterpreted that posting? Sorry mate! For many years I have dedicated my time to keeping alive the memory of my fallen comrades. When I hear what I think is a slur on the British, I do readily get my hackles up.
I have no other axe to grind, just that the young will be aware of what was sacrificed by their forbears. In all that time, I have striven in a small way to battle against the “Hollywood” record of the war. For as time goes by, that media version becomes more accepted as historical fact. The legends and film versions replace actual history, sadly to such a degree that the British are hardly considered.
So! Don’t be “Pissed off” I honour your Father. “Bless Him”
Sapper.

 

Thanks Sapper,

I now a little of how you feel. I spend time teaching students about the Normandy invasion and the lack of knowledge scares me sometimes. But very occasionally you find a group of students who really do have an empathy with what happened. So dont give up hope yet!

I go to Normandy every year with a university trip and I hear the same thing every year. The students always find the most memorable part of the trip the visits to the cemetaries. Even after countless visits it still has an effect on them and myself. I have never known one person not to be effected in some way by those places. My young brother, who is 14, recently visited the WW1 cemetries and he found it very moving. Though perhaps the most emotional cemetry I visited was the British and Dominion Cemetary on Crete. It was so peaceful and in such a beautiful location. But there were so many 'Unknown', it was heart rending.

So dont despair, some of us try our hardest to keep memories alive, of all those who fell and gave their lives in the service of their country. Every year I go to Normandy I alsways visit one particular grave. That of Alan Whitehead, a British Paratrooper killed on my birthday. I always spend a few moments with him on every trip to Bayeaux.

I apologise for my response I was having a very stressful day so it was rather over the top, but I have spent my life trying to learn a little of what it was like. As a young boy I used to listen to my Granfathers stories of Dunkirk before he died. We also took him back to visit it in the early 80's and we spent sometime in Dunkirk and also at Dieppe. He dindnt say much for the entire time we were there. Just the odd comment on so and so 'copt a bullet here' and 'thats where so and so died'. I think he found it very difficult, he certainly never got over what happened in those days in 1940. I think he felt alot of guilt in having survived when so many of his close friends from his pre-war service died there. I always find it such a ahme that he died when I was so young and I never got the chance to really talk to him, he was not a well man and never recovered from the wounds he recieved at Monte Cassino, he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. If I could talk to him now, I would have a better chance of understanding him. I like to think it may have helped him deal with some of his demons.


Yours

Piers (RED)

 

I'll second that, Sapper.

There were something like 50,000 people at Arnhem last month, all paying homage to the veterans.

Many today are ignorant, that's true - but many do also try to understand and pay respect.

 

Martin ignorant or don't give a Rats behind. So true in the states where the youth of today take all freedoms for granted but it is our fathers age, their grandfathers who gave their blood for freedom. Brian's true story of herosim needs to be preserved for all times sake so none of what he went through will ever have to be repeated in our prestn age. Sadly my gut feelings is we will hae to again...........

by the way I received a very unsuspecting gift in todays mail. A very hearty thank you, friend

Erich ~

 

No problem, Erich. Hope you enjoy it !

 

yikes, I didn't realise my initial post last week would cause such a stir!

Sapper, nice to see your fighting spirit intact…Red, nice to see we can all be civil and make up from quite an emotional topic…that’s why this forum is head and shoulders above most others.

I’d still like to get some kind of agreement though about the Typhoons…if I may summarise:

1) Typhoons were good terror weapons
2) Accuracy was woeful but in large clusters of targets, the collateral damage (ie. Targets around the aimed target) was catastrophic
3) Typhoons were less effective against tanks larger than the pz IV.
4) Typhoons were a big contributor towards the success at Falaise but not the sole.

In the case of 4) what else contributed towards the destruction there?

Thanks

BDS

 

BDS - the typhoons major contribution, and this goes for all form of tactical air power, was in the distruction of soft skin vehicles i.e. the logistical chain of the german army. The role these aircraft played in interdiction was emmense. they weren't much use against static targets but if attacking a columm of trucks the effect was devastating. In this respect it could be argued that the typhoon did help in the destruction of german armour because the major reason the crews abandoned and destroyed their vehicles was due to lack a fuel. some that was caused by the allies interdiction campaign on their supply lines.

 

Hi Friends! I hope I have not upset any more of you? That is what happens when you become a crusty old Veteran!

The sights of the destruction that took place inside that Pocket at Falaise, are such that it is not easily forgotten, I obviously was not witness to the actual destruction, but was there, behind the bag pushing them towards the neck. My best friend Richard Harris's war finished there.

During that time there were some fierce fire fights at the rear, real do or die battles, fierce in the extreme....

Having been in a position to watch the Tiffy's at work, I am only too aware of the tremendous fire power that the rockets imparted.

It is with some surprise then, that I am told that the Tiffy's were not responsible for the sight of the mangled Panzers, the Panthers that died trying to climb the sides of buildings, the burnt out guns, and self propelled arty, in fact the whole of that paraphernalia of war, spread around the countryside as thick as Autumn leaves.

I did not witness any large scale bombing raids? So I am at a loss to account for these losses on the inside at the "back of the bag"

I had always assumed that the Tiffy's had created this hellish mayhem. The Panzers that I saw had obviously been attacked, They were certainly not abandoned, they had been taken out by fire power.

Interesting aint it? That brings on another little puzzle...Some of the descriptions of what took place have little relation to the truth as we that were there saw it....Seriously!
In fact, some of the descriptions are downright farcical.

Someone sent me a serious book on D day....Would you beleive they had the Canadians landing on Sword Beach, and the Third British Infantry division just did not exist. Yet this was first Division ashore with our Eighth Brigade, and the only division that took part in every battle from Sword onwards, and suffered the highest casualties.

Sapper

 

Sapper, I wonder if abandoned vehicles or broken down ones would have proved juicy non-moving targets for Typhoons in the Falaise are? Certainly the volume of traffic was very dense in that area so air power could have wrecked havoc among densely packed infantry and soft vehicles retreating down the three roads...

Only last year from one hedge by Moissy Ford I found the following...

4 x 88mm shells,
1 x 105mm shell,
A German Gas Mask canister
A 1944 One Franc coin

And a dozen spark plugs...

Even sixty years later the carnage in that area still lies in the roadside! How many other 'battles' in such a tourist spot still give up examples of the ferocity of war. Almost every hedge hides some form of remains...

A week before we visited Mont Pincon in 2003 a Mobile Phone mast being erected uncovered the shallow grave of two Germans. I wonder how many remains of soldiers still lie undistrubed in NOrmandy...

 

And, I expect that they will be finding bodies for many years to come..Why? Well just have a look at the M.I.A.s in the casualty lists. something happened to those many thousands of young men that we never found. The same for the enemy. many were buried so shallow, and many from both sides did not get buried at all.

They slowly sank down and eventually Mother Earth reclaimed them. I know that in places where the fighting was especially fierce, the dead just lay there, for it was almost certain death to get out into the open and bury them.

Sad but true.
Sapper

 

Sapper did you meet any Polish soldiers during the Falaise battle?

 

I am not sure if the personal message got through, so just in case, I will answer here.
No I never met any Polish troops. not in Normandy, or in Holland, during the Falaise episode we at the back of the bag. Opposite to the Polish lads...

During the Market Garden offensive we
went up through Holland on the Eastern side of the two pronged thrust. Again opposite! Our task to prevent an Enemy incursion into the path of the main thrust Northwards

There were quite a few Polish services in England prior to the invasion of Europe. But language difficulties prevented any real meeting of minds. but come to that, Britain at that time was a right old mixture of foreign tongues. French, Polish, Dutch, from all over the European continent.

Brian

 

Thanks to the kind person that brought my picture up to date, Say what you like friends, this old fellow is devilishly handsome!
Sapper

 

After reading your story I just can't imagine similar story from young Russian soldier's point of view.The war in the east not only a battle, but every day genocide.Germans in the west were anyway much more civilized (by their standards)than on Russian front.
If I shared your war experiences I probably wouldn't remain a normal man for the rest of my life. I do hope you were stronger mentally.I've noticed that your generation (war veterans)has execeptionally strong spirit being still sensitive.You are not a religious man but I say God bless You.

 

Thank you for that Ralf.
Although severely wounded, in fact I am quite a happy-go-lucky old fellow and enjoy life to the full. For a start, I contribute many articles to the war sites, if only to keep the memory of my mates that never returned fresh in peoples minds.
Sapper

 

Remember those we left behind. from the fields of Normandy I bring many memories, beneath them I leave many friends.

Quietly! Quietly! Whisper my Name.

So many long years ago I died, under Norman apple trees.
But now my Spirit wanders, as a warm and gentle breeze.
Hush! Quietly, Whisper my name, in that long forgotten place.
Then feel the warmth of my Spirit, caress lightly on your face.

For now, I am the jewelled Summer Lark, that soars on high.
Bright in heavens concert hall, my song will fill the sky.
I am the tumbling cloud’s that rise, to touch the face of Joy.
No longer held by earthly bonds, a once young and vital boy.

In an instant life was swept away, in a brutal savage war.
Look not for me in Normandy, for I am there no more.
I am the peace in woodland glades, in veiled cascades of green.
Feel me close, in your times of joy, sensed, but never seen.

Whisper my name, and hear my voice, in cascading woodland spring,
Or England's flowered primrose banks, wherein the bluebells ring.
Don’t mourn for me, quietly call my name, I'll visit in your dreams.
And, fill your mind with the beauty, of heavens joyous scenes.

Hush! Hush! Just whisper, quietly, call my name.
Whisper quietly.

Brian Guy.

 

Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year
Lets talk about German anti-personal mines, and I will make the distinction between the German anti-personal mines.
The “Schu” mine is made entirely of wood, like all things German it is done properly, It is constructed as a wooden box with a separate lid that fits on the top. When the
slightest pressure is put on to the lid, it then explodes, it is not a large charge, just enough to blow off a mans foot. (They don’t want to kill, only maim)

The amazing thing about “Schu” mines is that the little box was so beautifully made, All of them with tongue and groove joints. That seems a bit daft! For it is going to be blown up! It is set rather like a mouse trap, entirely made of wood and undetectable with normal mine sweeping methods.

The accepted method of removal is by prodding with bayonets. This is often done under fire, for the enemy knows exactly where his minefields are and will have “Zeroed his artillery exactly” on to that area. Knowing that there will be Sappers there “Clearing”

I read in a Royal Engineers document somewhere, that it would be fair to say that “Acres of Holland were cleared by Prodding”

The S mine is a far different kettle of fish, it had several different models but was basically this; an open canister buried to the top in the ground. Inside that was fitted the real mine, again barrel shaped, under the mine was a small charge. When the mine was detonated, the small charge propelled the mine into the air, to about head height.

Whereupon it exploded. Inside the S Mine were row upon row of steel balls, the effect is devastating over a wide area, as I know to my cost, with one still buried in my head from 60 years ago. Another that went through the top of my left thigh, out the other side… and far too close to some very precious and vital male equipment!

I still have the scars! And the steel ball is still in my head. Right temple actually!
The S mine is set off by several methods, push, pull, and I have heard of “Tremblers” that react to movement. There is a Y shaped detonator at the top, if you can get close then it is possible to make it “Safe” by sliding a panel pin into the detonator. We carried a pocket full of panel pins, (little nails)
.
There are other anti-personal devices that are worth consideration.
But I ran out of steam!
Brian