These photos came in a collection of 1940 photos I got recently. Sadly no caption on these... the dealer just described them as "Vormarsch Frankreich"! In a vain attempt, just wondering if anyone here can help, and thought you might like to see them anyway. From the architecture I would say Ardennes rather than Northern France or Belgium.
Pretty major damage here - mine crater? Didn't know they were still mining road junctions in early WW2.
They are difficult, aren't they ? Despite the major damage, I can't match them. I agree that the steeply pitched roofs suggest an area where they expect a fair bit of snow. Somehow the first two suggest France to me more than the Belgian Ardennes. I'd expect less render and more exposed stone there. On the other hand, I've been looking at that concrete telegraph pole and it doesn't look typically French. I wonder if the crater is from an over enthusiastic bridge demolition. I have read that there was a lack of experience in demolishing the reinforced concrete bridges built in the 1920s and 1930s and engineers were tending to over-do the charges, preferring a lorry load to too little. Rich
There doesn't look like there is enough superficial damage to the surrounding buildings (Roof tiles on the left building) in the second picture for it to be a mine or bomb blast. The concrete telegraph pole looks similiar to the ones in my Oradour Sur Glane photo's if that helps with identifying France or Belgium. They are great photo's though Paul Andy
Thanks for that - Rich, I know 'Ardennes' means Belgium to you en Belgique, to me en France it always means France... that's what I meant! If that makes any sense!! Nice to get both your comments - I always knew it would be a slim chance to ID them but I thought they were nice photos, and only cost 1€ each.
That is one hell of a hole in the ground , I can imagine that who ever made it got maxium job satisfaction !
