LZ 'P' Scenes and Photos, Operation Varsity

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Cee, Apr 5, 2021.

  1. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Eh,

    It could be Bourne a little younger than the 1952 Pardata pics, but with a different beret badge. Still not 100 percent sure. Faithfull had a moustache. Here's a combined compare of sorts.

    Compare.jpg

    Regards ...
     
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  2. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Brigadier Bourne's account of his arrival as copied from the book "By Air to Battle".

    Bourne Account from PDF.jpg

    Regards ...
     
  3. S Hayward

    S Hayward Well-Known Member

    Hi : ),

    This is a bit of a crude sketch map including 600yrd buffer, (and apologies for the poor spelling on the notes for each photo) but.....

    If the Pre-Ordained spot is Kopenhof or nearby / 100yrds off from it, the plan shows a 600yrd radius around the farm + all the picture locations we have thus far located.

    I doubt the landing was at the burning farm as I suspect this would have been mentioned so have temporarily ruled this out and circled the other possible landing spots. there is up to a ~100yrd error in the circle positions but I suspect a similar error is present in the 600yrd statement in the account so its unlikely the position will be exactly on the edge of the "circle".

    If the RV point was elcewhere I will repeat the exercise.

    upload_2023-2-14_15-12-1.png

    Note: aerial coverage in the south is limited and cuts off before the southern most Hamilcar (possibly CN 278 although more on that some other time) as such this area is also circled red despite there being no gliders shown on the above plan as we don't know if there were any others in this area.

    BR,
    SH
     
    Cee likes this.
  4. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi,

    I could never figure out where Bourne's glider came down, but never really gave it a lot of thought. Nice attempt to sort things out with your diagram though.

    Regards ...
     
  5. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi,

    Unlike my LZ-P PDF my Capa one is lacking in maps and aerials. I thought mistakenly that written descriptions alone would be adequate for pointing out locations. Below is a satellite with a rough estimation of his broad movements in the British zone. Could be wrong in some areas and not everyone will agree with the route proposed here.

    Capa's Movements..jpg

    Regards ...
     
  6. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    The different cap badge is down to promotion. He’s wearing the staff officers badge on Varsity, later as a General he’s wearing the appropriate badge. Hair on the side looks the same as Bourne?
    Will have to have a longer look at who was who on the Div staff, from memory most would be Major / Lt Col. So to have another Brigadier there should be limited to who it was.
     
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  7. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

  8. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    The noses are certainly similar. Major-General Bourne in the 1952 Paradata photos has either an injured right arm or a missing one. It looks more like the latter to me. Wonder what happened there?

    maj-gen-bourne-1952.jpg

    Regards ...
     
  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

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  10. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

  11. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Obviously confirmed by the later video, missing right arm! Might explain why he’s leaning on the jeep that way.
     
  12. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Judging by that he landed south / south east of the Kopenhof where the railway line goes through the forest.
     
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  13. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Not sure how deeply we need to go into Bourne but he did have an interesting and distinguished career.
    Married 11 July 1928.

    Bourne Marriage - 11 July 1928.png 1954 - Geoffrey Kemp Bourne, Baron Bourne of Atherstone.png

    Regards ...
     
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  14. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Out of curiosity a closer look at the men in the back of Major-General Bols jeep.

    BU 2395-Back Seat-.jpg

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2023
  15. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    They look like twins:D
     
    Cee likes this.
  16. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    I thought Defence Platoon, but maybe Signals ... ?

    Regards ...
     
  17. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Is that him, too? This is a film of a meeting of Allied Officers with Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in the late 40s/early 50s.
    I used the footage for a documentary about the history of the Bundeswehr (post war west German army).
    Bildschirmfoto 2023-02-15 um 19.50.05.png
     
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  18. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Looks like him, yes.

    Regards ...
     
  19. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Is that Albert Speer behind?!
     
  20. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Cap badge on the right? Looks like Royal Marines?!
     
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