Normandy Then and Now

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by jagdpanther44, Sep 3, 2008.

  1. jagdpanther44

    jagdpanther44 Senior Member

    Thought you may like to see some of my 'then and now' comparison photos from some of my previous trips to Normandy...

    St Lambert sur Dive - this is where the Falise Pocket began to close around the retreating German army, it's also the place where Major Currie won his VC.
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    Another comparison of St Lambert sur Dive

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    This is in Chambois which is a few miles along the road from St Lambert sur Dive.
    Chambois is where the U.S. 90th Infantry Division and the Polish 1st Armoured Division linked up. This resulted in the Falaise Pocket finally being closed.
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  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Those are excellent.........Do you have anymore ?
     
  3. Herakles

    Herakles Senior Member

    Most interesting indeed.

    I guess this sort of thing isn't always possible as some French villages were completely obliterated. Here I'm thinking more of the damage done in WW1.
     
  4. jwp59

    jwp59 Member

    Great pictures, would be most interested to see any more.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Helllo Jagd,
    Nice to see those again.
     
  6. marcus69x

    marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!!

    More, more!!! Great pics mate.
     
  7. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Those are very good again John.
    I like the shot of the ambulance 251 too, wonder what nationality is sat in the Driving seat.

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
  8. jagdpanther44

    jagdpanther44 Senior Member

    Helllo Jagd,
    Nice to see those again.

    When you say "again", Owen, am I to assume that you've seen them over on the WW2F forum? ;)

    Those are very good again John.
    I like the shot of the ambulance 251 too, wonder what nationality is sat in the Driving seat.

    Not sure Adam, but that captured and possibly injured German, doesn't look too happy!

    The main road in to Falaise (coming from the direction of Caen)
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    The main road through St Mere Eglise, the famous church and it's square is off shot to the right
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  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    that captured and possibly injured German, doesn't look too happy!
    I'd call him a pretty lucky German to be at least walking into captivity at that particular time & place!

    So how was the 'finding rusty things in the bushes' this particular trip?
     
  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Really great, thanks for sharing.
    d
     
  11. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Fascinating ! I went to Tilly at the time when it was being fought over, and changed hands several times. It was a derelict mess of shelled and shattered buildings A terrible mess.

    Then I saw it as it is today, Even after all these years I was able to pick out the spot where I rested my Bren, on what was left of a window sill and frame. Pointing down the slope.

    Beside me was a boot with a foot in it, and nearer a sleeve with an arm in it, ...All covered in that white grey dust so typical of Normandy.

    And I was 19........
    Sapper
     
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  12. jagdpanther44

    jagdpanther44 Senior Member

    So how was the 'finding rusty things in the bushes' this particular trip?

    The usual stuff, lots of 7.92 and 9mm cartridge cases and their heads, buckles, keys, Zeltbahn/rucksack buttons and various other items that appear to be engine parts.

    Back in April of this year, my son found the base of a german 88mm shell in a field, while I found a 2cm Flak shell casing.
     
  13. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Brilliant pics, thanks for sharing.
     
  14. marcus69x

    marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!!

    Once again, spot on mate. Brilliant examples of before and after.
     
  15. WotNoChad?

    WotNoChad? Senior Member

    Quite incredible effort there Jagd. I'm always interested in before and after pictures, there's an eerie fascination to them combined with a very real but brief touch of historical reality.

    I guess this sort of thing isn't always possible as some French villages were completely obliterated. Here I'm thinking more of the damage done in WW1.

    Which French villages do you refer to?
     
  16. Herakles

    Herakles Senior Member

    I'm specifically thinking of just about every village in the Verdun area and also Pozieres. But there are plenty of others.

    Whilst on this subject, perhaps it's relevant to mention the catastrophic damage down to villages in northern Greece in WW2.
     

    Attached Files:

  17. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Only just seen this - great Then & Now photos; more if you've got them!
     
  18. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    I'm specifically thinking of just about every village in the Verdun area and also Pozieres. But there are plenty of others.

    Whilst on this subject, perhaps it's relevant to mention the catastrophic damage down to villages in northern Greece in WW2.

    WW1 Then & Nows are much harder; I was out trying to do some with a TV crew the other week. Most of the time all you can do is match up the geography.

    Funny enough the one you post is actually possible; it is of a place called 'Casualty Corner' between Pozieres and La Boisselle. The ground has hardly changed at all.
     
  19. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Excellent pictures.
     
  20. Herakles

    Herakles Senior Member

    WW1 Then & Nows are much harder; I was out trying to do some with a TV crew the other week. Most of the time all you can do is match up the geography.

    Funny enough the one you post is actually possible; it is of a place called 'Casualty Corner' between Pozieres and La Boisselle. The ground has hardly changed at all.

    Pozieres scares me every time I visit. The ground talks.

    Did you know that the land where the Australian memorial is on at the windmill, is actually Australian territory? Go there and you can say that you visited Australia!
     

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