Photos: Allied drive into German town (Hüsten, Arnsberg)

Discussion in 'General' started by Dutchsteammachine, Jan 29, 2020.

  1. Dutchsteammachine

    Dutchsteammachine Active Member

    Scans from original 35mm negatives.Nikon Super Coolscan 8000.

    One of the prints that came with them had written the following:

    "Town Square, Hüsten, Germany. We spent one night in the Hotel Union, a musty old bed. Our vehicles (A's) practically filled up the square"

    Single photos:
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    Mosaics:


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    Stunning.

    Preserving the Past for the Future.
     
  2. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    The town seems untouched by the war, except for the allied troops.
     
  3. Great photos!
    US units obviously, but hard to tell which ones from the photos, since markings are too small to read.
    Any closer shots of vehicles maybe?
     
  4. Dutchsteammachine

    Dutchsteammachine Active Member

    Michel,

    This is the only photo with a near-decipherable vehicle number.

    Full resolution link of 3rd photo.


    Hopefully our human mind can help us here, it is quite good in ignoring noise. But is our natural noise-reduction reliable enough?

    Regards,
    Niels
     
  5. Thanks Niels,

    The Reg No on the Jeep is quite legible, but won't tell us about the unit it belonged to.

    One would need to have a front or rear view to find unit markings...

    Michel
     
  6. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Looks like a British Bedford in front of Kaiser's in the seventh picture.
     
  7. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    I think that this is after the Luneberg Heath surrender to Montgomery.I cannot think the town was the scene of fighting.This looks like an afternoon at 1640 CET, a the start of the occupation of Germany,the area falling within the British Occupation Zone later as agreed with the four Allied Powers.

    Recognised Arnsberg which is close to Husten. The area is where the Mohne and Sorpe are situated in countryside what is now a Natural Park.Memories of a good holiday in the area in 1992,holidaying in the Hartz Mountains, then taking a route to the Mosel visiting the Eder Dam,then the Mohne Dam,through Arnsberg to visit the Sorpe Dam.

    While in Arnsberg, on the route to the Sorpe on a Saturday, got mixed up with a wedding couple's car progression going to the reception.The crowd were giving the couple's car a confetti barrage and we got a share.

    Can recommend the area for a holiday in what is a superb Natural Park.

    Superb photographs...history revisited
     
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  8. Bin There

    Bin There Active Member

    Any idea of the date these photos were taken? That would help tracing what unit was in that vicinity.

    I might very well be reading too much into the grainy photos, but in the picture of the water buffalo, jeeps and other wheeled vehicles (pic 5) it looks to me like a couple bumper numbers start with the 5th US Armored Division markings. My eyes are old and unreliable, so I'm not guaranteeing that identification. That division's command post was located in Stockum, Germany on 31 March 1945. Stockum is about 13 kilometers NE of Husten. 5th Armored was in XIII Corps, Ninth Army, 21st Army Group during that period.

    On the other hand, everyone on both sides is looking very relaxed, which argues for this being after the surrender. So . . . ?

    Very interesting. Thanks!
     
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  9. Chuck,

    Your eyes must be better than mine, because I cannot see the water buffalo you're referring to in any of the pics, that is, if by water buffalo you mean the LVT, not the animal (which I also fail to see). :D

    Or is it by any chance US Army jargon for the water trailer behind the Jeep on the left? Not my strong point I'm afraid!

    Michel
     
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  10. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Nobody is carrying rifles, so I vote for post surrender. Almost no helmets either.
     
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  11. Bin There

    Bin There Active Member

    Michel,

    Yes, a bit of jargon confusion, I'm afraid. I am referring to the 1 ton/250 gallon water trailer in the left side of that picture. It's outline is a bit confused by the non-standard storage rack built on top of the water tank. Although the rear view looks very similar to the fuel trailer variant, the fuel trailer has dual tires whereas the pictured vehicle has single.

    As for how good or bad my eyes are, I admit to walking into things from time to time! So I'm not going to swear that's a 5th AD bumper marking. But it rather looks like it to me.
     

    Attached Files:

    stolpi likes this.
  12. Chuck,

    Agreed! I thought the same when looking at the WC51 on the same 5th photo:
    WC51 cu.jpg

    And I'd say the Jeep next to the "water buffalo" has 'MILITARY POLICE" written below its windscreen, but this could as well be a nickname begining with an 'M'.

    Michel
     
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  13. Bin There

    Bin There Active Member

    Michel,

    Good catch! That certainly looks like it.

    I just finished tracking the combat commands of the 5th AD during its advance across Germany None seems to have been as far south as Husten. In fact the division's command post location at Stokum on 31 March (as given in the ETO Order of Battle entry for that division) is well outside the division's axis of advance during that period, and must be an error. The division had just crossed the Rhine at Wesel that day and its combat commands ended the day in the Senden-Munster area. That's a good 60 klicks or so north of Husten.

    If your eyes and my (bad) eyes are seeing 5th AD markings, these photos would indeed have to have been taken after the surrender when occupation duties were established. Which supports what Dave and Harry also suggested. I don't have anything at hand that locates the division elements in the weeks after VE Day.

    Leave it to those damned Military Police to show up for occupation duties to enforce the No Fraternization orders. :glare:
     
  14. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    49th (West Riding) Infantry Division relieved XVI US Corps for Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg on 5 Jun 45 at 1600 hrs.

    49th (West Riding) Reconnaissance Regiment (8th Northumberland Fusiliers) Royal Armoured Corps arrived in Hüsten, less B Squadron on 4 Jun 45, I have gone through the Divisional War Dairies and looks like they relieved 289 US Infantry Regiment of 75 US Infantry Division.

    Hope this helps
    https://britisharmyingermany.com
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2020
  15. Dutchsteammachine

    Dutchsteammachine Active Member

  16. Dutchsteammachine

    Dutchsteammachine Active Member

  17. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    Very interesting!
    Thanks to the modern wonders of Internet:
    Hüsten, precisely house cornering Heinrich-Lübke-Strasse/Marktstrasse

    Google Maps

    church in background is St.Petri
    Neheim-Hüsten.jpg
     

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