Some new Varsity images?

WAUW

GREAT RESOURCHE and INVESTIGATON !!!

Love this Stuff.

Good Job you"ll

Joop

 

Hi Everyone and Welcome to Joop : )

I had been meaning for a while to take another look through the photos and footage as I think we left this thread with a few remaining unknowns. As such I thought it best to start with a summary of the original pics and what elements of the footage we have and have not identified and located:

To start with https://www.bridgemanimages.com/de/...-24-1945-on-the-east/photograph/asset/4922737

This shows a group of Soldiers with a burning building to the rear. Its tempting to say this is the Burning farm but I don’t think the roof lines up particularly well with what we see that location. There is a 2nd burning farm building seen in the film footage (discussed below) that might be related to this but I’m not placing any confidence in this just now espushialy as the building seen here looks to be much larger than the one in the footage.

The following were also part of the original post and have completely stump me for now.
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/de/...-24-1945-on-the-east/photograph/asset/4922397
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/de/...-1945-at-dawn-on-the/photograph/asset/4922678

alberk – Before we get too far into this, I’m thinking it might be best if we put SGT R.D. Martin’s footage / the 2nd index card elements, under a new thread as I know you wanted to keep this one on track for the original question. If you want me to start a new thread for this rather than continue in this one, please let me know and I will set one up and edit this post to link it here.

Edit: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/sgt-r-d-martin’s-film-footage-operation-varsity.101059/ <--- Link to New Thread for Specific discussions of SGT R.D. Martin’s footage.


The Film Footage

Index Card – Wall in background – location unknown (possibly Waco Farm / Mühlenrott 5)

· Cameraman: Lt. R.B. Robertson
· Project Number: 2
· Roll: 1
· Date: 24th march.
· Camera: 295-H
· Unit 62 3264

00:08 - Unloading of Waco behind Mühlenrott 5 aka “Waco Farm”. LOCATION IDENTIFIED
00:19 - Close up of tail section supports for unloading, church, Horsa's and round building in background. LOCATION IDENTIFIED
00:32 - Waco in background also being unloaded, crew appear to be sitting in front of it. LOCATION IDENTIFIED
00:33 - Mühlenrott 5 in background (taken from the modern sports pitch area) LOCATION IDENTIFIED
00:38 - Unloading of trailer. LOCATION IDENTIFIED
00:45 - UNKNOWN - the long barn UNKNOWN
00:54 - Jeep turning, Number is potentially "M 5844128" UNKNOWN
00:59 - Farm yard in front of barn LOCATION IDENTIFIED
01:02 - POW's LOCATION IDENTIFIED

I think it is fairly safe to conclude the long barn and jeep turning must also be close to or within Waco farm given the other footage including that at 00:59 is in the same area.


01:08 - Major Cut

Index Card – Soldier and wall in background

· Cameraman: SGT R.D. Martin
· Project Number: 2
· Roll: 1
· Date: 24th march.
· Camera: 29
· Unit 62 3264


Note this is listed as a different Cameraman this time SGT R.D. Martin.


01:13 - Landing Waco’s in background, position under wing in field.
01:22 - Waco Crash into tree line
01:26 - Lane leading away from Waco Farm towards Mühlenrott. LOCATION IDENTIFIED
01:38 - Looking at a map. – there is still a lot to look at here but non particularly relevant for now and all very speculative.
01:52 - Waco hit pole, and burnt-out farm in background.
01:58 - Wide field view of glider field, men heading away from gliders in a large group, trees to the left.
02:09 - Men by leaf-less hedge having lunch and smoking.
02:14 - Parachute behind men by the same hedge.

This footage all appears to be taken further south in the area near the triangular field and travis aerials. The only thing that I can see that potentially relates to the original photographs is the burnt-out farm that they are apparently having lunch nearby to.

02:25 - Major Cut 2

Index Card – vehicle in background looks like writing on an object in the bottom left too but I cant make it out.

· Cameraman: Lt. R.B.Robertson
· Project Number: 2
· Roll: 2
· Date: 24th march.
· Camera: 295-H
· Unit 62 3264

(Film ends after this card is displayed)

This last index card is particularly interesting as it suggests there was a 2nd role of film produced by Lt. R.B.Robertson on the 24th after the footage at Mühlenrott 5. Does anyone know where this footage is? USA National Archives?

If this footage is available, it could potentially give a better idea on the locations of the oridgional Pics or BASSU pics that we haven’t yet confirmed the location for.

There is definitely a lot of footage from the 2nd index card that we haven’t yet identified too although as above this isn’t as relevant to the original thread so I won’t expand further on it now.

BR,
SH

 

Dry Shed

For me the long shed is the one behind the main house/barn complex, but you may see it differently.



Regards ...

 

Hi S Hayward,
as soon as you start a new thread I will come up with some input on this footage.
Best,
Alex

 

Ho,

As for the Martin (?) footage, what burning farm does he capture? Very interesting. Can't see the point of starting a new thread for Martin clips as they are related and interconnected to subject here.




Regards ...

 

New Thread with Details and Aims posted.
SGT R.D. Martin’s Film Footage - Operation Varsity
BR,
SH

 

Not sure how I missed that LOL! - Yes the roof is Saltbox, Amazing how 2 pieces of film can be taken so close to each other without it being immediately obvious that one is just turned around 90o. Good job, I think that covers all of the Lt. R.B. Robertson footage now.

BR
SH

 

Yo,

Interesting how this burning farm resembles in some ways the one Capa photographed at - perhaps just a coincidence ...?



Regards ...

 

Just wondering who shot this scene - Martin or Robertson? If that is the actual "Burning Farm" in the background it was probably Robertson. Things may not be quite as claimed in the clip sequence ...

Regards ...

 

If that is the burning farm I am somewhat confused by the trees to the left. There are trees / a copse behind the Burning Farm but I don't think it can be those trees as they site right behind the buildings rather than (left a bit) as seen here. I also don't see any powerlines.

We must be sceptical of the clip sequence though I do agree!

Edit: Inserted sketch map of Burning Farm area showing the trees. (Chimneys visible in the Capa photos are highlighted blue). If there is an angle of the farm I have missed that would work with the footage let me know I could easily be missing something here.


Additional Info: The building in the centre of the image that creates the courtyard I'm still sceptical of and as such it may not exist, I added it so that the 3 peaks of the roof line ^^^ seen in one of the Capa photos worked with the above map.

 

Hi,

It is just a theory which may not hold. The house/farm complex though is a fair size and badly burnt out in a similar way to "Burning Farm".

Regards ...

 

Hello,
could you insert the CAPA picture you are refering to ! so we can see what thought you have.??

joop

 

Joop,

This Capa photo shows the farm house in background with its roofs destroyed by fire.



Regards ...

 

thanks for the picture!
Last sundag we were at the spot of the medic.

 

Hello,

i had thouhgt a had seen a burning Farm in "the Luftlandung" wich looks like the one in the footage, its more to the north .
its on the mehrhooger street named "the Iwingshof"
the pointing roof top and also the 2 chimney are simular.
also the electric wire pools are there. smal window in top of frontside house

what is your opinion ??

 

Very interesting Joop,

Just to bore you to death here's a report/paper on a 12 Devons glider that came down in front of Iwingshof carrying two AFPU cameramen.

Christie & Oakes LZ 'R' - Operation Varsity.pdf - Icedrive

Regards ...

 

Joop,

We also looked into a work of art in another thread which may show the "burning farm" in the background. An interesting group investigation with perhaps more to be discovered.

Kopenhof Art - David Shepherd.pdf - Icedrive

Regards ...

 

Well done,

looks like the barn might be at Iwingshof too!

BR
SH

 

Compare

One of my inevitable "Compares". I can see similarities between the two burning farm scenes



Regards ...

Later - What I thought was a chute was just the raised nose of the Waco.

 

Robertson

So if the above scene actually shows the burning farm at 42 Bislicher Str. it must have been taken by Lt. R.B. Robertson who came down in that area and shot footage nearby. Perhaps he landed close by and because it was still volatile at the burning farm decided to head over to nearby "Waco Farm" or he went looking for comrades. A possibility that makes some sense. It looks like part of a jeep can be seen to bottom of frame ...?



Regards ...