Fontenay-le-Pesnel

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Ramiles, Apr 6, 2016.

  1. 101yann

    101yann Junior Member

    Do you have any evidence to back this up, please ?
     
  2. The more the merrier! My view is that we should rejoice to have two books on the same hitherto neglected subject rather than trying to oppose them. My hope is that they will have different, complementary approaches, although some degree of overlapping will be unavoidable, since much of the original sources (War Diaries etc.) will necessarily be the same.

    Michel
     
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  3. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    In terms of what needs further research / remains to be answered etc. I'd agree with the sentiment "The more the merrier!" ;-) Especially etc. at this time of year.

    I have wondered, for instance, what specifically do people want to know, find out etc. and who's working etc. on the process of finding such stuff out.
     
  4. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    Here are some photos Steve , it's still clear and in good condition .
     

    Attached Files:

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  5. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    I'm not opposing the Autopsy of a Battle book at all merely stating that one will be in English and for those who only speak that language will be a better alternative and i know the quality of the research and attention to detail that Frederick brings to his work .
     
  6. 101yann

    101yann Junior Member

    Please could you possibly answer the questions I posted above (last post on page 3, 1st post on this page). thank you
     
  7. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Brilliant! Looks like there are several of us keeping Ernie's graffiti alive because those marks are quite fresh and the last time I was there was in 2014....or did I do a particularly fine job... :) Either way, it's great to see that. Thanks again and God Bless Ernie. Cecil Newton would also be delighted.....but that's another story.
     
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  8. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    Hopefully Cecil will make it to Lingevres again next year , i'm looking forward to seeing him again
     
  9. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    I can't imagine Normandy commemorations without Cecil: absolute top chap and I'm not quite sure what the 4/7RDG - especially at their Memorial in Creully - would have done without him. One of a kind and with a wicked sense of humour.
     
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  10. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    He certainly is he has kept the Lingevres / Verrieres memorial service going for many years, i use his book when i'm Guiding in Normandy as i concentrate a great deal on the DLI and 8 Armoured Brigade around Tilly / Fontenay etc .
     
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  11. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    I did wonder etc. what Fontenay-Le-Pessnel etc. may have planned for next year, and too the museum e.g. at Tilly-Sur-Seulles.
     
  12. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    ....quite a lot it would appear. Likely to include events at Creully, Lingevres, Point 103/St Pierre, Tilly sur Seulles, Tessel and Chouain/Jerusalem Crossroads and Cemetery to name but a few in just that small area. Couple that with the larger events - Arromanches, Bayeux, La Cambe and so on - and it will be impossible to attend all of them.
     
  13. SMF144

    SMF144 Member

    When is the English version due out again?
     
  14. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    I suspect it will make sense to do so some time between now and the 75th D-Day anniversary next year?

    The page at: FONTENAY-RAURAY, Autopsie d’une bataille - Editions Heimdal

    (Currently) Has the curious line: FONTENAY- RAURAY - Autopsy of a battle - forthcoming : June 2018

    Whereas until quite recently it said "Due October 2018" - I suppose even this could mean an English version "could" be due June 2019 - or what else ? I don't know ;-)
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
  15. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    May I ask when Fontenay-le-Pesnel was finally captured?

    I was very recently looking up a map reference for the location of the 49th's AT Regiment's HQ around July 20th and it was almost directly north of the village. (About 1/3rd of the distance from Cristot to Fontenay)
     
  16. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    There is this (for instance) : BBC - WW2 People's War - The Road to the Cross

    With a lot of detail, and the line near the end of:

    "On the 25th of June, OPERATION MARTLET, the liberation of Fontenay-le-Pesnel"

    Albeit prior to that it has:

    "The following morning (the 26th of June) OPERATION EPSOM, 21st Army Group’s first major attempt to liberate Caen began. The 12th SS continued to attack Fontenay all that day. Throughout the end of June and early July, the RSF along with the Hallams and others fought around Rauray. This was to defend the flank of the 15th Scottish Infantry Division (“the Scottish Corridor”) attempting to encircle Caen from the west via the infamous Hill 112. The entire German 1st SS Panzer Corps, including the 2nd SS Panzer Division, notorious for the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre, attacked Rauray over the first three days of July in an attempt to cut-off the “Scottish Corridor”. During the defence of Rauray, over three thousand were killed or wounded."

    Edit: Operation Martlet - Wikipedia
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
  17. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Thanks Ramiles - time to do some reading :) For some reason due to that AT Regimental HQ location I wondered if Fontenay had not been captured.
     
  18. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Both from the 25th June 1944 - this (graphic image containing) 4min 21secs film: OPERATION EPSOM - 49TH DIVISION AT THE VILLAGE OF FONTENAY- LE-PESNEL (PART 1) [Allocated Title]

    OPERATION EPSOM - 49TH DIVISION AT THE VILLAGE OF FONTENAY- LE-PESNEL (PART 1)

    "Description:A 4th Lincolnshire Regiment Universal Carrier overtakes a Loyd carrier hit and set on fire by an anti-tank projectile in a meadow outside Fontenay; the 6-pounder gun it was towing lies a few yards away. Dead cattle and the corpse of an SS man (from the 26th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment) are found in fields outside the village. In Fontenay itself, a 7.5cm anti-tank gun covering the Caen-Juvigny road has been overrun, with one of its gunners lying dead nearby, while further down the road can be seen a burnt-out Sherman tank and a smouldering Panther Ausf G tank, which the cameraman examines in detail. The cameraman then surveys the extent of the destruction in the village - a product of mortar and artillery fire from both sides - and observes men of the Hallamshire Regiment looking for snipers in and around Fontenay, during which a fatally injured German is given water to drink, and digging in."

    Has the Notes:Summary: the activity seen here was part of 30th Corps' attempts to capture the Rauray spur and thus clear the way for 8th Corps in an offensive timed for the 26 June Remarks: good action footage Summary: burnt-out Sherman depicted is possibly from the Notts (Sherwood Forest) Rangers.

    And this 1 min 1 sec one: OPERATION EPSOM - 49TH DIVISION AT THE VILLAGE OF FONTENAY- LE-PESNEL (PART 2) [Allocated Title]

    OPERATION EPSOM - 49TH DIVISION AT THE VILLAGE OF FONTENAY- LE-PESNEL (PART 2)

    "Description:A Crusader AA tank, an M10 Achilles 17-pounder self- propelled gun and a Crusader gun tractor from the 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 30th Corps' anti-tank unit, move along a tank track towards the village of Fontenay-le-Pesnel. Men serving with the 11th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers - two of them having been injured during the fighting for Fontenay - sip mugs of tea. A Loyd Carrier with a 6-pounder anti-tank gun in tow moves up towards the front."

    Has the Notes:Summary: the Crusader AA tank seen here probably belonged to an 8th Armoured Brigade unit. Both this and the 17-pounder gun tractor were variants of the Crusader tank of 1941-1943 Remarks: good shots of the armoured fighting vehicles listed in the synopsis, notably the Crusader 17-pounder gun tractor
     
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  19. The Crusader AA at the beginning of A70 58-2 belongs to the NOTTS YEO (SRY). See the Mob Serial Number 19009.

    Michel
     
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  20. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    it would be much easier to locate info if the film number ( Eg A70 58-2) is used
     

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