I'm going back to France in Feb and I've managed to find out German and BEF positions around Wormhout and Nieppe at the time of the massacres but Le Paradis is proving a little harder. I've got some vague information mainly just the mention of a town like Le Cornet Malo for example where various Company's from the 2nd Bn. Norfolks were and some of the Royal Scots but nothing more specific. I also have some vague info on Totenkopf locations (I want to photograph the bridge they crossed for example). But I think even with a day on Google Earth it will prove hard to get a better idea for some pictures. Does anyone have or know of a map (Probably in a book) that covers that area at the end of May 1940 and marks unit positions? I want to pinpoint the locations to take pictures for the who's whats, why's and when's of it all. Cheers for any help
I'm going back to France in Feb and I've managed to find out German and BEF positions around Wormhout and Nieppe at the time of the massacres but Le Paradis is proving a little harder. I've got some vague information mainly just the mention of a town like Le Cornet Malo for example where various Company's from the 2nd Bn. Norfolks were and some of the Royal Scots but nothing more specific. I also have some vague info on Totenkopf locations (I want to photograph the bridge they crossed for example). But I think even with a day on Google Earth it will prove hard to get a better idea for some pictures. Does anyone have or know of a map (Probably in a book) that covers that area at the end of May 1940 and marks unit positions? I want to pinpoint the locations to take pictures for the who's whats, why's and when's of it all. Cheers for any help Hi Drew; having just returned from the british library last week I can now say that all the maps are there from the war office from every theatre. Each mapsheet is actually a collection of mapsheets; some of which have locations of the units already on them for certain dares. For instance in Tunisia (the maps I was looking at) it had the positions of the british forces on certain days. I know its a long shot; and probably wont have the unit positions on, but at least it will be the map region your after; and ww2 maps often hold a lot more detail then modern google locations, including old place names and names given by the army. I know this probably isnt much help but you never know...
Hi Drew , Some Totenkopf 1940 stuff here couple of maps too. Feldgrau.net • View topic - SS Totenkopf im Westfeldzug - 1940 list of links and sources may be useful? Verrieres
If the problem is identifying the hamlets and topographic features that aren't named on GoogleEarth or GoogleMaps, try these. I have one of the 1:25000 Bayo Carto Exploreur CDs and it is very good (if you can master the French-only interface). You can even switch the grid to the Lambert grid as used on the GSGS maps so all those grid refs in the war diaries suddenly make a lot more sense; worth it for that alone. I don't know if the other families have this particular feature.
Cheers all for your replies. Hopefully this will make it clearer...Being a thicko at English The Battalion HQ at Duries Farm I'm happy with I have now found out roughly where the defensive positions were and even where the Regi Diary was disposed of and how which I'm hoping to photograph etc.. However in 'Last Stand at Le Paradis' C Company's final location before their surrender is given at Locon and nothing more specific. B Company at Le Cornet Malo etc etc. The same is for the Germans... Totenkopf 2 is said to attack Le Cornet Malo with Knoechlein's No.3 Company in the centre with No.2 on the right and No.1 on the left in semi reserve but it doesn't really state where there start line was etc. The same applies for other Company's in the Norfolks apart from Bn. HQ. I'd like to get some shots of the SS lines of advance from the Norfolks defensive positions and vice versa. A map with unit locations and dates from 1940 would be ideal... Either from a book or something like this would be brilliant: I'm off to look at Jims link Cheers Jim but there isn't that much detail either. Most of what is on there I already know regarding Paradis.
Drew, Did you manage to get a Google Map overlay on Le Paradis?. If so, I would like to be able to visualize it as well. Thanks, Jason.
Hi Jason, Nope but some kind member sent me all the files and diaries related to the massacre and there is some rather excellent sketch maps amongst them. Watch this space- I hope to photograph the fighting at La Cornet, Paradis and the Massacre towards the end of the year. I've got over a 1,000 file pages and 3 books to read first though. Andy
