Italy Trip May 2008

Great thread! Thanks so much for sharing! I love these threads where you take me to the places you've been!
Thanks again!!

 

Nice one, Owen!

 

This picture was found on Wiki Owen ! it says Polish troops in one place and just Allied troops in another !

Image:Monte Cassino troops.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Annie

 

great thread !, fantastic to see the areas my father served in , thank you,
regards,
John.

 

Wow....Totally impressed with the pics. I tried to ride there earlier this year on my Motorbike. I took a month off work but only made it as far as the Med- Marseille to be precise but came back due to the weather getting worse and worse.

I did manage to get some WW2 pic's though in France http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/ww2-battlefields-today/15031-bike-trip-oradour-sur-glane.html#post145094

This thread makes me even more determined to get there after seeing the pic's !

 

Excellent post, thanks.
Now, concerning that .303 cartridge case then I have two explanations.
One, the round was in a fire, it exploded shredding the neck of the cartridge and ballooning out the primer.
Secondly, it may be a case of a 'hangfire' where the cartridge was fired in the usual manner but failed to go off. The shooter ejected the round, thinking he had a misfire, only to have the powder ignite a few seconds later outside the weapon, causing the cartridge to blow up and the primer to balloon.

 

Hi Tommy,

I wonder if the round had cooked off due to there appearing to be no firing pin strike on the percussion cap?

Justa thought

Cheers
Andy

 

Hi Drew,
Good point. Could only have happened in a Vickers, though, as the Bren is an open bolt weapon and it is unlikely to have happened in an Enfield.

Owen,
Was the casing in an area likely to have been used as a Vickers position?
Also give it a clean, if you actually have it, and then a Brasso and see if the metal is discoloured which might indicate its exposure to fire.

 

Give me the GPS coordinates or paces from the Sherman and I'll pop down tomorrow:p

 

Give me the GPS coordinates or paces from the Sherman and I'll pop down tomorrow:p


Hahaha Nice one

ps I was thinking from a fire rather than a MG

Cheers
Andy

 

Thanks Owen and Paul , a number of folks I presently work with are in this age group - much enjoyed seeing the photos and comments.
Thank you.

 

Yep, hardly seems possible it was a year ago. Great trip - and one I will remember for many years to come.

 

enjoy your trip

 

enjoy your trip

At least read the posts if you are going to make a comment. We went... a year ago!!!