Seine Crossing, Vernon. 1944 & 2007.

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Owen, Sep 5, 2007.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    43rd Wessex Division crossed the Seine here exactly 63 years to the days I was there.
    Then photos are from IWM.

    seine vernon 2007.jpg

    IWM (BU 213)
    A universal carrier crosses the River Seine at Vernon, 27 August 1944.
    [​IMG]
    THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 213)IWM Non Commercial Licence


    IWM (B 9743)


    Infantry of the Hampshire Regiment crossing the Seine at Vernon, 28 August 1944.
    [​IMG]
    THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944. © IWM (B 9743)IWM Non Commercial Licence

    IWM (BU 217)

    A Universal carrier crosses the River Seine at Vernon, 27 August 1944.
    [​IMG]
    THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 217)IWM Non Commercial Licence
     
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    [​IMG]
    There are a few burials in the Communal Cemetery most of that actions casualties are at St Desir.
    There are some Worcesters over the river in Vernonet.
    The communal cemtery has many French burials from both world wars and a nice 1870s memorial (Dave).
    As well as a really good notice board with the Seine battles of 1940 marked on it with orbats, maps etc.
    Sorry haven't got photos of that, had to ration the photo taking.
    I recommend a trip down there Dave.
    We stayed at Les Andelys in the shadow of Chateau Gilliard.
    Some 1940 actions nearby involving 2/6th DWR.
     
  6. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    The communal cemtery has many French burials from both world wars and a nice 1870s memorial (Dave).
    As well as a really good notice board with the Seine battles of 1940 marked on it with orbats, maps etc.
    Sorry haven't got photos of that, had to ration the photo taking.
    I recommend a trip down there Dave.
    .


    Certainly will be doing one of these days, Owen. (Was planning a 1870-1944 Normandy trip for next summer, but that's had to be postponed due to unfinished business in Holland). The area of Vernon definately can't be bad for me - 3 major(ish) Franco-German War battles/actions and scenes of action from June 1940 all within striking distance - perfect!

    I've passed through, but never spent any time there - something I'll have to rectify, I think.

    Cheers,

    Dave. (PS. get a bigger memory card you bloody skinflint! You can get 2Gb cards for less than £15 these days!!!!!:p)
     
  7. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    [quote

    Cheers,

    Dave. (PS. get a bigger memory card you bloody skinflint! You can get 2Gb cards for less than £15 these days!!!!!:p)[/quote]

    I just purchased the same camera as Owen in Oz and picked up a 1MB for $16.00 AUD (£7) The 2GB were $28 AUD (£12). Should have gone for the 2GB!
     
  8. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Should have gone for the 2GB!

    Too right - especially when there's not a massive amount of difference in price. I've a 4Gb SDHC card in mine (£14 off eBay!) , but still carry a spare 2 gigger just in case! (but that's just me being paranoid, I suppose). Storage is becoming unbelievably cheap these days.

    Dave
     
  9. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    That first picture puzzles me.Every Company had a white number in a blue background. the three Fld Coys RE were 49 for 246 Fld RE and the two others 17th and 253rd were 50 and 51
     
  10. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Our situation on the Seine was at Les Andelys, and rafted night and day at a small place -PORTE-JOIE. Before setting off on the long road that led to Brussels.
    Our company numbers were 49 50 51.........The numbers were not duplicated as far as I know.
    Sapper
     
  11. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

  12. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Some really nice Then & Nows here Owen - great stuff!
     
  13. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Thats pretty plain Gotthart.
    I stand corrected mate. you are right, Odd that, I never came across the same numbers in all my time over in Europe.
    Cheers and thanks
    Sapper
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Brian
    Can you tell us more about Les Andelys?
    Any memories of being there?
     
  15. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Yes there is one thing that stands out in my memory. It was a group of Jewish service mens graves in the vicinity of the river. All grouped together with the star of David. But they were like the British CWG headstones. They looked new.,But how could they have been put there so quickly?? It never made sense.

    It always puzzled me...Who? Where? and Why? these Jewish graves in that area? What took place there? It is one of many mysterious events and puzzles that came my way.
    WE were at saint Andeleys for a little while. Regrouping replacing and reinforcing.
    Sapper
     
  16. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Brian - they might have been WW1 graves. There were British troops billeted or based in this area in WW1, and some small hospitals between the Seine and Rouen.
     
  17. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Paul I never thought of that. The reason? They had obviously been kept very clean.. You must be right about WW1 for there would not have been time to get the headstones. Impossible!
    Odd that they had been kept in such a clean and tidy condition, I am not sure, but I think it was only three graves.

    I remember spending a moment or two for them, and tapping the headstone with my hand, daft really. But there you go. the graves were only a short distance from the banks of the Seine. Thing about it is, they looked so odd there all on their own.
    Cheers
    sapper
     
  18. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    I will see if I can work out where this was as I have details of all WW1 cemeteries. I presume this was at the place where 3rd Div crossed the Seine?
     
  19. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    It was not a cemetary Paul, just a small group of graves. not in any enclosure. no sign of anything esle bar these graves. All on their own beneath the bank of the Seine.
    I know it sounds daft, but there is nothing wrong with my memory, I can see quite clearly that group of headstones as sharp as today.
    In fact it was the oddity of seeing graves like that that made the memory so clear.
    Cheers
    sapper
     
  20. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Could they have been 1940 burials?
    Or they may have even been 1944 US casualties as the Americans cleared the Seine northwards towards Rouen before the British got there.
     

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