Normandy Then and Now

Hi. I'm just back from another of my trips to Normandy--got some then and now photos-hope I've managed to upload them ok.There's some well known ones there,plus a couple of less known ones.Am planning on going over again in March,have got another 250 photos to do!!



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Superb Then & Nows!

 

Thanks Paul,took me a while to get around to doing it-plain sailing from now on !

 

Very nice!

It looks like Americans on Bren carriers in pictures 10 and 27. First time I've seen that.

Dave

 

Hi Dave,
Am not sure which soldiers they are,I'll look into it.Picture 10 was taken on the Outskirts of Hermanville sur Mer,inland from Sword Beach,and pic.27 was taken in the tiny village of Rauray,during the prelude to Operation Epsom,and the Battle for Caen

 

I think you've got a mixture of motorcyclists helmets and the MkIII (?) issued to some of the assault troops in lieu of the typical battle bowler.

The Trevieres shots are interesting, I'm guessing that a lot of the damage was caused by the pre-assault bombardment by 8 Air Force that missed the beaches. They were dropping mostly - if not wholly - small fragmentation bombs so I wouldn't have expected the place to be levelled.

 

Hi Dave,
Aparently,the number 50 on the half track in pic 10,refers to No 246 Field Company RE,and in pic 27, The carrier is from 2nd Kensingtons,Machine Gun battalion of 49th Division-identified by the number 64 on the base.Hope this helps

 

Brilliant then and nows. I particularly like the ones in Rauray because Dad fought in that Operation Martlett battle. Did you take any in Fontenay le Pesnel and Tilly sur Seulles; several well-known images 'then' featuring knocked out Sherman and Panther tanks and guys with mine detectors clearing Tilly.

 

Hi ,
Unfortunately no I didn't visit Fontenay.I'll look for the 'old photos' and try and locate their site when I go over in March.

 

Wonderful! The Royal Engineers near Caen was one of ours.....
Sapper

 

That's great 'Sapper'.
Pleased to help

 

Very impressive! Thanks for taking the time to post them.

 

Interesting hobby you've got. Nice work.

 

Fantastic then & nows. Thank you for posting.

Lesley

 

Carentan. If you enlarge it you can see the second man from right has a paratrooper carbine.

 

How do you tell if it is a paratrooper carbine or not. The quality is pretty bad

 

The absence of barrel timberwork makes it an M1 carbine at least.

 

I thought that was a pistol grip too. The highlight might be a khaki colored magazine pouch on a regular carbine though.