A friend of mine on a M/Bike forum knows the owner of the Battery and sent me this link so I thought I'd paste it up for your info. The Armourer Magazine - The Maisy Battery The Armourer Magazine - Maisy Battery pictures The Armourer Magazine - Missing guns at Point du Hoc And here's his official website: 5th RANGERS BATTALIONS MISSION D-DAY LANDING ON OMAHA BEACH Regards Andy
Thanks foro the links Andy. I remember reading about this somewhere before - the resotration project that is. Its interesting to read the articles about it, and how the discovery threatens to rewrite the history of D-Day!
There was a Timewatch programme last year called Bloody Omaha, narrated by Richard Hammond. There was little bit about the Maisy Battery and it's possible impact on the Omaha beach landings. The owner gave you a short tour around the site. Looks very interesting.
Funny you should mention that... met him at War & Peace a couple of years ago when he came to the stall I was working on and tried to persuade us we should include him on our Normandy tours. Interesting line of argument he used... But I do hope I get the chance to go and see the site one of these days.
My 'mate' said something along the lines of the owner thinks the whole D-Day thing is wrong and he has his own theory I've not quoted him as it wasn't very clear to what extent. From reading the site he seems to think that Point du Hoc was a deception. But there's nothing new there as the guns were removed prior to the invasion. Anything you can share Paul? Cheers Andy
Funny you should mention that... met him at War & Peace a couple of years ago when he came to the stall I was working on and tried to persuade us we should include him on our Normandy tours. Interesting line of argument he used... But I do hope I get the chance to go and see the site one of these days. Care to elaborate of what kind of argument he used? None the less it's a very interesting site indeed. They hadn't digged out a lot when I visited the place in 2007.. Like Andy mentions, the owner seems quite eager to create mystery about what really happened there. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/france/11740-does-pointe-du-hoc-still-matter.html Jakob
Well, something to discuss over a beer with you all one day... :ph34r: But as has been said, from the reports I have received well worth visiting.
The owner Gary Sterne ia a well known Militaria dealer in the UK and also owns the Armourer magazine,I certainly wouldn't call him eccentric . Gary spent a few years buying up about 26 different parcels of land that comprised the Maisy Battery and has since excavated the site to reveal what was there in 1944. He has done a lot of research on the Battery and has his own theory as to what happened there and why the Americans were so keeen to fill the place in , he has interviewed some of the Rangers who took the place so some of hIs info is first hand. Signposting at the site is much better now as the project has gone forward , i've been a few times and it's an interesting site which will probably come to rival some of ghte better known Gun battery locations , regards Paul
I have some pictures somewhere on my laptop of our visit in 2007 I will post them asap The first year we tried to find it we failed because it was so badly signed up and drove down the lane right past it that was in 2006 proberley because it was not officially open yet. It was a bloody quagmire when we went.......although it will be nice once the grass has taken route
Drew, excellent pics mate. Very interesting to read. I cannot for the life of me remember what my question was regarding point du hoc though?
Some photos of the battery - the car park are has some exhibits adjacent to it , some guns had been placed on the turn tables and most of the bunkers had been gun out , water entering the bunkers seems to be a problem in dry weather the site will be fine , in wet it will be a mud bath. I saw in "The Armourer" that some bodies of missing soldiers had been found on the site.
Paul, I was there last year and also spoke with the owner. The site is quite extensive and includes numerous German constructions - casemates, blockhouses, hospital, HQ, etc. All were built below grade and after the battle the US bulldozed the place to bury everything. The UK owner is slowly uncovering the remains and much more remains to be done. He has some conspiracy theory about why the US covered the site. Basically, he claims that they didn't want to look foolish for attacking the Pointe du Hoc - since its guns had been moved - instead of the much more dangerous Maisy Battery. If you get the chance, it is well worth the visit. If I recall, it is signed (but a small sign) on the coastal highway just after you exit Maisy heading west.
If circumstances allow me to go back again next year it would be interesting to eturn and see what progress has been mae , would haveto give the owner full credit for the work done given the nature of the undertaking. I bough a range finder from him several years ago - on speaking to him he seemeda very reasonable bloke, honest as well , he over cdharged me for the postage and when I openned the package up there was a letter of apology and a refund on the overcharge - only a few quid but to me it said something about the man.
The Masiy battery has a website, which I do not see here: MasiyBattery.com (no title) and they are advertising two books on what happened currently. Good aerial photo of the site: https://i2.wp.com/www.maisybattery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Maisy-aerial-photo-today.png?resize=656,447 Added as it is a long time since this thread had an update.
I found it very interesting, especially as I had never heard tell of the Maisy Battery before. It would be interesting to find out why it was bulldozed when other sites have been left alone.
I visited Maisy battery in 2015, I found it quite fascinating. It was a bit "raw" at the time and I`m not sure if it`s been "tidied up" since then. The whole place is overgrown with brambles except the trenches and bunkers, so it makes it a bit claustrophobic but luckily the owner supplies a map of the site. He said it would`ve been overgrown like that when the Germans were there, but I`d prefer it to be a bit more "clinical" as an attraction. I read one of his books but wasn`t drawn in by the "D day conspiracy" story, however it does give a very good outline of the Rangers assault on Pointe De Hoc and the following assault on Maisy itself by U.S. elements.
