Hi All, Here's a select few of the Then and Nows I did in Normandy a number of years ago. Will give the actual images first, and then the overlays ive done. Adam Destroyed 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment jeep at Montebourg station. Paratroopers of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment rest along the main road in Ravenoville. Me looking 3 stone to the better on the modern picture. The same group of 508ers down the side of the St Marcouf church. Same group again. Clearly posed, as one guy is hiding, the others are sitting about. The 508 group moving out in the direction of Ravenoville. 101st Paratroopers acting as sniper bait at the Marmion farm, Ravenoville. Forrest "Goody" Guth on the road running past the Marmion Farm, not 100% on this location though. Mixed bag of 101st and 82nd, Marmion Farm. Marmion Farm itself, less the Ivy.
Two E.Co Paras, on the right is Walter Gordon, the other slips my mind at the moment, Marmion Farm. 82nd Airborne troopers outside Cauquigny church. Road running north from Sainte Mere Eglise. Two SPGS knocked out along here. Looking North-South into Sainte Mere Eglise. House on Northern outskirts on Sainte Mere Eglise. Jeep and 57mm AT gun. Road running south into Sainte Mere Eglise. Building to the right of 505th Regimental Aid Station #2, Sainte Mere Eglise 505th PIR Paratrooper (ID'd but can't remember his name :S ) outside 505th Regimental Aid Station #2. Tree's rather against me here. Rather annoyingly parked camper prevented me from getting a better comparison shot. Original shows Roosevelt, XO of the 4th Inf Div, greeting the 82nd Airborne Division in Sainte Mere Eglise. Bridge over the Merderet at La Gare. Pictures in Michel De Trez books show minesweepers at work here. Colonel "Bourbon Bob" Sink, Co 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, at the door of his 2nd CP in Normandy in Angoville Au Plain. This place had big dogs, hence the distance. 101st Airborne Divisional aid station at the Chateau Colombrieres, Heisville. Paratrooper of the 506th admires allied Air-cover. Saint Marie Du Mont church. Often mis-interpreted as members of the 82nd, this is in fact Sainte Come Du Mont (No 82nd were up there) and is more likely to be standard Leg inf.
Pvt Shanklin 501st PIR, 101st Airborne, in a posed shot in Turqueville (Turkey-ville, as it was known) on the road running East out of Sainte Mere Eglise. Glider trooper of 325th GIR, 82nd AIrborne in the grounds of the district hospital, Etienville (Pon't L'Abbe). Had to ask permission to go and see this one, at risk of it not actually being the right place.....it was . Sainte Sauveur Le Vicomte highstreet with advancing paratroopers of the 505th PIR. A couple of these buildings have evidently been knocked down. Now my overlays. Note: Im no computer wizard. Regards, Adam
Often mis-interpreted as members of the 82nd, this is in fact Sainte Come Du Mont (No 82nd were up there) and is more likely to be standard Leg inf. It boggles my mind how anyone with the slightest bit of knowledge could mistake these two for paratroopers. Anyway back on topic. I love then and nows and these are no exception Thanks for sharing.
I think they have been confused with being Glider Riders of the 82nd. I think for a while the picture was circulated without the exact location of the photo being known. Most Glider Riders in the 82nd (Obviously not all) wore Jumpboots anyway. I believe that this photo is actually in a series of photos that show these two men testing out a few pieces of German weaponary (I'd like to hope not literally because there was and is a house directly in front of where this man is facing the Panzerschreck) and im sure I remember reading that they were from some sort of intelligence unit tasked with ascertaining whether or not the Germans were using any weaponary that the Allies were as yet unaware of. Look at all the German equipment scattered around them, where's it all now :P Adam
What a fantastic set of photos. Those overlays are first rate. Thank you Some of them reminded me a bit of Soren's Ghost paintings Jim
Hi Adam (from another Adam) - Very nice then & nows. Owen messaged me to ask what this little oddball is: Probably a Laffly/Hotchkiss, or Laffly/Licorne V15T, (though there are other French machines that almost fit the bill - the devil's in the details). Late 30s French tractor for towing 25MM guns, many of which apparently fell into German hands. One variant (several substantial detail differences) here: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MXu96taKq-Y/TGrFMdKb_DI/AAAAAAAARHs/ciPyfDtvc-Q/s400/Laffly+2
Adam, quite simply brilliant work. Looking at some of the pictures, the shutters in the 'Now' pictures look like the originals from the 'Then' shots. The overlays are really eerie. Great stuff!
Adam, superb photos, well done. Excuse my ignorance but what is the 'Universal Carrier'-like vehicle with the tracked trailer?
what is the 'Universal Carrier'-like vehicle with the tracked trailer? Chenillette UE, from Renault or AMX. German designation - Infanterie Schlepper 630(f)
Cheers Adam, an interesting looking vehicle, will do a bit of research into it. So it was French, captured by Germans and pictured in US Airborne use?
The US Airborne, much like the Brits, were excellent at making do. Many photos exist of the utilising German, or at least captured French in German use, Vehicles. Kettengrads, Schwimwagon and Kubelwagons were particular favourites. Thanks for all the kind words guys, Adam