I met up with Slipdigit and Dave55 last weekend over at the National Infantry Museum, located on beautiful Ft. Benning, Georgia, the home of the US Infantry, and as results of budget cuts and base re-alignments, the new home of US Armor as well. We toured the museum Saturday and Sunday, getting about 2/3 of it covered (I read EVERYTHING, it took me 7 or 8 days to finish the National WW2 Museum in New Orleans). Also we took a side trip to a tank park at the insistance of Dave55 and saw a good spread of tanks from the WW2 era. Right off the top of my head we saw about 5 Pz 5s, two or three Pz 4s, lots of Shermans, armored cars, artillery pieces, Soviet era tanks and some tanks that we had no idea what they were. Also there were six count'em Stuart tanks, my all time favorite armored fighting vehicle! Really there were only 5 of them intact, and a piece of one off by itself, but I counted it anyway. Slipdigit took a lot of pictures though, so when he's finished posting them over on WW2F, hopefully he'll post them over here for our British and Commonwealth Couzans (that's Cajun French for cousin) to take a gander at. The tank park was locked up, so we just walked around the fenced in area taking pictures and marvelling over what we were looking at. We also caught the attention of a roving MP, who turned out to be a tank enthusiest and all round nice guy himself for an MP anyway. We had a great time, and like MacArthur said as he was scampering on board Lt. John D. Bulkeley's torpedo boat when he bugged out of Corregidor, I (we) shall return.
17DYRCH and myself made our 2016 European tour this past week and beat up a little Peugeot in covering 2,700 km from April 29th to May 7th. We had the distinct pleasure of being accompanied by Johan and STOLPI on different days. They each very graciously gave us 2 days of their time as we toured sites in Belgium, Holland and Germany. The knowledge these two possess on the Canadian campaigns in 1944-45 is unsurpassed. What a treat to walk the battlefields and receive the expert explanation of events along the way. Very much appreciated gentlemen. Due to their intense distrust of the internet, these are the only photos I am permitted to publish of my 3 fellow travelers. You will have to take my word that these are, in fact, images of the aforementioned companions. The extreme aversion to facial shots does make one suspicious that one or more may have an outstanding warrant from Interpol.
Canuck, Nothing like two wise historians to show you where the Canadians were during Veritable and beyond. Thanks again to JVD and Stolpi. cheers
Canuck - you know you are a battlefield geek (or from Interpol!) when you can recognise a cemetery from just a photo - Holten on the right?
...and the one with the gates is Adegem. (only been there once in 2006.) http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2000022/ADEGEM%20CANADIAN%20WAR%20CEMETERY
Canuck - no shot of the beer we drank to "the end of the war" in the Capitulation Room at Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen?
Yes, right again. The fascinating part of walking the cemetery at Adegem was doing so with Johan. Many so called "experts" don't measure up. Johan is the real deal. His knowledge of the 1944 campaigns borders on encyclopedic. As we walked past headstone after headstone, John was almost always able to provide the location, circumstances and details of that soldiers death. Impressive.
Oi, who put that pic on without my say-so. Naughty boy Robert. (For those members who haven't met Owen and think he can be a bit impatient and rude sometimes on the forum, forget it, he's a pussycat).Lovely to meet you O. Lesley
I know what you mean Owen, Rob never shuts up-you're lucky- I had to put up with him for nearly a week
Just in case anyone wondered what my t-shirt is.(most wont though) Adult Twice As Redux Hermie 30 Years Short Sleeve T
The signature moose did not go unnoticed Owen. You were playing to the stereotype. This one is more traditional.
