Varsity in Colour

Discussion in 'US Units' started by alberk, Oct 10, 2020.

  1. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Sanis_NEU 2 Segler.jpg
    These is a still taken from a colour film made by US camera operator for the USAAF Special Film Project. He landed with US 17th AB Div near Wesel on March 24th, 1945. Several reels of film are available in the US National Archives about the preparations for "Varsity", the flight to the Rhine at Wesel - and finally a brief sequence on the ground. The camera operator landed by glider accompanying a group of medics.
    Sanis_Farbe.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2020
    Cee, Chris C, stolpi and 4 others like this.
  2. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Nice. I do believe a B24 liberator is seen flying past in that sequence?
     
    Dave55 and JimHerriot like this.
  3. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Indeed - they drive away in a jeep with the casualty loaded onto the back and then one or two low flying Liberators are passing by. This happened at around 13.00 hrs on March 24th.
     
  4. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Yep, supply time.
     
  5. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Varsity.jpg
    Another colour pic in the "Varsity" context. To me this looks like a film still too. But Ia m not sure. It is not from the aforementioned Special Film Project reels - I think I know them all. My idea is - where this comes from there must be more colour pics - does anyone have an idea? The German POW are pulling an American (?) cargo cart...
     
    Dave55 likes this.
  6. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    If it’s a Robert Capa photo it could be close to Heggemans farm on BislicherStr? Definitely a US soldier there.
    I’m going to Hamminkeln at the end of the month!
     
  7. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    alberk likes this.
  8. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Hello Alex1975uk,
    thanks for the suggestion - however, I doubt that it is a Capa photo. I believe I have seen them all (well - you never know) and I am not aware that any of them were in colour. And this photo does not look colourized. Capa came down with 513 PIR - they landed north of LZ N. Capa himself landed on the edge of LZ P - near Rehagenhof. He then moved a bit to the southeast and shot a series of photos around the fight for Stegemannshof. I know that he later made it further south to LZ N where he photographed the dressing station set up by 224 Medical Company...
     
  9. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    ... you were close with the suggesting Bislicher Strasse - so it cannot be ruled out. What I find surprising is that there are absolutely no British gliders to be seen...
     
  10. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Hello Alex1975uk
    ... I suppose my reasoning was a bit inconsistent - either it is not a photo by Capa. Then this could be anywhere. Or it is by Capa, then the Bislicher Straße area could make sense. Sorry - early morning thinking, or rather: not thinking.

    I still would vote against the Capa theory ... so it could be anywhere...

    I sent you a PM,
    best
    Alex
     
  11. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    I always thought he landed close to Am Wall?
     
  12. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    According to Johann Nitrowski's book he landed near Rehagenhof, inhabited by the Joormann family. Heinrich Joormann told Nitrowski what he saw as a 15year old - and according to him their farm was on the corner Bislicher Straße/Am Wall. At Joormann's house (Rehagenhof) Bislicher Straße makes a 90 degree turn west towards Hamminkeln. And starting at Joormann's house the street continuing northeast is called Am Wall.
    And this street marked the boundary of LZ-P. So, we are both right I suppose..
     
  13. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    I didn’t know the exact location, but I do now!
     
    alberk likes this.
  14. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    The stills at the top of this thread - showing the US medics - were take taken from this film. In the Youtube video the „Varsity“-footage on the ground near Wesel is to be found between time codes 5:25 and 6:47. Good stuff, I think, especially the Jeep leaving the glider!



    Please note that the images of a glider just preceding this sequence were not shot during Operation Varsity - they show, to my knowledge, an area in the Remagen or the Oppenheim bridgehead. One can easily tell it is not Wesel by the hills in the background. No hills whatsoever near Wesel! This reel is a fine example how the „Special Film Project“ reels in the US National Archives are presenting a wild mix of colour images that come from widely varying contexts.
     
    Dave55 and BrianHall1963 like this.
  15. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Did you notice the cable on top pulling the nose open? It was attached to the back of the jeep. Tricky :)
     
    alberk likes this.
  16. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Yes, tricky. And this type of exiting the glider was not very good for the driver's spine I suppose...
     

Share This Page