Battery Todt near Calais was our first stop. About a 2.5 hour drive from Paris.
Mike and I could not identify this tank. Anyone???
Several different types of Bofors guns were present.
Sad to see these pieces sitting and rotting. They were to bad to really use as parts.
Now that's a gun!
For sale. To bad we can not re-import it. Sad.
A very tall bridge going towards Ouisterham.
John's first meal near Calias. I thought I was getting a filet of something, ended up this. Tasted ok, a bit chewy, but not too bad.
Thomas from the Czech Republic and his friends drove these two vehicles to Normandy. David and Marteen inspecting.
This is where we stayed during out visit. Expandable van body. Kind of like a double wide trailer.
In Ouistreham.
Inside the Grand Bunker. This is what greeted you coming in, now and in WWII.
Looking out the view port at the top of the bunker towards the channel.
Standing on the very top of the bunker looking at the channel.
Grand Camp Maisy artillery battery. Discovered and excavated in 2006.
Coming down the first trench this is what awaits you. If I remember correctly, 155mm gun.
This gun emplacement was captured by the 2nd Rangers.
Ammunition storage bunker.
One of the many trenches running between the facilities.
A collapsed corrugated steel bunker like the one in the small picture.
The entry way to the structure was guarded by this gun port.
Looking up and out of a Tobruk.
My travel companion and history expert, Mike.
This section was for a radar range and anti aircraft flack gun emplacement.
Stained glass window from the outside.
These are the blood stains from the wounded soldiers, still in the pews of the church.
Saint-Come-du-Mont town square.
A very famous WWII photograph of Easy Company was taken from this same vantage point in the square.
A new monument has been erected at the famous battle site at Brecourt Manor field, taken by Dick Winters and Easy Company.
A typical hedgerow.
The church parking lot at St. Mere Eglise.
This was early in the week at the square in St. Mere Eglise.
To much “Kit” in my opinion. Is there a jeep under there somewhere?
A new musuem has opened on the edge of Carentan.
Several projects were under construction.
This is one huge piece of equipment. The Famo German half track. One of 3 know to exist.
One of the many encampments being set up by one of the European clubs.
One poor abused and discarded carrier. I feel sorry for the thing!
Looking down the main street coming into St. Mere Eglise.
Battle damage still evident all around the square at St. Mere Eglise.
The BMVT encampment entrance. We stopped at everyone we could find to take pictures and admire the surroundings.
I must say that it was very nice to see that people had restored things other than jeeps. A fine example!!!
The crazy Austrians camp with the 1/2 track. More on them later.
Canadian APT Dodge. Plates on the rims are for hooking lifting ropes.
Another view of the APT.
A rare Bantam. They drove it all over the place.
A GP was only a few doors down. Crazy!
GPA between the GP and the Bantam.
This is at the entrance to the Dutch camp.
I was waiting for Mike and the club started to depart for their road trip of the day.
Vehicles of all makes were present. Still at the Dutch camp.
This is still at the Dutch camp.
Another APT.
These events are family affairs in Europe. Everyone got in on the action.
Sitting having lunch at the Pegasus Bridge cafe. A steady stream of people and vehicles went by.
We spotted this truck often during the week. A very rare telephone maintenace 1/2 ton Dodge.
Some vehicles parked at the Pegasus Museum lot.
The 4 ton Diamond T. Makes me want to get started on mine. A very classy truck.
Pock marks from the battle.
My friends Ettiene and Mike. A Dutch couple looking for me to inspect his 1/2 tonner.
A steady stream of vehicles going past the trailer. We had a nice vantage point. Just over the small hill is the Canadian Museum.
Those crazy Austrians in the fore ground.
We got invited to the Austrians camp for dinner. That is Klaus in the chefs outfit.
We were joined by some men from Belgium who said their bier was better. A discussion ensued. You can see Erwin holding his bier up in defiance.
We had to visit Omaha Cemetary again. Enough said, just look.
Getting ready for the president.
We stopped for lunch at a cafe in Insigny Sur Mer.
A rare Dingo.
A 666 series 6 ton.
The big Diamond T tank retriever. This was beautifully restored.
Late war Dodge KD 64 ambulance
Standing at Deadman's Corner looking towards Carentan.
A Belgian Gate. Used during the war to block the roads at bridges. A rare find these days.
Mike in uniform posing for the camera.
A stop at the D Day Museum at Omaha.
Schwimmwagen missing its prop.
Mike drooling over the Kettenkrad.
Looking down Omaha beach.
This veteran was here on D Day and took this gun battery out. Telling the onlookers about the event.
Near Arromanches beach I spied these trucks doing a little off road recon work.
At the Canadian Museum.
A stop at one of the local surplus dealers. Interesting stuff. If you think the prices are high in the USA, go to Europe and see.
A group coming off the beach at Ver Sur Mer.
No turret on the Stuart. I was told they did this during the war and used them for prime movers.
This is not the same Diamond as pictured earlier. This truck, trailer and grader were from Belgium.
SAS version. Notice the armored windshield!
A rare bomb truck along with an original propeller trailer. I have never seen one before.
Creative child carseat retention. I told you it was a family affair.
M24 International. You don't see these much in Europe as they were Marine Corps trucks used in the Pacific theater.
Looking down the Vierville draw.
International 1/2 track. Common in Europe, rare in the USA.
C47 flying over Vierville.
1/2 ton Carryall parked at the Vierville draw entrance to the beach.
I got to drive on Omaha Beach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giddy as a school girl.
Mike on Omaha at low tide.
The jeep we used was courtesy of Rex Cadman from the War and Peace show. A HUGE THANK YOU to him and Steve for the pleasure of this experience.
My number one on the want list, a MACK NO. 7 1/2 tons of pure beast. I love this truck!
We saw it all driving on the hwy. A weasel headed right at us just outside Port en Bessen.
The butcher shop in Crepon. Immaculately clean and the best sausice we had over there. A very pleasant business owner. He was glad to see us all.
The back of an International 1/2 track.
Can you guess what the silver object is next to the rear tire?
The Mack NO again. Owned by Petra from the Czech Republic. He drove it all the way to Normandy.
He made a diesel conversion out of it. Better fuel economy. He says the original engine is sitting in his home.
A Willys MA. They drove it all over the place. I hope they have a large insurance policy on it! Petra of the Mack NO on the right.
My new Austrian friend Josef's 1/2 track and Erwins WC 51.
Headed for the beach in a 1/2 track. Does it get any better than this?
Looking out of the track near dusk on Gold Beach. Goose bumps is all I can say.
They just loaded the grader back on the trailer. It was on the beach moving sand around.
Mike John Josef
Josef does not speak English, but he certainly understood our excitement.
Erwin added to picture. He speaks 4 languages and did all the interpretation for the group.
Two passers by notice the picture taking and the 1/2 track and wanted in.
A 3rd chap dropped in line too!
The tide was coming in fast. We lost a lot of beach in a short time taking pictures.
They wanted a copy of this picture, but never e mailed me for it.
Klaus hard at the kitchen duties.
Big swap meet at the top of the Vierville draw on Thursday. Shoulder to shoulder. Found some interesting things for my Bren Gun Carrier!
Lots of repro stuff, but lots of originals too. Of course the price corresponded to the originality.
The Austrians in front of us stopping at Jeep Est show grounds. That's the Iceman in the beard.
We went thru the back country and found some really nice hedge rows. It was darker than the camera makes it look. Cool stuff.
Typical farm country. Really nice views.
At the British encampment.
We spied a jeep in a rural farm house building. Backed up to sneak a picture. Notice the mailbox too!
Mess Hall at lunch time.
Portable shower facilities. UniSex in the middle of the farm field.
Driving the back streets of Ver Sur Mer looking for a gun battery that we saw in the distance from Crepon.
Do you see the battery? Just a bit left of center.
We finally found it. Privately owned!
A man and his wife were setting up for a private party in the bunker. We were invited, but could not make it. We are very sorry for not making it.
A Tobruk being reclaimed by the earth at the same location.
Actual battle damage. Sharpnel damage all over the place inside.
Shrapnel peeled the ceiling steel back.
You don't see these every where. A rare 4 ton Diamond T Dump.
David, Martin and Honsi in front of us on Gold. We did a little off roading before the tide got us. Had to make a hasty departure.
We had to go up an over this embankment to get off the beach. The surf closed off our escape route.
Back to St. Mere Eglise on Friday for an even larger swap meet.
Recently the remains of a German soldier were found near the beach. He was interned on Friday June 5, 2009. A private ceremony had just finished.
A C130 making pratice runs for the presidential visit.
The mulberry at Aromanches.
Aromanches in the second cut out down the beach.
The answer.
On the beach at Aromanches.
A Windsor Carrier. Lovely!!!!
The British brought in this landing craft.
Now this you will not see probably more than once in your life. A Mack NO and an NM on the same beach. If you love big trucks, this is glorious.
The carrier making a departure. The tide had just gone out, hence the wetness of the beach.
Gives you a feel for the size of the mulberry components.
Mike got pulled aside to take a vintage picture because of his leather jacket. This photographer is making a book. Mike will be in it.
That Erwin is a handsome devil!
My friend Mark from the UK's son Stewart sitting with Mike in the 1/2 track.
My good friend Mark.
Me driving the 1/2 track.
Yours truly.
A spitfire coming in to make a straffing run on the beach.
Decorated Veteran at Wildenberg's.
A British living history display. This place was awesome! Every last detail was correct period. Even the womens clothing was period correct.
The command center.
They had all the instruments, bandages, and supplies of a field hospital.
British flame thrower.
Ammo stores for the 25 pounder.
Mike asked them for an action shot.
The famous 19 set.
General Patton made an appearance.
Thousands of British and Canadian flags in the sand at Gold Beach.
Lining up for the drive to Arromanches.
We are on Arromanches beach looking back towards Ver Sur Mer. About 3.5 km. The first of the convoy and the back end has yet to get started.
This guy thought he could cross. Wrong! It is where the sewer water drains into the channel. You can not believe the stink that came out with this jeep. GMC had to pull him out.
A couple of daredevils. The GMC locked in 6wd made it thru, so why not try another jeep. They stirred up some really bad smells.
They got thru, but not unscathed. They will be cleaning this thing for a month.
The Austrians gave us a ride back to the car for our return to Paris. The party was over for us.
We had sweat shirts and wool uniforms on and were still chilly. The French children didn't seem to mind the cold water or the air temp.
We stopped by the mulberry residue. At low tide, you can get real close.
