tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post5660876434246525252..comments2024-03-28T16:26:35.679-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: The 11th of June, 1944 - D + 5, Tigers in the MistOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-26087113142529677502020-06-12T17:22:00.320-07:002020-06-12T17:22:00.320-07:00Moriarity declared the mighty Tiger to be a "...Moriarity declared the mighty Tiger to be a "piece of junk."<br /><br />Love that movie!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-28937331469797227092020-06-12T16:59:00.564-07:002020-06-12T16:59:00.564-07:00One of the finest parts of Kelly's Heroes is w...One of the finest parts of Kelly's Heroes is when Donald Sutherland exchanges for the Tiger Tank and his crew chief starts to complain. "Stop with the negative waves man, it is a beautiful tank" or words to that effect (too long since I have seen it).Toirdhealbheach Beucailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872794169534403463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-16297441048914219952020-06-12T10:27:56.290-07:002020-06-12T10:27:56.290-07:00The Germans could be very clever with their defens...The Germans could be very clever with their defensive positions.<br /><br />I've done the assistant gunner thing, two cans of ammo and a spare barrel. Loads of fun...<br /><br />(Did I mention that it was winter and there was snow on the ground?)OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-67028869939873722722020-06-12T09:35:52.795-07:002020-06-12T09:35:52.795-07:00I remember a book about the fighting down towards ...I remember a book about the fighting down towards St. Lo regarding a really nasty machine gun nest. It was a very intimidating MG-42 and they just weren't able to knock it out. When they finally did (with a direct hit with a bazooka, IIRC?), they found the gunners were completely out of the line of fire, operating the machine gun with cords and only briefly exposing themselves to reload. I wouldn't have wanted to carry or feed an MG-42 (or MG-3) in an offensive, but sitting in defense with adequate supplies -- oh yeah, baby!Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13296988746956477216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-20722202361077031572020-06-11T19:27:08.035-07:002020-06-11T19:27:08.035-07:00I've met him in person, very smart guy, great ...I've met him in person, very smart guy, great sense of humor.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-27879533489851296472020-06-11T19:20:42.041-07:002020-06-11T19:20:42.041-07:00He's really very good, isn't he? Been wat...He's really very good, isn't he? Been watching some of his videos, they are excellent!Tom in NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03576958446243001152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-3361904351245833902020-06-11T16:11:50.847-07:002020-06-11T16:11:50.847-07:00Tom - Quote the Chieftain and you've got my at...Tom - Quote the Chieftain and you've got my attention!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-73005961413444579322020-06-11T16:11:22.800-07:002020-06-11T16:11:22.800-07:00These were actually Tiger Is!These were actually Tiger Is!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-28772158122048919422020-06-11T16:10:57.827-07:002020-06-11T16:10:57.827-07:00Good story Tom. Some of those kids knew nothing of...Good story Tom. Some of those kids knew nothing of life other than what Hitler wanted them to know.<br /><br />The Nazis were despicable.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-71126346906922970032020-06-11T15:13:17.755-07:002020-06-11T15:13:17.755-07:00The Chieftain would add, "When it worked!&quo...The Chieftain would add, "When it worked!" He's got some interesting commentary on the myth vs. reality of the Tiger and King Tiger<br />(and not the Tiger King!!)Tom in NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03576958446243001152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-21104598301544197552020-06-11T15:11:03.786-07:002020-06-11T15:11:03.786-07:00couldn't have happened to a more deserving gro...couldn't have happened to a more deserving group of 'kids'! As you said, fanatical. A former British sniper told me that toward the end of the war, when they were approaching a German village, they never knew if they would be welcomed (since their coming signaled the end of the war was approaching) or met with fanatical resistance from Hilterjugend or the like ... so he often was tasked with scouting the villages prior to the main element showing up on the village's doorstep ... one such tasking led him to meet his future wife, who happened to be hanging out her laundry when he was observing the village ... the rest of that story is quite charming! (realizing that I may have told it in a prior comment that I don't remember at this point!)Tom in NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03576958446243001152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-51360920803082578042020-06-11T15:08:56.636-07:002020-06-11T15:08:56.636-07:00The Tiger II. What a fearsome weapon.The Tiger II. What a fearsome weapon.Toirdhealbheach Beucailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872794169534403463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-11811861989705601282020-06-11T13:32:06.347-07:002020-06-11T13:32:06.347-07:00The Hitler Youth division was fanatical, some of t...The Hitler Youth division was fanatical, some of their troops were so young that they didn't receive a cigarette ration but a "sweets" ration instead. Candy and the like.<br /><br />By August that division was nearly completely burned out.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-29245609975115707072020-06-11T13:30:36.439-07:002020-06-11T13:30:36.439-07:00Burma Shave comment? 😁Burma Shave comment? 😁OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-78315259048194898132020-06-11T13:29:49.996-07:002020-06-11T13:29:49.996-07:00That's what I figured.That's what I figured.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-31405768194723533172020-06-11T13:04:14.468-07:002020-06-11T13:04:14.468-07:00Caen was real meatgrinder for both sides, Germans ...Caen was real meatgrinder for both sides, Germans threw the fanatical SS division Hitlerjugend into the fray, while Brits eventually got Canadian and Polish divisions as tip of the spear when breakthru came...<br />We all know teenagers tend to ignore risks and think they are iommortal, give them ideological cause to believe in and they are bound to fight to the last. On the other hand, Poles were just itching for setling the scores with Germans, especially after they heard of Warsaw uprising...Paweł Kasperekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17636249014878876718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-11154864298759220392020-06-11T11:24:26.769-07:002020-06-11T11:24:26.769-07:00Dangit. Dangit. Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-84947280222346929912020-06-11T11:18:12.185-07:002020-06-11T11:18:12.185-07:00Yes, screwed up Caen and Cherbourg.Yes, screwed up Caen and Cherbourg.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-36736468487222496892020-06-11T10:19:02.289-07:002020-06-11T10:19:02.289-07:00The pictures give you an idea of the size of these...The pictures give you an idea of the size of these vehicles, which is why I include them. Also, Caen isn't a port, perhaps you were thinking of Cherbourg? Caen was important as it sat astride a major road network.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-42034142306139315162020-06-11T10:15:34.454-07:002020-06-11T10:15:34.454-07:00Signs posted along the road...Signs posted along the road...OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-41555860546997934142020-06-11T10:15:08.294-07:002020-06-11T10:15:08.294-07:00I love it when boffins do studies, usually involve...I love it when boffins do studies, usually involves government grants, lots and lots of taxpayer money wasted and guys dying in the field. Lovely.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-22806952312999779902020-06-11T10:13:29.607-07:002020-06-11T10:13:29.607-07:00Heh, dispense 400 rounds. What's that take, a ...Heh, dispense 400 rounds. What's that take, a couple of seconds? Tops?OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-47880845744849081402020-06-11T10:10:21.443-07:002020-06-11T10:10:21.443-07:00Beans - Jack carries a Garand, as does Bill. I'...Beans - Jack carries a Garand, as does Bill. I'm well aware of what everyone in a US squad carried. Also even more familiar with what the Huns lugged around.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-28115399736777583462020-06-11T09:53:37.579-07:002020-06-11T09:53:37.579-07:00Since I am Ltfuzz in so many places, I have to sta...Since I am Ltfuzz in so many places, I have to state that all I understand about stuff like the above is, <br />"Select centerline, arm, depress trigger, dispense 400 rounds"<br />Geben Sie dem Leutnant eine Pause, er ist nur ein Kind!Dave's Daily Day Dreamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17491764990082380190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-37239577984896472602020-06-11T09:52:37.989-07:002020-06-11T09:52:37.989-07:00Bren carriers are neat things, not as small as you...Bren carriers are neat things, not as small as you think, about the size of a car, capable of carrying and towing a surprisingly large amount of stuff while keeping the occupants mostly safe from rifle and machine gun fire. But not cannon fire, and assuredly not 8.8cm cannon fire from a Tiger. Ouch.<br /><br />What the heck were they doing unescorted? Wait, did Monty have something to do with it?<br /><br />Otherwise, fine story. Caen was pretty thrashed as a port and took a long time to rebuild. The 'temporary' beach ports built took up the slack and were still used until the end of the war.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.com