Extracts from 'Looking Down on War'

Discussion in 'Reconnaissance' started by Pat Curran, Jul 28, 2013.

  1. Francois Dumas

    Francois Dumas Administrator
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    May 18, 2013
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    Kidding aside ..... *grin*.... i HAVE been wondering about those strange trees..... it was June, most other trees seem 'normal', but in many pictures we see these barren trees sticking high into the air..... I've been going through my own photographs but cannot find them on any of them.

    Are these a special kind of trees or were they 'damaged' in some way?
     
  2. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
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    Oct 20, 2012
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    Hi François,

    No they were managed to provide firewood for farm labourers and their families. Branches were cut off without damaging the tree, hence the stalky appearance. The process was normally only applied to pine, spruce and other non deciduous trees.

    Regards,

    Pat
     
  3. Francois Dumas

    Francois Dumas Administrator
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    Never too old to learn. Thanks for that Pat !
     
  4. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
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    Oct 20, 2012
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    Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
    Hi All,

    I have found what appears to be the parent recon photo for Roy's extract at the top of page 84 - see the location plotted in post #34 on the previous page in this thread. The full frame, with at least some cropping at the bottom, appears as the 21st photo from the top on this page and is credited to the San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive.

    This is an interesting photo as it shows the Holdy Battery Field at centre. You can find it by tracing a line across from the tip of the F-5's propeller blade - which incidentally covers Sainte Marie du Mont. The Lt Gayley Horsa crash site is also clearly visible and if Roy's caption date for his extract is correct, i.e. 7th June, then the photograph may well have been taken a very short time after the crash.

    Does anyone know a kind soul in San Diego Air and Space Museum who might be able to give us a full resolution copy? :angel:

    Thanks,

    Pat
     
  5. patelie

    patelie Active Member
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    https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/8092125222/in/photolist-dk5fUo-dk5fSw-dk5dV6-dk5fPo-dk5e1p-dk5fPL-aNsJMT-dk5e4H-dk5fTJ-dk4WGA-bZhUBW-bZhV8d-bZhWoS-bZhWsL-bZhWry-bZhZbG-bZhZ9W-bZhZ85-bZhZ5U-bZhZ4m-bZhZ3d-bZhZ1E-bZhYZ1-bZhYXw-bZhYWQ-bZhYV3-bZhYS1-bZhYQm-bZhYNJ-bZhYKG-bZhYEj-bZhYCq-bZhYAW-bZhYyh-bZhYwG-bZhYv7-bZhYsw-bZhYpQ-bZhYow-bZhYnh-bZhYm3-bZhYjQ-bZhYib-bZhYh3-bZhYcA-bZhY9U-bZhY6A-bZhY5d-bZhY49-bZhY23
    [hr]
    And you can explore the collection of the SDASM here
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/
     
  6. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
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    Oct 20, 2012
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    Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
    Thanks Patrick,

    Your links are blocked on my work PC, but I'll check them out tonight at home.

    Much appreciated.

    Pat
     
  7. Pat Curran

    Pat Curran Administrator
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    Oct 20, 2012
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    Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
    Hi All,

    Recent work down near St Lo and the 'Cobra' area had me wondering about the location of this photo from page 249:
    [​IMG]
    The caption indicates it to be a strike photo from a B-24 of the 389th Bomb Group, USAAF taken on the 25th July during the pre 'Cobra' bombing by US 'heavies'. I thought it was further west, but the village with the smoke rising from it turns out to be Hebecrevon on the D900, just west of St Lo.

    Roy's white arrows show bombs exploding along the D77 and what is today the N174 motorway - not very far from our 'Herd of Allied Tanks' LIFE photo location as it turns out.

    Anyone able to trace more of these 389th BG 'strike photos' for Operation Cobra?

    Thanks,

    Pat
     

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