Early CMPs in NW Europe

[Rich Payne]

Round about 0.42

http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/647

[Alex van de Wetering]

Sword1.jpg

Lovely find Rich! I took the liberty of making a screen dump.

Interesting bit of footage that clearly shows the traffic jam at the beach due to the blocked beach exits! Also a glimpse of a rare HUA C8A.


Alex

[Rich Payne]

I can't really claim the credit for finding the film, Alex. It was discovered by Tom O'Brien over on WW2t. He came up with it as part of his ongoing research to determine if the much-maligned Austin K5 really was responsible for the failure of Market - Garden as alleged by Chester Wilmot based on half a line in a 21st Army Group report. It seems increasingly unlikely but particularly U.S. publications have made much use of the allegation.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

He came up with it as part of his ongoing research to determine if the much-maligned Austin K5 really was responsible for the failure of Market - Garden as alleged by Chester Wilmot based on half a line in a 21st Army Group report. It seems increasingly unlikely but particularly U.S. publications have made much use of the allegation.

Enlighten us, please. Is that the story about the problem with a batch of trucks with bad valves?

Thanks,
Hanno

[Rich Payne]

One of the sources refers to piston problems. Tom has been through almost all of the 21st Army Group REME diaires though and can find no reference to anything. If it happened it would seem to have been detected before they got to France and plenty of Austin 'Screamers' seem to have made their way from Normandy to the Baltic.

The trouble is that the absence of proof doesn't mean it didn't happen, but it does seem to have been blown out of proportion...and a 3-ton 4x4 was never likely to have been a major LoC RASC tool anyway.

[Alex van de Wetering]

I came across this picture on the web. According to the website the picture is taken on July 25th 1944 near Caen during Operation Spring, but I am trying to find out if this is indeed the case. The same picture has also been copied by Pinterest with the same description.

Does anyone recognise the picture or knows where it originates from?

I found it here: http://www.dday-overlord.com/mediath...alvados/caen/2
Alex

[Bob Carriere]

....at least 9 guns going off at once...... surprised by the lack of cover for the foreground gun and close proximity of vehicles....... either they have total supremacy in the area or it is a drill....... even the staff is just very casual!!! gun emplacement look well made..... permanent perhaps???? telegraph pole on RH side ????? does not look like they expect anyone to fire back at them......

Bob C.

[klambie]

Referenced as PA-116516

in Bloody Victory by Granatstein/Morton and dated 25 July 44