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#4162590 - 08/29/15 10:50 AM Here they come (edited)!  
Joined: Jan 2001
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kaa Offline
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kaa  Offline
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Posts: 3,586
France
During operation Dragoon,aug.'44, while the French 1st Army focused its forces south,liberating the two vital harbours of Toulon and Marseilles, US forces rushed in a North-West direction through the hinterland in an effort to reach the Rhne valley ASAP and cut the retreat of the intact German forces occupying the mediterranean coast west to the Rhne.

During this move, some units of the 3rd US ID liberated the village where I live now, on their way towards Aix-en-Provence. This day is celebrated every year, but today with a nice touch:







Thank you to the men who were there this day.



Last edited by kaa; 08/29/15 11:00 AM. Reason: errors, spelling, etc etc

"Anyone can shoot you down if you don't see him coming but it takes a wonderfully good Hun to bag a Camel if you're expecting him."
Tom Cundall.
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4162599 - 08/29/15 11:40 AM Re: Here they come (edited)! [Re: kaa]  
Joined: Jun 2005
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Sluggish Controls Offline
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Sluggish Controls  Offline
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Hong Kong
Quel village?
Somewhere around Le Muy? Les Arcs?

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4162624 - 08/29/15 01:20 PM Re: Here they come (edited)! [Re: kaa]  
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kaa Offline
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kaa  Offline
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France
Hey Slug... not there (you probably were on holydays there I suppose)but on a western location, just southeast of Aix en Provence, no more in the Var region , but not that far.

https://www.google.fr/maps/@43.4375255,5.6204145,13z

Last edited by kaa; 08/29/15 01:22 PM.

"Anyone can shoot you down if you don't see him coming but it takes a wonderfully good Hun to bag a Camel if you're expecting him."
Tom Cundall.
#4162770 - 08/29/15 08:05 PM Re: Here they come (edited)! [Re: kaa]  
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
PanzerMeyer Offline
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PanzerMeyer  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
I've been doing some recent heavy fighting in the Provence region but it's the Provence from about 2,075 years ago. smile

Great pictures Kaa!


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4162777 - 08/29/15 08:46 PM Re: Here they come (edited)! [Re: kaa]  
Joined: Jan 2001
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kaa Offline
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kaa  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,586
France
Panzer, if you're talking about the battle of Aqua Sextiae,against the Cimbre people,valley of the river Arc with Marius at command,just look at the big mountain in background of the second picture, it is called the Sainte-Victoire in hommage to the roman victory at its feet(with the "sainte" given afterward ,in the christian times). The valley is surprisingly very fertile for the region (with today a big wine production), it is said it is because of the thousands of people who died and rotted on the spot, but of course this could be only a story.

Last edited by kaa; 08/29/15 09:11 PM.

"Anyone can shoot you down if you don't see him coming but it takes a wonderfully good Hun to bag a Camel if you're expecting him."
Tom Cundall.
#4162825 - 08/29/15 10:40 PM Re: Here they come (edited)! [Re: kaa]  
Joined: May 2010
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Alicatt Offline
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Alicatt  Offline
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
6th of September 1944 is liberation day here when the Welsh Guards "interrupted" an execution detail in the town.
Our war memorial is a WW2 Sherman Firefly which is off getting refurbished just now and is due back for the celebrations on the 6th.

As she was a couple of years ago


Now we believe she will be either a very dark green or black when she is returned.

http://www.ww2guards.com/ww2guards/Memorials/Pages/MEMORIAL_AT_HECHTEL,_BELGIUM.html

Quote:
Battle of Hechtel


From September 6 until September 12 Hechtel was the scene of heavy fighting between elements of the Guards Armoured Division and elements of General Student's 1st Falschirmarmee who were sent to reinforce the front between Geel and Hasselt.


After they crushed a German column, 3 Coy, Welsh Guards had to withstand counter-attacks from the SS and Landsturm Nederland.


Afterwards they hit the positions of the 20th Falschirmregiment, which was reinforced by training units from the Luftwaffe. Through a flanking manoeuvre, across the area of Leopoldsburg, the Irish and Grenadier Guards took the bridge across the Scheldt- Meuse canal at Neerpelt.


After six days of heavy fighting, Hechtel was taken by the Allies. During the battle, 127 Germans, 623 British soldiers and 35 civilians lost their lives.



The Germans felt boxed in and forced several families out of their shelter and shot them randomly. 124 houses were completely destroyed or burned down.


No man survives the war unscathed, families and friends are lost. Their voices sound softer, further away in time, fighting against being forgotten.


This monument lets the voices of all those who fell on the battlefield of Hechtel be heard. We owe them our gratitude.




Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron

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