I think you may be much more interested to know about the film footage i saw
yesterday
Herne Bay is a sleepy coastal town in the UK famous only for its
contribution to the Dambusters bouncing Bombs in 1943.
But lots of retired people live here and a local film collector acquired
from a resident some unique colour footage taken in WW2 before and during
Normandy
He put all the reels together (the Imperial war museum say to their
knowledge it is the only colour footage of the British D Day landings)and
held a premier in the local cinema here.
The camera man was on HMS Aristocrat,( by luck a amember of the original
crew was with us at the premier) which was a command boat on D Day in the
british sector.
Footage includes LCT's being loaded with Churchill and Sherman versions of
flails and the other Hobart design that lays the roadway from a roll (anyone
recall what its called?)
The ship is for a while lying off an American troopship which has hit a mine
and is sinking. The "pom Pom" guns are in action as it lies off the beach
head, surrounded by hundreds of other ships of all types
Good shots of the vast amada and of vehicles being unloaded on KING beach,
include DUKWS swimming and breaking through the surf, lotsc of heavy dozers
etc.It was interesting to note that our cameraman was in Arromanches with
the liberating troops as the blockships and Mulberries were not yet there
when he was , and several Germans are being held at gun point by the now
popular restuarant so many of us used last june when on the 55th.
There are some incredible low tide beach shots of "after the battle" with
some chilling reminders of the destruction that was reaked- a halftrack
blown to bits near a CMP that has suffered similar fate.
All in all an amazing film show....we were going to organise some WW2
vehicles for the showing, but the date in the localpress was a week wrong
and many people locallyb would have missed it , though the audience was
full of Veterans.
There is also a shot of a british soldier on King beach with a full
beard.....this I believe can only be the Beachmaster whom i believe by some
quaint Kings regulation was allowed to wear a beard. Any one know about this
?
Considering it was in damp and rusty boxes in a cellar when found, the
quality is not bad and i think this is a very important archive of military
history.
Good news though, I have persuaded the owner of the film to do a showing at
2000 War and Peace show (19-23rd july) - we had a pathe news cinema booked
already and its also available on video.If anyone wishes to get hold of a
copy, contact me direct and I will send you the mans details.
NIGE
Nigel@tanksrus.freeserve.co.uk
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