Alsace - 70 years later, remembers.

In this topic, I will publish articles on the commemorations taking place in Alsace, for the 70th anniversary of the liberation.

Bomber crash, january 1945 :
View attachment 21941

Wingen s/ Moder, january 1945 :
http://www.dna.fr/pdf/2a790275-6c66-453a-ad73-bc57091f6473/P/44/JNU_02/PDF-Page_44-edition-de-sarre-union_20150122.jpg

Strasbourg, november 1944 :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77272208@N02/sets/72157649425005902/

 

Thank you for this poignant post. It is difficult not to have strong affections for Alsace-Lorraine. I can readily understand your great interest in all the WW 11 activity in your area. I took French in school, 4 years, but that was 55-60 years ago but have had the pleasure of visiting your area.
. Pretty remarkable that your mother survived Hatten and continued to have such ba long life...................and had you !!. The Flickr links are wonderful and lead to many other photos. The celebrations at Strasbourg are wonderfully authentic in costume and equipment. I remember seeing a Sherman on the Western side of the city some years ago. Strasbourg and Saverrne are beautiful places , particularly the French section of Strasbourg.

Really Appreciate the links, that B 17 is remarkably intact.. You have brought back some great memories.about NE France..

Gaines

 

Thank you for this reply !
But sorry, the pictures of Strasbourg are about the 2nd French Armored (Division blindée) and the 1rst DFL (Division Française Libre) and not about the American soldiers (but yes, the véhicule and the cloths are already American !!!)

 

My pleasure. I did not mean to imply the celebrations in Strasbourg were American and assumed the French 2od was involved, they fought well in the campaign.. I was aware they wore American uniforms and used equipment such as the many Jeeps shown plus Sherman's, trucks, and prime movers. Certainly put to good use. I imagine there was much elation in the area to see 2OD Armor arriving. .There is a French marked Sherman not far from Phalsbourg on display... If my aging memory is correct the Sherman in Strasbourg is a 76mm. My daughter spotted a Jeep on Corsica awhile back, nicely restored. . All this talk makes me miss France. and especially Alsace.
I still remember having a chicken and snail dish with a white wine sauce and good bread!!!!!!!

Gaines

 

Hi,

The tank from Phalsbourg is here :


And this is the one from Strasbourg :

 

Excellent stuff, thanks for posting.

 

Some of it's crew came from the Montargis area and is still remembered there. I have a 1944 press picture of this tank as well .

 

My bad memory !~! I thought the Strasbourg Sherman had a muzzle brake. I guess it could be in Skippers collection ! as fior the threads...uMMMMM, he could have sawed them off too !! L


Now as to the Phalsbourg tank I think it was holed a couple of times....or at least once.

 

I echo what a lot of people have said, thank you for sharing. And I agree with Gaines, they do a good job with the outfits and equipment.

 

Here is the commemoration of the evacuation of the village of GAMBSHEIM, January 15, 1945 (village on the Rhine, French side) :

http://www.asphm.com/manifestations/operation_nordwind_gambsheim/operation_nordwind_gambsheim.php

http://www.asphm.com/manifestations/operation_nordwind_gambsheim/PDF-Page_21-edition-de-strasbourg_20150119.pdf

http://www.asphm.com/manifestations/operation_nordwind_gambsheim/dna-nordwind-gambsheim.pdf

http://www.canalgambsheim.fr/video.php?idVideo=496

 

[SIZE=small]Hello everyone,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]Here are some photos and videos from the commemorations (70th anniversary of the liberation) of Nehwiller (21 March 2015) and DAMBACH-NEUNHOFFEN (22 March 2015) taken this week-end. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=small]Both town are from Alsace (liberate first by the 45th infantry in december 1945 and then by the 103th Infantry in march 1945)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]Best wishes to all,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]Eric[/SIZE]


[SIZE=small]https://www.flickr.com/photos/77272208@N02/sets/72157651506084245/[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.flickr.com/photos/77272208@N02/sets/72157649149672294/[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNR1Z9awQ[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO9cvKZeU_k[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig9HZZVeb0k[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSEVa66zEM[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPBjGAE5qms[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvyMFTwgI4U[/SIZE]

[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fviaa4PTtP8[/SIZE]


[SIZE=small]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSpxFFOkjsE[/SIZE]