Unbelieveable Find at Poteau !

Been meaning to post this since my return from the Ardennes.

Easily the friendliest 'Bulge' muesum is the little one at Poteau run by a Dutch couple. The museum is housed just 150 metres from where the famous KG Hansen Ambush photos were taken during the battle and reproduced many times since. One of the best known of these is the Waffen-SS MG42 gunner ( tentatively identified as Walter Armbrust ) who is holding a Browning HP35 pistol - often misidentified as a Colt 45.

Anyhow, on the day before my visit the Museum owner was working over the Museum grounds with a metal detector, finding an MP40 magazine, a box with 250 rounds of .30 calibre ammo and - a Browning HP35.

After cleaning, he allowed me to handle the weapon, which was in a remarkably well-preserved state. The FN markings are still visible, no leaf sight but just a simple rear notch sight identify it most likely as made under German occupation. The slide is in the 'open' position as the last round has been fired and ejected.

Is it 'that' Browning ? Who knows ! But it was found so close to the scene of the photo that it will always be 'the one' to the museum owner ! It was, in any case, a really great find and will be on special display at the museum.

If you're in the Ardennes, be sure to visit - and ask to see the Browning !

 

Great story Martin! Thanks for sharing!

Bye,
Thorsten

 

Excellenmt story, Martin!

Guess the goodies are still out there for those willing to invest time and resources.

 

Great find, Martin! Guess you were very lucky.

Stevin, by the way. Congratulations on your 2000th post.

 

VERY interesting find Martin

 

I forgot to post a link to the museum. Rob and Jacqueline are the owners : -

http://connect.to/poteau44-museum-agenda

 

Ardenne museums...........hmmmmmmm, Martin how many have you visited ?

Am going to start the Dutch authored book Bodenplatte later this week.......thanks again Stevin !

 

How many have I visited ? Let's think.....all three in Bastogne, La Gleize, Poteau, La Roche, Clervaux,haven't yet made it to the one in Diekirch.....

 

Martin, your poor wife...and she thought you and her would get away from it all.....

Well, if you can't beat them, join them, she must have thought when she proposed to come along to Duxford... ( to Mrs. Martin)

 

Well, there's a beautiful old castle plus many shops at La Roche, another lovely castle and more shops at Clervaux, a nice view over the river at La Gleize, lots of shops and restaurants in Bastogne, and oh ! hey !...there just happens to be a WWII Museum to see !

 

Stevin and Martin I am sure you both will follow up on the ARnhem presentations/ceremonies ? But will you have the chance to visit the Ardenne this winter ? Hopeful that the weather will be agreeable and not impede anyone from attending....

E ~

 

Much as I'd like to, I think a visit to the deep misty woods of the Ardennes the week before Christmas could be stretching marital tolerance beyond breaking point.....

 

ah but think of all the Christmas shopping you could do !! For the Mrs might be a problem but then again you may have to make a diversion towards some of those finer larger shops in the mainland ?

~E

 

( Sigh ! ) I just don't think that this one will run....

 

Actually we have pretty much persuaded my mother to let us go to Normandy this summer, too late for the commemorations but it should be a good few days (hopefully renting a gite and getting to do loads of visits to important sites, we tried to persuade her to support a Berlin trip but that was rather over optimistic in the end).

 

Caen, Cintheaux, Falaise Stefan ? Bring those maps and historical photographs with you.........

happy hunting

~E

 

Well, one thing we have to do is hunt around the Bayeux road and Ardennes Abbey of course. One thing I am going to do with my brother (hopefully on the obligatory shopping day) is a walk from the coast to Pegasus Bridge. I will take loads of photographs as well, be prepared to have thousands hurled at you in september if all goes as planned

 

Another unashamed plug for the latest issue of After The Battle.....

In #142, Jean-Paul Pallud's article 'Poteau Revisited' includes the story of the Poteau Museum's Browning Hi-Power, complete with photo of museum owner Rob de Ruyter proudly holding the relic. I still remember with pleasure the day that Mr de Ruyter allowed to me handle that weapon.

( Mind you, even ATB can get their dates wrong....they say that the pistol was dug up in October 2004 - go back to the first post on this thread....... ).

 

thanks for the update Martin, it's another place I have to visit. As a matter of coincidence I met a man yesterday, who was there last Summer and mentionned the Dutchman too.

 

Thanks Martin!
I have to add this to the places I want to visit, that is if I ever get over there!