Fliegerhorst Gilze-Rijen. Archaeology & Research.

609 flew Typhoons and arrived in Holland in November 1944. Their calling code is PR . the Typhoon on the picture could be PR-L (providing it is 609 squadron )
Here is a link that shows Belgian 609 squadron Ace Lallemant (nickname "the Horse")with Typhoon PR-D painted in a similar camo pattern.


Google Image Result for http://worldwar2.free.fr/typhoon2.jpg

 

Holy Crap!
I'm not sure how I missed this thread for the past few days but this is great reading! Nick, I am very jealous of you being able to walk those fields! The pics are fantastic!
positive rep given for this great thread! I'll be watching and waiting for more! Maybe I can get you to show me this airfield when I come to visit next year!?

 

Hello friends!
Erich, Skipper and Martin thank you for your trouble regarding the Brittish photo. Its amaze me that you can get so much information of such as small photo! Thumbs up for you guys.

I am a bit sorry for my late reply, I just visit the former Camp Tophat near Antwerp yesterday and I was a bit broken. I think I almost didn't sleep this year.

Hello Bigfun, offcourse I can show you some stuff here, no problem. Sounds nice.

 

Something more Nick. The gentleman reading the paper on one picture is the same as the one standing near the tent on the other one. Most important I believe he is reading a copy of the ....... telegraph (Daily Telegraph?) This mean there could be a date on this paper. Could you scan this detail with the highest resolution possible ? It could give us the exact date (or aprroximately) considering we think this was taken after Nov. 1944 anyway.

 

Yes that is the same person I noticed.
I can see what I can do, back in a few minutes...

 

This is the best I can give you for know.
My own camera (far more better quality) is broken.
But the pictures are a bit blury either.

 

At least I can see it's not telegraph but more something that ends with "aple" .Also the letter I read on the Typhoon is "L" sor PR-L is still my best guess.

 

HF-L
HE-L

?

 

HF = 54 Squadron . 54 is impossible because it left to Australia in 1942

HE = 263 Squadron = interesting and they flew Typhoons.

No. 263 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are many sites for this squadron on the web . So you might be looking for the pilot who flew HE-L

 

guys look again at the numbers of the 4 squadrons I posted above ....

 

well, i tried to clear it up, but to no avail! i don't have the right software!

 

What are the codes Erich?

 

not sure but it might be HE as you mentioned Skipper only for the possible fact the Typhoon is in transit before flying back to it's own base ?

 

Here a very rare piece of ammunition found near Rijen, is a cartridge for the German Kampfpistole.

On the left the standard Sprenggranatpatrone.
On the right the Sprenggranatpatrone ZZ.

 

Wow what's the use of that? It's the first time I see this.

 

The use of it is High Explosive! Nahkampf mittel.

 

Note: They can only be fired with a flarepistol that has been rebuild, you can see that on the "Z" on the side of the pistol.
What exactly has to be rebuild for firing this kind of ammo is not know to me.

 

Skipper the inside of the barrel is grooved in the same way as the picture of the later marked Flare pistol one I am seriously looking at but the cost is almost prohibitive, as you said these are not easy to come by : especially the Z Kampfpistol. used different flares-flare-grenades, there are several different types that could be even used for knocking out recon light vehicles like jeeps. as the case of Nicks well preserved example with the grooves the round spun in like fashion. I've got a ton of info hidden amongst all then files.........

 

nice simplistic article here :

Riflle Grenades Gewehrgranate

 

Really interesting. Maybe someone will know which part has to be changed. I could be the ignition, but I wouldn't know for sure.