voilée (derrière le papier calque translucide de ses infos typographiques) / dévoilée, de devant / de derrière, la très belle pochette enneigée du seven inch « frozen music » de spoono (cf. ci-dessous).

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découverte : cela se passe le 22 avril dernier (2009) dans les écuries de la ferme du biéreau à louvain-la-neuve. un double concert de cam deas et spoono, deux jeunes guitaristes anglais, auquel on se rend un peu plus par ‘devoir’ et par amitié, pour soutenir ceux qui l’organisent, que par vrai engouement préalable pour la musique… – et dont on sort hébété et ému, avec une petite poignée de disques-souvenirs sous le bras et triste de ne pas avoir fait partager ce ‘risque’ (les guillemets comptent) à quelques amis qui auraient sûrement apprécié. pas mal plus convaincants en concert que sur les titres mis en écoute à cette époque sur leurs mysp@#€$ respectifs (fort marqués des empreintes encore très fraiches à l’esprit de leurs ainés ès fingerpicking), les deux jeunes musiciens avaient fait régler le volume de la sono relativement fort pour un concert de guitare acoustique. le son (résonnances, harmoniques… ) joue aussi un rôle important dans leur musique et la manière dont interagissent les notes a autant à voir avec l’entrechoquement et la superposition de couches qu’avec l’enfilement virtuose de perles sur une ligne mélodique en forme de volute…  une très très belle soirée qui, comme vous pourrez bientôt le lire, figurera dans mon top5 de mes concerts de 2009…

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confirmation récente : cette année ; le très bon petit label anglais gps – the great pop supplement (dans le passé, des 17cm e.a. de vibracathedral orchestra, hush arbors, jack rose & the black twigs, phosporescent, wooden wand, spacemen 3, wooden shjips… et beaucoup d’autres) a sorti en juin « untitled blues » de cam deas (malheureusement épuisé) et il y a quelques semaines « frozen music / what’s around the corner ? more corners » de jack allett / spoono (« few copies left »). dans la très belle pochette reproduite ci-dessus (et associant impression photographique sur gros carton légèrement gaufré et infos typographiques sur papier calque translucide), est niché un seven inch noir tournant à 33 rotations par minute et qui propose deux longs morceaux intrigants et hypnotiques, quelque part entre les compositions les plus abstraites, harmoniques et structurelles du regretté jack rose et de lointains échos du vini reilly (the durutti column) du début des années quatre-vingt. le tout enregistré par jack allett lui-même, chez lui à walworth (quartier londonien auquel il avait déjà consacré un walworth road blues sur le très beau split-lp de sa tournée avec cam deas, sorti sur le label blackest rainbow de sheffield).

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séances de rattrapage : dans un mois – fin janvier 2010 – les deux compères retraversent la manche pour une petite tournée qui, après la scandinavie et la germanie, les verra passer par le brabant wallon, la flandre occidentale, la bretagne et la normandie [cf. ci-dessous]. ne les ratez pas, cette fois – à vos agendas !!

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jack allett (was spoono) (gb) – cam deas (uk)
dimanche 24 janvier 2010 – 19h – ferme du biéreau
3 scavée du biéreau – 1348 louvain-la-neuve – belgique –  env. 5 eur

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jack allett (was spoono) (gb) – cam deas (uk)
lundi 25 janvier 2010 – villa drashoek
gent – belgië

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jack allett (was spoono) (gb) – cam deas (uk)
mercredi 27 janvier 2010 – la bascule
rennes – bretagne – france

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jack allett (was spoono) (gb) – cam deas (uk)
jeudi 28 janvier 2010 – studio chaudelande
cherbourg – normandie – france

Every cloud has a silver lining, including Cherbourg…

Bonjour

l’édition 2009 du Petit Indicateur des Marées est en vente. Sept éditions, couvrant l’ensemble du littoral de Dieppe à La Rochelle sont à votre disposition. Vous pouvez les retrouver dans les maisons de la presse ou bien directement par correspondance.

Pour nous les commander, envoyez un chèque de :

- 3 euros pour un exemplaire

- 5,50 euros pour deux exemplaires

- 8 euros pour trois exemplaires…

à l’adresse suivante :

Le Petit Indicateur des Marées

110, rue de Guilers 29200  Brest

Nota. SI vous êtes un professionnel (maison de la presse, dépôt, boutique…) intéressé par la revente de nos indicateurs, merci de prendre directement contact avec nous par téléphone : 02 98 47 31 06 ou 06 62 28 31 84, ou bien par mail contact@orcabon.com

A bientôt

Mikaël Cabon

Bonjour

l’édition 2009 du Petit Indicateur des Marées est en vente. Sept éditions, couvrant l’ensemble du littoral de Dieppe à La Rochelle sont à votre disposition. Vous pouvez les retrouver dans les maisons de la presse ou bien directement par correspondance.

Pour nous les commander, envoyez un chèque de :

- 3 euros pour un exemplaire

- 5,50 euros pour deux exemplaires

- 8 euros pour trois exemplaires…

à l’adresse suivante :

Le Petit Indicateur des Marées

110, rue de Guilers 29200  Brest

Nota. SI vous êtes un professionnel (maison de la presse, dépôt, boutique…) intéressé par la revente de nos indicateurs, merci de prendre directement contact avec nous par téléphone : 02 98 47 31 06 ou 06 62 28 31 84, ou bien par mail contact@orcabon.com

A bientôt

Mikaël Cabon

Brest PIM Couv Site)

L'association a réalisé l'an dernier un chiffre d'affaires de 5 000 euros grâce à la vente de ces meubles en carton fabriqués par des personnes exclues du monde du travail.

Depuis peu, les hommes peuvent participer aux ateliers culturels. Une mixité qui a bouleversé les comportements vers plus de respect.

Au début de l’aventure, l’opération était exclusivement réservée aux femmes. “Ces dernières ont de gros problèmes d’exclusion“, note Daniel Jouanne. “Il est plus difficile pour elles de retrouver un emploi, notamment à cause de leur situation familiale“. Rapidement pourtant, la mixité s’est imposée d’elle-même. Résultats : moins de crêpages de chignon, plus de respect.   

En effet, pour Brigitte Jouault, la responsable de l’activité et initiatrice du projet, l’atelier est avant tout un lieu de changement, “de construction et de reconstruction“. L’objectif premier est de remettre les salariés dans un contexte de travail, où la ponctualité, le respect et l’écoute sont des points fondamentaux. “C’est aussi une école de la patience, de la précision et de la réflexion“, poursuit-elle. “On y découvre et valorise les capacités de la personne“.   

Demandes croissantes de l’extérieur     

Et si la confection de meubles en carton apporte beaucoup aux salariés, il en va de même pour l’association. Elle jouit depuis plus d’un an d’une reconnaissance qui dépasse le cadre local. “La ville d’Alençon, dans l’Orne, nous a gentiment invités à participer à une grande exposition“, se félicite Daniel Jouanne. Avant cela, la mairie de Cherbourg lui avait confié la fabrication du Bonhomme Carnaval. L’activité a également pu se développer grâce à la collaboration avec plusieurs troupes de théâtre. “Nous leur fabriquons des décors et des éléments scénographiques“, explique Brigitte Jouault.   

Mais les meubles sont avant tout destinés à la vente aux particuliers. “C’est en effet un mobilier qui devient très tendance“. L’an dernier Au fil de l’eau a réalisé 5 000 euros de chiffre d’affaires sur cette seule activité. Une somme jugée intéressante, d’autant plus que la matière première ne coûte rien. “Nous récupérons le carton chez les concessionnaires automobiles ainsi qu’à La Presse de la Manche, le journal local“.   

Vendus de 45 à 300 euros, les lampes, fauteuils, tabourets ou méridiennes s’arrachent comme des petits pains. Le maire de la commune, Bernard Cazeneuve, a lui-même passé commande pour un immense buffet.

Mélissa Gautier

I arrived as usual for the cross channel ferry.   As I passed reception on the way to the lounge,  a steward asked me to “step this way”.   I followed her into a special lounge where a number of distinguished people were assembled.

“Congratulations Sir, you have been chosen by your fellow passengers – you will be taking this ferry to France”.

“But why me?”

“Because you told us you wanted the job”

” I’d had a few when I filled in that questionnaire!”

“Never mind Sir- Congratulations”.

I was introduced to the people in the room.  There was a nice lady who told me she was in charge of the “passenger resource” : apparently she was rewarded for identifying that they were resourceful.   There was a man who knew about money who told me he controlled the cost of ferries by overseeing the “amount of cheese in the baguettes”.   Another man had been immensely successful in getting passengers to claim  this “was ther best way to Calais”.

Once we had all been introduced, there trooped in a series of business people in suits.  An accountant told us he would be auditing our every wave and would be telling the fat controller of our progress.   A fellow called “the actuary” told us he had predicted exactly where we should be going and how long it would take us and as long as everything worked as we he predicted- we would be fine.   A lawyer told us that he would keep us out of trouble with passengers and a clever person told us that he’d chosen the right fuel mix and the correct amout of fuel according to the actuary’s calculations.  Surely with such a wise group of suited men we could have no problems.

Everybody was nodding sagely- so I nodded sagely though I didn’t understand any of this.  Then an old man in a beard arrived.  He nodded more sagely than anyone else so we voted him Captain and Chairman.   We were shown to the wheelroom which was full of flashing lights and dials.   Although all the men in suits had gone,  we weren’t too worried as we  had the men in suits behind us.

With that there was a great roar from the engines.   People ran around on the deck throwing ropes around and getting excited.  The ferry floated out through the harbour gates and everything was fine.   Everything was fine for about two minutes before a great wind sprang up.   The boat went sideways and everyone in the wheelhouse went quiet.

“Eh up Captain-what do we do now?”   said I

“Damned if I know” said the old sea dog (not)…”let’s put it to a vote”.

We voted and decided to do nothing.  Reports were coming in of passengers revolting as the boat swayed from side to side.

A voice came from the intercom  “The passengers are revolting”.    “Aren’t they always” quipped the passenger champion.  We decided to discuss the quality of the baguettes and concluded that they were the problem.

“Put the stabilisers on” boomed the intercom –  the Captain identified the voice as the Fat Contoller who controlled the fleet.   We had another vote and agreed we didn’t understand stabilisers so we decided to put the stabilisers on when we got into port at Calais.

The Fat Controller wasn’t happy.   “You are now 20 miles off course.   I will have to use the reserve fuel supplies to get you back –  this is costing us a fortune – heads will roll and they won’t be mine”.

Things went from bad to worse.   A strong tide pulled us down towards Cherbourg, we nearly hit another ship and then we ran out of fuel.  We drifted towards the Channel Isles,  got caught in the Alderney Race and before we knew it we hit a rock.

“You’re sinking”  boomed the intercom.  We called the lawyer. “You’re f*****”" said the lawyer.  “Thanks” we said.

As the ferry went down,  passengers jumped like lemmings into the sea.  We had another meeting and concluded that we would sue the men in suits before following the passengers.   The last thing I remember was being hauled from the water by a man with a peaked cap,  I remember around the rim the words “HMRC  PPF”.

Woo, only a week to go before our great big OIW shindig down at The Old Queens Head (that’s Islington, London folks) on November 11th! We’ve already previewed our fantastic openers Player Piano, now here’s a taste of the super main support for the night… Mariner’s Children!

Mariner's Children kicking out the jams

These guys are something else, they just performed at the Roundhouse as part of the BBC Emerging Proms and are heading off for some dates with Peggie Sue following their appearance at OIW next week. Think along the lines of the dark, endearing qualities of The Decemberists with the earnest beauty of Cherbourg. Here’s a great track we’ve managed to get hold of from the guys, ‘It Carved Your Name Into the ground’.

Mariners Children – ‘It Carved Your Name Into the ground’

Aw, it’s going to be great! And Treetop Flyers are also along to headline with Dave Depares flying back from the US (we like to think especially for the show) to fill your ears with wonderful sounds from the DJ booth all night. More details on the Facebook event HERE and your flyer to get in for a fiver is below, woo!

Jean Nicolas Doublet o más conocido como el Cheuto, había nacido en el océano, en la travesía entre Cherbourg y Valparaíso, un día de mayo de un año que él mismo prefiere olvidar. Viajaba en primera clase, junto con su familia entera. Quince adultos y un enjambre de chiquillos, que se divertían haciendo pis en la popa del barco, cuando el viento arreciaba a sotavento. Los baúles de su equipaje iban firmemente custodiados y la casona del comodoro inglés que les recibió en el puerto de su destino, se vino abajo, en el terremoto más grande que la imaginación pudo concebir, apenas seis meses después que se hubieron instalado. Ahí empezó la diáspora de su familia. Ahí fue que lentamente perdió su idioma y sus costumbres y fue ahí mismo cuando Jean Nicolas empezó a convertirse en el Cheuto.

La vida dio varias vueltas, que Jean Nicolas se negaba a recordar, aunque con los tragos calentando su gaznate, algunos asomaban porfiados. Su matrimonio en Valparaíso y sus dos hijos mayores, corriendo en los jardines de la casa de sus suegros, importadores de productos finos, que cayeron en desgracia cuando contrabandistas sin escrúpulos mancillaron sus cargas de cognac. No valieron ni las influencias ni los ruegos. Los cagaron, chillaba el Cheuto, ebrio ya y transformado.

Crecieron los cuatro hijos, entre malabarismos para pagar las cuentas, mantener las apariencias y el honor. Jean Nicolas ejerció por varios años como profesor en las casas de sus amigos más acomodados, una nueva elite que se esforzaba por ser educada y fina. Enseñaba francés a los ingleses, inglés a los franceses. Economía y finanzas a los judíos. Matemáticas y física, sólo por si acaso, a un grupo de alemanes mal hablados, que le despreciaban con toda su alma, por razones netamente políticas. 

La fortuna que le quedaba se iba licuando de a poco, mientras su mujer bordaba por encargo y sus hijos iban a la universidad,  pero la debacle se hizo inminente cuando Jean Nicolás hijo, brillante, buen mozo y todo un caballero, fue acuchillado una noche de tormenta, en un callejón del puerto y mientras sus pertenencias iban desapareciendo, con la rapidez de la rapiña de los ladrones, su rostro se iba tornando cada vez más lívido. Si hubiese contado con asistencia, dijo el médico, hubiera sobrevivido, pero lo dejaron desangrarse en medio de un charco de agua putrefacta, mientras los perros del barrio iban meando sobre su cuerpo moribundo, olisqueando sus pantalones, como lo hacían con los borrachos.

Todo se destrozó de un golpe. Como un ligero y fino cristal, el alma simple de Jean Nicolas no pudo soportar tal escena y luego de la tercera jornada de embriaguez, tomó un atado con sus pertenencias y abandonó la ciudad. Nunca más supieron nada de él. Vagó por el país, tratando de mantener una vida ordenada, pero fue imposible. Tomaba para olvidar el dolor y las caras de espanto de sus familiares cuando le vieron partir. Mal alimentado y deprimido, siguió bebiendo hasta que se le hizo una costumbre. Su espíritu se fue degradando y poco y nada quedó del diligente profesor francés, que debatía a los clásicos griegos con la propiedad de un sabio. Fue entonces que nació el Cheuto.

Lo conocí en la casa de Amelia, cuando ya llevaba mucho camino recorrido y estaba rozando el delirium tremens. Sus cicatrices de peleas y golpizas, le hacían ver como un perro callejero, abandonado desde siempre. Lo recibieron a instancias de mi padre, que le pareció que podría ser de utilidad. Algo en sus ojos le dijo que no siempre había sido vil y mal hablado y en muchas noches de lluvia, el Cheuto le fue contando pedacitos de su historia. Cuando mi padre pudo armar el cuadro completo, tomó contacto con sus familiares, pero había incluso una tumba sin cuerpo con su nombre, en el cementerio general de Valparaíso. Su esposa se tomó la molestia del homenaje para olvidarle totalmente. ¡Yo no tengo nombre!, gritaba en su borrachera y sólo Amelia era capaz de lograr que se fuera en paz a dormir. Cuando ella murió, guardó un día de sobriedad en su memoria. Después, no lo vimos nunca más.

Note: This is the first of a series of four articles dealing with the campaign in France and Germany in 1944-1945.  The second installment “Mortain to Market-Garden” was posted a couple of months back. The link to that article is here: http://padresteve.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/mortain-to-market-garden-a-study-in-how-armies-improvise-in-rapidly-changing-situations/

The others should be posted in the coming weeks.

Introduction

Eisenhower and 101st Airborne

The American landings on Omaha Beach were critical to the success of the Allied invasion northwestern Europe in the overall Overlord plan.  Without success at Omaha there would have been a strong chance that the German 7^th Army and Panzer Group West could have isolated the remaining beachheads, and even if unsuccessful at throwing the Allies into the sea could have produced a stalemate that would have bled the Allies white.  This quite possibly could have led to a political and military debacle for the western allies which would have certainly changed the course of World War II and maybe the course of history.[i] This is not to say the Germans would have won the war, but merely to state that a defeat on Omaha could have changed the outcomes of the war significantly.   Subsequent to the successful landing there were opportunities both for the Allies and the Germans to change the way that the campaign unfolded, thus the battles leading up to the breakout at Avranches are critical to its development and the subsequent campaign in France.

OVERLORD: The Preparations

The planning for the Normandy invasion began in earnest after the QUADRANT conference in Quebec in August 1943.  The timetable for the operation was established at the Tehran conference where Stalin sided with the Americans on the need for an invasion of France in the spring of 1944.[ii] Prior to this there had been some planning by both the British and Americans for the eventual invasion initially named ROUNDUP.  These preparations and plans included a large scale raid at Dieppe in 1942 which ended in disaster but which provided needed experience in what not to do in an amphibious assault on a heavily defended beach.        The failure at Dieppe also darkened the mood of the Allies, the British in particular to the success of such operations, bringing to mind the failed Gallipoli campaign of 1915 as well as the opposed landings at Salerno and the USMC experience at Tarawa.[iii] Despite this the Americans led by General Marshall pushed for an early invasion of northwest Europe. Churchill and the British due to their weakness in land power pushed for land operations in the Mediterranean, and even in Norway as an option to the assault in France. The conflicted mindset of the Allies left them in the position of planning almost exclusively for the success of the initial landings and build up to the near exclusion of planning for the subsequent campaign once they landed. This especially included what one writer described as “the maze of troubles awaiting behind the French shore.”[iv]

LST-325 at Normandy, Specialized Landing Ships and Craft were in High Demand and Short Supply in June 1944

Despite conflicts between the Americans and British political and military leadership the planning for the Normandy landings detailed in NEPTUNE and OVERLORD moved ahead.  General Dwight Eisenhower was appointed as the commander of SHAEF with his major subordinates for Land, Air and Sea which caused consternation on both sides of the Atlantic.[v] [vi] The planned operation was expanded from the initial 3 division assault on a narrow front to a minimum 5 division assault on a broad front across Normandy[vii] supplemented by a strong airborne force.[viii] Overall the plan as it developed reflected a distinctly “American willingness to confront the enemy head-on in a collision which Britain’s leaders had sought for so long to defer.”[ix] It is ironic in a sense that the British avoidance of the head on attack was based on their known lack of manpower.  Britain had few infantry reserves to sustain the war effort and the Americans only late recognized their own deficiency in both quantity and quality of infantry forces on which their strategy depended.  That the western allies, so rich in material and natural resources would be so deficient in infantry manpower was a key constraint on the subsequent campaign in France and Germany.  The shortage of infantry forces would cause great consternation among the Allies as the campaign in France wore on. The Germans too faced manpower shortages due to the immense losses sustained on the Eastern front, those lost in Africa and those tied down in Italy, the Balkans and Norway as well as the drain caused by Luftwaffe Field Divisions and troops diverted into the Waffen-SS.   The German Army resorted to smaller divisions and the created many “static” divisions manned by elderly or invalid Germans to plug the gaps along the Atlantic wall. The Germans were also forced to recruit “Volksdeutsch” and foreign “volunteers” to fill out both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS formations.

Omaha Beach

Prior to the final decision to mount an invasion the Allied planners had contended with the location of the assault in northwestern France.  The Pas de Calais provided a direct route was rejected because it was where the Germans would expect the strike to occur and because it was where the German defenses were strongest.  The fiasco at Dieppe had provided ample proof of what could happen when making an assault into a heavily fortified port.  Likewise the mouth of the Seine near Le Harve was rejected because of the few beaches suitable for landing and because the forces would be split on both sides of the river.  Brittany was excluded due to its distance from the campaigns objectives in Germany.[x] This left Normandy which offered access to a sufficient number of ports and offered some protection from the weather. Normandy offered options to advance the campaign toward the “Breton ports or Le Harve as might be convenient.”[xi] Omaha beach, situated on the center right of the strike would be crucial to the success of the assault situated to the left of UTAH and the right of the British beaches.

Outnumbered Paratroops of II Fallschirmjaeger Corps Delayed US Forces Considerably in Normandy

Once Normandy was selected as the location for the strike by the Allies, the planning sessions remained contentious.  This was especially true when the Allies debated the amount and type of amphibious lift that could be provided for the landings, particularly the larger types of landing ships and craft to support the Normandy invasion and the planned invasion of southern France, Operation ANVIL.  The increase in OVERLORD requirements for landing craft had an impact in the Mediterranean and resulted in ANVIL being postponed until later in the summer.

As part of their preparations the Allies launched a massive deception campaign, Operation FORTITUDE.  This operation utilized the fictitious First Army Group under the “command” of General George Patton. Patton was still smarting from his relief of command of 7^th Army following slapping commanded an “Army Group” which incorporated the use of dummy camp sites, dummy tanks, aircraft and vehicles, falsified orders of battle and communications to deceive German intelligence.[xii] The success of this effort was heightened by the fact that all German intelligence agents in the U.K. had been neutralized or turned by the British secret service.  Additionally the Luftwaffe’s limited air reconnaissance could only confirm the pre-invasion build ups throughout England without determining the target of the invasion.[xiii] The German intelligence chief in the west, Colonel Baron von Roenne “was deceived by FORTITUDE’s fantasy invasion force for the Pas de Calais.”[xiv] Despite this Commander of the 7^th Army recognized by 1943 that Normandy was a likely Allied target and efforts were made to shift 7^th Army’s center of gravity from Brittany to Normandy.  The one potential German success in getting wind of when the Allied landings would occur was lost when German intelligence discovered two lines of Verlaine’s “Chason d’ Automme” in June 1944 which were to alert the French Resistance of the invasion.  The security section of 15^th Army heard them transmitted on the afternoon of 5 June and notified General Jodl at OKW, but no action was taken to alert forces on the coast.[xv] Allied intelligence was aided by ULTRA intercepts of coded German wireless transmissions. However this was less of a factor than during the African and Italian campaigns as more German communications were sent via secure telephone and telegraph lines vice wireless.[xvi] Allied deception efforts were for the most part successful in identifying German forces deployed in Normandy. However they were uncertain about the location of the 352^nd Infantry Division which had been deployed along OMAHA and taken units of the 709^th Infantry Division under its command when it moved to the coast.[xvii]

8th Air Force Bombers Helped Hit German Oil Production Facilities and caused the Luftwaffe to spend its fighter squadrons over Germany than France

The Allied air campaign leading up to the invasion was based on attempting to isolate the invasion site from German reinforcements. Leigh-Mallory the Air Chief developed the “TRANSPORTATION PLAN” which focused efforts on destroying the French railroad infrastructure.[xviii] A more effective effort was led by General Brereton and his Ninth Air Force which was composed of medium bombers and fighters.  Brereton’s aircraft attacked bridges and rapidly achieved success in crippling German efforts to reinforce Normandy.[xix] Max Hastings gives more credit to the American bombing campaign in Germany to crippling the German defense in the west. General Spaatz and the 8^th Air Force destroyed German production capacity in oil and petroleum as well as the degraded the German fighter force.  The American daylight raids so seriously degraded the German fighter force that it could not mount effective resistance to the invasion.[xx] Russell Weigley also notes that Albert Speer the Reich Armaments Minister said that “it was the oil raids of 1944 that decided the war.”[xxi]

Landing craft passing USS Augusta

Planning and preparations for OMAHA were based around getting the 1^st and 29^th Infantry Divisions ashore and them securing a beachhead “twenty-five kilometers wide and eight or nine kilometers deep.”[xxii] American preparations were thorough and ambitious, but the American assault would go through the most heavily defended sector of German defenses in Normandy.  The landing beaches were wide and bordered by dunes which were nearly impassable to vehicles and “scrub covered bluffs thirty to fifty meters high…rough and impassable to vehicles even to tracked vehicles except at a few places.  The exits were unimproved roads running through four or five draws that cut the bluffs.”[xxiii] Dug in along those bluffs was the better part of the 352^nd Division. The Americans compounded their selection of a difficult and heavily defended landing zone the Americans failed to take advantage of many of the “gadgets” that were offered by the British which in hindsight could have aided the Americans greatly.  The Americans made use of two battalions of DD (Dual Drive) tanks but turned down the offer of flail tanks, flamethrower tanks, and engineer tanks, the “funnies” developed by General Hobart and the British 79^th Armored Division.[xxiv] Weigley believes that the American view of “tanks as instruments of mobility rather than of breakthrough power.” Likewise the Americans victories in the First World War were won by infantry with little tank support.[xxv] In this aspect the Americans were less receptive to utilizing all available technology to support their landings, something that when considering the fact that Americans were great lovers of gadgets and technology. The British use of the Armor, including the “Funnies” on the beaches to provide direct fire into German strong points lessened their infantry casualties on D-Day. Due to this lack of armor support on the beach American forces on OMAHA had little opportunity to exercise true combined arms operations during the initial landings.[xxvi]

Dual Drive or DD Tanks took heavy Losses at Omaha

German preparations for an Allied landing in Normandy were less advanced than the Pas de Calais.  However they had made great strides since late 1943. Field Marshal Rommel greatly increased defensive preparations along the front, including the Normandy beaches.  One of Rommel’s initiatives was to deploy Panzer Divisions near the coast where they could rapidly respond to an invasion.  However Rommel did not get everything that he wanted.  The OKW only allotted him two Panzer Divisions to be deployed near the Normandy beaches.  Only one of these the 21^st Panzer Division was deployed near Caen in the British sector.  One wonders the result had the 12^th SS Panzer Division been deployed behind OMAHA. [xxvii]

OMAHA: The Landings

Like the rest of the Allied invasion forces the 1^st and 29^th U.S. Infantry Divisions set sail from their embarkation ports with the intent of landing on June 5^th.  General Bradley, commanding the First Army until the American XII Army Group would be activated accompanied the invasion force.  The OMAHA landing was under the command of General Gerow and his V Corps while VII Corps led by the 4^th Infantry Division landed at Utah supported by airdrops of the 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions inland.  American command and control during the invasion was exercised from sea as in the Pacific, although General Officers were to go ashore with each of the American divisions.  A severe channel storm disrupted the plan to land on the 5^th and Eisenhower delayed the invasion one day catching a break in the weather and electing to go on the 6th.[xxviii] This delay while uncomfortable for the embarked troops caused the Germans to believe that no invasion would take place until the next favorable tide and moon cycle later in the month.[xxix] The assumption that no invasion was possible ensured that a number of key senior German leaders, including Rommel were absent from the invasion front when the Allies landed.[xxx]

1st Infantry Divison Troops at the Omaha Beach Sea Wall

The landing beaches at OMAHA stretched about 6500 meters from Colleville-Sur-Mer to Vierville-Sur-Mere in the west.  The beaches are wide with bluffs overlooking them and a seawall between the beaches and the bluffs.  Additionally several small towns dot the beach. To the west of the town of Vierville, a prominent height overlooked the entire beachhead.  Named Pont du Hoc, it was believed to house a 150mm battery sighted where it could enfilade the OMAHA landing zones.  The Americans assigned to the 2^nd Ranger Battalion to make a seaborne assault to land, scale the cliffs and take the battery.  Companies from this battalion made a heroic landing and scaled the cliffs to capture the strongpoint only to discover that the guns had not been emplaced.  The Rangers took heavy casualties and held their isolated beachhead against German counterattacks until relieved by the 29^th Division on the morning of June 8^th.[xxxi]

H-Hour for OMAHA was 0630.  Unfortunately the assault troops were transferred to their LCVP landing craft 16-20 kilometers from the beach.  The result was a long and dangerous ride in the small craft for the infantry.  Most of the infantry were completely soaked in sea spay and seasick before going ashore and they carried loads far above what they normally would carry into battle.[xxxii] The Armor support was one battalion of DD tanks, the 741^st Armored Battalion, supporting the 16^th Infantry Refiment of 1^st Infantry Division. These were also launched too far out and nearly all of the tanks were swamped and lost before firing a shot in anger.[xxxiii] Other American support units needed to provide firepower on the beach were equally unfortunate. Weigley notes that at OMAHA “at least 10 of the LCVPs sank” as did “the craft carrying almost all of the 105mm howitzers that were to be the first artillery ashore after the tanks.”[xxxiv] The losses would cripple the assault on OMAHA and nearly cause its abandonment.

Panzers and Grenadiers in Normandy

As the soldiers of the American divisions on OMAHA came ashore they faced German defenders of the 352^nd, 716^th and a regiment of the 709th Infantry Division, the latter under the tactical command of the 352^nd.   Without the bulk of their tanks artillery and lacking close air support the Americans struggled across the beaches and were cut down in large numbers before being pinned down behind the sea wall.[xxxv] With the Americans pinned down on the beach unable to advance, the time tables for the reinforcing waves became snarled amid the German beach obstacles which had not been cleared.  This was in large part due to 40% casualties among the Combat Engineers and the loss of all but five bulldozers.[xxxvi] Naval officers were frustrated in their attempts to provide naval gunfire support by the lack of identifiable targets on the beaches.  Yet German strongpoint’s were “knocked out by either by superbly directed vigorous gunfire from destroyers steaming as close as 800 yards offshore, or by determined action from Rangers or infantry.[xxxvii]

Soldiers ashore discovered that they were not facing the static 716^th Division but the veteran 352^nd Division as well.[xxxviii] Only the leadership and actions of Brigadier General Norman Cota the 29^th Division’s Deputy Commander and Colonel Charles Canham of the 116^th Infantry kept the situation from complete collapse.  They were able to rally their troops. Under their leadership small units from the 116^th which had its linage back to the “Stonewall Brigade” as well as elements of the 16^th and 18^th Infantry Regiments began to move forward.  Surviving junior leaders began to lead survivors through the dunes and up the bluffs to attack German defenders of the roads leading up from the beach from the flank and rear.  A mid-day break in the weather allowed some close tactical air support giving the troops badly needed support.

With the situation desperate General Bradley considered the evacuation of OMAHA.  At sea events were as confused as Bradley and his staff attempted to make sense of what was going on.  Even later in the evening there was discussion of diverting all further reinforcements from OMAHA to the British beaches.[xxxix]At 1330 hours “Gerow signaled Bradley: “Troops formerly pinned down on beaches…advancing up heights behind beaches.”[xl] By the end of the day Bradley’s aid Major Hansen noted Bradley’s comments to Collins: “They are digging in on Omaha beach with their fingernails. I hope they can push in and get some stuff ashore.”  And Montgomery: “Someday I’ll tell Gen[eral] Eisenhower just how close it was for a few hours.”[xli]

The Author Teaching at Point du Hoc in 2004

The landings at OMAHA succeeded at a cost of over 2000 casualties.  Critical to the success of the landings were the German inability to reinforce their defending troops on the beach.  Likewise the weakness of the units available to mount the standard counterattack that was critical to German defensive plans on D-Day itself kept the Germans from driving the Americans back into the Channel. The 352^nd Division fought superbly under the full weight of V Corps and the British XXX Corps on its right suffering heavy casualties as they contested every inch of ground.  The 716^th Division composed of second rate troops melted under the onslaught.  Allied air supremacy played a key role as sorties by the 8^th and 9^th Air Forces helped keep German reinforcements from arriving and interdicted counter attacks inland.  Weigley credits the Allied air superiority with the success of the landings and with limiting casualties.[xlii] Von Rundstedt and other German commanders in France were limited by the delay and refusal of Hitler and OKW to release Panzer reserves when needed most early on June 6^th.  By the close of D-Day allied forces had secured the five invasion beaches but not achieved their objectives of taking Caen and Bayuex.  Since the forces on the various beachheads had not linked up the beaches would have been extremely vulnerable had the Germans been able to mount a rapid counterattack by Panzers and strong infantry formations as they had at Salerno.

Major Battles to the Breakout at Avranches

Securing the Beachheads:

It took the V and VII Corps nearly a week to secure the beachheads. German forces including the stalwart 352^nd Division resisted stubbornly and mounted sharp local counterattacks which kept the Americans off balance.  Elements of the 29^th Division and the 90^th Division began to push inland and to expand the beachhead toward UTAH. Opposed by the 352^nd Division and elements of the 91^st Airlanding Division and other non-divisional units the fighting revealed the inexperience of the American infantry formations and the uneven quality of their leadership.  As the Americans tackled the Germans in the labyrinth of the Bocage country the defensive skill of the Germans cost many American lives and delayed the joining of the beachheads. On the 13^th the link up was solid enough to enabling the Americans to conduct the follow up operations needed to expand the beachhead, secure Cherbourg and clear the Cotentin.

Tiger Tank and Crew in Normandy

In some American divisions the hard fighting triggered a leadership crisis.  The lack of success of the 90^th Division led General “Lightening Joe” Collins of VII Corps relieve the division commander and two regimental commanders of command, a portent of things to come with other American units.[xliii] As the V and VII corps pushed into the “Bocage” they were followed by a massive build up of troops and equipment delivered to the beaches and to the artificial “Mulberry” harbors.  Despite their numeric superiority, air supremacy and massive Naval gunfire support and facing the weakened 352^nd, 91^st and the 6^th Parachute Regiment and other less than quality formations, survivors of the static divisions, the Americans made painfully slow progress as they moved off the beachhead and into the Bocage.[xliv]

The Capture of Cherbourg

Once the beachheads had been consolidated the Americans turned their attention toward Cherbourg. Cherbourg was the major naval port at the far northwest tip of the Cotentin.  D-Day planners counted on its swift capture and rehabilitation to serve as a supply port for the Allied forces. The 9^th Division drove south to the coast near Barneville on the 18^th of June cutting off the German forces covering the approaches to Cherbourg.[xlv] This put the Germans in a bind as the 7^th Army “had to split its forces in the peninsula in order to hold the fortress a little longer and thus to gain time for the establishment of the southern front on the Cotentin peninsula.[xlvi] The German forces arrayed before Cherbourg waged a desperate defense centered around the 243^rd Infantry Division and other assorted battle groups of LXXXIV Corps, whose commander General Marcks one of the best German Generals was killed in action on 12 June.[xlvii] The U.S. VII Corps under Collins with the 9^th, 4^th and 79^th Divisions pushed up the peninsula capturing Cherbourg on June 29^th.  Bradley pushed hard for the capture of the port as the Mulberries had been ravaged by a severe Channel storm the week prior. The port of Cherbourg was thoroughly demolished by German engineers and would not be fully operational for months. The loss of the Mulberries and delay in Cherbourg’s availability meant that few supplies were landed on the beaches would “hinder the escape from the constricting land of the hedgerows into which the Americans had come in search of a port.[xlviii]

The Battle of Caumont Gap

V Corps under Gerow made a cautious advance by phase lines toward Caumont, St Lo and Carentan.  The deliberate advance by the Corps toward a line weakly held by the Reconnaissance battalion of the 17^th SS Panzer Grenadier Division was directed by Bradley who did not want to divert attention from the effort against Cherbourg.   After capturing Caumont V Corps halted and continued aggressive patrolling to deceive the Germans while digging in.[xlix] The possibility existed that a strong push against the weak German line could have led to an opportunity to envelope the German line west of Caen. This was a missed opportunity that in part led to the bloody and controversial campaign to capture Caen.[l]

British efforts around Caen

Montgomery had ambitious plans to break out of Normandy by capturing Caen on D-Day and driving toward Falaise and Argentan.  The British plans for this were frustrated by the rapid reinforcement of the sector by the Germans and the activities of 21^st Panzer, Panzer Lehr, and the 12^th SS Panzer Divisions.  A flanking maneuver at Villers-Bocage was frustrated by a few Tiger tanks led by the legendary Waffen SS Panzer commander Captain Michael Wittman whose tanks devastated a British Armored battalion.[li] A series of disastrous attacks toward Caen (EPSOM, CHARNWOOD and GOODWOOD) strongly supported by air strikes and Naval gunfire finally succeeded in taking that unfortunate city on July 18^th but failed to take the heights beyond the town.[lii] Against crack well dug in German forces the British took heavy casualties in tanks and infantry seriously straining their ability to conduct high intensity combat operations in the future.[liii] The one benefit, which Montgomery would claim after the war as his original plan was that German forces were fixed before Caen and ground down so they could not be used against Bradley’s breakout in the west at St Lo.[liv]

Panzer Ace Captain Michael Wittmann on His Tiger Tank

Clearing the Bocage: The Battle of the Cotentin Plain

Other German forces arrived, and reinforced the Caumont gap which no longer “yawned invitingly in front of V Corps.” [lv] Bradley wished to push forward rapidly to achieve a breakthrough in the American sector.[lvi] Facing the most difficult terrain in France amid the Bocage and swamps that limited avenues of approach to the American divisions committed to the offensive.  The Americans now faced their old foe the 352^nd division as well various elements of II Parachute Corps, the 17^th SS Panzer Grenadier and Panzer Lehr Divisions.  American tanks and infantry made slow progress and incurred high losses as they dueled the Germans at close range.  In the VIII Corps sector alone the attack “consumed twelve days and 10,000 casualties to cross eleven kilometers of the Bocage…the achievements of the VII and XIX Corps were no better than comparable.[lvii]

St. Lo

St. Lo was a key to Bradley’s breakout efforts.  His Army had to capture it and the roads leading out of it to launch Operation COBRA along the coast.  The task of capturing St. Lo was assigned to GEROW’S V Corps and Corlett’s XIX Corps.  They faced opposition from the tough paratroops of the German 3^rd Parachute Division of II Parachute Corps.  The 2^nd, 29^th, 30^th and 83^rd Divisions fought a tough battle advancing eleven kilometers again with high numbers of casualties especially among the infantry to secure St. Lo on 18 July.[lviii] They finally had cleared the hedgerows.  St Lo epitomized the struggle that the American Army had to overcome in the Bocage.  Hard fighting but outnumbered German troops in excellent defensive country exacted a terrible price in American blood despite the Allied control of the skies.[lix]

US Tanks and German Prisoners at St Lo

Operation COBRA

With the Bocage behind him Bradley desired to push the Germans hard.  COBRA was his plan to break out of Normandy.  Bradley ably assisted by Collins they realized that the better terrain, road networks favored a breakout.  American preparations included a technical advance that allowed tanks to plow through hedgerows. This was the “Rhino” device fashioned by American troops which was installed on 3 of every 5 First Army Tanks for the operation.[lx] VII Corps was to lead the attack which was to begin on July 24^th. American planning was more advanced than in past operations.  Collins and Bradley planned for exploitation operations once the breakthrough had been made. A massive air bombardment would precede the attack along with an artillery barrage by Collins corps artillery which was reinforced by additional battalions.   A mistake by the heavy bombers in the 24^th resulted in the American troops being hit with heavy casualties and a postponement of the attack until the 25th.[lxi] The following day the attack commenced.  Another mistake by the bombers led to more American casualties[lxii] but VII Corps units pressed forward against the determined resistance of the survivors of Panzer Lehr and the remnants of units that had fought the Americans since the invasion began.  Although it was a “slow go” on the 25^th Bradley and his commanders were already planning for and beginning to execute the breakout before the Germans could move up reinforcements.  The 26^th of June brought renewed attacks accompanied by massive air strikes.  While not much progress was made on the 26^th, the Americans discovered on the 27^th that the German forces were retreating.  The capture of Marigny allowed VIII Corps to begin exploitation down the coastal highway to Coutances.  On the 27^th General Patton was authorized to take immediate command of VIII Corps a precursor to the activation of his 3^rd Army.  COBRA ripped a hole in the German line and inflicted such heavy casualties on the German 7^th Army that it could do little to stop the American push.[lxiii] As the American forces pushed forward they reinforced their left flank absorbing the local German counterattacks which were hampered by the Allied close air support.

Avranches and Beyond

As the breakthrough was exploited the command of the forces leading it shifted to Patton and the newly activated 3^rd Army. By the 28^th VIII Corps led by the 4^th and 6^th Armored Divisions had reached Avranches and established bridgeheads over the See River with additional bridges being captured intact on the 30^th.[lxiv] The capture of Avranches allowed the Americans to begin exploitation operations into Brittany and east toward the Seine. Weigley notes that for the first time in the campaign that in Patton the Americans finally had a commander who understood strategic maneuver and would use it to great effect.[lxv]

Conclusion

The American campaign in Normandy cost the U.S. Army a great deal. It revealed weaknesses in the infantry, the inferiority of the M4 Sherman tank to most German types, problems in tank-infantry cooperation and also deficiencies in leadership at senior, mid-grade and junior levels. Heavy casualties among infantry formations would lead to problems later in the campaign. Numerous officers were relieved including Division and Regimental commanders.  Nonetheless during the campaign the Americans grew in their ability to coordinate air and ground forces and adapt to the conditions imposed on them by their placement in the Cotentin.  The deficiencies would show up in later battles but the American Army learned its trade even impressing some German commanders on the ground in Normandy.[lxvi]

[ii] Weigley, Russell F. Eisenhower’s Lieutenants: The Campaign of France and Germany, 1944-1945, Indiana University Press, Bloomington IN, 1981 p.33

[iii] Ibid pp. 34-35

[iv] Ibid p.35

[v] General Montgomery 21^st Army group and Land Forces, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsey as Allied Naval Expeditionary Force and Air Marshall Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory as Commander in Chief Allied Expeditionary Air Force. Weigley p.43

[vi] Max Hastings in Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy Vintage Books, New York, 1984, comments that many in Britain wondered if Eisenhower with the lack of actual battle experience could be a effective commander and that Eisenhower was disappointed in the appointment of Leigh-Mallory and Ramsey, and had preferred Alexander over Montgomery, pp. 28-29.

[vii] Ibid. Weigley p.40.  Montgomery was the first to object to the 3 division narrow front invasion rightly recognizing that seizing Caen with its road junctions could provide a springboard for the campaign into open country.

[viii] Ibid. p.37

[ix] Hastings, Max. Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy Vintage Books, New York, 1984 p.29  Hastings finds the irony in the selection of the British officers to execute the plan that reflected the American way of thinking.

[x] The Germans agreed with this in their planning leaving Brittany very lightly defended.  See  Isby, David C. Ed. “The German Army at D-Day: Fighting the Invasion.” p.27 The report of General Blumentritt, Chief of Staff OB West noted that only 3 divisions were assigned to Brittany.

[xi] Ibid. Weigley, pp. 39-40

[xii] Ibid. p.73

[xiii] See Isby p. 69.  General Max Pemsel of 7^th Army noted that “During  the spring of 1944, Seventh Army received only tow good photographs of British southern ports, which showed large concentrations of landing craft.”

[xiv] Ibid. Hastings p.63.  Hastings comments also about the success of using the turned Abwehr agents.

[xv] Warlimont, Walter. “Inside Hitler’s Headquarters: 1939-1945.” Translated from theGerman by R.H. Barry. Presidio Press, Novao CA, English Edition Copyright 1964 Wiedenfeld and Nicholson Ltd. Pp.422-423

[xvi] Ibid. Weigley pp. 53-54

[xvii] Ibid. p. 67

[xviii] Ibid. pp.57-64  Weigley spends a great deal of time on the wrangling between Eisenhower, Leigh Mallory and Spaatz on the nature of the plan, the allocation of forces both strategic and tactical assigned to carry it out and its success, or in the light of postwar analysis the lack of effect that it had on German operations.

[xix] Ibid. p.67-68.

[xx] Ibid. Hastings pp. 43-44 In large part due to the long range P-51 Mustang which accompanied the American bombing raids beginning in 1943.  Another comment is that the campaign drew the German fighters home to defend Germany proper and prevented their use in any appreciable numbers over the invasion beaches.

[xxi] Ibid. Weigley p.69

[xxii] Ibid. p.89

[xxiii] Ibid. pp. 88-89

[xxiv] Ibid. p.87

[xxv] Ibid. Weigley also talks about the rejection of General Corlett’s ideas to use Amtracks used by the Marines in the Pacific to land on less desirable, but less defended beaches to lessen casualties on the beaches and the need for additional support equipment even on smooth beaches.  One of Corlett’s criticisms was that too little ammunition was allotted to supporting the landings and not enough supporting equipment was provided. pp. 46-47

[xxvi] Hastings notes that with the strength and firepower of the German forces on OMAHA that many of these vehicles had they been employed would like have ended up destroyed further cluttering the beachhead. “Overlord” p.102

[xxvii] The battle over the deployment of the Panzer Divisions is covered by numerous historians.  The source of the conflict was between Rommel who desired to place the Panzer Divisions on the Coast under his command due to the fear that Allied air superiority would prevent the traditional Panzer counterthrust, General Gyer von Schweppenburg commander of Panzer Group West (Later the 5^th Panzer Army) and Field Marshal Von Rundstedt who desired to deploy the divisions order the command of Rundstedt for a counter attack once the invasion had been launched, a strategy which was standard on the Eastern Front, and Hitler who held most of the Panzer reserve including the SS Panzer Divisions under his control at OKW.  Hitler would negotiate a compromise that gave Rommel the satisfaction of having three Panzer Divisions deployed behind coast areas in the Army Group B area of responsibility.  21^st Panzer had those duties in Normandy.

[xxviii] Ibid. p.74-75

[xxix] Von Luck, Hans.  “Panzer Commander“ Dell Publishing, New York, 1989 pp. 169-170.  Von Luck a regiment commander in 21^st Panzer noted that General Marcks of 84^th Corps had predicted a 5 June invasion at a conference May 30^th.

[xxx] Almost every D-Day historian talks about the weather factor and its effect on the German high command’s reaction to the invasion.  Rommel was visiting his wife for her birthday and planned to make a call on Hitler. Others including commanders of key divisions such as the 91^st Airlanding Division were off to a war game in Rennes and the 21^st Panzer Division to Paris.

[xxxi] Ibid. Weigley p. 96

[xxxii] See Cornelius Ryan, “The Longest Day” Popular Library Edition, New York 1959. pp. 189-193 for a vivid description of the challenges faced by soldiers going from ship to landing craft and their ride in to the beaches.

[xxxiii] Ibid. Weigley. p.78 Weigley talks about the order for the tanks to be carried ashore on their LCTs that did not get transmitted to the 741^st.

[xxxiv] Ibid.

[xxxv] Ibid. Weigley  p. 87 The weather prevented the aerial bombardment from being effective. Because the bombers could not see their targets they dropped their bomb loads further inland, depriving the infantry of support that they were expecting.  Naval gunfire support had some effect but had to be lifted as the troops hit the beach leaving much of that support to come from Destroyers and specially equipped landing craft which mounted rockets and guns.

[xxxvi] Ibid. Hastings. pp. 90-91.

[xxxvii] Ibid. p.99

[xxxviii] Ibid. Weigley p.80

[xxxix] Ibid. p.101  Also see Weigley p.80

[xl] Ibid. p.99

[xli] Ibid. Weigley. p.95

[xlii] Ibid. p.94

[xliii] Ibid. p.99 Both Weigley and Hastings make note of the failure of both the Americans and British to train their troops to fight in the bocage once they had left the beaches.

[xliv] Ibid. Hastings. pp.152-153

[xlv] Ibid. Weigley p.101

[xlvi] Isby, David C., Ed. “Fighting in Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage.” Greenhill Books, London,  2001.  p.143

[xlvii] Ibid. Hastings p.173 Allied fighter bombers exacted a fearful toll among German commanders. The Commanders of the 243^rd and 77^th Divisions fighting in the Cotentin were also killed by air attacks on the 17^th and 18^th.   Further east facing the British the commander of the 12^th SS Panzer Division, Fritz Witt on the 17^th.

[xlviii] Ibid. Weigley. p.108

[xlix] Ibid. p.111-112.

[l] Ibid.

[li] The efforts of the 51^st Highland Division and 7^th Armored Division were turned aside by the Germans in the area and were dramatized by the destruction of  a British armored battalion by SS Captain Michael Wittman and his platoon of Tiger tanks.  See Hastings pp.131-135.

[lii] The British 8^th Corps under General O’Connor lost 270 tanks and 1,500 men on 18 July attempting to crack the German gun line on the ridge beyond Caen. Weigley, pp.145-146.

[liii] Hastings comments about the critical British manpower shortage and the pressures on Montgomery to not take heavy casualties that could not be replaced. Overlord. pp.241-242.

[liv] Ibid. Weigley pp.116-120

[lv] Ibid. p.122

[lvi] Ibid. p121 Bradley told Eisenhower “when we hit the enemy this time we will hit him with such power that we can keep going and cause a major disaster.”

[lvii] Ibid. 134

[lviii] Ibid. Weigley. pp. 138-143.  Weigley notes of 40,000 U.S. casualties in Normandy up to the capture of St. Lo that 90% were concentrated among the infantry.

[lix] Weigley quotes the 329^th Regiment, 83^rd Division historian “We won the battle of Normandy, [but] considering the high price in American lives we lost. P.143. This is actually a provocative statement that reflects America’s aversion to massive casualties in any war.

[lx] Ibid. p.149

[lxi] Ibid. p. 152

[lxii] Ibid. pp. 152-153.  Among the casualties were the command group of the 9^th Division’s 3^rd Battalion 47^th Infantry and General Leslie McNair who had come to observe the assault.

[lxiii] Ibid. pp.161-169. Weigley notes the advances in U.S. tactical air support, the employment of massive numbers of U.S. divisions against the depleted German LXXXIV Corps, and the advantage that the “Rhino” device gave to American tanks by giving them the ability to maneuver off the roads for the first time.

[lxiv] Ibid. pp.172-173.

[lxv] Ibid. p.172

[lxvi] Ibid. Isby, David C. “Fighting in Normandy,” p.184, an officer of the 352^nd Division referred to the American soldier “was to prove himself a in this terrain an agile and superior fighter.”

Bibliography

Carell, Paul. “Invasion: They’re Coming!” Translated from the German by E. Osers, Bantam, New York 1964.

Hastings, Max. Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy Vintage Books, New York, 1984

Isby, David C. Ed. “The German Army at D-Day: Fighting the Invasion.” Greenhill Books, London 2004

Isby, David C., Ed. “Fighting in Normandy: The German Army from D-Day to Villers-Bocage.” Greenhill Books, London, 2001.

Ryan, Cornelius, “The Longest Day” Popular Library Edition, New York 1959

Tsouras, Peter. “Disaster at D-Day: The Germans Defeat the Allies, June 1944,” Greenhill Books, London 1994.

Von Luck, Hans.  “Panzer Commander“ Dell Publishing, New York, 1989

Warlimont, Walter. “Inside Hitler’s Headquarters: 1939-1945.” Translated from theGerman by R.H. Barry. Presidio Press, Novao CA, English Edition Copyright 1964 Wiedenfeld and Nicholson Ltd. Warlimont, Walter. “Inside Hitler’s Headquarters: 1939-1945.” Translated from theGerman by R.H. Barry. Presidio Press, Novao CA, English Edition Copyright 1964 Wiedenfeld and Nicholson Ltd.

Weigley, Russell F. Eisenhower’s Lieutenants: The Campaign of France and Germany, 1944-1945, Indiana University Press, Bloomington IN, 1981

Lecture et dédicace Baz…art Editions ? Fruits de la Hague de Hervé Schulz  le samedi 10 octobre  à 12h00 à la Librairie RYST  -  CHERBOURG  (02 33 53 48 57).
Cette dédicace sera précédée d’une lecture d’Alain Benoist en présence de l’auteur et poète Hervé Schulz.

Exposition des dessins de Jean Marc Leterrier.

Fruits de la Hague
d’Hervé Schulz

Baz…art éditions ? – collection Colégram – 2008 avec le soutien de la Région Basse-Normandie et le concours du Centre Régional des Lettres

Où se situe le territoire du poème ?
Là où le poète vit
Là où il a vécu
Là où ses pas le mènent
Là où dans une alchimie secrète il livre, entre la force et la fugacité de la vie, un être plus riche, qui n’hésite pas à parler avec son âme                                                    “ de la direction que prendra le vent ”.
Ce recueil croise tout ce qu’on aime de notre pays de la Hague et “ le vent aura beau se démener ”, Hervé Schulz y voyage avec grâce, car il est poète.                              Il a épousé le temps et y a déposé son “ encre ” sensible.
Ainsi, à cette rencontre, le choix fut facile, et la collection Colégram l’accueille aux cris des mouettes.

Nathalie Féron

Hervé SCHULZ a 52 ans.
Origine polonaise, mère née à Cracovie, racines méditerranéennes, né à Hyères dans le Var.
Voyageur précoce grâce à un père officiant dans la « Royale », Sénégal, Maroc, La Réunion. Scolarité « nomade », huit établissements en onze ans de scolarité avant la faculté de lettres de Caen. Ecrit depuis longtemps par petits bouts pour ne pas dire poèmes : « Pour faire des poèmes il est nécessire d’en connaître les formules ». Les rapports à l’écriture le passionnent, il dit préférer la réalité qu’il écrit à celle qu’il voit.
Réside à Omonville-la-Rogue dans la Hague où il voyage désormais par défaut, grâce à la littérature.

En éditant cet ouvrage, Baz…art éditions ? désire soutenir un coup de cœur et ainsi permettre à son auteur Hervé Schulz d’être publié pour la première fois.

http://www.baz-art.com/

No clima da noite, já que eu acabei de ver o Zach!

“Sunday morning
only fog on the limbs
I called it again
what do you know
And I filled our days
with cards and gin
You’re alight again, my dear”

The super-cool folk at Trash Aesthetics recently asked us to do a mixtape for them, so OIW scratched our heads, picked some tracks each, and came up with our “The Geek Chic Mafia vs. Pirates In Love” megamix of all things cool!

You can now download our awesome compilation from the Trash Aesthetics site from HERE, or by clicking the pic below. You can also stream the mixtape on this here blog too, just hit play…

The Geek Chic Mafia vs. Pirates In Love (An OIW Mixtape)

Full tracklisting…

Clock Opera – Once And For All
Forest Fire – Fortune Teller
Amanda Blank – Make It Take It
The xx – Crystalised
Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want
Generationals – When They Fight They Fight
Wolf Gang – Pieces Of You
Cherbourg – Man
Telepathe – Chromes On It (The Shoes Remix)
Other Lives – Black Tables
Theophilus London – Grey X Sage (Misty night)
exlovers – SOF

Our regular OIW compere extraordinaire, Christopher George, knocked up the artwork for the cover. Chris is cool and as well as running the blog “Christophers Guide To Being Cool” (essential reading for all you wannabe hipsters), he also makes great T-shirts and can be found on Camden market every weekend. Here’s his site and all that, Sally Can’t Dance.

maybe i’m cheating this week as cherbourg aren’t really new to me. i first heard about them when they toured with mumford and sons which was quite a while ago now, but i never properly listened to them. anyway, a few weeks ago i was watching some of the ray-ban balcony sessions which includes the likes of peggy sue and laura marling (all wearing ray-bans) and i noticed cherbourg and watched the video, and it was so good! they have seem to have risen out of the london nu-folk seen, from the likes of laura marling, mumford and sons, johnny flynn (a scene which i love and dominates my musical listening) and so they have a very mumford and sons thing about them- the harmonies, strong melodies, string solos… but its got an edge, and you can hear the influences of the arcade fire and maybe even rock bands like kings of leon. tomorrow night (2nd sept) they are doing there biggest ever headline show at the ICA, tickets 8.50. they also have a number of EP’s avaliable through Rough Trade and also iTunes. here is a mp3 of my favourite Cherbourg song, Horses…

Cherbourg- Horses

and there beautiful single ‘Man’

also, does anyone know if the violinist played with laura marling on her novemeber 2008 night terror tour??

i hope you like them! xxx

p.s. sorry for the lack of updating the blog, my laptop broke. hopefully in the next few days though there will be a noah and the whale review on there new and so far very beautiful album, the first days of spring, and also lots of new and unseen glastonbury 2009 videos and some small reviews (what i can remember!) including laura marling, florence and the machine and neil young!

After a short break, the Glee Club is back with a great programme of musicians to take us through until Christmas. Bands include Polar Bear, The Low Anthem, Cherbourg, Mumford & Sons and Johnny Flynn.

It all kicks off with The Dodos and Dan Michaelsonon Tuesday 1st September. Beauteous!

I’ll leave the summarising to the experts:

‘The Dodos superbly combine their exotic syncopations with a joyously taut indie-rock that suggests The Violent Femmes or Clinic. The lyrics are a mix of emotional candor and references to Roxy Music. The latter’s Brian Eno combined with David Byrne for the key Afro-influenced LP My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Infectious, propulsive, unselfconscious.’  ~ Mojo, August 2008

Dan Michaelson recently supported Duke Special and The Leisure Society at the Glee. Dan Michaelson is the singer of Absentee. The Coastguards is his new offshoot…somewhere to go when he feels like a holiday. In September 2007 he recorded a number of songs that were deemed “not very Absentee” and this formed the backbone of the forthcoming album.

‘Impressive – comes on like Smog fronting the songs of Ed Harcourt” -  Uncut

Colour have written a nice piece on their blog about their recommendations for the next few months. Take a peek here.

Tickets can be bought on the Glee Club website.

Colonel-General Alfred Yodle

Field Marshal Gerd von Runstedt (German Supreme Commander in the West) with General Lor

Rommel inspects the defences of France against invasion. General Feuchtinger shows Rommel his invention – multiple rocker launchers. But the invasion came before many could be produced.

General Wilhelm Meise was Rommel`s expert in explosives and mines.

Строительство Атлантического вала.

Карта Атлантического вала, добытая Душе, на пути в Лондон. Жильбер Рено (стоит), около него (сидит) капитан траулера Даниель Ломенеш.

Флот призраков направляется в сторону Булони для обозначения ложного направления главного удара союзников.

Английские военнослужащие устанавливают надувные резиновые макеты танков для введения в заблуждение немецкой аиоразведки в отношении истинного района сосредоточения союзных войск.

Американские радиостанции, имитирующие штаб-квартиру генерала Паттона в графстве Кент в Великобритании. Весна 1944 года.

Оборонительные взрывные устройства, изготовленные в войсках, для отражения высадки союзников.

На испытаниях устройства “Пенджердрем”.

From Cherbourg to Portsmouth.

My trip  took me through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Monaco, and Italy.  I stayed in mostly hostels and some hotels.  I saw grandeur, experienced other cultures and met wonderful people; I had great times and some problems along the way and I wrote about it all.

Hard copy is $55 + 4.95 for shipping; PDF file is $18. If you would like to have a copy, just click the donate button to the right and make a donation from your paypal account or your credit card, of at least $18 for the pdf file or $59.95 or more for the hard copy book. Please be sure to include your email address and your mailing address and I will send the book to you right away.

This week end was filled with a couple of gigs but crammed packed with new exciting talent, and I just can’t keep it to myself! First on Friday night I went to what used to be 3 years ago the coolest club in town, KOKO, it is now not so nice… but what was nice were the bands that were playing. MPHO is a singer who I reckon is a perfect combination of Lily Allen and The Noisettes with perhaps even a tad of Beyonce. Having never heard of MPHO before Friday she still managed to get me singing along and the only words I said to my friend through the whole set were “wow!” Following her were ‘Ou Est Le Swimming Pool’ I cant describe to you how magic this bunch are, all I can say is forget trying to listen to them online just get your self to a gig and prepare to be blown away. On Sunday I went down to my monthly haunt Communion at Notting Hill Arts club. Communion is my favourite thing to do on a Sunday night, with it’s family like feel, cheap drinks and brilliant superstar Dj’s, you just can’t go wrong. Cherbourg played and they melt my heart with how amazing they are every time I see them, their folky sounds will wash over you and I always end up getting a little teary eyed as their lyrics fit perfectly in to the space my words can never quite fill. 

On other musical news Blazin’ squad gave our boys ‘Heaven Sent Thugs’ a ‘Follow Friday’ which I think is very exciting! If your not following ‘Heaven Sent Thugs’ on Twitter do so now there user name is ‘Heavensentthugs’.

Here some links for you:

MPHO 

http://www.myspace.com/mphosounds

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool

http://www.myspace.com/ouestleswimmingpool

Cherbourg 

http://www.myspace.com/cherbourgmusic

Heaven Sent thugs

http://www.myspace.com/heavensentthugs

Viv

La guerre de Sécession fait rage. Les corsaires sudistes portent des coups redoutables au commerce du Nord : l’issue de la guerre est incertaine. Maîtresse des mers, la Confédération peut espérer la victoire. La décision finale dépend peut-être d’un seul bateau et d’un seul homme : le croiseur de guerre Alabama, au sillage jonché d’épaves et de prises yankees, et son pacha, le commandant Semmes, un corsaire à l’âme chevaleresque.

Aux trousses de l’Alabama, le puissant Kearsarge battant pavillon nordiste, chargé de le couler coûte que coûte. Les deux navires feront le tour du monde pour, au terme d’une extraordinaire odyssée maritime, livrer bataille sur les côtes normandes : le 19 juin 1864, devant des milliers de spectateurs rassemblés sur la rade de Cherbourg, le Kearsarge enverra l’Alabama par le fond, consacrant le naufrage des idéaux sudistes…

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Jean-Pierre Deloux, qui fut rédacteur en chef de la défunte et prestigieuse revue Polar, historien du cinéma et directeur de diverses collections policières ou ésotériques, était aussi passionné par la guerre de Sécession. Dans son ouvrage “Le Corsaire Alabama”, Editions Edite, 2001, au-delà du récit de cet extraordinaire épisode, il suggère que la guerre de Sécession n’est pas terminée et qu’elle concerne directement l’Europe contemporaine, menacée par les rêves mondialistes de l’impérialisme yankee.
Il est mort le 23 janvier dernier : mauvaise nouvelle pour le polar sur l’avenir duquel il s’interrogeait avec justesse dans un entretien qu’il donnait à Michel Marmin dans le n°100 -mars 2001 de la revue Éléments.
Il m’avait envoyé son « Vacher l’Assassin », fort gentiment dédicacé .
« Personnage généreux, entier, excessif, tourmenté, pessimiste, grand amateur de bonne chère et de bons vins, Jean-Pierre Deloux laisse une œuvre atypique », qui aura, comme on dit, marqué ceux qui l’ont connu.
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Royal Caribbean International has announced the return of the Vision of the Seas to Scandinavia for the 2010 summer sailing season. Between April and September 2010, the 78,491-GRT ship will offer 24 voyages from 14 distinct itineraries and visit 34 ports in 14 countries.

Amongst the highlights is a new 11-night Arctic Circle departing from Copenhagen on 12 August 2010. The cruise features a day of cruising in the Arctic Circle and calls at the Norwegian ports of Alesund, Honningsvag, Tromso, Geiranger, Olden and Bergen. A 9-night British Isles and Normandy cruise departing on 6 May and 20 May 2009 will call at Cherbourg and Le Havre in France, Inverness and Edinburgh in Scotland and Dublin in Ireland before returning to Oslo.

Vision of the Seas will cruise the Baltic on a series of cruises to St. Petersburg, Russia. The 7-night sailings from Copenhagen takes guests to Helsinki, Stockholm and Talinn en route, while the 6-night voyages from Stockholm will call at Gdansk and Visby. The vessel will also offer short 4-/5-night cruises in the region.

Featuring a rock climbing wall, 6 whirlpools, themed bars, a Casino Royale, luxury accomodation and other facilities across 11 decks, Vision of the Seas can carry up to 2,435 guests as she cruises Scandinavia. A range of activities and performances keeps guests entertained onboard whilst sailing between ports.

For more information, visit www.royalcaribbean.com.

It’s been a while folks! I’ve had an incredible June insofar and, besides my exams, it’s been brilliant! I’ve seen a few shows, many friends and probably the most worry in a while.

Both Cherbourg/The Agitator shows were ossum & many thanks go to them for being such top dollar gents and playing their hearts out on stage. I also saw The Answering Machine at their album launch last night which was very, very, very hot, but very, very, very good. Eyes on the band peeps, eyes on the band. We’ll (Victoria, Sherri and I) hopefully be seeing them this Saturday too!

I’ve got BIG plans for this summer. I don’t want to waste a second of my time watching day time TV or being bored. I’d like to get quite a bit of TLS stuff done and learn something new for sure. There’s an escapade I might be parttaking in that would truly be out of my little world if it were to go ahead, so, many fingers and toes crossed!!

With all the pressure of exams and my lack of response, I’ve been thinking about what would happen if I didn’t go to Uni. Would I reapply a year later? Or just give up on it and follow a different path? I like to hope that I could thrive in a different area of academia, maybe even something more artistic…we’ll see when we get to August eh?

Over and out, M x

* the pictures are from an exhibition that’s on at Nexus. Go & look, it’s amazing.

…  il n’y a pas longtemps.

source

Une photo de Cherbourg, avec les drapeaux anglais et français côte à côte.

Source (Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / National Archives USA)

Les Américains débarquent à 6h30 à Omaha Beach et Utah Beach, tandis que les troupes du Commonwealth atteignent les plages de Sword Beach, Juno Beach et Gold Beach à 7h30.

L’ensemble s’articule de la façon suivante :

o Sword Beach, entre Ouistreham et Lion-sur-Mer, dévolue à la 3e division britannique du général Rennie ;
o Juno Beach, entre Luc-sur-Mer et Graye-sur-Mer, relevant de la 3e division canadienne du général Keller ;
o Gold Beach, entre Graye-sur-Mer et Arromanches-les-Bains, secteur rattaché à la 50e division britannique du général Graham ;
o  Omaha Beach, entre Colleville-sur-Mer et Vierville-sur-Mer, dépendant du 5e corps d’armée américain du général Gerow ;
o Utah Beach, sur la côte Est du Cotentin, dévolue au 7e corps d’armée américain du général Collins ;

Dans le secteur de Sword Beach, un commando de marine, composé de 177 Français libres, aux ordres du capitaine de corvette Philippe Kieffer, participe aux opérations aux côtés des Britanniques  …source

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(J’ose à peine le signaler ici, mais il existe un excellent polar intitulé La lune d’Omaha, par Jean Amila, qui se déroule dans le cimetière américain d’Omaha Beach… Une sombre histoire, bien sûr, remarquablement bien écrit et documenté)

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