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Helmut Weitze

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    #16
    Inside casemate 2 there is a memorial/tribute to the Paras who stormed the battery. In the glass case there are medals and berets earned and worn on that night.
    Lt Col Terence Otway is on the screen, there is a portrait shot of him from the war beneath the screen on the left.
    When the short video documentary about the raid ends, photos of the Paras that died on the night are shown accompanied by music, not sure what it is, but its incredibly moving.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Adrian; 08-31-2007, 05:40 PM.

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      #17
      A closer view of the case.
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        #18
        And finally a bronze bust of Lt Col Terence Otway.
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          #19
          Thanks for sharing Adrian !

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            #20
            Fantastic !!! Thanks for posting.

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              #21
              Superb Thread......

              Great Job Here!!!!!!! Congratulations.....

              Your Photos are 'Pro' Quality & your Presentation,
              makes us feel like we were there with you...

              Thanks for sharing & keeping History alive! Dave/dblmed

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                #22
                Great pictures Adrian, as you say its a fantastic battery to visit and museum in the first casemate is very good. The story behind the attack on the battery is also an interesting one.
                Saying you posted some photo's of Merville I'll put up some of the Azeville Battery, I was there in August. I'll start a new thread.

                Regards,

                Mark

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                  #23
                  Thank you for all the comments so far. I always like to look through threads like these so its good to give something back.
                  As a footnote I can give a bit more information regarding the attack on the battery.
                  Only 75 Paras made it through to the attack out of about 250. There were alot that didn't jump because as the planes were spotted by the Germans on the ground, anti-aircraft fire caused the pilots to take evasive action, this caused the Paras to fall about inside the aircraft and become tangled in their equipment. From Lt Col Otway's plane, only 7 out of 20 had untangled themselves by the time the green light came on.
                  Many others were lost as the Germans had flooded the river Dives into the surrounding fields and were drowned upon landing.
                  The Paras who did make it through the jump and landing were incredibly short of equipment, only one Vickers gun made it to the attack. They then had to get through a minefield and get past the MG42 emplacements.
                  Although the attack by Lt Col Otway was a success, the Germans mounted a counter attack later in the day and retook the battery. According to the commander - Steiner - not sure of his rank, only two guns were able to be used later on - and these only intermitently, however the battery did manage to sink a munitions ship off Sword beach at a range of 7.6km during the afternoon.
                  The goal was achieved though and the guns weren't shelling Sword beach as the troops came ashore from their landing craft.
                  The battery was later retaken by the commandos.

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