Question on FJR 6 in Normandy

[Jürg]

Hi all

well I came across some discrepancies regarding Major von der Heydte's look out poste on D-Day, June 6 1944. In his personal article about the fighting with FJR 6, von der Heydte says, that he had a great view to the allies fleet when on top of the church tower at St. Come du Mont.

In Jean-Yves Nasse's book "The gree devils" is an acoount based on the correspeondenc in 1991 with von der Heydte. I think it's on page 113 or 115, There he says, that he saw the fleet when on top of the church tower at ST. MARIE DU MONT! Well between this two villages lay some 7 Km. In the account of von der Heydte in JYN book he also says that the village in which he went up to the top of the church tower, was the last closed village near to the bach (Utha beach).

Could anyone clarify what village is know coorect? I tried to contact member FJR 6 (Volker), but no reply yet. My personal guess is that von der Heydte was on the chruch tower of St. Marie du Mont. Any other opinions? Any info is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Jürg

[Óscar G]

Hi Jürg and everyone:
The Jean-Yves´account is correct: It was Sainte-Marie du Mont. Furthermore, you can check it in the book - very difficult to get - written by Von der Heydte himself: "Muss ich sterben, will ich fallen..." (pp. 151-152):
"... my regiment reached in the morning the Cherbourg-Carentan road. I also heard the rather faint sound of the combat alarm coming from the coast and made up my mind to go in that direction (on board a sidecar). The road was very narrow and both sides were surrounded by hedges. We reached a place called Sainte-Marie du Mont, and after cheking the map we could know that it was the last town before reaching the coast. An old church with a nice and tall tower stood in the middle of the village. After we got the key, I went up to the top and could watch a unique nice scene, I´ve never forgotten..."
This is the picture I took while visiting it. Best regards
Óscar

[Kurt Barickman]

location

This was discussed on Mark Bando's forum several years ago and it had to be St. Marie du Mont because of the proximity to the coast.

Kurt Barickman

[Jürg]

Thanks

Thanks guys

much appreciated. I also visited this place just a few weeks ago.

Thanks for clarification.

At Oscar: did you get the pic I sent you by mail of the Glider pilot Lohrmann?

Jürg

[JYN]

Hi Jürg,

By 1969, at Ste-Marie-du-Mont, von der HEYDTE has been interviewed by Henri de TURENNE for the French TV program Les Grandes Batailles.

Jean-Yves

[Jürg]

Thanks

Hi Jürg,

By 1969, at Ste-Marie-du-Mont, von der HEYDTE has been interviewed by Henri de TURENNE for the French TV program Les Grandes Batailles.

Jean-Yves

Thanks a lot Jean-Yves

Jürg