# World War 2 in your backyard



## Marcel (May 15, 2013)

Last month when I was visiting Chris, I showed him some pictures of my kids playing in a WW2 bunker, close to my house. He said envious that we had all those relics near to us while there is none in the US. That gave me the idea of this thread. I guess (apart from Chris  ) there are more people who, like me live in an area where you can see traces of World War 2, in your backyard so to speak. I thought it would be nice to share some photo's and if possible, together with a short story to describe what happened there. Sometimes it is really interesting to get more knowledge of the history of your own environment and maybe also a good read for other people. In this way you'll quite often see some of the lesser known parts of WW2.

In the next post I'll kick off with a part of my area.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 15, 2013)

Oh I can post a ton of them, from living in Germany. Hell I used to live near the center of it all.

I will try and post some up soon.


----------



## Marcel (May 15, 2013)

I live in Dordrecht, a not very large city, near to Rotterdam. Many things happened here in WW2, but I will focus on May 1940 as Dordrecht played a key role in the defeat of the Dutch army. 
I live on the south border of the city, where the city changes into what we call polder. In this area was a part of the Dutch Waterline, the secondary defense line of the Netherlands. This was meant as a last resort line if the main line in Brabant and the Grebbe would collapse. It was also meant to defend the Moerdijk bridges, just 3 km south west of my house. Unfortunately these were the main target for the Fallschirmjäger of II./FJR.1. The Dutch defenders were totally surprised, ammunition was still stowed away and was not available to the troops when the attack began. The Germans quickly conquered the bridge and only had to wait until the cavalry arrived. Moerdijk proved to be Achilles heel of the Netherlands. The fall of the bridges contributed more to the surrender than the bombs on Rotterdam.

The defense-line was hastily build in the last months before the war and consist mainly of little concrete pillboxes, called “pyramides” here. They are used as shelter for troops. Many of these little bunkers can still be seen close to my house.

The pictures below are made by me this afternoon.
An idea of how the polder looks like. Everywhere you see these little bunkers in the middle of the field, like here, just between the trees.






Here one next to a creek. The area is very wet, Dordrecht is surrounded by rivers and marshes (Biesbosch)





Close up





Another view of the battle area, close to the Moerdijk bridge. You can just see another bridge in the distance. This is the new railway bridge over the river Maas. The old one was accidentally blown up by the Germans in September 1944.





The row of bunkers against the Dyke of the Merwede River, the Moerdijk bridge can just be seen on the left of the second bunker from the left.





Another bunker, to the right te Moerdijk bridge.






The first bunker of the row, you can see the year of build, 1940, just in time.





Same bunker from the other side, and some of the following bunkers.





One of the two greater bunkers that guarded the bridge. The other one has been sacrificed for the high speed railroad to Paris. In this or the other bunker, Dutch Military Police troops held the Germans for a couple of hours, until the whole bunker was undermined with explosives.
The bunker ws converted to a German FLAK bunker later in the war.





Memorial for Ben Swagerman. He piloted the last Fokker T.V in a desparate attempt to bomb the bridges before the tanks would pass. His T.V and on escorting G-1 crashed in the neighbourhood, after being chased by a few dosen BF109's. All hands were lost. The Germans ruled the skies at that time.


----------



## Marcel (May 15, 2013)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Oh I can post a ton of them, from living in Germany. Hell I used to live near the center of it all.
> 
> I will try and post some up soon.


I know Chris, I look forward to them


----------



## bobbysocks (May 15, 2013)

nice marcel.....yeah you guys are very lucky in that respect.....but unfortunate that the reason you have all these treasures was a horrific war spread over your land. keep the pics coming.


----------



## Gnomey (May 15, 2013)

Cool shots Marcel! 

Looking forward to others ones too.


----------



## yulzari (May 15, 2013)

These are the two Vickers gun pillboxes my grandfather would have been defending with his Home Guard Platoon had Hitler invaded Suffolk.


----------



## Airframes (May 15, 2013)

Great idea, and great pics. I have some somewhere, including some of the defences on the Northumberland coast, and on the island of Jersey, which I'll post once I've found and scanned them.


----------



## Njaco (May 15, 2013)

Cool thread and excellent pics Marcel!!


----------



## Marcel (May 16, 2013)

yulzari said:


> View attachment 233441
> 
> 
> These are the two Vickers gun pillboxes my grandfather would have been defending with his Home Guard Platoon had Hitler invaded Suffolk.


nice 

It's amazing how many of these kind of bunkers are still there. the Netherlands is litered with them if you care to look for them.


----------



## herman1rg (May 16, 2013)

Intrigued by this in Marcel's post

"Another view of the battle area, close to the Moerdijk bridge. You can just see another bridge in the distance. This is the new railway bridge over the river Maas. The old one was accidentally blown up by the Germans in September 1944."

Curious very curious


----------



## rochie (May 16, 2013)

got a few little bunkers around here, they guard some of the roads to and from the coast near Hartlepool and Redcar.

will try and get some pics


----------



## A4K (May 16, 2013)

Will check mine too, suspect most are stored in Pécs though. 

Great thread Marcel!


----------



## Marcel (May 16, 2013)

herman1rg said:


> Intrigued by this in Marcel's post
> 
> "Another view of the battle area, close to the Moerdijk bridge. You can just see another bridge in the distance. This is the new railway bridge over the river Maas. The old one was accidentally blown up by the Germans in September 1944."
> 
> Curious very curious


The bridge was undermined when the Allies approached the rivers in The Netherlands in September 1944. At "Dolle Dinsdag" (Crazy Tuesday, 5 September 1944) the Germans totally paniced. One of them accidentely "pushed the button" so to say and all hell broke loose. Many houses in the neighbourhood were damaged.


----------



## Airframes (May 16, 2013)

Oops!


----------



## Readie (May 16, 2013)

This is a good thread and I look forward to seeing peoples pictures.
I'm getting some stuff together showing pre war, post war and what evidence of war there is in Plymouth.
Cheers
John


----------



## VBF-13 (May 16, 2013)

What's the legal status of these bunkers? Are they being preserved? Is it illegal to enter them?


----------



## Marcel (May 16, 2013)

VBF-13 said:


> What's the legal status of these bunkers? Are they being preserved? Is it illegal to enter them?


That differs between the bunkers. Many of these little bunkers here are on private land and thus owned by their respective owners. If this is not the case, they are owned by the city. Almost all of the bunkers are sealed, so you cannot enter. This is so that they will not be abused by homeless people or drugs users. Some owners turned them into a shed for themselves. I believe the big bunker on the photo's has been rented to a motor club by the city.
It's not the same anywhere in the Netherlands. I once played with a band that had it's practice room in a big Atlantik Wall bunker at Hoek van Holland. Some bunkers have been turned into museums And some are simply there because it's too expensive to get rid of them, but will be demolished when the need arrises, like the one for the highspeed train.


----------



## VBF-13 (May 16, 2013)

Thanks, Marcel. That explains a lot. I guess I'm just kind of wondering what some of these look like inside.


----------



## Marcel (May 16, 2013)

VBF-13 said:


> Thanks, Marcel. That explains a lot. I guess I'm just kind of wondering what some of these look like inside.


I kow the sentiment. In the past I sticked my camera inside with flash. I still might have one or two of those. But that'll have to wait until next week.


----------



## Marcel (May 22, 2013)

Common guys, where are your photo's? 
Here some I uploaded a few years ago, so you might have seen them. The Grebbeberg. In the first picture you can see the traces of the original trenches, eroded away after 70 years and became shallow. The other one is reconstructed.


----------



## Gnomey (May 22, 2013)

Good stuff Marcel!


----------



## bobbysocks (May 22, 2013)

i think one of my nice weather hobbies would be hitting these places with a metal detector...after getting the appropriate permission of course.


----------



## A4K (May 23, 2013)

Great shots again Marcel!

Mine are indeed stored in Pécs, I'll dig them out on my next visit.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 24, 2013)

I will get mine posted up here soon. Nights at the hangar is just killing my time off. In a few weeks, I go back to day schedule and I will be back on the forum as usual. That also means more posting and I can get the pics up.


----------



## Marcel (Jul 28, 2013)

Been to Hoek van Holland today with my wife. If you ever visit there, go for a walk in th dunes. It's full of Atlantik wall remains. Didn't bring my camera, so you'll have to do with some quick ones from my phone.


----------



## fubar57 (Jul 28, 2013)

Great thread Marcel and I hope to see more photos from others here as well. The only thing from WW2 in my backyard(if you want to count 173miles away as back yard) is the ALCAN Highway, stretching about 1387 miles, from Dawson Creek, B.C. to Delta Junction Alaska. It was started in Mar. '42 and completed Oct. '42

Geo


----------



## Crimea_River (Jul 28, 2013)

The area around Calgary was home to several BCATP airfields during the war. Inforunately, much of this heritage has disappeared but there are a few remnants around. Here's an original map from that time:






I've been thinking of doing some day trips but have not yet done so and therefore have no pics to share. However, here's an interesting link from someone who has searched out and photographed some of the old hangars and monuments.

A Tour of BCATP Sites — Directions


----------



## fubar57 (Jul 28, 2013)

Are all the ⊕ marks BCATP airfields Andy? If so, wow, I didn't know there were that many.

Geo


----------



## Matt308 (Jul 28, 2013)

Up the road a couple of hours from here is a state park that is based upon Fort Casey. Been years since I've been there, but I'll post some pics from the internet below. Fort Casey was built in the late 1890s as part of a triangular defence (three local forts) against shipborn invasion of the Puget Sound from those pesky Canadians (just kidding). This fort mounted 10" retractable cannons in dissappearing mounts. While a purpose built fort for WWII, it was upgraded in support of potential Japanese invasion. The fort and its supplemental defenes of 75mm mounted cannon was considered obsolete however and was deemed highly vulnerable to air attack


----------



## Matt308 (Jul 28, 2013)

In these next pics you can see the baracks and officer's quarters. The gun emplacements were built into the side of the hill, popping up only to fire. The fire control bunkers are visible as well as the magazine bunkers. There is an illustration of how the magazines were automated to move the 10" shells. Only two 10" guns remain. One in the firing "pop-up" position and the other retracted and not visible from the field of fire.


----------



## fubar57 (Jul 28, 2013)

Cool Matt. Reminds me of Fort Rodd Hill in Victoria, B.C. but Fort Casey is much larger. Paper mill in the background of the first picture?

Geo


----------



## Matt308 (Jul 28, 2013)

In these next photos you can see the reverse side of the gun emplacements with all the bunkers built into the back of the hill. Fort Casey is around 500 acres large if I recall correctly. Here is also a perimeter wall entrance and a closer pic of a 75mm defensive gun emplacement. The last two pics are of the door to the telegraph bunker and the more modern fire control bunkers.


----------



## Matt308 (Jul 28, 2013)

fubar57 said:


> Cool Matt. Reminds me of Fort Rodd Hill in Victoria, B.C. but Fort Casey is much larger. Paper mill in the background of the first picture?
> 
> Geo



Not sure actually. Lots of woodmills in the area, so wouldn't suprise me.


----------



## GrauGeist (Jul 28, 2013)

When I was a kid growing up in Orange County (Southern California) we had remnants of WWII there all around. Of course, no battlefields, but there were shore batteries and ammo magazines (bunkers) all along the coastal bluffs. There were also airfields like the Santa Ana Army Airbase, Los Alamitos Army Airfield, MCAS El Toro, NLTAS Santa Ana (airship station), etc. There was also the nearby NWS Seal Beach which still stores 16" naval shells and of course, to the south is MCAS Camp Pendleton.

I was planning on visiting WWII sites in Bulgaria this summer that my sweetheart knows of (Plovdiv, Sofia), but of course those plans were changed...planning on doing it next year now


----------



## Gnomey (Jul 28, 2013)

Cool stuff guys!


----------



## Crimea_River (Jul 28, 2013)

fubar57 said:


> Are all the ⊕ marks BCATP airfields Andy? If so, wow, I didn't know there were that many.
> 
> Geo



Yes they are Geo. And that's just locally.


----------



## Marcel (Jul 29, 2013)

Great stuff guys. Hope you'll be able to make that trip, Crimea. 
Matt, the fort looks very similar to fort Mott, which Njaco and I vistited last April. Nice to see those guns in place. Were these guns also present during WW2 or were they reinstalled later?


----------



## vikingBerserker (Jul 29, 2013)

Cool pics!


----------



## Matt308 (Jul 31, 2013)

Marcel said:


> Great stuff guys. Hope you'll be able to make that trip, Crimea.
> Matt, the fort looks very similar to fort Mott, which Njaco and I vistited last April. Nice to see those guns in place. Were these guns also present during WW2 or were they reinstalled later?



The 10"ers were there during WWII, but I think they had no illusions that if a true invasion were to take place enemy air assets would have quickly taken care of them, let alone the firepower on a modern battleship (bigger guns and better fire direction). Only two guns left as I recall.


----------



## Marcel (May 13, 2015)

Tomorrow exactly 75 years ago, the Dutch army retreated rom the Grebbeline to the old, unmaintained 'Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie' near Utrecht. It was only fitting that I paced this place and saw this fort, build in 1820 and to be used again as part of the Waterlinie in 1940. No quality photos, I only had my iPod touch.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Airframes (May 13, 2015)

Great pics Marcel .
I hope you don't mind, but I've added one taken on my recent trip in the Tin Tent. This shows one of many WW2 defensive 'Pill Boxes' (center, right) still dotted around the British coastline, this example having collapsed from the side of the cliffs at Runswick Bay, five miles north of Whitby, on the east coast overlooking the North Sea.

Reactions: Like Like:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (May 13, 2015)

Good shots guys!


----------



## Night Fighter Nut (May 13, 2015)

This is a great idea Marcel. I hope to see other sites others may be living near.


----------



## Capt. Vick (May 14, 2015)

There are a few here on the east end of Long Island. I will have to remember to take pictures for you fine gents.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wayne Little (May 14, 2015)

Cool!


----------



## Marcel (May 16, 2015)

Images of the Nieuwe Hollandse waterlinie between Nieuwegein and Houten.

Fort Vechten: Wonderful and enormous fort near Utrecht. Never knew it existed. Highly impressive and the nature is also great.



20150516_0097 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr




20150516_0121 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr




20150516_0123 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr




20150516_0077 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr

Innundatie kanaal. This canal was ment to bring the water too the flooding area. The line exists of mostly flooded areas and fortifications where the water is too shallow. On the left you see the dyke belonging to the "gedekte gemeenschapsweg" or Sheltered community road. It's a road between 2 fortifications. The dyke proteted the troops against enemy fire and contains concrete shelters.



20150516_0057 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr

The more modern "Werk aan de Groeneweg". Build first in 1918 and later modified in 1940. You can see the different types of troop shelters. The higher "Piramides" are the 1940 versions. It's a nice recreation area now and fun for the kids to play in the trenches and bunkers.



20150516_0025 by Marcel Kerkveld, on Flickr

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (May 16, 2015)

Nice shots Marcel!


----------



## fubar57 (May 16, 2015)

Good stuff Marcel. Keep 'em coming.

Geo


----------



## imalko (May 17, 2015)

Great thread Marcel! Here's my humble contribution...

I live in small town called Stara Pazova, which is located north of capitol city of Belgrade. Just one of many towns and villages lost in the fields of Srem region. Although German, Yugoslav and Soviet troops moved through here in 1941 and then again in 1944, luckily there wasn't any actual fighting in my town. However, the war did left some traces which still exist today.

Here are few pictures of one of those sites. It's a bunker which Germans build to guard and protect a small railroad bridge over an irrigation canal on the outskirts of town. Abandoned in 1944, it became a favorite playground for generations of kids after the war (myself included). The last two pictures are taken from new railroad bridge located nearby to the old one. Unfortunately this bunker is in rather poor condition nowadays.

Reactions: Like Like:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## imalko (May 17, 2015)

After the occupation of the country, the Srem region became part of the so called Independent State of Croatia (NDH). This building was a temporary seat of Gestapo and Ustashi offices and holding cells in my town. In November 1941 large group of Communists and resistant members were imprisoned and tortured here. Most of them were later executed in Sremska Mitrovica. Commemorative plaques on both sides of the entrance have the same text in Serbian and Slovak language with the list of people that were imprisoned here. 
Today an elementary school is located in this building.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (May 18, 2015)

Great contribution, Imalko!


----------



## fubar57 (May 18, 2015)

Great shots guys. Interesting history Igor

Geo


----------



## Gnomey (May 18, 2015)

Good shots Igor!


----------



## bobbysocks (May 18, 2015)

i read the stories of the battle for belgrade...very interesting read. some very valiant young men fighting against stacked odds.


----------



## Marcel (Jun 14, 2015)

Okay, me again. It's starting to become a 'traces of ww2 in the Netherlands' thread, as I'm not confining myself to my backyard anymore (although I could post plenty of that as well). 

This time, the beautiful island of Schiermonnikoog, one of the Frisian islands. I took my mother there last Saturday and of course visited some ww2 spots there. During the war, around 600 German soldiers stayed there on the little island. Mainly to mann the big radar station and for the rest they were Kriegsmarine personel. In May 1945, most of the members of the SD and gestapo i Groningen fled to the island, remaining there for another month, making this the last part of the Netherlands to be liberated on June 11th 1945. 

Anyway, here some pictures:

Bunker Wassermann, meant to carry the big Wassermann-S radar antenna. The bunker is of the L-480 type, quite big. You can enter it freely.

















A bunker containing a generator. Part of the Schlei project. The barrel is inside this bunker









Gun and some more bunker entrances in the dunes. The secod bunker is part of the Battery, operated by the KM. Inside a swallow had nested, he was not afraid of me as you can see. Had to use the flash on the camera as it was pitch dark in there





















Part of a Hallifax bomber that crashed in the Northsea, near Schiermonnikoog.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Airframes (Jun 14, 2015)

Great stuff Marcel.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jun 15, 2015)

Awesome remnant, Marcel!


----------



## Gnomey (Jun 15, 2015)

Good shots Marcel!


----------



## yulzari (Jun 15, 2015)

This is one of the pillboxes quickly built at Blythburgh in 1940 on the Suffolk coast of Eastern England. In it you can see the concrete table for one of the two Vickers MMGs the local Home Guard platoon had allocated at a very early stage. It is here that my grandfather (veteran of South Africa and WW1) would have fought and died to delay any invading German troops. It's role was to delay troops coming just off the beach to both give time for the regular army to deploy and to locally give time for the bridge across the Blyth to be blown to isolate north south movements of a German invasion. It was a defence in depth. After the pillboxes had delayed the enemy by making them stop to deploy to destroy them, then the same would have been necessary for the loopholed village. After which the same situation would be repeated for the next village and so forth. There was an Auxilliary unit or two in the area but, of course, no one spoke of them.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Jun 16, 2015)

So the 'table' would have carried the machinegun?


----------



## parsifal (Jun 16, 2015)

Illlowra Battery, built to defend the iron and coal port of Port Kembla on the NSW coast. This is not my photo, but Ive seen the place. Very hard to get to now

Reactions: Like Like:
3 | Like List reactions


----------



## yulzari (Jun 16, 2015)

Marcel said:


> So the 'table' would have carried the machinegun?



Yes, thats right. The village had Lewis guns and Lee Enfield rifles. They were later replaced with Bren guns and US P17 Enfields. I believe the roads going back inland had petrol fougasses, later IED type mines and Canadian pipe mines. The bridge had the explosive charges already in place.


----------



## Gnomey (Jun 18, 2015)

Nice shots!


----------



## Marcel (Sep 27, 2015)

So I have been to the Grebbeberg again. This time with a guide and he showed me things that I even did not know, although I have been there many times. It were traces of old trenches on the slope of the hill. Unfortunately they are difficult to see on photo, so you'll have to take my word for it.

For those who do not know, it was here where one of the major battles took place during our 5 days war. The Germans reportedly called this hill afterwards "der Teufelhuegel. For two days, 2500 Dutch soldiers fought against a superior force of SS and Wehrmacht. They lasted for 3 days.

Rebuild trenches of the "Stoplijn", the Dutch second line of defence. From here Major Jacometti tried to counterattack the Germans with 30 soldiers in the believe that there only were 150 German soldiers. He misjudged there were more than 5000.





Inside the trenches





A trench leading to the entrance of a pillbox. The german tactic was to penetrate the line with several small groups of soldiers. They would attack from the rear. This pillbox was taken in that fashion. The German soldiers came through this trench.





Another view on the steel door





The little river Grif of Grebbe, which gave the defence line it's name "Grebbelinie".





Het hoornwerk, 17th century defence works at the foot of the Grebbeberg. It should have hold the German advance, but it didn't. Many died here in man-to-man combat.





The Dutch "ereveld". 500 of 2500 casualties were buried here. It started as a combined German/Dutch cemetry, but the Germans are all re-burried in Ysselstein.





Also casualties of 320th (RAF) squadron were buried here. (Edit: should rely more on my memory)





Saw this Merlin on the way back, a memorial for a crashed Hallifax.

Reactions: Like Like:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (Sep 27, 2015)

Great shots. THX for sharing.


----------



## Airframes (Sep 27, 2015)

Great pics and info Marcel. The grave of the airman shows that he would have been a crewman on a Mitchell, as 320 Sqn was formed from the Royal Netherlands Naval Aviation unit which came to Britain.


----------



## Marcel (Sep 28, 2015)

Airframes said:


> Great pics and info Marcel. The grave of the airman shows that he would have been a crewman on a Mitchell, as 320 Sqn was formed from the Royal Netherlands Naval Aviation unit which came to Britain.


Oeps, did I really write RAF? It must be RN of course. You are quite right.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Sep 28, 2015)

Excellent thread Marcel! I am really enjoying this.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Sep 28, 2015)

I honestly didn't know you guys held out for as long as you did. Amazing...


----------



## Marcel (Sep 28, 2015)

Yeah, well if I walk on the Grebbeberg, looking down, I wonder if they could not have done better. It's higher ground (+40m) and you can see quite far. The Germans had to fight uphill. Clearly the defenders had all the advantage. 

On the other hand, the German soldiers were reasonably well trained. The average Dutch soldier was a 30 year old greengrocer having had his last training 10 years ago. They spend the months since september 1939 digging trenches instead of training. Typical Dutch greediness was also not a big help. Protecting communication lines was considered too expensive, so the lines hung on poles above ground. Needless to say, they were destroyed in minutes after the battle began. Artillery was scarce and usually taken from museums, the famous "12 staal gun", which was the main heavy gun, was build in 1878.
So maybe not surprising after all that it only took 3 days.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Sep 28, 2015)

Shame...


----------



## Marcel (Sep 28, 2015)

Capt. Vick said:


> Shame...



Yeah, well on one hand. But what if the Dutch army had lasted longer, would be an interesting question. They now only bombed Rotterdam, what would they have done if we had given them an even harder time?


----------



## Airframes (Sep 28, 2015)

Marcel said:


> Oeps, did I really write RAF? It must be RN of course. You are quite right.



No, you were quite right Marcel, it was '320 Sqn, RAF', even though it was formed from Naval Aviation personnel, some of whom, from memory, brought a couple of Fokker float planes with them (or Heinkel float planes ?). The '300 series' squadron numbers were reserved for units formed from 'foreign nationals', such as Polish, Czech etc., and generally wore RAF uniform, but with both RAF and their country's badges and insignia, and worked to RAF Rules Regulations - to an extent !


----------



## Marcel (Sep 28, 2015)

Airframes said:


> No, you were quite right Marcel, it was '320 Sqn, RAF', even though it was formed from Naval Aviation personnel, some of whom, from memory, brought a couple of Fokker float planes with them (or Heinkel float planes ?). The '300 series' squadron numbers were reserved for units formed from 'foreign nationals', such as Polish, Czech etc., and generally wore RAF uniform, but with both RAF and their country's badges and insignia, and worked to RAF Rules Regulations - to an extent !


It were Fokker T-8W floatplanes. I was always under the impression that 320th was Navy, especially since they were the navy squadron flying Orions here in the Netherlands. I know they first flew in Coastal command with Hudsons, but when they switched to Mitchels, they were used as a tactical bomber unit in the TAF. 

Edit: my 11 year old son tells me that coastal command also belongs to the RAF and 320th has been RAF all along, but for the Dutch they were "Marine luchtvaart dienst" (naval air service), so for the Dutch they were navy but for the British they were airforce. Very confusing, I am glad I have son who can explain that to his old dad


----------



## Gnomey (Sep 28, 2015)

Good stuff Marcel!


----------



## Airframes (Sep 28, 2015)

Yep, your son is correct !
Britain didn't have (and doesn't have) an equivalent Naval air arm - the Fleet Air Arm being part of the Navy, of course, but separate, and at that time, lacking 'heavy' or 'medium' aircraft types.
The role undertaken by the Kon Marine in the Netherlands (and Netherlands overseas territories) was, in Britain, the role of Coastal Command of the RAF, hence 320 Sqn at first being part of CC, and part of the RAF. A number of light and what had been medium bomber squadrons were transferred from CC to 2 Group, Bomber Command, most, if not all of which, became part of 2 TAF in mid to late 1943, tasked with support for the build up to, and eventual invasion of France and the Continent. 
The book I sent you some time ago 'Flying Dutchman' (?) was about 320 Sqn and their Mitchell operations I believe.


----------



## Marcel (Sep 29, 2015)

That is right, I still have that. It's about Hans van de Kop, one of the members of 320th squadron.


----------



## Airframes (Sep 29, 2015)

That's him - I couldn't recall his name. A good read, with some interesting details.


----------



## bobbysocks (Sep 29, 2015)

great stuff marcel. thanks for taking the time to post....


----------



## herman1rg (Sep 29, 2015)

Following a little research and contact from the 401st Bomb Group historical chaps I've found out that where my house in Upper Benefield isbuilt on part of the 614th Bomb Squadron living quarters.


----------



## Airframes (Sep 29, 2015)

Hope there's no ghosts around then !


----------



## fubar57 (Sep 30, 2015)

Marcel said:


> It were Fokker T-8W floatplanes. I was always under the impression that 320th was Navy, especially since they were the navy squadron flying Orions here in the Netherlands. I know they first flew in Coastal command with Hudsons, but when they switched to Mitchels, they were used as a tactical bomber unit in the TAF.
> 
> Edit: my 11 year old son tells me that coastal command also belongs to the RAF and 320th has been RAF all along, but for the Dutch they were "Marine luchtvaart dienst" (naval air service), so for the Dutch they were navy but for the British they were airforce. Very confusing, I am glad I have son who can explain that to his old dad



I think it great to have a son that young who is interested in history. More interesting info on a part of the war that is overshadowed.


Geo


----------



## Marcel (Oct 2, 2015)

fubar57 said:


> I think it great to have a son that young who is interested in history. More interesting info on a part of the war that is overshadowed.
> 
> 
> Geo


Yes, and he is very interested. Of course specially in the Dutch part of the war  . He's now making a study of the ABDA fleet and the battle in the Java sea. He is searching the internet for info as a hobby in stead of playing games.


----------



## Airframes (Oct 2, 2015)

Great stuff Marcel. It's good to know that at least some youngsters have wider interests. My youngest daughter was the same, with a great interest in history, and aviation in particular. I don't know where she gets it from ...........


----------



## Marcel (Oct 2, 2015)

Airframes said:


> Great stuff Marcel. It's good to know that at least some youngsters have wider interests. My youngest daughter was the same, with a great interest in history, and aviation in particular. I don't know where she gets it from ...........


Ehm.... Wait,wait, don't tell me.......ehm.....the neighbour?


----------



## Airframes (Oct 2, 2015)

Ah ! Could be !


----------



## Marcel (Oct 24, 2015)

I was in the city of Arnhem last Thursday. Of course you all know this city for the heroic climax of Market Garden. Although it was really poring with rain, I could not resist taking some pictures. No brilliant ones, I assure you, just some snapshots and then running back inside  So sorry I didn't make a more thorough job, I will do that next time I visit this city, okay 

The first one is an interesting one for sure. Taken nicely dry inside, these books are from the library. Only a few years ago, the Library moved to a new building, when packing the archive, they found these books. You can clearly see the damage done by bullets on these books. It appears that these books were present during the battle in Arnhem and that nobody has read or seen them ever since until the moving. They are a remarkable proof of the fierce fighting back then.






Two pictures of the John Frost bridge. This was the bridge too far. It's been renewed after the war, the original being bombed by the Allies. Frost sat with his troops on the left side of the first picture. The second photo is from an area held by British paras. You can see the river is not very wide here. 








Lastly het Duivelshuis (Devil's house) a couple of hundred meters from the bridge. Here British POW's were held by the Germans. It's a very old building, but the latest scars are bullet holes in the facade.

Reactions: Like Like:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (Oct 24, 2015)




----------



## Airframes (Oct 24, 2015)

Excellent Marcel. Hopefully, Karl and I will see all this next year.


----------



## Gnomey (Oct 24, 2015)

Lovely shots Marcel!


----------



## Augsburg Eagle (Oct 25, 2015)

I think that website may be of interest to you:
Bunkerfreunde-München - Start

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## at6 (Oct 25, 2015)

Good to know that not quite everything was obliterated. It is still part of history and total obliteration does nothing to change that.


----------



## wheelsup_cavu (Oct 29, 2015)

Really nice shots Marcel. 


Wheels


----------



## Marcel (Apr 2, 2016)

Another photo for my bunker fetish 
Build in 1936, this bunker protected the northern part of the train bridge at Moerdijk. As we know it ultimately failed in it's task. But on the bright side, it's still there, somewhere hidden.





And here a view to the south over the bridge. The bunker was to my right side when I took this picture. On the right, you see the modern higspeed bridge.


----------



## Airframes (Apr 2, 2016)

Great stuff Marcel.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## rochie (Apr 2, 2016)

Bunker looks pretty impressive

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 2, 2016)

Awesome shots, Marcel

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (Apr 2, 2016)

Good shots Marcel!


----------



## Capt. Vick (Apr 2, 2016)

Cool stuff guys.


----------



## Marcel (Apr 3, 2016)

Thanks guys. There is something about old bunkers that I find irrisistable. I'm sure I will be posting more pics here in the future.


----------



## Wayne Little (Apr 4, 2016)

good stuff...Look forward to more....


----------



## rochie (Apr 11, 2016)

after saying i would post some i have finally got around to getting some pictures.

these pillboxes guard the road from Seaton Carew / Hartlepool on the north east coast of England.
the road leads to what used to be ICI Billingham (Billingham is the town where i live)

the area where the pillboxes are is now very industrial on one side of the road and a wildlife reserve on the other, mainly for wet land birds, though seals also live in the river.

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
1 | Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (Apr 11, 2016)




----------



## Marcel (Apr 11, 2016)

Thanks, Karl, very nice pictures. That last one seems very big! Can you enter them or are they sealed?


----------



## rochie (Apr 11, 2016)

Marcel said:


> Thanks, Karl, very nice pictures. That last one seems very big! Can you enter them or are they sealed?


Thanks.

They are sealed up as far as i know, they are all on private land so are hard to get to for investigating


----------



## Airframes (Apr 11, 2016)

Good stuff Karl. 
As far as I know, the larger of those bunkers was part of the anti-aircraft control system defending the ICI chemical works, a prime target for the Luftwaffe more or less throughout the war.


----------



## rochie (Apr 11, 2016)

Airframes said:


> Good stuff Karl.
> As far as I know, the larger of those bunkers was part of the anti-aircraft control system defending the ICI chemical works, a prime target for the Luftwaffe more or less throughout the war.


Could well be mate.

My Dornier came in from this direction and hit a barrage balloon at haverton hill and crashed in south bank


----------



## Marcel (Apr 11, 2016)

So when were these pillboxes build? Before 1940?


----------



## Gnomey (Apr 11, 2016)

Good shots Karl!


----------



## Airframes (Apr 11, 2016)

Marcel, most of these type of defences, along with the coastal defences, were built at the outbreak of war, although I think some at major industrial sites, may have been erected earlier.


----------



## rochie (Apr 11, 2016)

Here you go Marcel


----------



## Wayne Little (Apr 12, 2016)

Good stuff Karl.


----------



## Marcel (Apr 13, 2016)

Thanks Karl, great info.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Airframes (Apr 13, 2016)

Good stuff Karl.
In that book on the Luftwaffe losses over the NE, the structure in pics 4 and 5 in your post are described as part of the control bunker for the local anti-aircraft defences. The others, as stated in the PDF, are of course infantry fire positions.


----------



## Marcel (Aug 28, 2016)

Willemstad, located about 20 km from my home, has been a 'vestingstad', a fortified village for many centuries. Even the Germans used it for their 'Atlantic wall'. Here some of the German bunkers that you can still see.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## rochie (Aug 28, 2016)

pretty impressive buildings Marcel


----------



## Marcel (Aug 28, 2016)

rochie said:


> pretty impressive buildings Marcel


Thanks, the nice thing is, you can even legally enter the bunkers.


----------



## Wurger (Aug 28, 2016)




----------



## Airframes (Aug 28, 2016)

Great shots Marcel, an I agree with Karl, they're impressive structures. The Germans certainly didn't do thing by halves when it came to building defensive positions.


----------



## Shinpachi (Aug 28, 2016)

Agreed. Looks very tough structure.


----------



## GrauGeist (Aug 28, 2016)

Those are certainly impressive structures, Marcel - and great photos, too!

And Shinpachi, while we're on the subject, I am curious about any of the old defensive places that may remain in Japan. I know that some of the launch ramps remain, intended for the MXY7 and I recall a television documentary exploring a submarine pen where the suicide submarines were stationed but they don't seem to be in any great numbers.

Have you ever visited any of these sites?

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (Aug 28, 2016)

Nice shots Marcel!


----------



## Old Wizard (Aug 28, 2016)

Great photos.


----------



## Wayne Little (Aug 29, 2016)

agreed, great pics....


----------



## Thorlifter (Aug 29, 2016)

Marcel, those pics you posted in #116 remind me of the fortifications at Fort Eben Emael in East Belgium. Have you ever been there? Fantastic place to visit if you get the chance.


----------



## Marcel (Aug 29, 2016)

Thorlifter said:


> Marcel, those pics you posted in #116 remind me of the fortifications at Fort Eben Emael in East Belgium. Have you ever been there? Fantastic place to visit if you get the chance.


Yup, I believe it was I who suggested that to you back then.

I had a thread about it here:
The king amongst fortresses: Eben-Emael


----------



## Thorlifter (Aug 29, 2016)

Ah yes. It was also suggested by a co-worker of mine while I was in Belgium. What a fun day that was for me.

Eben-Emael and Bastogne visits


----------



## Shinpachi (Aug 29, 2016)

GrauGeist said:


> Have you ever visited any of these sites?



I had a few chances but not so many because location was bad like a cliff facing to the sea or a forgotten hangar shelter in the midst of private farm.
I may try some in the future 
Thanks.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Aug 29, 2016)

Thorlifter said:


> Ah yes. It was also suggested by a co-worker of mine while I was in Belgium. What a fun day that was for me.
> 
> Eben-Emael and Bastogne visits


Yes, I still recommend going there to everybody interested. To bad we couldn't go together then, I still have to visit Bastogne.


----------



## GrauGeist (Aug 29, 2016)

Marcel, have you visited the bunker sites on the Island of Texel?


----------



## Marcel (Aug 29, 2016)

GrauGeist said:


> Marcel, have you visited the bunker sites on the Island of Texel?


Yes, unfortunately without a camera. I also visited the lighthouse where the revolt was.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Thorlifter (Aug 30, 2016)

Yeah, it would have been cool to have a beer and share some stories.

Bastogne was incredible, especially the army barracks.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## GrauGeist (Aug 30, 2016)

When I was in Europe, I was on a tight schedule, but I passed through alot of areas, especially in Italy, that saw a great deal of fighting.

When I was in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, I didn't have time to visit the museum there, but it's at the former joint Luftwaffe and Royal Bulgarian Airforce base where they had fighter/bomber operations and a large training facility. At that museum is one of the few remaining Ar196 aircraft in the world, too.

Next time I'm over there, however, I intend to visit the museum in Sofia, Plovdiv and then take a trip south to see the buried Panzers along the Greek/Bulgarian border - most of which have been removed and are in a secured area for safe-keeping.


----------



## Marcel (Aug 30, 2016)

I'll be going to Kornwerderzand in 2 weeks.
Kornwerderzand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## fubar57 (Aug 31, 2016)

Great bunker shots


----------



## Marcel (Sep 24, 2016)

Okay, went to Kornwerderzand last week. Spent the whole day there with the chaps from the Fokker G-1 foundation. Had a great day. There is so much to tell about Kornwerderzand. 
Kornwerderzand is an area with many "Kazematten" or bunkers at the eastern side of the Afsluitdijk. Tha afsluidijk is a 32 km long dam, separating the Ijselmeer (former Zuiderzee) fro the Waddenzee. It turned the saltwater Zuiderzee into fresh water. The dam was build in 1932. Amsterdam was not happy with it. It provided a backdoor in their defense and if someone would get hold of the waterdoors in the dam, they can drown the whole of the Netherlands in a matter of weeks. by closing them. Obvious a strategic point. Fortunately the dam is relatively narrow, so easily defended. The Dutch created their most modern fortification at the eastern side of the dam. This is Kornwerderzand. It consist of many bunkers, occupied by arouond 300 men. Unfortunately there was no artillery installed when the Germans attacked in 1940, so there were only machineguns. Also AA was not installed, but this was remedied during the first night. They ultimately kept the 15000 men of the german 1st cavalry division from crossing the dam and had to surrender separately 2 days after the general surrender.
Later Kornwerderzand became part of the German Atlantic wall. 
The site consists mainly of Dutch kazematten and some German bunkers.

The middle of the Afsluitdijk, om my way to Kornwerderzand






The waterdoors in the Afsluitdijk as seen from Kornwerderzand





Dutch flag flying again over Kornwerderzand





The commandbunker "Kazemat IV" where kapiteit (captain) Boers led the defense.





Kapitein Boer's bed inside the commandbunker





Original German gun in one of the German bunkers. This gun was thrown into the lake, but recovered in the '80ies and placed on it;s original position.





There was a small line in fornt of the Afsluitdijk called the "Wonsstelling". This weak line had no bunkers or so, only small ditches and wooden positions. It was overrun in 3 hours. Dutch soldiers fled and threw their weapons in the canals. They are still found sometimes.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Sep 24, 2016)

Part 2 of Kornwerderzand

German "Tobruk" or machinegun position.





Dutch gunport in a Kazemat. 





German bunker with the original gun from the outside








Another Dutch Kazemat





The only 2-story Kazemat. It had 2 small guns. There is a large underground part as well. In the front you see the tail unit of a Hudson that was shot down by the Germans from Kornwerderzand. It crashed close by in the lake.









An example of the dirt fortifications in the Wonsstelling. The crew had not much confidence in the whole structure as they gave it the name "De Wanhoop" which means "the Desperation"

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Shinpachi (Sep 24, 2016)

Looks awesome tour, Marcel 
Thanks for sharing !


----------



## Wurger (Sep 24, 2016)




----------



## Gnomey (Sep 24, 2016)

Interesting shots Marcel!


----------



## Old Wizard (Sep 24, 2016)




----------



## Wayne Little (Sep 25, 2016)

great pics Marcel, interesting stuff.


----------



## fubar57 (Sep 29, 2016)

Love the history

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Airframes (Sep 29, 2016)

Excellent pics and background.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Sep 30, 2016)

fubar57 said:


> Love the history





Airframes said:


> Excellent pics and background.



Thanks guys. I don't like pictures without a story and I enjoy writing the history as much as posting pictures. It's why we're on this forum, isn't it, because of the history. This little country of mine is so full of history, history is everywhere as long as you pay attention. WW2 is still very much visible here as I try to show by spamming this thread with my photo's. And every time there is a story behind it.


----------



## Capt. Vick (Sep 30, 2016)

Finally got a picture of at least one WW2 remnant in my corner of the world. Here is a picture of an artillery direction tower at the Montauk Lighthouse. It was used during WW2 to direct the 16" guns at nearby Camp Hero.

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
1 | Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Sep 30, 2016)

Nice! Seems to be in great shape. Have they recently restored it or is it still in use?


----------



## Capt. Vick (Sep 30, 2016)

I couldn't get inside, but I would imagine it's not in as good a shape as the outside. There was a bunker lower down on the cliff this and the lighthouse are on, but it was undermined to badly so they finished the job with fire hoses and it sits on it's side on the beach below.


----------



## Marcel (Jan 23, 2017)

I found another hidden gem. This is on the other side of the river, about an hour cycling from my house. I've often told about the strategic important Moerdijk bridges near my house. On the dyke with the Hollandsdiep is a bunker that was used to cover the Moerdijk bridge. It is actually embedded in the dyke. There are some pytramid (groupshelter) bunkers nearby. The fun thing is that after ww2, our government setup an airwarning system, consisting of about 200 special 'luchtwacht' towers. And they put one right on top of this bunker. Usually these towers are quite large, but this one is small and cute  There are not many of these towers left and this is the only one this small and standing on a ww2 bunker.
Later at home I found out I missed a Tobruk bunker that is supposingly very close to this site. Okay a reason to go there again


----------



## Wurger (Jan 23, 2017)




----------



## Airframes (Jan 23, 2017)

Good stuff Marcel.


----------



## fubar57 (Jan 23, 2017)

Very cool


----------



## fubar57 (Jan 23, 2017)

Living in the relative safety of N. America during the war, not a lot of WW 2 in my hometown backyard in Powell River B.C.. After the war, Macmillan Bloedel, a large Canadian forest company purchased WW 2 cargo ships for the purpose of forming a breakwater for the log yard. The mill is a shadow of it's former self, at one time the worlds largest with 2200 employees and the "Hulks", as they were known are long gone. Not my photos....



















​A short history of the ships
Concrete Ships: The Powell River Floating Breakwater

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Jan 23, 2017)

Very cool! 
Those are concrete ships? Some look like Liberty class to me.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jan 23, 2017)

Nice pics, Gents


----------



## Old Wizard (Jan 23, 2017)




----------



## Capt. Vick (Jan 23, 2017)

Great stuff


----------



## Gnomey (Jan 23, 2017)

Good stuff Marcel!

Now that I'm living in the home of the Royal Navy (and it has been for a couple of centuries) I should probably get out and about and see some of the historic sites (which I have just not taken many pictures)...

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## javlin (Jan 23, 2017)

Shinpachi said:


> Nice pics, Gents



Spinpachi my son is over in your neck of the woods in Misawa crew chief with the F-16 squadron.He says once a year is completed and some language learned he plans to travel for two weeks and see some of the old castles any recommendations I am sure he would appreciate.By the way he says he loves it over there.


----------



## Wayne Little (Jan 24, 2017)

Interesting stuff.

Kevin, I'll vote for Osaka Castle, Shinpachi took my wife and I there for a visit....fantastic place.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jan 24, 2017)

javlin said:


> Spinpachi my son is over in your neck of the woods in Misawa crew chief with the F-16 squadron.He says once a year is completed and some language learned he plans to travel for two weeks and see some of the old castles any recommendations I am sure he would appreciate.By the way he says he loves it over there.



Himeji Castle would be the best as it keeps original state for hundreds years


----------



## javlin (Jan 26, 2017)

Shinpachi said:


> Himeji Castle would be the best as it keeps original state for hundreds years


I will pass that on Sir  Thanks

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (May 7, 2017)

Okay, was at the Moerdijk Bridge again after reading up on the history of the site. The following 3 pictures are of the bunker "Willemsdorp II". One of the bigger river bunkers. It was build by the Dutch just before the war. It was fitted with an anti-tank canon (5 cm) and a heavy machine-gun (M.08). It was occupied by a Military Police unit under Sergeant Major van Almkerk. Early on May the 10th, they surrendered after a heavy fight, when one of the steel doors was blown up and resistance became futile. The German troops allowed the Sergeant Major to keep his klewang (saber) out of respect for his brave fight.
Later in the war it was changed into a German FLAK bunker.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (May 7, 2017)




----------



## Airframes (May 7, 2017)

Great stuff Marcel.
Karl and I are hoping to visit the coastal flak post up on the Ems, and probably the WW2 museum in Oostwold when we come over, and if time allows, maybe a couple of other places too - and, of course, the Arnhem / Ooserbeek visit. Got to get a photo on the John Frost bridge !
And only four weeks to go 'til we're there !


----------



## Old Wizard (May 7, 2017)




----------



## Gnomey (May 7, 2017)

Nice shots Marcel!


----------



## Marcel (May 8, 2017)

Airframes said:


> Great stuff Marcel.
> Karl and I are hoping to visit the coastal flak post up on the Ems, and probably the WW2 museum in Oostwold when we come over, and if time allows, maybe a couple of other places too - and, of course, the Arnhem / Ooserbeek visit. Got to get a photo on the John Frost bridge !
> And only four weeks to go 'til we're there !


Yeah, looking forward to it. It's not that far away.
Is there a museum in Oostwold? Didn't know that.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wayne Little (May 8, 2017)

Great shots Marcel.


----------



## Shinpachi (May 8, 2017)

Cool


----------



## Airframes (May 9, 2017)

Marcel. I found the museum when looking at Oostwold on the Traces of War website (www.tracesof war.com).
On the page showing Oostwold war memorial, at bottom right, is a list of other sites, showing the flak battery and museum, and some others.
The museum appears to be a room on the side of a private house.


----------



## Marcel (May 9, 2017)

Ah, I found it, it's in Midwolda, the next village. Digitale Dorp Midwolda - Historie - Museum voor Oorlogshistorie 1940-1945. Didn't know it existed. Looks rather small though.

What you also could do is going to Westerborg. It was a concentration camp, where people where gathered to be send to the German camps like Auswitsch. It is a sobering place. Part of it is now a site for the biggest radio telescope in Europe and part of the camp is still there together with a museum. Highly recommended. I believe it's around 50 km from where you were staying, about 30 minutes by car.

http://www.kampwesterbork.nl/en/index.html#/index

The FLAK bunkers are interesting, but you're not allowed to go in.


----------



## Airframes (May 9, 2017)

Thanks Marcel.
Looking at the flak site on Google Earth, I couldn't see any 'public' entrance, which is a pity. I would have liked to try to get to the gun positions above the Ems estuary, although looking at the satellite view, even if it is open to the public, and again I couldn't see any entrance, I'd have difficulty negotiating the terrain.
Do you know if there's a public viewing area at the RNAF base at Leeuwarden ?
That could be an interesting visit, if photography is allowed - I wouldn't want to spend the holiday 'banged up' in a Military jail !!
And sorry, I forgot to mention that the small museum is in the next village. Looks very small, but could be interesting - looks like it's open on request, so might be worth a try.
I'll have a look at the maps, and Google, and see if there are any other interesting sites - I'm a bit sensitive about former concentration camp sites, and still remember the eerie, 'dead' feeling at Belsen, which made a lasting impression when I visited in 1973.


----------



## Marcel (May 11, 2017)

Airframes said:


> Thanks Marcel.
> Do you know if there's a public viewing area at the RNAF base at Leeuwarden ?
> That could be an interesting visit, if photography is allowed - I wouldn't want to spend the holiday 'banged up' in a Military jail !!


Yeah, the "spottersbult" near Marssum, no 4 on the map below:





Whole website (in English): Scramble


----------



## Airframes (May 11, 2017)

Excellent !
Thanks Marcel.


----------



## Crimea_River (May 11, 2017)

I may start a separate thread on this but there are several ex-BCATP air bases near me, some of which have buildings still standing.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Airframes (May 11, 2017)

Look forward to that Andy.
I'm hoping to visit a few former RAF and USAAF airfields during the summer, and get a few shots. Not that much left in my immediate area these days, as they've all been built on, but I'll be passing some elsewhere during my travels.


----------



## Gnomey (May 12, 2017)

Looking forward to that thread Andy!


----------



## Crimea_River (May 12, 2017)

Pressure is on now. I took some pics last year at a 75th anniversary celebrations at RAF DeWinton but I screwed up the white balance. I'll see if I can cobble something together.


----------



## Old Wizard (May 12, 2017)

In my high school days I spent a summer with a buddy of mine as a steam fitters helper at Penhold when it was NATO
training base. Many Harvards buzzing around along with Expediters, Chipmunks and Mentors.,

Reactions: Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wayne Little (May 14, 2017)

Bring it on Andy.


----------



## Marcel (May 20, 2017)

This is one of the little bunkers on our island. Because of the climate change, we get more flooding and extreme weather than 20 years ago. Also the water level is slightly rising. Scary enough when you know you live 3 meters below sea level. So we set out to strengthen en enlarging the dykes. This little bunker was almost a victim of that. Until recently, it stood high and proud next to the dyke, now it is incorporated into the base of that same dyke. Being sunken now, I guess it is impossible to enter it, but I'm glad they didn't just demolish it, but left it as it is.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (May 20, 2017)




----------



## Gnomey (May 20, 2017)

Cool!


----------



## Old Wizard (May 20, 2017)




----------



## Wayne Little (May 22, 2017)

Cool..!


----------



## pbehn (Aug 16, 2017)

Not my backyard but I thought it interesting, some things are not what they seem.
Campaign to save London's 'stretcher fences' used in Blitz | Daily Mail Online

Reactions: Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (Aug 17, 2017)

Interesting!


----------



## Wayne Little (Aug 21, 2017)

Didn't know that...


----------



## Wurger (Aug 21, 2017)

Yep interesting...


----------



## Marcel (Sep 10, 2017)

Great news: the bunkers on the island are now 'Dutch Heritage' and are from now on protected.

Yesterday I visited one of those close by my house and entered it. These bunkers BTW are actually Dutch 'kazematten' of the piramide type. They are shelter for 12 men and were meant to protect against artillery.

You can see that this bunker is built in April 1940 like all bunkers on the island of Dordrecht. This one is nicely hidden under plants and is being maintained by the owner. The only problem is that I am too long. so I had a lot of cobwebs in my hair when I left 

Looking to the entrance. On the left the shooting hole they can cover the entrance form there.

Reactions: Like Like:
2 | Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## fubar57 (Sep 10, 2017)

Were there a lot of those bunkers on the island Marcel?


----------



## Wurger (Sep 10, 2017)




----------



## Marcel (Sep 10, 2017)

fubar57 said:


> Were there a lot of those bunkers on the island Marcel?


Yup, all build at the last minute, March/April 1940. This was the southern part of the New Dutch Waterline, the second line of defense. It was never finished, but Dordrecht is literally littered with these group shelters.
\A nice view is here, near the bridge, you see a whole line of bunkers in the back. This goes on along the whole dyke, about 10 km or so, although further on they are further apart.:

Reactions: Like Like:
3 | Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Old Wizard (Sep 10, 2017)




----------



## Capt. Vick (Sep 10, 2017)

Wow!


----------



## Gnomey (Sep 10, 2017)

Good stuff Marcel!

Reactions: Agree Agree:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wayne Little (Sep 11, 2017)

very interesting stuff Marcel.


----------



## Marcel (May 10, 2018)

Finally had time to go out with the camera again. Found another bunker, partly sacrificed to keep our feet dry.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (May 10, 2018)




----------



## Gnomey (May 10, 2018)

Nice shot Marcel!


----------



## Marcel (Apr 21, 2019)

Was at the grebbeberg again. In front of the hill are the remains of a 300 year old “bastion” system called “het Hoornwerk”. In 1940, this was enhanced by some little bunkers and some trenches in order too defend the water doors behind it. Because of Dutch greediness, the trees in front of the line were not cut down, greatly limiting the field of fire to a couple of dozen yards. On my 10th, soldiers tried to cut down as much as possible, so the situation was slightly less bad when the Germans arrived the next day. 

Didn’t have my camera, so you’ll have to do with some from my phone.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Wurger (Apr 21, 2019)




----------



## Gnomey (Apr 21, 2019)

Good shots Marcel!


----------



## Snautzer01 (Dec 31, 2019)

Not bqckyard but Bretange France

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Informative Informative:
2 | Like List reactions


----------



## Snautzer01 (Dec 31, 2019)

In this area 135 aviators escaped in the dark nights 1944 to England.


----------



## Marcel (May 26, 2020)

So after 3 months of corona quarantine and the practice rooms closed, we decided as a band to do an acoustic set at our drummer’s house in Steenbergen Brabant. Close to his house is a graveyard where I found the grave of one of the most famous pilots of world war 2, wing commander G.P. Gibson VC of dambuster’s fame. Took a few pictures with my phone.

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
1 | Like Like:
3 | Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Gnomey (May 26, 2020)




----------



## Snautzer01 (Sep 16, 2021)

Most northen point of holland main land waddenzee. Touching someone put flowers there. Not forgotten.






115 Squadron


Wellington Mk IC - R3202 - KO-J



115squadron-raf.be

Reactions: Bacon Bacon:
3 | Like Like:
4 | Like List reactions


----------



## Marcel (Sep 16, 2021)

Snautzer01 said:


> Most northen point of holland main land waddenzee. Touching someone put flowers there. Not forgotten.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ah, I know that, near Uithuizermeeden. I used to live there up north. Nice addition!


----------



## ARTESH (Sep 24, 2021)

Well, not sure if it is counted as "my back yard" or not, but besides the famous Polish cemetery in Tehran, there 3 others as well, one is located at northern part of Iran, in the city of Rasht. The second one is located at Central part of the country, in city of Isfahan, the 3rd one is located around the city of Qazvin. 

Also several British soldiers from both WW s and some time before it, rest in UK embassy outer garden, and in a place named as "The English cemetery" in Qeshm island, in Persian Gulf.

Also there was a cemetery for some Russian / Soviet troops died during both WW s around the City of Tabriz, which was destroyed after 1979.

Maybe there are more places / cemeteries in the country, but are either forgotten or destroyed.

Reactions: Informative Informative:
1 | Like List reactions


----------

