If you were the commander would you have decided to attack this position with less than a third of the men you had planned for? Let me know in the comments below 👇

@jonthinks6238

18 күн бұрын

US. Army veteran, "Mission First". These men did just that, greatest generation. 12

My late father was there, 6th Airborne, 9th Battalion, C Company, 12 Platoon. Dad was covering fire second sniping group, a sniper. In Neil Barbers book The Day the Devils Dropped In, is an excellent book on the run up of the assault and the days after. Dad said the days after Merville some heavy fighting was horrendous. Dad survived Normandy, then was at the battle of the bulge, crossing of the Rhine. Up to Wismar on the Baltic at the wars end. Then onto Palestine and demobbed in April 1946, after six years service. Originally 4th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers then was accepted in the Airborne in 1943. Dad never went back to Normandy or was a member of any veterans associations. An avid ready of WW2 history. Told me on the C Company photo I have various men buried at Ranville Cemetery. I have visited twice, and laid flowers.Dads medals, and other items are at the museum at the Merville Battery Museum. He died in July 2000, aged 80. A quite man he very rarely talked in detail of his military service

@KevinJones-yh2jb

8 ай бұрын

My dad was Private Edward Ronald Jones

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Wow! Kevin what a fantastic legacy your father has left to you, and all of us. I did worry that this short video wouldn’t have the detail that specialists in the subject would want. Hopefully this short video has done the event justice. I don’t understand why there aren’t more videos on Merville. The actions that followed, including the blue on blue bombing, deserve another story altogether. You must be so proud of your father.

@bettylaselli2048

8 ай бұрын

Wow! Thanks for sharing .

@dougmoodie8713

7 ай бұрын

Hi Kevin, me again. Our dads were in the same platoon, 12, under the command of Alan (twinkletoes) Jefferson. My dad went in with Jefferson, saw him hit and go down. Got to casemate 1 just after Sid Capon, Frank Delsinior etc. After he passed away in 2012 we jumped his ashes in and put them outside casemate 1. I had the honour to jump over the battery from a Dak on the 70th, very emotional and humbling. The video is on my channel

@dougmoodie8713

7 ай бұрын

@@thehistoryexplorerthe two assault groups went in where the aircraft hanger is now. My dad was interviewed at Merville for the bbc programme regimental stories the year before he died. Dad was in the paras till I was born in 1966, mum was a parachute packer, two sisters were Air force, eldest brother went into maternal grandfather regiment, me and three other brothers all followed dad into the Parachute Regiment. I still jump into Normandy on the anniversaries, videos in my channel.

Men with tails ..... the red devil's.....the paras .....brave men!!! Massive respect.

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

Absolutely! I hope you enjoyed the video

One of our WW2TV regular’s father was in the 9th Battalion Parachute Brigade. Kev even gave a talk to one of our small groups. I’ll send this along to him. Great explanation of what happened. Sometimes when people speak too quickly it’s hard to put everything together (for me). This was just right.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Thank you Susan. I’ve made this to cater for the generalist so if a specialist in this subject was to watch then they might think it’s lacking detail. These first videos are to get the ball rolling with the algorithm which can be a slow process unfortunately. I hope you enjoyed it

These chaps were awesome . A different breed from a time when glory hunting was a swear word. People like Stanley Hollis who i had never heard of until a few yrs ago when i read one of Ross Kemps books. God bless them all.

@thehistoryexplorer

4 ай бұрын

Well said!

thanks for the amazing work!

@thehistoryexplorer

12 күн бұрын

My pleasure!

If I remember correctly, the raid on the Merville battery was reenacted for the film The Longest Day. Quite dramatic even in the film.

I can’t get enough watching your wonderful videos. I know I’ve mentioned this before but it deserves mentioning again, that you doing a great service to the memory of those brave, valiant men. Thank you so very much for these real life stories. This one with the actual voice of Lt. Col. Otway was especially poignant and your description of the Col. sitting with his hands covering his face had me feel a little of the emotion he must have felt.

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. Really appreciate the support

Yes Rob! good video, well done. I always loved the stories of the British Paras

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! I can’t believe how few videos I could find on Merville Battery

Brilliant video. Thanks for keeping the memories and achievements of these great men alive. 👍

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, it’s my absolute pleasure

There has obviously being some improvements to the site since I visited, the C47 sat outside the fenceline and the entrance was through a small wooden hut, so clearly a need to revisit in June is required if possible, I remember the enormity of the bunkers and somehow it looks much bigger, I remember they had a bunker playing the sounds of the attack in one of the bunkers and effects of the firing. Inside a lot of the casemates you could see the fragmentations from grendades in the roof of the doorways. Sadly I do not recall the monument. Having just found your site as I researched Canadian D-Day movements I have to ask from the way you speak, if you have served, its sounds very much from your emotion and descriptive terms you did. Keep the History coming its is very important to understand from where we have come in order to understand where we are going.

More than likely not made into a movie in Hollywood as it wasn't the Americans who carried out this assault!!!

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

It would make a brilliant movie

@garryfarquhar9402

6 ай бұрын

There are a lot of British exploits in WW2 That would make epic movies but again we don't dramatise it like the Americans do! Nothing wrong doing it, I wish we the Brits made more movies showing the greatness of our armed forces!

This was also covered in the 60th anniversary docudrama by the bbc, called D Day 06/06/1944 . I also live fairly close to the place that the dummy battery was constructed to train for D day. During the pandemic when I was unable to travel to Merville, a few of us had a small service of remembrance at the memorial overlooking the site of the dummy battery, quite aptly it did its job again.

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

Thank you Doug your comments have been brilliant. Thank you for sharing 👍 I hope you enjoyed the video

I was in the snafu plane when they put it there a few years ago and I also meet a son of one of the pilots.great video

@thehistoryexplorer

7 күн бұрын

Oh wow! What an experience

My uncle Jacky Reid , a Mosquito Pilot with 605 sqn, was tasked along with two other crews to attackthe searchlights and AA guns on the Caen landing area on 6th June, they got there at 0010hrs on 6th, he dropped his first 500lb bomb at 0011hrs....in his logbooks, which I have, he describes the 100 Lancs going in to "plaster" the area, the glider train and the paras, they left the area at 0039hrs....with his aircraft severly damaged, but made it back to Manston at 0150 hrs...I and others are convinced he was attacking the Merville Battery....

@thehistoryexplorer

2 күн бұрын

Outstanding. Thank you for sharing

Great well done video, Thank you

@thehistoryexplorer

11 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Respect to all ❤past and present❤GOD BLESS❤Thank you for are FREEDOM❤❤❤

@thehistoryexplorer

14 күн бұрын

Well said

Not attacking was not an option. Been there some years ago. Well worth a visit.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Hello Filip. I know you from WW2TV I think! I quite agree the commander had no option. What bravery to assault that position without the element of surprise. I hope you enjoyed the video and very much appreciate your comment and feedback

@FilipDePreter

8 ай бұрын

I did enjoy the video.@@thehistoryexplorer

Great video!

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Excellent video..👍👍

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much buddy. Really appreciate the feedback it makes all the difference

The most daring raid of all time was the Commando raid of the St Nazaire U boat base. 5 VC’s were won that day and it’s known as the Greatest Raid of All….

OMG! That’s

@thehistoryexplorer

18 күн бұрын

It really is astonishing.

Thank you for posting very thoughtfully put together. I love France and am going to visit this area this year after the main commemorations.

@thehistoryexplorer

17 күн бұрын

Have fun! I’m heading back soon aswell

Been there many times. Love the area around Pegasus Bridge

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

I do enjoy it too. Lovely area. Most people visit the western end to see the American locations

Brilliant tactics, hard fought and successful! Thanks all!

@thehistoryexplorer

15 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@thehistoryexplorer

15 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Great video Rob, how did you find the size of the Tobruk? I went into the ones at Hillman and they were a squeeze, and I'm not the biggest of people.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Willie. The Tobruks tend to be quite small, the ones at WN60 seem smaller still. I’ve got footage of many more Tobruks coming up!

The Paras landed on June 5-6, Steiner held out until August 17th. An incredible accomplishment.

Visited this place a few years ago.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

It’s a brilliant site and well cared for. It has been made to feel more ‘touristy’ though

Also Rob don’t mean to be picky, the group photo you posted with the Officer with the moustache is not Col Otaway. I think it’s Martin Lindsay the original Battalion Commander. A great video thanks for putting it together

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Appreciate the feedback Kevin, I’ll do better next time! It was pulled from a documentary that I had assumed was the correct picture.

@Parachutist123

4 ай бұрын

It is not Martin Lindsay either, it is major Parry the 2 IC under Otway who was in the actual attack. Lt-col Otway himself was repatriated after being bombed by a German aircraft and was send to the War Office in order to write the excellent book Airborne Forces. Long restricted. Available as a IWM reprint. @@thehistoryexplorer

Most Daring raid? Well it was one of a lot. Did you heard about the Bruneval raid in 1942?

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

I’m going back there to film it. What a place. It’s a bit out of the way from the landing beaches which is where I was based at the time

@lesmartin8131

5 ай бұрын

Good point anyways no septics were involved so it's an irrelevance. Dad was there Joe Martin 9th battalion. He occasionally would give a wry laugh and tell me this among other actions he was in was a total cock up. Good old dad he didn't tell porkies

So many war films but nothing on this incredible bravery

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

I know!

What a tune These proud lands of the Scot’s (clamore)👍🏻 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿bonnie Scotland 🫶🏻🙏🏻😊

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

Thank you buddy

For me, it’s a shame they’ve recently built that hanger across the line of attack.

@thehistoryexplorer

5 ай бұрын

Yes I think so too!

My money would be on Pointe Du Hoc for most daring. They climbed a cliff with Germans shooting at them and cutting the ropes! Enjoyed the video though and look forward to the next

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Yeh I can see that too! Brilliant place to visit

@urbanjungle9600

8 ай бұрын

I stop atop that cliff whilst doing a tour of the D-Day sites and came to the same conclusion. How on earth they achieved that simply blew my mind. Those few days in Normandy were amongst the most sobering and poignant of my life.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

@@urbanjungle9600 I still remember when I was 13 being taken in a school trip to the WW1 battlefields and cemeteries, and then on a later trip being taken to Normandy. I don’t think you can visit these locations and not be shaped by them

Brave men, I am humbled, imagine the youth of today, our tik tokers doing this 😂🤣

@thehistoryexplorer

6 ай бұрын

They might surprise you!

Honra e glórias eternas à todos aqueles que lutaram contra o nazi fascismo!!!! 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Thank you. I hope you enjoyed the video 👍

Sorry to trouble you - I have been watching most of your " then and now" short videos and would love to know the name of the piece of music you use in them. I know a lot of claissal music compositions but this one has got me stumped. Hope to hear back from you sometime. Thank-you.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Hello mate. It’s called Honour from the HBO series The Pacific. It’s a Hans Zimmer piece

@scotinnl

8 ай бұрын

@@thehistoryexplorer thank you so much for replying, I did watch the series but it was a while ago and had forgotten the theme tune. I really appreciate you answer. By the way, I have downloaded a good number of your videos as I live in the Netherlands and go just about every year down to either France or Belgium visiting the war memorials or graveyards. I feel a compulsion to show my respects, both the allies and the Germans. My wife and always take 30 roses with us and they gat placed on graves of all nations. They were all someones son. Thank you for your work, I really appreciate what you are doing.

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

@@scotinnl you are most welcome buddy. Glad you enjoy them

@dougmoodie8713

7 ай бұрын

The song at the end of this video is from the soundtrack of We were soldiers 😊

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

@@dougmoodie8713 certainly is. It’s called Sgt McKenzie and was written by the son of a WW1 soldier who never came home. Sad sad song when you listen to the lyrics. The Canadians also love the song and I’ve used it in a recent video on Juno beach

Otway created an overly complex plan which was then poorly executed. The losses were predictable. The victory a case of luck as much as anything. Compare this with the assault on Pegasus Bridge under Col. Howard. A simple plan, perfectly executed. This is about leadership. Sandhurst and West Point actually use this Otways' attack as a case study in what not to do. It was a heroic victory in spite of poor leadership. BTW -- guess who volunteered to write the official history of this mission -- you guessed it Otway.

@thehistoryexplorer

7 ай бұрын

The attack isn’t necessarily overly complicated but the delivery/insertion method is fraught with risk. An attack against a fortified position should be a minimum of 3:1 ration

The people of today would all piss off back 🔙 home

@thehistoryexplorer

Ай бұрын

Possibly!

With all the war films made not one of this . Only a very good documentary on tv but can’t remember who did it . The longest day film nothing but the American point du hock yes strange

@thehistoryexplorer

5 ай бұрын

It should have been made into a movie

Roma

@thehistoryexplorer

8 ай бұрын

Sorry?

Over use or abuse of that background song.

@thehistoryexplorer

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback

To answer the question about the most daring raid of WW2 it has to be up there, in terms of loss not one of the highest but for endevour and guts definately a contender, the St Nazaire dock gate raid ranks for me pretty high as does the raid on Bordeaux was probably one of the mose audacious. But that was Churchills aim to kep the enemy guessing as to where we would next strike, I hope many more sites show the guile and heroism of the men and women who gave us our today. Even after 12 years of visiting these beaches and battlegrounds I never fail to feel the emotion, upset and pain as to wht was being asked of these young men and women and let's not forget the Canadians we all volunteers - No conscription, but to everyone they were standing tall against a brutal regime, who thankfully were led by a power hungry leader.🥸