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Omaha Steve

(99,079 posts)
Sun Jun 22, 2014, 06:57 PM Jun 2014

Mortar Platoon in the the front line in Normandy (June 21, 1944)


Somebody asked for more.


http://ww2today.com/21-june-1944-mortar-platoon-in-the-the-front-line-in-normandy




Troops of the British 3rd Infantry Division preparing to fire a 4.2in mortar, Bieville, 15 June 1944. A Universal Carrier with its deep wading screens still attached can be seen in the background. Note the Mk III helmets.




Troops of the British 3rd Infantry Division preparing to fire a 4.2in mortar, Bieville, 15 June 1944. A Universal Carrier with its deep wading screens still attached can be seen in the background. Note the Mk III helmets.


In Normandy the progress of the Allies was beginning to slow up. The German defences were being organised in greater depth and Montgomery knew that he needed substantial reserves before he could begin his breakout battles. The ‘Great Gale’ was to put back the build up of munitions and supplies by about a week and the next Allied attacks had to be postponed.

Geoffrey Picot was young Lieutenant, soon to be Captain, with the 1st Hampshires. They had been in the thick of the action on D-Day. Picot joined them as a replacement on the 8th June and was immediately posted to command a Mortar Platoon, in place of a wounded officer. Now they found themselves in the Normandy slogging match, in largely static positions:

My timetable on a typical day in this area was:

0530 hours Roll reluctantly out of bed. Put jacket and boots over the clothes I had been sleeping in and supervise dawn stand-to.

0600 Take off boots, wrap a blanket around me, and sleep.

0730 Get up and wash.

FULL info and more photos at link.

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