FabSwingers.com forum: World War 2 stuff

By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

I went for a walk and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I went for a wank and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that when they wank? "

I do Steve

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"I went for a wank and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that when they wank?

I do Steve "

Bunker down, eh?

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By *hrista BellendWoman
over a year ago

surrounded by twinkly lights

We have lots of stuff like that In the newforest

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I went for a wank and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that when they wank?

I do Steve

Bunker down, eh? "

©====8

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

We're big history buffs. We like exploring historic sites etc when we're on holiday and actively choose places with a bit of history, rather than soulless resorts. We hire a car and go exploring...

Same in the UK, under normal circumstances (except I own the car

)

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By *ty31Man
over a year ago

NW London

It's really interesting how much stuff is left over from WW2 and the extents of the world to which it stretched.

For example I did not know about much of the fighting in Philippines until I visited Manilla, theres a beautiful statue dedicated to the Siege of Manila in Intramuros.

And I was not aware that Australia was actually attacked by the Japanese until visiting it.

I also remember being fascinated by the little forts and gunsites along the coast of Jersey on childhood holidays.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"We're big history buffs. We like exploring historic sites etc when we're on holiday and actively choose places with a bit of history, rather than soulless resorts. We hire a car and go exploring...

Same in the UK, under normal circumstances (except I own the car

)"
that’s cool. We have a beach day then an exploring day on holidays.

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By *a LunaWoman
over a year ago

South Wales

Yes, there were some in Lavernock (near Penarth) that I used to enjoy looking around. They had the old road leading there and some small office buildings remaining (badly overgrown but passable). I love stuff like that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We're big history buffs. We like exploring historic sites etc when we're on holiday and actively choose places with a bit of history, rather than soulless resorts. We hire a car and go exploring...

Same in the UK, under normal circumstances (except I own the car

That's so much more appealing than drinks and roasting by the pool.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"We're big history buffs. We like exploring historic sites etc when we're on holiday and actively choose places with a bit of history, rather than soulless resorts. We hire a car and go exploring...

Same in the UK, under normal circumstances (except I own the car

) that’s cool. We have a beach day then an exploring day on holidays. "

We'll often pack beach stuff and find isolated/quiet beaches on our adventures, but yes, we also have days just to relax. I think we covered the entirety of Tenerife by car last time we went, for example

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"We're big history buffs. We like exploring historic sites etc when we're on holiday and actively choose places with a bit of history, rather than soulless resorts. We hire a car and go exploring...

Same in the UK, under normal circumstances (except I own the car

) that’s cool. We have a beach day then an exploring day on holidays.

We used to go to France quite regularly and there’s loads of ww2 stuff over there. Really interesting.

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By *wisted999Man
over a year ago

North Bucks

Grew up somewhere that was essentially a fortress in many different conflicts that and a Grandad who was in the RAF left me with a real love of learning about that era.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I enjoyed viewing part ruined shelled bunkers at the site of defence against Nazis in Westerplatte peninsula. It makes for a great experience stepping somewhere where People lost lives to protect the very land you walk on.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Loads in Norfolk, we had lots of RAF and USAF bases here during WWII

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Lots of fascinating history here in Wiltshire. Have you heard of the Burlington bunker?

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By *pursChick aka ShortieWoman
over a year ago

On a mooch

Anything historic gets my interest, love just roaming and getting lost in my thoughts imagining what life would have been like.

I live around the corner from a restored anti aircraft gun, in its original position. Also the site of the only military cross to be awarded due to action on British soil.

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By *ealthy_and_HungMan
over a year ago

Princes Risborough, Luasanne, Alderney

where i grew up there was an enormous derelict ROF site with tons of pill boxes, bunkers and huge munitions rail stations underground. on the other side of town over the road from our school was a big POW camp with an escape tunnel and grafitti artwork of sweethearts drawn on the walls of the huts. was a brilliant place to bunk off school ... except when the police dogs were being trained there occasionally.

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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago

Dubai & Nottingham

Love exploring historic places and history of war and revolutions. Used to take the kids on camping holidays to the battlefield sites in Europe and former USSR places also went to Rwanda genocide memorial in Kigali in 2019... that’s something everyone should see.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We were not in ww2 but we do have small megalithic forts and tombs in our area. And there are old signal towers that date back before ww1 too. Someone local said they were built for the spanish armada but I have no proof of that

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By *edeWoman
over a year ago

the abyss

Yes we have quite a lot of bits and pieces. My dad was a sport diver and brought a lot up from wrecks etc. I've always been fascinated by it all

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Love history. Love the local stories from the second world war. I love looking at old maps to. And seeing the changes

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

We've also been to explore my family history in the Netherlands. Found our family kosher butcher shop (now a gift shop) and explored lots of WW2 history around the area too. Mr KC particularly enjoyed the museum we went to at Overloon.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We've also been to explore my family history in the Netherlands. Found our family kosher butcher shop (now a gift shop) and explored lots of WW2 history around the area too. Mr KC particularly enjoyed the museum we went to at Overloon. "

That must be amazing to go into a shop which your family used to run.

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By *ealthy_and_HungMan
over a year ago

Princes Risborough, Luasanne, Alderney

the west berlin squat i lived in during the 80's had subterranean levels that had loads of stuff just left lying around from furniture, tins of food, gas masks, maps, boots, bunk beds etc. there used to be quite a lot of shebeens on the go down there with touring bands playing regularly.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

That must be amazing to go into a shop which your family used to run. "

It was indeed. I explained the history to the current proprietor and she encouraged me to choose a gift. I chose a Christmas tree angel for my Dad, because the family name partly translates into English as angel. She wouldn't let me pay for it and she gift wrapped it too. She was very kind.

The front step is much more worn on the left hand side because that's the door most people went through into the shop but there was no trace inside of its original purpose. The outside is still the same though. I have a picture of the shop with people queuing for their rations during WW1 (when they sold meat in general, as well as kosher, for the war effort). I'm sure you can imagine what happened to Jewish people in the Netherlands in the next war though...

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

We have a lot of first hand accounts and mementos from both sides, it's very interesting to discover the experiences of ordinary people.

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By *moothdickMan
over a year ago

stoke

Love all ww1 and ww11 history

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By *ocksareoffMan
over a year ago

Out n About

"I went for a walk and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that? "

I'm mainly interested in the aviation side but there's still a lot of infastructure left over. There's pipelines cris crossing the country that were built during the cover of darkness linking refinery's and docks. In Scotland there's massive fuel tanks under ground that you can go into

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By *ensuallover1000Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

We have quite a few bunkers in my neck of the woods.

Most now have sadly been boarded shut however for probable health and safety reasons and one or two are now actually designated as bat sanctuaries.

I used to love playing in them as a child though - vocally mocked ‘machine gun’ sounds and sticks were involved

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By *arker secrets 321Man
over a year ago

West Bromwich

Love ww2 history .sometimes looking about graves of the fallen makes me greatfull 4 wot we av x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Went to Arromanches years ago, fascinating place, amazing seeing the remains of the Mulberry Harbours and the museum is good too. Been to St Maire Eglise too.

Once we can head back to Europe I want to take my Motorbike, go back to the beaches, then head up the route of Market Garden and down to the Dambusters lakes.

I also had the luck to visit Volgograd (Stalingrad) a few years back. That was truly a fascinating place. Seeing all the memorials, visiting the Tank Factory etc. The hotel we were in was in the centre of the city and the basement had been both a German and Soviet command post at various points of the siege.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

That must be amazing to go into a shop which your family used to run.

That's a shame there were no original fixtures in there. My brother lives in an old bakery. The oven is door is still there it's a feature in his front room. I always think what the bakers would think of it being a front room now

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I went for a walk and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that? "

Yes Used to live down south and spent many a day exploring old sites.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I love it, but mostly interested the personal equipment a soldier would have had access to

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By *arkus1812Man
over a year ago

Lifes departure lounge NN9 Northamptonshire East not West MidlandsMidlands

My interest centres around disused WW2 airfields both RAF and USAAF, Within a 15 mile radius of home there are some 15 such airfields.

My 11 yr old Grandson is now showing an interest especially when I told him that their family home is 3 miles from the end of, and in direct line with the runway from an American Bomber base, and that if he had been around at that time he would have found it quite interesting.

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By *oroRick1027Man
over a year ago

Middlesbrough

My father was rescued from the beaches at Dunkirk and his brother, my uncle Robert was lost at sea after a bombing raid over Germany. Always had a fascination for WW2.

As a side note, has anyone watched 'Hunting Hitler'? I'm now convinced he got away to Argentina.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"Lots of fascinating history here in Wiltshire. Have you heard of the Burlington bunker? "
no, but I’ll google it.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"Went to Arromanches years ago, fascinating place, amazing seeing the remains of the Mulberry Harbours and the museum is good too. Been to St Maire Eglise too.

Once we can head back to Europe I want to take my Motorbike, go back to the beaches, then head up the route of Market Garden and down to the Dambusters lakes.

I’ve been to the D-Day beaches several times. It was strange to see old men crying.

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By *inkerbell67Woman
over a year ago

Clacton on sea essex

Love Ww2 history, the music fashion,,if i could travel back in time it would be London in 1939-1945

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Went to Arromanches years ago, fascinating place, amazing seeing the remains of the Mulberry Harbours and the museum is good too. Been to St Maire Eglise too.

Once we can head back to Europe I want to take my Motorbike, go back to the beaches, then head up the route of Market Garden and down to the Dambusters lakes.

I’ve been to the D-Day beaches several times. It was strange to see old men crying. "

We found a grave in the British cemetery for 1 British relative and near Boulogne a grave for a German soldier who was his cousin, Our family history goes back to Yorkshire and Domremy-la-pucelle where Joan of arc came from.

During WW1 we had relatives again facing each other across the front lines and buried in TYNE COTT and the German cemetery.

Crazy how Europe fought itself 100 years ago .

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 05/04/21 16:01:07]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I went for a walk and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that? "

Yes

I've visited a few WW2 related places in & around Berlin

The place where the German surrender was signed (the Russians said the one signed in France wasn't signed by senior enough German officers, so insisted on a second surrender)

The place where von Stauffenberg was executed for his involvement in trying to assassinate Hitler

I've stood above where the Fuhrerbunker was located

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

The Olympic Stadium

The villa in Wannsee where the Final Solution was drafted

The stately home in Potsdam where the Allied Leaders held their meeting following the end of the war

I would love to visit Oradour Sur Gleine in Southern France too

That's definitely on the bucket list

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

Although being ex military and having an interest since I was a boy I will when in an area seek to pay respect to those who served and to those who were victims..

Bergen Belsen, Menin gate, Tyne cott, USA cemetery in Normandy etc are all incredibly moving..

Going back to Berlin as a civvie and seeing it post reunification was different, not being followed..

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By *eavenNhellCouple
over a year ago

carrbrook stalybridge

have researched and visited lots of local sites from ww1 & 2 including the barracks where my grandfarther was sent after recovering from his wounds at the somme Ladysmith barracks and the fleet airarm base where my dad did part of his national service post war Hms Wren .ventured onto the moors around manchester looking at searchlight and AAgun emplacments all very interesting

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

I tracked down via regimental diaries the location in France where one of my ancestors was killed. He was defending a railway line which is still there. Just a field. In the middle of nowhere.

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By *inky_CarpenterMan
over a year ago

Portsmouth

My workshop was part of a small shipbuilding complex, where Torpedo Boats and Fast Launches were made. During WW2, and there are a couple of bomb shelters in the surrounding woodland. There are networks of Pillboxes all over the country, that formed different lines of defence against the expected invasion. You can often see them from trains, even in towns and cities if you know what to look for.

There is a lot of interesting war history around my area, as well as viking, medieval and interesting cultural history.

I'm fascinated by all of it and have a collection of fossils and historic artifacts I've found. And have discovered and reported a couple of significant finds and sites to Museums. My favourite piece is a Australopithicus hand Axe I found in Africa.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

Ive been to quite a few world war 2 places. My sister lives in flanders belguim so has taken us on many a trip. The most moving for me was fort breendok which is near antwerk it was actually a holding camp rather than a concentration camp but oh so sad also tynecote was so moving i couldnt speak and ive been to menegate numerous times once just after remberance sunday and the wreaths from around the world where unbelievable.

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"Ive been to quite a few world war 2 places. My sister lives in flanders belguim so has taken us on many a trip. The most moving for me was fort breendok which is near antwerk it was actually a holding camp rather than a concentration camp but oh so sad also tynecote was so moving i couldnt speak and ive been to menegate numerous times once just after remberance sunday and the wreaths from around the world where unbelievable.

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker"

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now. "

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When things are better book yourself on a few war walks.

You'll be amazed that anyone got out of the water, carrying equipment, on to them beaches under such heavy fire.

Even modern day athletes would struggle to make it.

People are made different back then.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now.

I'm not sure how I'd get on with Holocaust sites. I'd like to visit Camp Westerbork, where my family were held before onward deportation. If I was to visit any of the camps, it'd have to be Sobibor because that's where most of them ended up. A few went to Auschwitz..."
Think ive been to westerbork if its the one im thinking of where the train carriage ends at a brick wall. If it is its very moving had me in tears. Its only a small memorial garden but there is pictures of all the families. When you go to the little museum theres little suitcases with childrens belongings in. ( Ive just been informed yes that is the place i went)

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

I went to a V1 factory bunker in France (Blockhaus d'Éperlecques) and the roof was like 20 feet thick concrete and this Lancaster bomb had blown a huge chunk of the corner of it. Very satisfying.

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By *erry bull1Man
over a year ago

doncaster

Jersey has lots of remnants from the war

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now.

I'm not sure how I'd get on with Holocaust sites. I'd like to visit Camp Westerbork, where my family were held before onward deportation. If I was to visit any of the camps, it'd have to be Sobibor because that's where most of them ended up. A few went to Auschwitz...Think ive been to westerbork if its the one im thinking of where the train carriage ends at a brick wall. If it is its very moving had me in tears. Its only a small memorial garden but there is pictures of all the families. When you go to the little museum theres little suitcases with childrens belongings in. ( Ive just been informed yes that is the place i went)"

I watched Robert Rinder when he visited Holocaust sites for a TV programme that he made with his mother. He met a Polish man who was a child at the time and who described the sounds he heard from the camp (I think it was Treblinka). I've watched plenty of such documentaries, but the description of the Polish man made my blood run cold. I've never felt like that before, never. So I don't know how I'd respond if I did visit Westerbork or Sobibor...

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now.

I'm not sure how I'd get on with Holocaust sites. I'd like to visit Camp Westerbork, where my family were held before onward deportation. If I was to visit any of the camps, it'd have to be Sobibor because that's where most of them ended up. A few went to Auschwitz...Think ive been to westerbork if its the one im thinking of where the train carriage ends at a brick wall. If it is its very moving had me in tears. Its only a small memorial garden but there is pictures of all the families. When you go to the little museum theres little suitcases with childrens belongings in. ( Ive just been informed yes that is the place i went)

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By *arkus1812Man
over a year ago

Lifes departure lounge NN9 Northamptonshire East not West MidlandsMidlands

"Jersey has lots of remnants from the war "

Likewise for Guernsey and Alderney

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We have lots of stuff like that In the newforest"

I was staying near the New Forest Airfields memorial just before Lockdown. Interesting stuff. I wouldn't call myself a buff, but I do have an interest, particularly on the flying side.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I work for a costume company and we have some original uniform pieces including a 1940's GI uniform jacket and I love getting to rummage in it.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"I work for a costume company and we have some original uniform pieces including a 1940's GI uniform jacket and I love getting to rummage in it. "
I have a uniform here (still waiting for its new home) ive decided to give it to an enthusiast rather than just sit here

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same"

Send a pic to the Imperial War Museum to see if they can ID it?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My second boarding school had pill boxes on the grounds great times

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same

Send a pic to the Imperial War Museum to see if they can ID it? "
it has been identified as someone sent me a picture of the one in the ypes museum i just cant remember what it is

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same

Send a pic to the Imperial War Museum to see if they can ID it? it has been identified as someone sent me a picture of the one in the ypes museum i just cant remember what it is

Did you show it to me? I know what it was if you did.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same

Send a pic to the Imperial War Museum to see if they can ID it? it has been identified as someone sent me a picture of the one in the ypes museum i just cant remember what it is

Did you show it to me? I know what it was if you did. "

Yes, it’s a folding 2 man saw with leather pouch.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

[Removed by poster at 05/04/21 18:16:38]

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"I also have a piece of equipment here still not sure what it is but its like a two man saw they have one in ypes myseum the same

Send a pic to the Imperial War Museum to see if they can ID it? it has been identified as someone sent me a picture of the one in the ypes museum i just cant remember what it is

Did you show it to me? I know what it was if you did.

Yes, it’s a folding 2 man saw with leather pouch. "
yes thats it the one you saw in the museum

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

also went to belsen that just happened to be anne franks birthday. If you go to a concentration camp takevsome stones in your pocket as its a sign of respect to put them on a memorial rather than flowers and all the stones there have already been used

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By *illy_the_tvTV/TS
over a year ago

hoorn, Netherlands

My grandad was in the navy during ww2, they used to trades the pow Germans cigarettes for items, so now my mum has ivory binoculars and one of my uncles has a big magnifying glass with the Eagle and swastika on it

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By *uke olovingmanMan
over a year ago

Gravesend

My house is inside a Napoleonic fortification

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By *arakiss12TV/TS
over a year ago

Bedford

Love WWII stuff, in fact I`d like to go over to Burma and show the Commie bastards a bit of WWII stuff if you get my meaning.

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By *uke olovingmanMan
over a year ago

Gravesend

I've been listening to spike Milligan's war books read by spike

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"also went to belsen that just happened to be anne franks birthday. If you go to a concentration camp takevsome stones in your pocket as its a sign of respect to put them on a memorial rather than flowers and all the stones there have already been used"

We took stones from the River Mersey to the Netherlands and put them on the graves of my family back there, my Great Great Grandmother for example. My Great Grandad settled in a house that backed on to the Mersey, so we thought it was fitting.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

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By *incsladyandscotsmanCouple
over a year ago

North fife

The scotsman loves his history. The wars are a particular favourite for him x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Yes love it. I have afew things ive picked up over the years, ammunition box, defused grenade ect. I have a huge fetish for aircraft 'nose art' and the stories behind them.

Have you been Auschwitz? Thats a must do

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"Yes love it. I have afew things ive picked up over the years, ammunition box, defused grenade ect. I have a huge fetish for aircraft 'nose art' and the stories behind them.

Have you been Auschwitz? Thats a must do

"
Ive been to both the one where the memorial is and the other one. I even went in the gaa chamber

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By *ubal1Man
over a year ago

Newry Down

Two visits to Dachau concentration camp initiated an enduring interest in world war two, genocide, malignant narcissism, political systems, power and influence, leadership, war factory management, anthropology, propaganda, social engineering, historiography and many other subjects.

I also witnessed Joseph Broz Tito making one of his last public speeches in Belgrade.

Crossing the Berlin Wall into East Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie in 1979 was a sobering experience!

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By *ostafunMan
over a year ago

near ipswich

I like to go through my dads old navy records and now with so much stuff on the internet can see by the ship and date where he was and what was going on. He never used to tell me much unless we got pissed in the pub but i am now finding stuff on the net that he used to tell me its fascinating.

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By *ine TimeMan
over a year ago

Grantham

Fascinated by literally all aspects of history, but my current interest is the Hundred Years War and it's descent into the Wars of the Roses, ultimately giving rise to the Tudor dynasty

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By *J GeminiTV/TS
over a year ago

Northumberland

"I went for a walk and saw some world war 2 Pill boxes. I was wondering if there were any other history buffs who like stuff like that? "

Walk the Northumberland coast and you'll see loads of WW2 defences, some obvious, some not,

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By *ossillMan
over a year ago

Haverhill

Have a great interest in WW2,visited France Belgium and Holland, its the cemeteries that make you think,all those young guys who fought for our freedom.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Love ww2 history.

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By *ubal1Man
over a year ago

Newry Down

The despicable way that Alan Turing was treated in the 1950s, when one considers the astonishing feats he performed at Bletchley Park during WW2 is one of the most significant injustices inflicted on an individual.

The belated apology was pathetic.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"Fascinated by literally all aspects of history, but my current interest is the Hundred Years War and it's descent into the Wars of the Roses, ultimately giving rise to the Tudor dynasty

"
I’ve been to Azincourt but it is what it is. A field with some trees along the edge.

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By *ine TimeMan
over a year ago

Grantham

"Fascinated by literally all aspects of history, but my current interest is the Hundred Years War and it's descent into the Wars of the Roses, ultimately giving rise to the Tudor dynasty

I’ve been to Azincourt but it is what it is. A field with some trees along the edge. "

Four hundred years later on, I know, and in the country next door, but Waterloo is definitely worth a visit

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By *ickJMan
over a year ago

Hemel Hempstead

"We have lots of stuff like that In the newforest"

You also have several ponds which were made by the Tallboy and Grand Slam bomb tests (10 tonnes of bomb makes a pretty big hole!) at Ashley Walk.

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By *ornucopiaMan
over a year ago

Bexley

"Jersey has lots of remnants from the war

Likewise for Guernsey and Alderney"

I was lucky enough to grow up in Jersey. We dicovered two bunkers below ground level in our garden. The field had been released for building in the 1950s because it was full of bunkers and some houses had them incorporated as cellars or raised garden features, depending on the original purpose, i.e. shelters, stores or gun emplacements.

As schoolboys we played in many of them around the island. Older youths and their girlfriends left things called johnnies in the bunkers. Ten year olds couldn't comprehend that ten years previously there were real live Germans in the island even though adults constantly mentioned 'Jerry'. To children, ten years before felt like a former century. When you are older it was yesterday!

When I have seen brick built pill boxes in the UK I marvelled at the superior quality of the German structures. Some which were in inconvenient places took moths to demolish. The rest have survived as almost indestructible.

I have seen some on the adjacent Normandy coast which have fallen over, intact, as the dunes they were built on have long sice washed away. In Jersey the dunes have survived thanks to massive German anti tank walls.

Rumour had it that forced workers who died labouring were thrown into the mix. However, the Germans were so thorough that I doubt they would have compromised the strength of the concrete by doing that.

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By *avenTinaCouple
over a year ago

Southport

I’m a real sarcastic bugger usually with an answer for everything, however when we visited Aushwitz I was speechless the scale of the place and the effort put in to murder people on an industrial scale

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

I’ve seen various bunkers in France where they have toppled over into the sand - just natural movement of the sea and sand over the years.

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now. "

The two holocaust museums in Berlin are worth a visit, one is opposite of the American Embassy and to the by other for me it's architecture and to how it's built to portray a world out of kilter at that time is truly memorable and sad at the same time..

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

Ive also beennon a holacast tour of europe for 12 days and stood in hitlers bunker

The Holocaust places are indescribably emotional places even now.

I'm not sure how I'd get on with Holocaust sites. I'd like to visit Camp Westerbork, where my family were held before onward deportation. If I was to visit any of the camps, it'd have to be Sobibor because that's where most of them ended up. A few went to Auschwitz...Think ive been to westerbork if its the one im thinking of where the train carriage ends at a brick wall. If it is its very moving had me in tears. Its only a small memorial garden but there is pictures of all the families. When you go to the little museum theres little suitcases with childrens belongings in. ( Ive just been informed yes that is the place i went)

I cried watching that part, very moving..

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

I cried watching that part, very moving.."

I didn't cry. It felt like anti freeze had been injected into my blood vessels. Every single hair on my body stood on end. I honestly have never felt like that before, or since.

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

I cried watching that part, very moving..

I didn't cry. It felt like anti freeze had been injected into my blood vessels. Every single hair on my body stood on end. I honestly have never felt like that before, or since. "

Can't imagine how it feels to know relatives were taken to such places, for me it's the inhumanity that gets me..

I doubt if I will ever visit the site of another camp, once was enough..

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By *ust RachelTV/TS
over a year ago

Horsham

"It's really interesting how much stuff is left over from WW2 and the extents of the world to which it stretched.

For example I did not know about much of the fighting in Philippines until I visited Manilla, theres a beautiful statue dedicated to the Siege of Manila in Intramuros.

And I was not aware that Australia was actually attacked by the Japanese until visiting it.

I also remember being fascinated by the little forts and gunsites along the coast of Jersey on childhood holidays."

Wasn't Jersey occupied by the Germans during WW2?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"It's really interesting how much stuff is left over from WW2 and the extents of the world to which it stretched.

For example I did not know about much of the fighting in Philippines until I visited Manilla, theres a beautiful statue dedicated to the Siege of Manila in Intramuros.

And I was not aware that Australia was actually attacked by the Japanese until visiting it.

I also remember being fascinated by the little forts and gunsites along the coast of Jersey on childhood holidays.

Wasn't Jersey occupied by the Germans during WW2?"

Yes, the locals had a hard time. The War Tunnels Museum are interesting.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

Ive enjoyed this thread. I know more than i thought i did

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

There was a good film about wartime Guernsey, The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society.

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By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

Just been talking to my partner about this thread and ive been to more places than i remember or can spell

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

I visited Anglesey and found it very emotional..true or not I believe the Romans slaughtered the Druids there..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"It's really interesting how much stuff is left over from WW2 and the extents of the world to which it stretched.

For example I did not know about much of the fighting in Philippines until I visited Manilla, theres a beautiful statue dedicated to the Siege of Manila in Intramuros.

And I was not aware that Australia was actually attacked by the Japanese until visiting it.

I also remember being fascinated by the little forts and gunsites along the coast of Jersey on childhood holidays."

Jersey is great for that sort of thing. Have you been to the underground hospital in st. Lawrence?

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By *itvclaireTV/TS
over a year ago

Birmingham

Not WW2, but there are a few ROC posts I pass regularly. These are where 3 volunteers would sit, and observer nuclear bombs been dropped. One is on private land owned by Severn Trent water. Apparently it's in time warp condition. Other one is on the way from Birmingham to Redditch.

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By *lint-EverhardMan
over a year ago

Perpignan and cap

Imagine how much concrete was used in ww2.

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

"Imagine how much concrete was used in ww2."

Probably not as much as you think when you look at modern construction

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"I visited Anglesey and found it very emotional..true or not I believe the Romans slaughtered the Druids there..

"
the Romans did that a lot.

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

Didnt the Romans get credited with inventing concrete...

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By *renzMan
over a year ago

Between Chichester and Havant

I used to live in a valley which was used as a firing range by Canadian troops prior to D-day. My father used to regularly plough up mortar shells, which the bomb disposal would come out and blow up. He once asked what would happen if one blew up when he hit it with the plough. The answer..I shouldn't worry mate, you won't know anything about it!

Also there are three bomb craters still visible, dropped by a heinkel or Junkers dropping them to supposedly lighten after being chased by a hurricane. Also had an excavation to try and find a spitfire that was shot down, killing the Polish pilot. Unfortunately no sign of the plane found. I have found mortar shells, tails of exploded, live mortars, smoke mortars and ammunition, both live and cartridge cases and spent bullets. 303 and hmg.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"Didnt the Romans get credited with inventing concrete..."

Probably erroneously, yes

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/25/a-brief-history-of-concrete-from-10000bc-to-3d-printed-houses

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

Is there any evidence of Roman battlefields in the UK and what happened to the lost legion ?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is

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By *ornucopiaMan
over a year ago

Bexley

Jersey is great for that sort of thing. Have you been to the underground hospital in st. Lawrence? "

An interesting place for several reasons.

I can tell you, as an inquisitive local schoolboy at the time, that in the 1950s the tunnels were damp and empty other than having been used as a mushroom farm. It was filthy when first opened to the public as a pay to view attraction.

Although there were duck boards in places, there was a lot of water in the corridors and there was a culture of trying to get muddy footprints as high as possible up the walls. I think the highest were probably accomplished by taking the shoes off and applying the muddy prints by hand.

Anyway, the point I am making is that all the stuff in there has been subsequently installed and the German markings on the walls such as "Wartezimmer Nummer fünf" were not in evidence during the footmarks era!

The other interesting fact is that the real estate company which developed the housing, where I grew up, on a field full of bunkers stumbled on the law that owning a field in Jersey gave ownership of everything beneath it and armed with that knowledge they bought the land above the underground hospital, thereby owing the tunnels by default (up until then the States of Jersey for some obscure reason thought they owned them) and later opened them as the tourist attraction they are now.

They were never used as a hospital. Not even yet as a Nightingale covid one!

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By *ust RachelTV/TS
over a year ago

Horsham

"Ive enjoyed this thread. I know more than i thought i did"

I am fascinated by a program on TV, called abandoned engineering. It usually covers something WW2 related, usually german made as well.

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

Not so much the world wars, but... you might say I like history a little

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By *ocksareoffMan
over a year ago

Out n About

"Ive enjoyed this thread. I know more than i thought i did

I am fascinated by a program on TV, called abandoned engineering. It usually covers something WW2 related, usually german made as well. "

If it wasn't for Hitler been a loon and over ruling his general's Germany would have ruled the world. His general's, scientists and engineers were in a different league they were so far ahead of the time it's amazing.

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

They were and to be fair he was a great speaker who inspired millions...I don't know what the fuck he said but the audience's seemed to like it..

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By *xciter7169Man
over a year ago

The Midlands

"Ive enjoyed this thread. I know more than i thought i did

I am fascinated by a program on TV, called abandoned engineering. It usually covers something WW2 related, usually german made as well. "
Yes i love that programme too,some odd things around the world,like that Japanese island they were mining from and the Russian bore-hole that is the deepest thats been drilled down,lots of WW2 stuff too.

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is "
now that is cool!

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool! "

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool!

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting..."

That u boat was the last to be sunk in ww2. I watched a program about how they lifted it from the bottom of the north sea

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By *rightonsteve OP Man
over a year ago

Brighton - even Hove!

"Is there any evidence of Roman battlefields in the UK and what happened to the lost legion ?"

No evidence remains. I was looking at a tree the other day and it said it was 250 years old, and the sort of person I am calculated that a similar tree planted in the year 250 when Roman Britain was in full blast, would have lived and died 8 times between now and then. So basically, no trace of Roman battlefields. The Roman fort at Pevensey used to be right next to the sea and now it’s inland a couple of miles.

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool!

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting...

That u boat was the last to be sunk in ww2. I watched a program about how they lifted it from the bottom of the north sea"

We used to take our son, he was fascinated. When it's open again, his little sister will enjoy a visit I think.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool!

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting...

That u boat was the last to be sunk in ww2. I watched a program about how they lifted it from the bottom of the north sea

We used to take our son, he was fascinated. When it's open again, his little sister will enjoy a visit I think. "

It's really interesting lots of ww2 history around liverpool

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool!

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting...

That u boat was the last to be sunk in ww2. I watched a program about how they lifted it from the bottom of the north sea

We used to take our son, he was fascinated. When it's open again, his little sister will enjoy a visit I think.

It's really interesting lots of ww2 history around liverpool "

Yes. My Dad was bombed out on the Wirral side as a young child...

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By *ust RachelTV/TS
over a year ago

Horsham

"In Norway there's a gun turret from the tirpitz mounted on dry land which you could go inside.. Big bugger it is now that is cool!

There's a German U-boat at one of the Mersey ferry terminals (Woodside, if memory serves me). Very interesting...

That u boat was the last to be sunk in ww2. I watched a program about how they lifted it from the bottom of the north sea

We used to take our son, he was fascinated. When it's open again, his little sister will enjoy a visit I think.

It's really interesting lots of ww2 history around liverpool

Yes. My Dad was bombed out on the Wirral side as a young child..."

Liverpool is stacked in history, I remember going all over the place being told stuff as we drove past.

Like the hole in the museum where a bomb fell through the ceiling, they made it look good and never filled it in.

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By *ssex_tomMan
over a year ago

Chelmsford

Our chip shop got bombed during the war..

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