Field trip to France

[roger-wilco-66]

Hey,

last weekend we had our annual field trip with the deuce to the Alsace region of France, where we explored some new casemates and bunkers at the Maginot-line. It was quite adventurous, lots of off-road routes, and new impressions.
First highlight was that right in the beginning we somewhere lost the connecting bolt from the clutch linkage, which made an interesting scene in front of a traffic light. After trying to find a matching bolt somewhere on the truck we ran out of material, but not of ideas. A thick cotter pin eventually did the job. Never leave home without cotter pins and cable ties.
Then we tried to open a supposedly stuck, heavy (min. half a ton) armoured front door of a casemate, and after we almost broke our backs and risked falling into the 17 foot deep trench around it, we figured its better to use the deuces winch for that. Lifting the heavy hook with the chain and the cable over the 7 foot wide trench to the door and get it safely hooked was a feat for itself. Alas, the door proofed to be unmovable. The winch dragged the deuce 20 feet over the grass - right over the wheel chocks and with blocked rear wheels - to the slope in front of the casemate, where it came to an aprupt halt and in succession the safety pin of the winch dutyfully snapped. Oh well, at least there is a cotter pin in the "care-package" so the cable can be carefully wound back onto the drum (I know I know, that won't be a lasting solution).
However, we had a ball and look forward to the next trip!

Cheers,
Mark

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Pictures:

 

[Boatcarpenter]

Nice Mark,
I remember last years pics also and you have lots of nice wide open rolling fields to roam through to get to the Line. Is that all public land ? Or is it private and the owners allow travel across it to get to the various casements etc.?
BC

 

[CARNAC]

Looks like fun.

Another item to add to the tool box....a hafthohlladung.

 

[frodobaggins]

Looks like fun.

Another item to add to the tool box....a hafthohlladung.

For everyone that is looking all sideways and weird eyed:
Hafthohlladung - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[roger-wilco-66]

BC, yes, this is a beautiful landscape, and this is mostly private farming land. Some casemates are still terrain militaire and were used after the war, but today they are abandoned and no one bothers. The only big fortress still in use by the french army in the Hagenau sector is the Ouvrage de Hochwald, strictly forbidden. Its not funny to be cought there (happened to me once near Brest).
The french people are generally very tolerant, friendly and easy going, so it is usually no problem to drive over a farmers land (without asking) or stay over night on the field as we do, as long as one doesn't leave rubbish, gives way on their farm tracks and doesn't scare horses or cattle unnecessary. Which I think is to go without saying anyhow.

Carnac,
see the attached picture which shows the impact of a Hohlladung (propably a Panzerfaust) on an armored entrance door to a casemate.

The other pictures shows me doing the redneck cotterpin fix to the clutch linkage, me trying to walk inside a bunker with glue-like dirt sucking on my shoes (note the old farm equipment) and my less than triumphant winching enterprise on the door (kudos to buddy Frank for the pictures).
As for the door, we later found out that someone closed one of the massive pins from the inside. Doh! That doomed the winch.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Boatcarpenter]

Thanks for the clarification Mark. It sure is beautiful looking farmland. You are very lucky to be able to go there.
BC

 

[bigmike]

awsome pics. I traveled thru the north and west of France by motorcycle but by deuce would be awesome.

 

[WillWagner]

The other pictures shows me doing the redneck cotterpin fix to the clutch linkage, me trying to walk inside a bunker with glue-like dirt sucking on my shoes (note the old farm equipment) and my less than triumphant winching enterprise on the door (kudos to buddy Frank for the pictures).
As for the door, we later found out that someone closed one of the massive pins from the inside. Doh! That doomed the winch.

Cheers,
Mark

You guys have rednecks too?

 

[clinto]

Great pics, thanks!

I would love to take a couple of months off and see the sights of Europe (Normandy, Arnhem, Berlin, Eindhoven, Calais, etc.)

 

[Numbers]

Thanks for the nice photos.

You are not too far from where my ancestors came out of. Two places, Oberotterbach and Molsheim. Still trying to get back there to see the wine festival and tree carvings in the woods done by Volker Dahl.

 

[nk14zp]

Great pics thanks for sharing.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Numbers, that's a stone's throw from where we live. If you happen to visit the place, let me know. The wine-festivals are legendary there, and the Maginot-line is also not far from that area.

 

[Numbers]

My father wants to go before he can no longer go overseas. Hopefully we can do this relatively soon with a year or two. Our friends the Dahl's, also from the Louisville area orginated from there and came back with some wonderful pictures a couple years ago. I look forward to the trip. Supposedly we still have relatives there but don't know for sure.