Benelux Operation Pheasant, Drunen (NL) 15 May 2011

[Mr_Flibble]

For several years the Pheasant Foundation has been organizing a military vehicle & living history event to celebrate the liberation of the city of Waalwijk and the surrounding towns during "Operation Pheasant" in the fall of 1944.

This year the event will be held at the "Poort van Heusden" (the former "Land Van Ooit" amusement park terrain at Kasteellaan in Nieuwkuijk).
Serveral WW2 Axis and Allied re-enactment groups will be displaying their vehicles,uniforms and equipment to the public on the 15th of May.
Should provide some interesting photo-opportunities.

Official website (in Dutch):
http://www.operatiepheasantwaalwijk.nl/site/


I'll be walking around dressed as a US Army Signal Corps photographer. Come and say hi.


Cheers,

 

[former member]

Very cool.

My Uncle was in the Signal Corps during WW-II.

 

[Wouter]

I lived in the region as a kid in the sixties. Memories of the local population concerning the war and its closure were very vivid. We also collected gun shells in the sand dunes near Drunen.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

You can still find shrapnel and other bits like bullet-tips in the Dunes today, especially with in areas where black sand comes to the surface.

The memory of the war is still very much alive with those that lived through it.
Recently I gave a WW2 presentation to two grade school classes with stories about Group Andre, Jan de Rooij and the battle at Kapelsche Veer.


That's cool Brian, do you know which division he was with?

 

[oftheherd]

Nice to see that. Good photos on the site. Good that people don't forget.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I used to be part of the OPW organisation. Now, due to time-issues I'm just a volunteer and participant.

Anyway, this weekend I'll be using a Zorki I for the Transport-theme of the FSU 2011 competition. 😉 Not historically correct, but at least it looks like a Leica. Will also be picking another camera to play with.


P.S. Wouter, I have family living in Brazil. They are some 200km from Brazilia as I recall. Now, after 2 decades they are planning to return to the Netherlands.