rec.autos.simulators

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

What's wrong with you people?

"SPR" was a film about a group of AMERICAN soldiers looking for another
AMERICAN soldier . Those AMERICANs in Ryan's group happended to land in the
AMERICAN sector on D-Day.

Would have been somewhat strange if the movie had been about a bunch of
Canadians, landing on the British beaches, then heading off looking for a
Nepalese Ghurka who had lost his Polish brothers whilst fighting for the
French, don't you think?

--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

> On Mon, 10 Jul 2000 12:19:36 -0500, "Gene Bonin"

> >What's your problem Zonky. Cool it!

> Zonky said it a little bit harsh, but I know what he means. It
> bothered me too that Saving Private Ryan made it seem that only
> Americans were involved.

> Andre

> >Gene

> >> >It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> >> >this area just a few years after so many American and German soldiers
> >> >had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> >> Try renting films other than "hollywood history" Saving Private Ryan.
> >There
> >> were other's soldiers around.

> >> Z.

> >> Please remove my_pants when replying.

by **Phil Le** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Fair enough Doug. I wasn't looking to start a flame war either, sorry mate.
I am grateful that people like your father came over and helped us Europeans
out.

Cheers

Phil

> My comments were strictly pertaining to the 99th Division at Elsenborn
> Ridge. I am fully aware of the many other nationalities who fought in the
> overall battle. Sorry that my intentions were not more clear and that a
> tribute to my father who was wounded in this battle turned into such a
> typical R.A.S. flame war.

> Doug

> > >It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> > >this area just a few years after so many American and German soldiers
> > >had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> > Try renting films other than "hollywood history" Saving Private Ryan.
> There
> > were other's soldiers around.

> > Z.

> > Please remove my_pants when replying.

by **Phil Le** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Sorry Bruce, I should think more before I post. I've done some
investigation since and found this site with detals of the offensive:

http://users.skynet.be/bulgecriba/battlebul.htm

I'll have a read later and learn more about it. I hope I didn't cause any
offense.

Cheers

Phil

> If you can find any evidence of any of those nationalities fighting in or
> around that region ("Spa") in WWII, please point me in that direction.

> --
> Regards,
> Bruce Kennewell,
> Canberra, Australia.
> ---------------------------

> > You may also like to remember the British, Canadian, Australian, Polish,
> > French, Belgian, Dutch and Nepalese soldiers who fought as well.
> Apologies
> > to any nation who I may have missed out.

> > Cheers

> > Phil

> > > I was recently reading the history of my father's unit in WW-II (the
> > > 99th U.S. Infantry Div.) and their part in the Battle of the Bulge.
> > > They held a position on Elsenborn Ridge in Belgium. When I looked at a
> > > map that showed information on the battle lines, I was surprised when
> > > the names of the nearby towns just leaped out at me -- Stavelot,
> > > Malmedy, Lingueville. These were just a few miles from Elsenborn. I
> > > wonder if he actually went through or near these towns during
> > > his "travels" in 1944-45?

> > > It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> > > this area just a few years after so many American and German soldiers
> > > had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> > > Doug Gordon

> > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > Before you buy.

by **Phil Le** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

I've just found this site, it may interest you if you haven't seen it
before:

http://users.skynet.be/bulgecriba/battlebul.htm

Cheers

Phil

> My comments were strictly pertaining to the 99th Division at Elsenborn
> Ridge. I am fully aware of the many other nationalities who fought in the
> overall battle. Sorry that my intentions were not more clear and that a
> tribute to my father who was wounded in this battle turned into such a
> typical R.A.S. flame war.

> Doug

> > >It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> > >this area just a few years after so many American and German soldiers
> > >had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> > Try renting films other than "hollywood history" Saving Private Ryan.
> There
> > were other's soldiers around.

> > Z.

> > Please remove my_pants when replying.

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Merci, Andre.
--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

> On Tue, 11 Jul 2000 07:50:32 +1000, "Bruce Kennewell"

> >What's wrong with you people?

> >"SPR" was a film about a group of AMERICAN soldiers looking for another
> >AMERICAN soldier . Those AMERICANs in Ryan's group happended to land in
the
> >AMERICAN sector on D-Day.

> >Would have been somewhat strange if the movie had been about a bunch of
> >Canadians, landing on the British beaches, then heading off looking for a
> >Nepalese Ghurka who had lost his Polish brothers whilst fighting for the
> >French, don't you think?

> You should've become a script writer Bruce :)
> But, you're right. For once :)

> Andre

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Doug, you have nothing to apologise for in what you said.
--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Phil, you didn't cause *ME* any offense and I therefore accept your apology
without hesitation.
--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

> Sorry Bruce, I should think more before I post. I've done some
> investigation since and found this site with detals of the offensive:

> http://users.skynet.be/bulgecriba/battlebul.htm

> I'll have a read later and learn more about it. I hope I didn't cause any
> offense.

> Cheers

> Phil

> > If you can find any evidence of any of those nationalities fighting in
or
> > around that region ("Spa") in WWII, please point me in that direction.

> > --
> > Regards,
> > Bruce Kennewell,
> > Canberra, Australia.
> > ---------------------------

> > > You may also like to remember the British, Canadian, Australian,
Polish,
> > > French, Belgian, Dutch and Nepalese soldiers who fought as well.
> > Apologies
> > > to any nation who I may have missed out.

> > > Cheers

> > > Phil

> > > > I was recently reading the history of my father's unit in WW-II (the
> > > > 99th U.S. Infantry Div.) and their part in the Battle of the Bulge.
> > > > They held a position on Elsenborn Ridge in Belgium. When I looked at
a
> > > > map that showed information on the battle lines, I was surprised
when
> > > > the names of the nearby towns just leaped out at me -- Stavelot,
> > > > Malmedy, Lingueville. These were just a few miles from Elsenborn. I
> > > > wonder if he actually went through or near these towns during
> > > > his "travels" in 1944-45?

> > > > It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> > > > this area just a few years after so many American and German
soldiers
> > > > had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> > > > Doug Gordon

> > > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > > Before you buy.

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

David, I am intrigued by your words "despite the licence taken with some of
the events".

Which event (or events) in the film do you have an issue with? (Bear in
mind, of course, that the only part of the film that portrayed a
well-documented historical fact was the landing on Omaha Beach).
--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

> >Try renting films other than "hollywood history" Saving Private
> >Ryan. There were other's soldiers around.

> I've seen SPR, and despite the licence taken with some of the events, I
> think it's a good film, and worthy of praise, as the main thrust of the
> story is the human interest. If the film were being sold as a
> "historical account", then that would be different. Eg "The Patriot",
> which is so wildly inaccurate that I suspect when it opens in Europe it
> may make the furore over "U-571" look very minor. There's an excellent
> report on this on The Guardian's site at:

> www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4038697,00.html

> --
> David. (GPLRank handicap: +19.68)
> "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll,
> really."
> (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)

by **Bruce Kennewel** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

And?
I stand by my original question...show me evidence of any unit other than
American which fought in the Spa area.

Unless it was a British platoon that became detached from the main British
force and horribly lost, there were no units other than American (and
German, of course) in that area.
--
Regards,
Bruce Kennewell,
Canberra, Australia.
---------------------------

> From a man who fought in the war...
> http://www.mm.com/user/jpk/battle.htm

> Jon

> > If you can find any evidence of any of those nationalities fighting in
or
> > around that region ("Spa") in WWII, please point me in that direction.

> > --
> > Regards,
> > Bruce Kennewell,
> > Canberra, Australia.
> > ---------------------------

> > > You may also like to remember the British, Canadian, Australian,
Polish,
> > > French, Belgian, Dutch and Nepalese soldiers who fought as well.
> > Apologies
> > > to any nation who I may have missed out.

> > > Cheers

> > > Phil

> > > > I was recently reading the history of my father's unit in WW-II (the
> > > > 99th U.S. Infantry Div.) and their part in the Battle of the Bulge.
> > > > They held a position on Elsenborn Ridge in Belgium. When I looked at
a
> > > > map that showed information on the battle lines, I was surprised
when
> > > > the names of the nearby towns just leaped out at me -- Stavelot,
> > > > Malmedy, Lingueville. These were just a few miles from Elsenborn. I
> > > > wonder if he actually went through or near these towns during
> > > > his "travels" in 1944-45?

> > > > It's strange to ponder that they were holding international races in
> > > > this area just a few years after so many American and German
soldiers
> > > > had lost their lives in the fierce fighting of those times...

> > > > Doug Gordon

> > > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > > Before you buy.

by **Zonk** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Doug,

i apologise- however, like others, i suspect (and having just read some rather
infurating movie reviews by IMDB users) i am among a number of people who grow
increasingly angry and concerned at the current spait of revisionist american
films & other media and it's affects on perception of historical events.

Z.

(who is waiting for the movie in which Nigel Mansell was an american who won
Indy THEN F1) :P

Please remove my_pants when replying.

by **Doug Gordo** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Jan, again what I wrote was somewhat misinterpreted. I was not saying
that there was something wrong with racing near the site of a previous
battle. To the contrary, I was marvelling at the way that the war's
wounds were so quickly healed and the reconstruction of Europe was
accomplished. Do you think that in the immediate aftermath of WW-II
that anyone in Europe could have imagined the formation of the EU by
the end of the century? I am the son of an American WW-II veteran; the
owner of a company I worked for, and a good friend of mine, is the son
of a German soldier who was killed while fighting on the Eastern Front
in the early 40's. What Europe has done in the last 50 years should be
a model for some other parts of the world that refuse to let past
history stay in the past!

Doug Gordon

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

by **Jan Verschuere** » Wed, 12 Jul 2000 04:00:00

At the beginning of the war the local constabulary informed both my
grandparents on my mother's and father's side the German army was advancing
and the north of Antwerp would probably fall by such and such date (indeed
on a door to door basis). Each family left one person behind to guard the
property and fled the area. My dad and his parents were passed by the
advancing army in the region of Gent and figured they could probably return
home as the "battle" was now ahead of them. My mother's parents ran all the
way to northern France before our army capitulated.

At the end of the war it somehow came to pass (I don't know how the
information was distributed this time) the Germans were going to make a
stand just to the north of where my dad lived at the time, so everyone moved
to villages which were to be "surrendered" to the advancing Canadian Army,
who in turn didn't let my grandparents anywhere near their house for the
week or so the Germans were able to hold on to their positions.

Obviously, I can't say this was the case everywhere, which I why I added
"hopefully". I don't need to go to a library to find out how WWII affected
people around here Bruce. I can ask just about anyone around me. The subject
is not gone from conversation yet. As for the soldier's point of view, my
aunt married an English soldier who saw his entire platoon wiped out in 20
seconds on D-Day, my uncle and great uncle managed to get to England and
served with the Royal Artillery and RAF respectively. 'zat good enough for
ya, or do you want to hear about the labour camps some other family members
were shipped off to?

Jan.
=---

rec.autos.simulators

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa

Dad was at Spa