2nd Armored Bivouac Photo Gallery by cambraniz at pbase.com

2nd Armored Bivouac

On july 23rd, at the end of the afternoon,the 2nd Armored had his bivouac in the castle of Canisy.
A moment of relaxation or maintenance for the others. Memories of youth for those who knew this period and came timidly to see again these graven images in their brain since 62 years. It was yesterday, these soldiers are so real ! Slaps on the shoulder, glances; a universal language to say "THANK YOU"

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Pete Skillman		15-Apr-2010 10:07
Joining these guys to their trip to Pilsen,Czech rep end of April......flown in from Oz, These trips are THAT good that I have left wife and kids behind in Oz to do this, so you that do have families know the shiite I am presently going thru from the missus.. to do this!!...To the brave nameless, bolockless guests who slagged off this event and basically the whole set up of 2nd Armored paying homage to USA ,we met a coachload of 2nd Armored vets in the town square at St Mere Eglise in '99, they were speachless and quite moved that blokes of our age were interested in what they had done,thats good enough for me . My guess is you have not published your name coz your known to the 2nd Arm guys, well mate Ill give you the name "The Sceptics"...... as that sums up what your ful of.. if your coming on this next trip and you've taken offence from me writing like this about you and what I think your about which basically a waste of skin..., just ask for me and Ill put you straight on a few of your musings. This groups been going since mid '90s growing and getting better,wankers like you lot see a flight bag on a cot..you dont think that he about to realise that hell be leaving that bag behind and use a laundry bag instead next trip..you just assumed that this is alloweed, its not..we all receive dress regs and kit regs, those who ignore get the message by the time the trips over.We had German/Dutch/French/ and unfortunately even Welsh participants all who have differing standards which over the yrs have come together to a good standard. Looking forward to your response? ,sceptic. Pete

barry jameson		04-Oct-2009 18:56
Whilst i agree, the women should not have been on the trip, but if you were not there you are not qualified to coment, anyone can throw stones in a glass house but where does it get you. so to all the moaning stay at home w+@?"^s who criticise this great bunch of dedicated re enactors, i say foxtrot oscar.

Jon Shoop		18-Aug-2008 01:00
Ot has been over 2 years and the trip is still fresh in my mind. I am itching to go back.....

Ron Gee		01-Apr-2007 17:53
I second Todd's remarks, except I don't believe that they necessarily appreciate WWII re-enacting more than we do. They have the toys and the environment it's true, but I think both groups do what they can do with what they have at hand. Enthusiasm is pronounced on both sides of the Pond. Here it is almost 8 months after the event. If we look back on it, wasn't it about the best gosh darned trip we ever went on? No more complaints, criticisms, or bitches. As I emailed Gerald early on, "Don't take the gripes to heart. In six months, everybody will have forgotten what they are complaining about and just remember the thrill of the trip". It's true.

Todd Barclay		10-Jan-2007 02:38
These guys are the BEST. They out do any group in the US. If you haven't been on one of their trips and I have been on 2 of them so I know, they do everything great. Never seen this type of unit cohesion in any US units. You name it and they have it. It breaks down, they have it fixed within 1-2 days. I have even seen them take 2 broken down jeeps, pulled parts from one to make the other run in the field. What US reenactor would allow his jeep parts to be used in someone elses jeep, not too many. Eat your heart out US reenactors, they have better and more toys then we do, hell we left them everything. And they appreciate it more than we do.

Ron R Glaeseman "RonGee"		21-Nov-2006 20:51
From reading all these posts, the main problem seems to be the presence of women and something about the authenticity of the uniforms. Point number one can be argued indefinately. Do they come or not? As nurses, they wouldn't have been in an advancing armored column. So, do we leave them on the beach at Normandy in a hospital tent and pick them up when we return, or do they just not come? As for the uniforms, I don't get Tom's comment that standards and authenticity have slipped. OK, so Jon is right about the '44 goggles. And there was a late aviator's kit bag or a sleeping bag. What the hey? Considering the diverse background of the participants, the authenticity was pretty damn good. I don't think you're going to get much better. So what is a trip like this all about? Re-conquer Normandy like we did in in '44? Or present the best impression of WWII soldiers that we can while still enjoying ourselves? Trip #1 will probably have a lot of vacant slots. But the participants can congratulate themselves on roughing it. Trip #2 will be well attended but the participants will have to fend off anorak attacks and "guest" sniping. Gee, it would be a lot simpler if we were all WWII draftees and headed for the front. In that case, the only sniping we would have to put up with would be from the Germans.

Jon Shoop		07-Nov-2006 10:22
Waaaaa Waaaa Waaa........too bad. The whining can stop anytime. Those that complain, were not there. It can never be perfect, no foxhole digging and all the rest..... The best possible trip was planned and executed. Could it be better, of course, will it be better next time. YES. Will Pam bring HER tank back on a return trip, I think not. She will leave it to others to explore this dream, from the US to France and back. After all, how many of us can say we have done the same or anything close. I like that! Jon Shoop Participant Bocage 06 from the USA.....

jon Heyworth		01-Nov-2006 18:01
I used to say NO Tom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom Bowers		31-Oct-2006 20:44
I think that the group started out to be and for a time was far better than nearly any comparable re-enactment organization. However as the group has grown and new participants have come, the standards of both uniform and authenticity have slipped. I detect a crisis in leadership in the 2nd Armored where there is no one who will say no. No to bad uniforms, No to inaccurate tactical deployments, No to less than detailed portrayals of US service men and No to nurses in an armored recconisance column. The people in charge will often say that they don't want to "offend" anyone but ignore the old axiom that you need to break a few eggs to make an omlett. I believe that the 2nd Armored can get it back. They can say No to all these things, they can return to the original ideas and return to the quality unit they were. But there cannot be this paralysis concerning simply finding the backbone to say no.

Guest		31-Oct-2006 17:38
some of the uniform standards are pretty dire too, although equally some people have really good uniforms, there seems to be no set standard or policing

Guest		31-Oct-2006 15:27
I USED to be not so much jealous, but very envious of the photos of what this group seemed to do that appeared over the web and various re-enactment sites, and always wanted to make the long trip to go on one, I did think that they were a super hard core and authentic group which could achieve what no one else could, it's a bit sad to realise that they in fact have no higher standards than most other groups and compromise where womena are concerned, let's be honest, women crewing tanks, women mixed up in a recon outfit ? what's it all about ??

WAYNE ROFF		30-Oct-2006 20:12
I was on that trip, and too be honest did not even notice that part of that tank crew was female. The point is she was there,she had spent a vast amount of money to get herself and her tank there. Too those with the singleminded comments , what did you do this summer. BEt is was no where near as much fun as what she and the rest of as on the trip had............ I think there is a lot of jealosey in your posts!

Ledog		29-Oct-2006 11:11
Beutifull pictures! Beutifull vehicles! Greate!

Guest		27-Oct-2006 21:07
yes there is, a FRUIT obviously has a sense of humour, a JERK doesn't have a sense of humour and can't take any knocks against his 2nd armored group

Guest		25-Oct-2006 17:03
I'm not sure there's any difference between a FRUIT and a jerk.

B Smith AKA Lt Tightbuns		25-Oct-2006 16:09
We agree, we wish people would stop knocking this wonderfull re-enactment unit, my friends based over here on the West Coat, San Francisco, to be exact think it's simply marvelous that you allow girls to dress as men and ride around in tanks. Our group fully intends to come on your next Big Trip to Europe with 3 members and our Dodge Ambulance !! We have recently formed a new re-enactment unit: Future Re-enactors Uniformed in Transgenderism, or FRUIT for short, and although we are by birth men, we fully intend to follow your example and come dressed in our full and authentic Army Nurse Corps kit, complete with lipstick and authentic underwear !

Guest		25-Oct-2006 14:08
The mental health clinic called this morning---they think several of the recent comment posters have stopped taking their “don’t let me be a jerk” medication

lewis richards		25-Oct-2006 11:22
women driving tanks, why not have General GS Patton represented by a drag artist ?

Guest		25-Oct-2006 07:14
Nah , not baby buggie seats, what they are going to do is have the 2nd Armd. creche ! A deuce and a half will be converted into a mobile nursery and all the tanks and armored cars will have their radios modified into baby monitors, so when the women are riding around dressed as tankers in armour, they can still retain their grasp on motherhood by being able to listen to their babies in the mobile deuce and a half creche !! And then they will be able to stop the column, leap out of their tank, pony tail flying under their tankers helmet and chest bouncing under their shoulder holster and dash off to the creche when their baby barfs ! Anothe rgood idea would be to have O.D. diapers hanging off the deuce and a half creche disguised as musette bags !

3rd Armd, 83rd Rcn		24-Oct-2006 18:37
talking of lack of balls, I notice this has been taken off the links on the 2nd armored web site, any critisism too much to handle ??

Guest		23-Oct-2006 18:02
ok ?? sure thing, what's next in your group, baby buggie seats in jeeps ??

Jez Marren		23-Oct-2006 11:44
Girl (singular not plural) in question was actually the owner of the tank; good in so far as she has seen fit to spend a lot of time and money to recreate something special rather than sit back and criticise someone else's efforts; girls in armored vehicles is not something we normally do, but in this case with tanker's helmet on it was not obvious and Pam had brought this vehicle over from the States so we allowed this concession

cerqui6969		21-Oct-2006 09:57
How can an M3 Stuart crewed by girls be a good thing ?

Jez Marren		13-Oct-2006 13:26
By the way - I participate in such events out of respect for the people that originally took part - to perpetuate their memory; thats why we do it; if you have a seperate agenda that is for you to deal with

Jez Marren		13-Oct-2006 13:11
By the way - I participate in such events out of respect for the people that originally took part - to perpetuate their memory; thats why we do it; if you have a seperate agenda that is for you to deal with

Jez Marren		13-Oct-2006 13:07
The level of realism was attained regarding the girls; they travelled at the rear of the column, they camped seperately, they wore correct uniforms, they brought correct vehicles (inc 1 M5 Stuart) and their attitude was exemplary; the accounts were also run by Sue who worked far longer than anyone else on the trip and without such there wouldn't even have been a trip; females were involved in ww2 mr.anonymous guest (lack of balls?) and the trip handled their welcome presence in a proper manner; instead of continuing this particular flame why not address real issues such as vehicle spares, column speed, drivers knowing routes, everybody attending roll call etc. We can all criticise modern coke cans, modern sleeping bags, weird t-shirts, certain people's hair length etc - all valid points but with such a large and varied group a high level was reached with minor exceptions; But anyway, the day we cross in landing craft instead of P&O, and we have Texans driving our vehicles and not Geordies, Welshmen or Brummies, when we dig holes to live in and not tents, when the average age of participants is 24 not 42, when we finally find "the front-line" occupied by 82 year old nazis with live-firing weapons, WE WILL BE SURE TO INVITE YOU FIRST!

Guest		13-Oct-2006 11:52
Nobody wants total realism, and to say that anyone does is foolish, but there has to be a certain level of realism or why are we doing it ??? We have to have the correct vehicles, correctly marked and equipped, we have to have the correct uniforms, equipment and weapons, we want to sleep and camp in an authentic manner. I for one wonder why on earth I am doing or trying to do that when I am surrounded by women at every turn it seems. I counter with saying if you guys and your spouses want all the comforts of home - cots, showers, flushing toilets, restaurants, bars, class A his and her's uniforms, then go on a loved up MVPA trip and leave the rest of us to sleep authentically in the mud and to c*** in a field in dirty GI gear where haven't got ambulances full of cosmetics and couples wandering arm in arm to the local bar all around us. I for one WILL NOT be coming again as you advised. The moment all the couples decide to go off on a happy GI camping trip - and if you are going to do that why bother with all this army hassle and just go in normal clothing in an MPV and see the battlefields that when, The day that happens is the day I would consider going again !

Jez Marren		13-Oct-2006 09:02
The trip was a huge success, tainted by a minority of single-minded comments ensuing now; Anybody wishing total realism is welcome to dig a foxhole in the farmer's field by my house and I will gladly keep their heads down with live .30 cal fire; with a bit of luck certain fox-holes won't be deep enough!

Tim Sparks		12-Oct-2006 21:46
perhaps the gust would like to appologise?

Jon Heyworth		12-Oct-2006 09:39
While I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of the comments of the two French guests about the excessive and intrusive presence of women on this trip herin, I do not think the prostituees label is necessary, clever or appropriate, There is nothing wrong with the girls, indeed I like the majority of them as people, and they certainly do not merit that kind of label, they just should not be on a trip such as this and any comments regarding that aspect should not be accompanied by derogotary insults of that nature

Guest		05-Oct-2006 14:34
mais non, apportez les femmes mais changez-les en lingerie pour être des prostituées...pas US WAACS

Jon Shoop		02-Oct-2006 01:12
I was proud to be part of this trip...And to say it modestly.....it was electrifying. Great comrads, the vintave vehicles and the flavor of France and its wonderful people! I am ready to go back! Jon Shoop 14th Armored Re-Creations, temporarily assigned to the 2nd Armored.

e chaldecott		09-Sep-2006 09:56
excellene pictureing, lovely detaiing in photographs, such superb armour and softskins done soo soo well, best have ever seen, looks real - EXCEPTIONS is women in US WAACS uniform - where they on front lines, I thinks not, leave your wifes at homes guys, the real guys had too

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