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I see rifles , dog tags, but no visible uniforms apart from the fellow in the middle wearing a (possibly) German hat

My conclusion , Jerries relaxing and waiting on the French coast for the start of opperation Sealion.

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Are those in the background wearing uniforms???

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Your getting mixed up with the French and Italians Mick.

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If you click on the image, you will find it's titled "krauts" so they have to be Germans, but where??

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German (1st Gebingsjager Division) relaxing on a beach near Boulogne June 6th 1940,(2 days after Churchill's "we shall fight them on the beaches" speech) further up the coast the battle at Dunkirk was still taking place, mind you no doubt this lot got no doubt got their comeuppence as they were later sent to the russian front, I trust there was also some head shaving!

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Much prefer:

Some of Custer's 7th Cavalry unwinding besides the Little Big Horn River, whilst awaiting the arrival of Crazy Horse and his Lakota Sioux, June 25th 1876. Early Kodachrome, first published in the National Geographic of October 1876...

"My great-great Uncle died at the Little Big Horn...he was camping in the next field and went over to complain about the noise...", Billy Connolly.

Cheers

Robt P.

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is it true Custer was a big head? vastly outnumbered, (some said 9 to 1) I heard his last orders were "take no prisoners" also understood no one survived (though Cheyenne Bodie claimed he did!) however just read 432 out of the 800 troops did?

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There were quite a few survivors, not in the main battlefield though, I'd have to consult my books to give you the name of the Officers, Benteen come to mind as one.. I have a biography of Custers somewhere, it was held back for publishing for many years as his widow threatened to sue the author and any printer/publisher of the day if it went to press.

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is it true Custer was a big head?

Actually he was pretty arrogant! I used to live in Sheridan Wyoming (bonus points for knowing what Sheridan was famous for), which is close to the Big Horn battlefield - and I visited several times. The Indians knew Custer pretty well, and referred to him as "White Hair" - he had long, blonde hair. He also wore a white leather outfit into battle - which made him an easy target! The manager of the apartment complex where I lived used to wear a T-shirt with the words "Custer had it coming" - pretty much sums it up.

Skip forward a few years, and I now live not far from Monroe, Michigan - Custer's home town! Believe me, you do not go there and say he was arrogant - they still think of him as a hero!

By the way, the Big Horn battlefield is well worth a visit if you are ever out that way. As you take the tour, you realise just what a stupid situation Custer got himself into. He really didn't stand a chance!

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He rode right down the barrel of a gun!!! TBH, his scouts let him down big time, he was totally outnumbered by thousands of heavily armed warriors who were experts at guerrilla warfare. He was extremely arrogant as Eric states, used to take his wife on campaigns, she'd stay at the nearest town, and he'd ride back after the troop was settled for the night. He'd be in a nice warm bed while his men camped on hard dirt floors.

Pretty interesting reading, there are many books on him and the Bighorn battle.

The Native American story of the battle is more accurate than the whites, using their pictographs of the battle, historians have pieced it back together far more accurately than the survivors story.

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All the books I've read on Custer, and his 'Last Stand' agree that he had a misplaced ego...

His tactics for the battle were completely wrong, and totally at variance with US Army practice... he was easily out-manoeuvered by the mastermind Crazy Horse, supported on the flanks by Gall and Crow King with their respective tribes.

Common misconception that Sitting Bull was involved in the battle, he wasn't even in the technical area on the halfway line.

My interest arose from a visit to the Battlefield in 1992. Tremendously eerie place, almost conveying a sense that something of major historical importance occurred there.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Not been to that battleground Rob, I did visit Wilson Creek which was a civil war battlefield, very eerie there too. Even the wife commented it was like being watched by ghosts!!

A good book on the soldiers lot during the Indian Wars as it was known, is 40 Miles a Day On Beans And Hay. Quite an eyeopener, totally different to Hollywood's portrayal of the Cavalry.

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Never understood why the camera and sound crew just stand around and watch while everyone gets killed....why dont they warn them or join in ???

!rotfl!

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bonus points for knowing what Sheridan was famous for

Can't find owt , Apart from it being named after Phillip Sheridan a Civil War cavalry blerk!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheridan,_Wyoming

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Everybody knows Sheridan is Mrs Buckets son in university,living with Tarquin in a bedsit and doing embroidery.

As for creepy feelings from the past...Sneinton market is the same ...that was invaded by Indians...and Poles...and Lithuanians ...and.....

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