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Ardennes mov. WTF OMG??

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SchutzeSepp

Grizzled Veteran
Sep 23, 2006
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#1
i visited this museum last summer ( it really amazing) and on their website there is a little video from the battle of the bulge.
and after re-watching it a few times i saw something crazy!
at 3/4 of the movie you see a usa soldier running in front of the camera, and suddenly he bumps into what seems to be freaking german soldier! both are surprised and run the other way lol

i read alot of stories about enemy soldiers jumping in the same foxhole or standing next to each other without noticing, but here it's on tape!:

http://www.december44.com/anglais/index.html go to HISTORY then FILMS AND PICTURES, then you will see the video

enjoy
 
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#4
nah im sure its a german with a kar98.
the helmet and uniform look typically german. and by the reaction of the us soldier who sees him, stops, jumps up and turns back with a scared look on his face. while the german guy stops looks up and apparently is about to pull his rifle

and if you look closely you can notice the typical fallshirmjager k98 ammo belt slung over his left shoulder to his right hip.
 
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#5
Yeah I think (very wild guess) that it's a German. Very very hard to see though. I thought I could see something of a light collar patch when I slowed down the vid in BSplayer. It does seem that the person carries some sort of X-shaped webbing over his chest, was that standard practice of the Germans or Americans?

I suggest you download BSplayer (free) and see for yourself:

http://oldversion.com/download.php?idlong=350e676f51525e4175c75ce2acb0eb2b

Hit Shift+F6 a couple of times to slow down the vid.

Perhaps consider contacting the museum people? :)
 
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Upvote 0
#6
Nimsky said:
It does seem that the person carries some sort of X-shaped webbing over his chest, was that standard practice of the Germans or Americans?
Click to expand...

Looks like the bandoliers M1 Garand clips were carried in.

The way the GI turns doesn't look like a scared "oh, crap, time to jet!" turn. He stops, bounces through the turn, and moves on. It's not like he skidded to a stop and scrambled away.

Oh, and for the lazy, a direct link:

http://www.december44.com/film/december44.mpeg
 
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#8
the shape of the helmet tells me it can't possibly be an allied soldier, and that clear ammo belt looks defenately like a FJ
compare to this:
6113_0000.jpg

altough he doesnt seem to be wearing the jump smock typical to the FJ.
if it was an allied soldier then why do they both are so surprised?
 
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#10
indeed ... i don't think it is a german.
also the american is running and it seems that he took a wrong way (someone perhaps call him) and change his direction.
the other guy certainly come to ask something and then when the other move forward him, he turn back (half) thinking he would follow him but finally realize he won't follow.
 
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#12
it doesnt look like a after-battle set-up to me, it looks more like in-battle footage taken by a soldier. just look at the fire and the reaction of the surprised soldiers. i dont see why a soldier would get surprised if there is no inmediate danger...

people don't tend to be filming when there's even anticipation of enemy infantry in the vicintiy
Click to expand...

human reactions can be far different from what you would expect, especially in a war. when there is danger, you film it! war reporters say it creates a safe feeling when you see it through a camera.
i have seen a video taken by english soldiers hiding 10 meters behind a panther, and you can see how one of them loads a piat and fires and destroys the panther.

Also what are you guys talking about ammo pouches? You can't see ****,
Click to expand...

look closer, there is someting brighter slung diagonally over the guy
 
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#15
what about the cameraman? Wouldn't either one of them have shot or at least yelled at the cameraman since he was in plain view (or so it appears) if he was German or American?
Click to expand...
i think that is the reason why the film ends so suddenly at the critical moment, i believe what happened next was censored. so it is very probable that something horrible happened.

If there is an ammo pouch slung diagonally it's not German issue gear then.
Click to expand...
could be, but it could also be the FJ ammo belt that is tied together. since those loose belts were very unhandy in combat.
im not an expert in allied equipment but i can't remember diagonal ammo pouches on their side either being issued... maybe im wrong on this
 
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#16
seppdietr said:
could be, but it could also be the FJ ammo belt that is tied together. since those loose belts were very unhandy in combat.
im not an expert in allied equipment but i can't remember diagonal ammo pouches on their side either being issued... maybe im wrong on this
Click to expand...

The US issued rifle ammo (M1 Garand clips, to be specific) in banodliers that were typically slung diagonally like that.

N170.jpg


It looks like the FJ used similar bandoliers, but they were more like suspenders that would hang vertically over each shoulder.
 
Upvote 0
#17
seppdietr said:
i think that is the reason why the film ends so suddenly at the critical moment, i believe what happened next was censored. so it is very probable that something horrible happened.


could be, but it could also be the FJ ammo belt that is tied together. since those loose belts were very unhandy in combat.
im not an expert in allied equipment but i can't remember diagonal ammo pouches on their side either being issued... maybe im wrong on this
Click to expand...

They would have been unhandy except! they were tucked into the belt, and so no flapping ammo pouches, for example.
 
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