Marco Posted 31 August , 2004 Share Posted 31 August , 2004 I still drive my car with two hands That's a lie, you always drive with one hand, holding a fag in the other. Except when the car is new, then we have to get out every 20 min. (no matter the weather) to smoke outside. And on the subject of your driving: Peter actually DROVE over the badge which is now my avitar (see left) and breaking the clip (for those concerned: I have the GPS coordinates of this find). Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme1916 Posted 1 September , 2004 Share Posted 1 September , 2004 Jon, the gentleman you describe sounds like Eric, he is a well known dealer in the Somme area and yes you are absolutely right about his disablement. There are a few guys like him at the fairs who learnt the hard way. Thanks, I never learned his name but I saw him at several shows and brocantes (sp) Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmericanDoughboy Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 Egbert, As many have said, do not touch such things on the battlefield. Photographs yes, but do not touch. A fine example of such is the owner of the famous "Le Tommy Café" on the Somme, for he has a fine collection of shells that he himself has found, but only has one arm left due to a painful accident in handeling a live one. -Doughboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 I bet the farmers can tell some stories---------imagine going spud picking there, that would be the ultimate " hot potato "-----------sorry i couldnt help it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 Nigel, I can relate to that. Last year in the field in front of High Wood with TM knelt over to pick up what looked like a potato and TM very quickly told me that it was a "Mills" potato and as a result it is still there as far as I know. Peter Took this as a photo only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 A fine example of such is the owner of the famous "Le Tommy Café" on the Somme, for he has a fine collection of shells that he himself has found, but only has one arm left due to a painful accident in handeling a live one Last time I saw Dominique he had lost a lot of weight but he certainly had a full compliment of limbs! Where does the above info come from - it must be another owner of another cafe in another time perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTS Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 Wasn't it the previous owner that was either killed or maimed by unexploded ordanance ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AmericanDoughboy Posted 2 September , 2004 Share Posted 2 September , 2004 Giles, It must have been the previous owner of the café, because I know that an accident occured when one of his arms was shattered due to a mishandeling of a live shell. But I haven't seen him myself, but it was said in a guidebook about the café. However, seeing the massive collection of shells in the trench behind the café it is no surprise that an accident happened. -Doughboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 November , 2004 Share Posted 30 November , 2004 The one-armed man was indeed the former owner of Le Tommy in Pozieres, and he lost his fore-arm when trying to crack open a Mills grenade. I learned this from the man in question himself when visiting his place in 1989. He also showed me at that time that he had not kicked the habit and unlocked two more Mills bombs while we were drinking a beer at the bar (he always had a big stash in a petrol filled oil barrel behind the café). The second photograph most certainly shows an unexploded Mills bomb that has been split by a plough. The rims show 'fresh' rust and the detonator is in one piece (detonator is indeed the second smaller tube attached to the large tube). They are found often (both unused and as duds) Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat McLachlan Posted 2 December , 2004 Share Posted 2 December , 2004 In March I was walking the approach routes to Pozieres and found two of these little nasties in the space of 20 mins. See pic below. It seems they either turn up in groups or not at all... A bit like Mormons I suppose... For more details of this Pozieres walk, feel free to check out my website at www.diggertours.com/pozieres.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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