M’off…… Hurtgen Forest….. August

[Wapping]

Now to think about my next short hop across the water, but it won’t be for a week or two.

I’ve decided.

I’m going to continue a bit eastwards, across the northern middle bit of Belgium and into Germany a little way. My destination, the Hurtgen Forest, to see the sites of the bloody American attempt to fight through the huge forest in the autumn and winter of 1944, in complete disregard of any accepted military strategic or tactical wisdom. It was a disaster of epic proportions.

There are several guided tours, but I think I’ll have go at stealing some itineraries and doing it myself.

This video makes a pretty good stab at telling the story. Yes, it uses re-enactment and non-US pictures, but they are used to set a scene, rather than being strictly accurate.

PS I have read several of Saul David’s books. I can recommend them.

 

[Wapping]

AI, gives a start and I have a map.

 

[Wapping]

This, very roughly is the route I’ll probably take to get there:



Timing is a bit up in the air, as I have a very busy period at work thro’ October / November. It might have to wait until the spring.

 

[Wapping]

Sat in a cafe, using nothing more than my phone and Google maps’ excellent ability to display points of interest (official or those added by the public) I have pinpointed the main sites to see in the huge forest area, saving each in a private folder I have created in Google maps.



I can then use Google to join them up or, just as likely, do it myself.

At the same time, Google will give me a potted history and (where applicable) the opening hours / website. It’ll even translate the inevitable foreign (German) into some form of English.

I’ll cut it all into MyRoute, including the route from Calais to the forest and back. Then to find a suitable hotel or two, which Google will help me with.

Simmerath, might be good, as it’s only nine minutes by road from a cluster of points:




Booking.com or talking directly to the hotelier, will do the rest. Chunnel tickets, bought online. The 21st century makes creating a trip (in the way it would have been done in the 20th or earlier) a doddle.

A bit of effort and a jaunt is made.

Happy days.

PS I’ll probably add in one of the Ruhr dams, too.

 

[Wapping]

The date is maybe deciding itself.

I see it’s the damned London Triathlon coming up, which condemns the population of Wapping to being locked in their houses. I plan on going over the weekend of 08/09 August. Earlier than I might have chosen but, hey ho.

 

[EVskiy]

Yoof of today should be asshemed of asking for directions, or indeed me and my 8 mates (types) going away tomorrow, need routes, bikermate #POBITF friendly hotel, all without a single please or a thank you to follow thereafter or indeed during request.

You is going to have a great Jaunt and an opportunity to appreciate the autumn/winter period in the year 1944 and probably engage in some banter with the locals. Just…

 

[EVskiy]

Have you had a look here Richard?

Thread 'Battle of Hurtgen Forest, Eiffel/Ardennes 1944'

Sep 12, 2015

A friend recently highly recommended me this museum and forest walk which is on the Eiffel/Ardennes border. It commemorates the Battle of Hurtgenwald (Hurtgen Forest) in 1944.

I have not had an opportunity to visit it yet, so i cannot give it a personal recommendation.

Also, bare in mind that the museum is only open on Sundays betwwen March and November: this is because it is run by volunteers

http://www.museum-huertgenwald.de (official website only in German)

http://liberationroute.com/germany/place-of-interest/museum-hurtgenwald-1944-und-im-frieden (in English)...

• paul08
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Battlefields & Military Interest

 

[Wapping]

Hotel booked, whilst sat in the pub.

Hotel Kragemann in Simmerath - jetzt online buchen

Das charmante Hotel Kragemann in Simmerath steht für Qualität, echte Gastfreundschaft und liegt zwischen Monschau, Rursee und dem Nationalpark Eifel.

www.kragemann.de

Now just the Chunnel to do and to create a MyRoutes route.

Lots of the sites are, understandably enough, deep in the woods. I’ll probably just park up and use Google maps to direct me from spot to spot on foot. Easier for me with a phone, than it was for some poor soldier in winter, with no map.

 

[Redboots]

You could pop into FC Moto if there's anything you want.

 

[Wapping]

Chunnel booked, outward and return. Not a bad price either, for mid-afternoon out and mid-morning return on a non-flexi ticket.

St Omer, Ibis Budget, booked for the first and last nights.

All whilst sat in the Town of Ramsgate pub; you have to love the 21st century.

Now just to book a couple of restaurants in St Omer, as they do fill up and August will be no exception….. oh, and create the routes. Restaurants first though.

 

[Wapping]

You could pop into FC Moto if there's anything you want.

That’s quite a good call. I have dropped into Louis before, to buy my last pair of Daytona boots.

 

[Monsieur]

I’m sure you’ve done this on here before Richard but how do you plan/save maps and routes on google map?
Whilst I’m here, looked at your booked hotel but how does a complete buffoon like me translate the website easily on my phone?

Great thread by the way

 

[Redboots]

Whilst I’m here, looked at your booked hotel but how does a complete buffoon like me translate the website easily on my phone?

If you have the Brave browser, there is a translator in the 3 dot "hamburger".
Probably in Chrome as well.

 

[Wapping]

I’m sure you’ve done this on here before Richard but how do you plan/save maps and routes on google map?
Whilst I’m here, looked at your booked hotel but how does a complete buffoon like me translate the website easily on my phone?

Great thread by the way

Two questions, for the price of one. BOGOF.

Let’s discuss when we next meet. But, in short you need Google ‘My Maps’. That though is not perfect as, for some bizarre reason, it’s not navigable thro’ Google maps itself.

To create the rough route in post #3, I simply asked Google for Calais to Simmerath, avoiding tolls and motorways. I then tweaked the A to B route by inserting the towns I needed / wanted to pass through, in order to very roughly shape the route. I’ll create a bespoke version in MyRoute.

You can though save the route (you might need to convert the file type) and use it another navigation app.

2. That depends on which browser you are using.

In Safari:





PS Thanks for the kind comment.

 

[Monsieur]

If you have the Brave browser, there is a translator in the 3 dot "hamburger".
Probably in Chrome as well.

Whoosh!!
Just a simple iPhone

 

[wessie]

if you like meat cooked over fire, this is a good restaurant in St Omer

Estaminet Les 3 caves - De Drie Kalders · 18 Pl. du Maréchal Foch, 62500 Saint-Omer, Frankreich

★★★★☆ · Restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[EVskiy]

I’m sure you’ve done this on here before Richard but how do you plan/save maps and routes on google map?
Whilst I’m here, looked at your booked hotel but how does a complete buffoon like me translate the website easily on my phone?

Great thread by the way

On your iPhone* when using native Safari browser Jeremy, follow these instructions whenever you visit foreign websites…

Step 1: tap on this symbol in the address bar or under a box with an arrow.



Step 2: Tap on translate to English or a symbol with those symbols illustrated.



Step 3: the rest done automatically, virtually everything should be translated to your chosen language, with highlighted symbols indicating that this action is active.



*Your will have a slightly different interface to mine, as I am running the latest (Beta) iOS26 software.

 

[Monsieur]

Think I’ve got it!
Thanks Ev and Redboots

 

[Wapping]

if you like meat cooked over fire, this is a good restaurant in St Omer

I know it and its bras well

I will be there on the Wednesday night, as the two restaurants I wanted to go to are both shut.

The au Bistronome, to the left about 100 metres, as you look at the bras. I have requested a reservation for the night of my return.

https://www.aubistronome.com/

A new place (I think, it’s moved from somewhere else) quite close to the cathedral. As far as I can make out, it’s run by the municipality…. But I could be very wrong.

 

[Posh Pete]

Very useful and interesting stuff here Richard. Thanks.

Our American friends are very good at ignoring well informed military counsel. They did it in 1918 in the Argonne and learned the same hard lessons Haig etc took 3 bloody years to learn. Likewise (and I learned this only recently) they declined our offer of reconnaissance of Omaha beach by (what became) the SBS. Not a great decision as the first 15 minutes of Saving Private Ryan might demonstrate.

Anyway, carry on and thanks again.