| surdu2005 | 11 Mar 2015 12:29 p.m. PST |
Anyone know of a source for topographic maps that would have been used by soldiers in the hedgerow fighting in Normandy? I would like to find something that is either pristine or has been used in the field and shows wear as well as graphics and other markings made by soldiers. |
| jowady | 11 Mar 2015 2:55 p.m. PST |
U.S. Army Atlas of the European Theater in World War II, it contains 137 color maps. link As for original maps I have no idea, especially for field used maps. I'm guessing you might need to contact people who collect maps and the stores that support them. |
| Sundance | 11 Mar 2015 4:07 p.m. PST |
The map room at your local university would have a good chance of having at least some period maps. I have had good luck withy that. You can also visit or write to the Library of Congress giving them a description of what you're looking for and if they have it, they will photocopy it for a price. |
| Sundance | 11 Mar 2015 4:11 p.m. PST |
Sorry didn't read all the way through your post. I happened on a WWI era map with grease pencil on it. When I did some minimal research, it appeared that the map was from a regimental HQ as it was marked with boundaries and phase lines. Found the map at a flea market. If you just want to see them or get a copy, try things like military archives, military museums, etc. Perhaps even the National Archives. |
The G Dog  | 11 Mar 2015 8:17 p.m. PST |
The map room in our college library had a set of Army Map Service topo sheets of France that were from the WWII period. A lot like current USGS quandrangles in terms of details. Failing that, the Michelin road maps of the day got a lot of use. |
| Grelber | 11 Mar 2015 9:07 p.m. PST |
Like the G Dog, I'd recommend the 1/250,000 scale maps put out by the US Army Map Service right after the war. More or less complete sets were stored at depository libraries--I've seen sets at Denver Public Library, University or Utah, University of Colorado and Kansas State University at Pittsburg, to give you an idea. They go into some detail as to where the map came from which can be interesting: one I found of inland Libya was taken from an Admiralty map, which in turn came from a captured Italian map, and the whole thing was supplemented by US aerial reconnaissance. I had copies of all the maps for Greece made at the U of U for about $1.50 USD each, but that was 15 years ago. Gavin Lyall, who wrote a set of WWII rules called Operation Warboard, says he got some very good maps of the landing beaches from the British official histories. These showed minefields, defensive positions and so on. Grelber |
| Wolfhag | 11 Mar 2015 9:16 p.m. PST |
Check out Google Earth in the Normandy area. The hedgerows have been around for a few hundred years and most areas should be about the same as June 1944. You should be able to find some good areas to use, even areas from real battles. Wolfhag |
| Kelly Armstrong | 12 Mar 2015 10:56 a.m. PST |
Maybe this addresses the OP link |
| specforc12 | 16 Mar 2015 3:46 p.m. PST |
you can try the US Geological Survey or maybe the Government Printing Office? I bought a whole set of Normandy and Lorraine map set reproductions on the internet a few years ago with all the battle map designations – date & time . . . I'd like to find more like these, myself. |
| LORDGHEE | 23 Mar 2015 12:05 a.m. PST |
Bill
Owen of judges guild did some great maps for normandy link |
| Nitpickergeneral | 23 Mar 2015 9:10 a.m. PST |
Battlefield Historian has scans of 1:25000 maps of Normandy for sale from the WW2 era:
link regards
Andrew |
