Hi everyone, it feels great to be able to say ‘welcome to my new video’. I took a break from TH-cam to focus on my University studies and my quest to identify the graves of unknown soldiers who were killed during the First and Second World War. For those wondering, my tally of positively identified graves is currently on 14! For more information, I would highly suggest you to visit my Facebook page (Michiel’s Unknown). I had planned to upload this video a bit earlier, but my movie editing software had other ideas. I suppose it also needed some time to warm up. I hope you will enjoy the video and I hope to catch you in the next one! P.S. if you want to see moving images of the battle depicted in this video, I highly suggest you take a look at the following reel on the IWM’s website: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060008134
OMG! I thought you were gone for good! I was so surprised to see a notice on your new video. I'm looking forward to seeing your new content. Hope it includes details on your most recent identifications! That's an awesome achievement that needs to be shared!! 🕵👏
G'day there Ace, Good to see you back in my feed...; I was starting to wonder if you'd given up on TH-cam for the hallowed halls of Academie...! Excellent to learn that you've now located the identities of 14 Unknown Soldiers' final resting places...! Very well done, I must say. Are you typical of your generation of Belgians ? Is prospecting for the identities of local Unknown Soldiers' Graves sort of a routine recreational hobby for teenagers, kinda thing - due to the proximity of such mysteries being pretty much everywhere about the landscape ; in the way that on the Coast everybody grows up Surfing & Boating, whereas inland people grow up riding Horses, or Motorbikes and shooting Rabbits, Foxes, Goats and Pigs for something to do, instead of playing Sport on the weekends ? Or are you the one rare local Remarkable Enthusiast, Forever surprising the Old Locals by being interested in stuff which they can barely recall hearing about....? I know I certainly found your Videos to be unusual, when I first found one under one of my early ANZAC Day uploads about 10 years back... Good to see you back in the feed. Keep on keeping on... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao ! PS, At about 03:50, You mentioned, "Captain Strachan..." pronouncing it phonetically..., as spelled. However that's one of the Weird Ancient (Gaelic, maybe...?) spellings which are supposed to be said very differently to "normal English".. "Strachan" is how the Scottish write the word, "Strawn..." (!). The only way to learn of it seems to be to try saying it wrong and then get corrected, it's certainly how I found out about it. In Victoria there's a town named Strachan, where an apparently famous Footrace is held every year, so getting pulled up on how not to say it, is something of a Rite of Passage for Sports Reporters in Oz. (!). Cheers, ;-p Ciao !
Whoa now! Its a miracle. My favourite WW2 history channel is resurrected! Congratulations on the identification of so many fallen servicemen. A noble pursuit. Glad youre back.
The pictures really bring this to life. My Grandfather was a US Army Ranger and fought from Omaha beach through France before being wounded and losing a leg. He was a great friend and mentor to me. I miss him greatly. thanks for the video.
You are a true scholar. Taking the time and effort to aid a family is a noble pursuit. I have read and watched many books and videos concerning WWII. I don’t know of another person who has done a service for others like yours. Peace 🎉🎉🎉
This is the one of the easiest to follow for a non military person. My son has taken a great interest in his great grandfathers war in the 11th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry who was at Dunkirk then later wounded fighting at Rauray under Captain Nicholson. A similar video of the fighting at Rauray would really help my son understand the progress of the DLI during operation Martlet at Rauray
Brilliant. Just what I needed. We have just moved to Saint-Manvieu - living just around the corner from the Perron part of the map. I didn't realize that there had been such an engagement here. I haven't had time to research what happened around here in June 44 and so your video has been a perfect find just before the 80th D-Day anniversary. Tomorrow being May 8th, I'll wander up to the British cemetery to pay my respects and see if I can learn some more. Thanks for the clear presentation.
Thank you soooo much for a triumphal return. It's great to see your new material is as detailed and informative as always. I have a request for a campaign in the future if you could. My father was on the trains heading for his first posting IN STALINGRAD when the Soviet pincers closed on the pocket. Upon arrival my Dad was assigned to Von Manstein's forces and took part in Operation Winter Storm. Thank you soooo much. Great work you do every time
FANTASTIC! Wonderful, soooooo happy you are back .🙂 Iook forward to seeing many more of your videos. I your studies went well for you. Thank you very much . 😀🙋🏻♂️🐈👌
I am glad you are back! I have really missed your excellent work!!! Thank you for all your efforts to identify the missing! You are an amazing person! Keep up the great work! Cheers from Canada!
Absolutely wonderful to watch your incredible work again. Like a lot of people, I was worried that you were not well, and I am relieved to learn that was not the case. I look forward to seeing more of your work again in future, and thank you for what you do for others. Best wishes.
Great to have you back, AD! I like the fair-mindedness of your accounts, calling out both sides' heroism. Also, for the Crocodile crews...well, flamethrower operators have always had a hard time surrendering, regardless of side or circumstance.
Glad to have you back. I hope your University Studies have bee fruitful? And thank you in helping to identify those who had fallen who were unidentified. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. Salute 🫡
An excellent video. As for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, their website is a great resource as even in the most rural parts of the UK you're bound to find the grave of a fallen service man or woman sometimes returned to their home village.
Very interesting. My dad was in 7th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders of the 46th Brigade. He survived the war (although wounded and returned to action) and lived till 1999
So very glad to see that my favorite TH-camr is back...although your videos are always top notch, i dont think i could have rewatched any of them another time!! Jk, but honestly, hardly any content creator covering WW2 battles does so with the depth and detail that you do--the subject matter, the maps, the primary sources and original footage/photos, etc. And, like in this upload, you quite often do so with small-unit actions which is unheard of 👍🏻👍🏻
Have been to this place a couple of years ago. My father crossed the channel with the 6th RSF, this would of been his first engagement . He was English and his best mate was Welsh. A mixed bag.
My great grandfather and great uncle were in the 8th Battalion Royal Scots, my great uncle was killed on the 29th of June, from what I’ve been told he’d been mortally wounded and had to be left behind, my great grandfather, (the company sergeant), had to later come back and retrieve his body after the engagement, sad stuff, he’d only been in the war for 13 days, having arrived on D+10.
Haha! I watched this months ago and commented. It was recommended again and I rewatched it but didn’t notice I had already seen this episode so I commented again. It’s tough getting old! Oh well, both comments are genuine.
Hi Michiel. I follow your work on youtube for a couple of years already. Your videos are different from the usual productions that rely too heavily on the version promoted by one side. Usually such videos have nothing new to tell. Yours are not like that, your research is more original. I suppose you read in french, english and german, apart from your mother tongue. That means that you can read more sources and give your viewers a fuller picture. And show the battles from both sides. The results are great and worth watching. Thank you for your efforts. Keep it up!!
Your coverage of the events is brilliant and highly detailed. It is nice to see/hear someone who does not feel the need to tarnish the enemy´s reputation with stories of "war crimes" Many years of studying military history and reading veterans' accounts taught me that crimes or atrocities are fairly common in every army when combat is very violent and losses are very high. BTW, I am right in supposing that the ideal strength of a British infantry battalion in WW2 was 700 men and 20 officers divided into four companies? I remember reading something like that. Congratulations on an excellent job!
Does anyone know of some of the best books to read if I am looking to learn more about Operations Martlet and Epsom? (context: I am relatively unfamiliar with the operations' details however I am familiar with plenty of the Normandy operations in general) Additionally, I am looking for something that has a good breakdown of the units (order of battle, equipment involved, general attrition per unit as the info is available) involved for wargaming (a hobby of mine) Thanks!
I really enjoyed the video, the quality and content, thank you. At [08:52] you refer to Sturmbannführer Bernhard Krause actions as "one of the acts of 'Heroism' carried out by both sides". I think, while arguable, it safer and wiser that rather than call it an 'Act of Heroism' it might be preferable to call it an 'Act of Bravery'. Heroism has a moral context, whereas bravery does not and I think it inadvisable to call a member of the SS a Hero, except as one to their own cause and nation, but not more widely. You could say for instance the German media and state at the time lauded him as a hero but to the rest of the world no act of bravery at that time would justify the term label hero certainly not in Canada, not of 'any' member of the 12th SS Hitlerjugend, crazy brave but notorious for their many 'beyond the pale' acts on and off the battlefield. Although you mentioned both the 12th SS and Panzer Lehr on you map, you failed to make clear, at this point in the narrative, that while trying to break between the two Divisions that the SS-Panzer-regiment 26 defending was part of the 12th SS Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. That 26 PR was part of 12thSS does becomes obvious as you mention it later but a statement at the start would have aided clarity upon first time viewing.
This was bitter fighting. I have just watched on tv this past week the Battle for Hill 112, operation code named Epsom. I don't understand why more planes weren't used?.
It's a shame that the infantry never had access to the Canadian Kangaroo Rams until after Caen was taken. APC'S would have minimised Allied casualties.
That the 12 HJ after such a ferocious artillery barrage, managed to hold the Canadians for as long as they did and, inflict those losses shows how great the 'Baby Division' was. They were certainly fine young men.
Hi everyone, it feels great to be able to say ‘welcome to my new video’. I took a break from TH-cam to focus on my University studies and my quest to identify the graves of unknown soldiers who were killed during the First and Second World War. For those wondering, my tally of positively identified graves is currently on 14! For more information, I would highly suggest you to visit my Facebook page (Michiel’s Unknown).
I had planned to upload this video a bit earlier, but my movie editing software had other ideas. I suppose it also needed some time to warm up. I hope you will enjoy the video and I hope to catch you in the next one!
P.S. if you want to see moving images of the battle depicted in this video, I highly suggest you take a look at the following reel on the IWM’s website: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060008134
Welcome back !! you have been missed
OMG! I thought you were gone for good! I was so surprised to see a notice on your new video. I'm looking forward to seeing your new content. Hope it includes details on your most recent identifications! That's an awesome achievement that needs to be shared!! 🕵👏
G'day there Ace,
Good to see you back in my feed...; I was starting to wonder if you'd given up on TH-cam for the hallowed halls of Academie...!
Excellent to learn that you've now located the identities of 14 Unknown Soldiers' final resting places...!
Very well done, I must say.
Are you typical of your generation of Belgians ? Is prospecting for the identities of local Unknown Soldiers' Graves sort of a routine recreational hobby for teenagers, kinda thing - due to the proximity of such mysteries being pretty much everywhere about the landscape ; in the way that on the Coast everybody grows up Surfing & Boating, whereas inland people grow up riding Horses, or Motorbikes and shooting Rabbits, Foxes, Goats and Pigs for something to do, instead of playing Sport on the weekends ?
Or are you the one rare local
Remarkable Enthusiast,
Forever surprising the
Old Locals by being interested in stuff which they can barely recall hearing about....?
I know I certainly found your Videos to be unusual, when I first found one under one of my early ANZAC Day uploads about 10 years back...
Good to see you back in the feed.
Keep on keeping on...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
PS,
At about 03:50,
You mentioned,
"Captain Strachan..."
pronouncing it phonetically..., as spelled.
However that's one of the
Weird
Ancient (Gaelic, maybe...?) spellings which are supposed to be said very differently to "normal English"..
"Strachan" is how the
Scottish write the word,
"Strawn..." (!).
The only way to learn of it seems to be to try saying it wrong and then get corrected, it's certainly how I found out about it.
In Victoria there's a town named Strachan, where an apparently famous Footrace is held every year, so getting pulled up on how not to say it, is something of a Rite of Passage for Sports Reporters in Oz. (!).
Cheers,
;-p
Ciao !
That was first rate. I'm so glad you are back. Hearing your proper pronunciations of European names and places is a treat. I eagerly await more :)
Awesome that you're back!
Whoa now! Its a miracle. My favourite WW2 history channel is resurrected! Congratulations on the identification of so many fallen servicemen. A noble pursuit. Glad youre back.
Thank you very much! Thank you for sticking around! I know it's been a long time
@@TheAceDestroyerWelcome back!
Ace is back! Thanks for reenacting some lesser known battles-awesome job! Thanks
I'm very happy to see that you enjoyed it! Thank you for sticking around so long!
The pictures really bring this to life. My Grandfather was a US Army Ranger and fought from Omaha beach through France before being wounded and losing a leg. He was a great friend and mentor to me. I miss him greatly. thanks for the video.
Welcome back! 👍
Thanks! I know it's been a while, so thanks for sticking around!
Sehr informativ und klar und übersichtlich dargestellt. Respekt und viel Erfolg für die Zukunft.
Danke! Das ist das Ziel.
This may be the most well researched, organized World War II channel in the world of TH-cam
You are a true scholar. Taking the time and effort to aid a family is a noble pursuit. I have read and watched many books and videos concerning WWII. I don’t know of another person who has done a service for others like yours. Peace 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you very much! It really means a lot!
I thought he was done with YT or maybe something had happened to him,glad hes back
The king of tactical unit engagements has returned! Welcome back!
Thanks! It's feels great to be making new videos! Thank you for sticking around!
HEY WELCOME BACK BROTHER!! We missed you dude, glad to see your video pop up again like old times! 🍻
This is the one of the easiest to follow for a non military person. My son has taken a great interest in his great grandfathers war in the 11th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry who was at Dunkirk then later wounded fighting at Rauray under Captain Nicholson.
A similar video of the fighting at Rauray would really help my son understand the progress of the DLI during operation Martlet at Rauray
Brilliant. Just what I needed. We have just moved to Saint-Manvieu - living just around the corner from the Perron part of the map. I didn't realize that there had been such an engagement here. I haven't had time to research what happened around here in June 44 and so your video has been a perfect find just before the 80th D-Day anniversary. Tomorrow being May 8th, I'll wander up to the British cemetery to pay my respects and see if I can learn some more. Thanks for the clear presentation.
Fantastic to have you back Ace. I truly appreciate the work you put into all of your videos.
Good to hear from you.
I really missed you. Your videos are so to-the-point and yet so full of detail.
Hey! So happy to see you back with another great video!
I am happy to hear that, thank you!
Thank you soooo much for a triumphal return. It's great to see your new material is as detailed and informative as always. I have a request for a campaign in the future if you could. My father was on the trains heading for his first posting IN STALINGRAD when the Soviet pincers closed on the pocket. Upon arrival my Dad was assigned to Von Manstein's forces and took part in Operation Winter Storm. Thank you soooo much. Great work you do every time
You're back.Ace Destroyer, you were solely missed.Great video as always.Great maps,great narrative.
Missed you so much man
Great to see you back! You focus on tactical things that are not too common on TH-cam, which I appreciate.
Ngl, forgot this channel existed. Thanks for the video!
DUDE!! THANKS FOR COMING BACK!!
FANTASTIC!
Wonderful, soooooo happy you are back .🙂
Iook forward to seeing many more of your videos.
I your studies went well for you.
Thank you very much .
😀🙋🏻♂️🐈👌
I am glad you are back! I have really missed your excellent work!!! Thank you for all your efforts to identify the missing! You are an amazing person! Keep up the great work! Cheers from Canada!
Thank you! It really means a lot! I know it's been a long time, so thank you for sticking around!
Absolutely wonderful to watch your incredible work again. Like a lot of people, I was worried that you were not well, and I am relieved to learn that was not the case. I look forward to seeing more of your work again in future, and thank you for what you do for others. Best wishes.
Glad to see you back on TH-cam Ace!
I did enjoy this video. I thought it was accurate and unbiased. Thank you very much.
So glad to see you back! Best WWII history channel out there.
Great to have you back, AD!
I like the fair-mindedness of your accounts, calling out both sides' heroism.
Also, for the Crocodile crews...well, flamethrower operators have always had a hard time surrendering, regardless of side or circumstance.
Great to have you back dude
Too many more videos ❤
Thanks, Ace, your videos are so easy to understand,, thanks again and glad to have U back
Michiel happy to have you back on the channel.I thought you quit with the video's Cheers lad
Thank you Pascal! No, I just wanted to focus on my studies for a while. It's great to be able to make new videos again though.
Glad to have you back. I hope your University Studies have bee fruitful? And thank you in helping to identify those who had fallen who were unidentified. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. Salute 🫡
An excellent video. As for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, their website is a great resource as even in the most rural parts of the UK you're bound to find the grave of a fallen service man or woman sometimes returned to their home village.
I am very interested to know how many female graves you have come across. They exist but in all my time I have only ever seen one.
So good to see you back. You are one of the best.
Great presentation and so informative. Thanks 🙏
Great video, especially the use of the photos with the narrative. Bernage is always a good read.
Hello! Just a question: Who is Bernage? I read many books about Normandy (Yes, I know there are 100s!) but I do not remember him. Thank you!
@arslongavitabrevis5136 If you open the description to this video, you will see a bibliography at the end and his book is mentioned there as well.
Have you seen my earlier replies? I ask because they don't appear in this thread.
Well done a clear but concise description of one of the many smaller battles that made up part of the major offensives.
It's been a while. Welcome back 👍👏🏻
Glad your back, I was beginning to wonder about your channel.
So glad this channel is alive
Thank you for doing this video. Very glad to see you return 😊
Missed these interesting videos. Welcome back.
Thank you! Also, thank you for sticking around!
@@TheAceDestroyer I keep watching back episodes. So informative. Thank you.
Welcome back! It's good to finally see you back, have missed your great content!
Very interesting. My dad was in 7th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders of the 46th Brigade. He survived the war (although wounded and returned to action) and lived till 1999
Another great post. Welcome back - thanks for these insightful videos.
So happy to see this show up in my subscription feed today. Welcome back!
Great to have you back mon frer
brilliant, welcome back...I've been waiting!!!
Great to see you back in production.
Glad to see you back at it!
Great video and great to see you back Ace !
Welcome back my friend, all the success to you
It’s great to see you back!!
Long time no see. Great to see you back.
Thank you for sticking around! I know it's been a while
Great to see you back brother!
Great too see you back again
Good to see you back Big Dawg
So very glad to see that my favorite TH-camr is back...although your videos are always top notch, i dont think i could have rewatched any of them another time!! Jk, but honestly, hardly any content creator covering WW2 battles does so with the depth and detail that you do--the subject matter, the maps, the primary sources and original footage/photos, etc. And, like in this upload, you quite often do so with small-unit actions which is unheard of 👍🏻👍🏻
So glad you are back
Good to see you again, Ace!
The legend is baaaaaaack!!!!!
Great to see you making videos again
Welcome back, your videos are excellent and i look forward to them
Thank you! It really means a lot!
Have been to this place a couple of years ago. My father crossed the channel with the 6th RSF, this would of been his first engagement . He was English and his best mate was Welsh. A mixed bag.
Good to see you back
My great grandfather and great uncle were in the 8th Battalion Royal Scots, my great uncle was killed on the 29th of June, from what I’ve been told he’d been mortally wounded and had to be left behind, my great grandfather, (the company sergeant), had to later come back and retrieve his body after the engagement, sad stuff, he’d only been in the war for 13 days, having arrived on D+10.
great to have you back
Thank you for sticking around so long! I know it's been a long time
Excellent episode.
Haha! I watched this months ago and commented. It was recommended again and I rewatched it but didn’t notice I had already seen this episode so I commented again. It’s tough getting old! Oh well, both comments are genuine.
Hey, you’re back!!! Welcome!!!
Thanks! And thank you for sticking around so long!
The champ is back!!!
Liike everyone else i'm glad your back your in depth studies are the best. love to all.
yes!! i’ve missed your videos!!
Hi Michiel. I follow your work on youtube for a couple of years already. Your videos are different from the usual productions that rely too heavily on the version promoted by one side. Usually such videos have nothing new to tell. Yours are not like that, your research is more original. I suppose you read in french, english and german, apart from your mother tongue. That means that you can read more sources and give your viewers a fuller picture. And show the battles from both sides. The results are great and worth watching.
Thank you for your efforts. Keep it up!!
Thank you very much! I try to bring balance into the videos, so I'm very pleased to see it shines through
Welcome back.
Great stuff
G'day,
Attacking is more
Costly than is
Defending...;
It's an oft-told tale...
Such is life.
Have a good one...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
Indeed. Thank you for sticking around!
Superb.
long vacation hope you enjoyed it
Durr did an exceptional job there, under constant heavy fire he pressed on his mission nevertheless. A true hero
"Greater love hath no man..."
great vid
Back from the dead. A pleasant surprise
Beeindruckender Bericht! Sehr informativ und interessant. Setzt Maßstäbe für Dokumentationen.
🌱 Ja 🌿
OMG OMG OMG !!!! Is it true !!! Welcome back!!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks! I think it is true. I'm currently working on some other videos, so you can expect some more soon.
@@TheAceDestroyer thank you 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
How do you make your maps Ace?
Inderdaad, welkom terug!!
Enjoyed
Your coverage of the events is brilliant and highly detailed. It is nice to see/hear someone who does not feel the need to tarnish the enemy´s reputation with stories of "war crimes" Many years of studying military history and reading veterans' accounts taught me that crimes or atrocities are fairly common in every army when combat is very violent and losses are very high.
BTW, I am right in supposing that the ideal strength of a British infantry battalion in WW2 was 700 men and 20 officers divided into four companies? I remember reading something like that. Congratulations on an excellent job!
Does anyone know of some of the best books to read if I am looking to learn more about Operations Martlet and Epsom?
(context: I am relatively unfamiliar with the operations' details however I am familiar with plenty of the Normandy operations in general)
Additionally, I am looking for something that has a good breakdown of the units (order of battle, equipment involved, general attrition per unit as the info is available) involved for wargaming (a hobby of mine)
Thanks!
Just read the German version in Hubert Meyers account and book
Where have you been? I really like your videos
YES SEND IN THE JOCKS THEY WILL GET THE JOB DONE😮.😊
Where in the hell have you been?... I've been forced to watch these other less then desirable channels.
Hahaha, thanks! Well, I wanted to focus on my studies. It feels great to make new videos though!
I really enjoyed the video, the quality and content, thank you.
At [08:52] you refer to Sturmbannführer Bernhard Krause actions as "one of the acts of 'Heroism' carried out by both sides".
I think, while arguable, it safer and wiser that rather than call it an 'Act of Heroism' it might be preferable to call it an 'Act of Bravery'.
Heroism has a moral context, whereas bravery does not and I think it inadvisable to call a member of the SS a Hero, except as one to their own cause and nation, but not more widely.
You could say for instance the German media and state at the time lauded him as a hero but to the rest of the world no act of bravery at that time would justify the term label hero certainly not in Canada, not of 'any' member of the 12th SS Hitlerjugend, crazy brave but notorious for their many 'beyond the pale' acts on and off the battlefield.
Although you mentioned both the 12th SS and Panzer Lehr on you map, you failed to make clear, at this point in the narrative, that while trying to break between the two Divisions that the SS-Panzer-regiment 26 defending was part of the 12th SS Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend.
That 26 PR was part of 12thSS does becomes obvious as you mention it later but a statement at the start would have aided clarity upon first time viewing.
p.s. Again Please I think very highly of your video and only mention the above to try to help and not to trash or be over critical.
Don't fuck with the Scots!😂❤
This was bitter fighting. I have just watched on tv this past week the Battle for Hill 112, operation code named Epsom. I don't understand why more planes weren't used?.
You zoom in too much
It's a shame that the infantry never had access to the Canadian Kangaroo Rams until after Caen was taken. APC'S would have minimised Allied casualties.
That the 12 HJ after such a ferocious artillery barrage, managed to hold the Canadians for as long as they did and, inflict those losses shows how great the 'Baby Division' was. They were certainly fine young men.