His story: Cpl Gordon C Powell
Gordon Powell was a dispatch rider for the 82nd armored reconnaissance battalion. His battalion landed just after
D-day, on 9 June on Omaha beach. The battalion had seen battle before in the Italian Campaign.
After a rough campaign in Italy, the 82nd armored reconnaissance battalion would have another tough fight on their hands.
The battalion was involved in the taking of Saint-Lô and had a decisive impact on the Cotentin penensula battles.
When the Allied armies were advancing through France with the German armies on the run, Corporal Gordon Powell was spotted by an unknown
photographer in Pacy-sur-Eure, just 50 kilometres West of Paris.
Gordon Powell was a dispatch rider for the 82nd armored reconnaissance battalion. His battalion landed just after
D-
After a rough campaign in Italy, the 82nd armored reconnaissance battalion would have another tough fight on their hands.
The battalion was involved in the taking of Saint-
When the Allied armies were advancing through France with the German armies on the run, Corporal Gordon Powell was spotted by an unknown
photographer in Pacy-
On this picture we see Corporal Gordon C Powell meeting up with
a British dispatch driver in Pacy-sur-Eure. The photo is taken on
August 27th, 1944.
In the back we see two army officers. Corporal Gordon Powell of
the 82nd armored reconnaissance poses next to Baltins Dogoughs
of British XXX-corps.
Powell is wearing a coumouflaged HBT suit, which was worn for
a short period of time in France by units of the 2nd Armored
Division. Dogoughs acquired a German MP40 submachine gun.
Funny thing is. While I was going through my archives, I found a
picture of a man on a Harley Davidson motor cycle. The picture was
taken on September 17th, 1944, in Hoensbroek, the Netherlands.
Seeing a Harley Davidson motor cycle, I decided to send it over to
a friend in Belgium, who is a big fan of the Harley Davidson
motorcycles during WWII.
He made a great discovery!
a British dispatch driver in Pacy-
In the back we see two army officers. Corporal Gordon Powell of
the 82nd armored reconnaissance poses next to Baltins Dogoughs
of British XXX-
a short period of time in France by units of the 2nd Armored
Division. Dogoughs acquired a German MP40 submachine gun.
Funny thing is. While I was going through my archives, I found a
picture of a man on a Harley Davidson motor cycle. The picture was
taken on September 17th, 1944, in Hoensbroek, the Netherlands.
Seeing a Harley Davidson motor cycle, I decided to send it over to
a friend in Belgium, who is a big fan of the Harley Davidson
motorcycles during WWII.
He made a great discovery!
Corporal Gordon Powell was also on this picture, which is taken exactly
three weeks after the moment the photographer took his picture in
Pacy-sur-Eure. The same GI on the same bike, what are the odds.
The bike is a type IV or an early type V 42 WLA and has the following markings:
An American star painted on the front of the fuel tank. On the front fender we
see three colored invasion bars: 2/\-82R HQ87. This indicates that this is the
87th vehicle of HQ company, 82 Reconnaissance battalion of the 2nd Armored
Division.
Credits for the information go to ‘the Liberator’ for putting a name to this
face. One of many men of the greatest generation, who helped liberating
fortress Europe, who deserves to be recognised.
three weeks after the moment the photographer took his picture in
Pacy-
The bike is a type IV or an early type V 42 WLA and has the following markings:
An American star painted on the front of the fuel tank. On the front fender we
see three colored invasion bars: 2/\-
Division.
Credits for the information go to ‘the Liberator’ for putting a name to this
face. One of many men of the greatest generation, who helped liberating
fortress Europe, who deserves to be recognised.
Photo: dispatch riders: Gordon Powell (left) and Baltins Dogoughs (right) (Signal Corps/US archives
via theliberator.be)
via theliberator.be)
Photo: Gordon Powell with civilians in Hoensbroek (private collection)
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