Hedgerows - the Normandy Bocage

[@gerarddube7230]

My father, Stg Noel Dube, was part of the 121st engineers who landed on D-Day. He spoke of the hedgerows as well and was given the bronze star for devising a way to deal with them. The bronze star noted and was described this way. There were tubes that were put on the prongs on the front of the tanks and shoved into the hedgerows. Once the tank backed out, the tubes were filled with explosives, and the hedgerows were blown up. When the tanks climbed the hedgerows, they exposed their belly to the enemy. By flattening them with the TNT, the tanks could move safer. I appreciate your video as it gives me a better feel for what they encountered in those days.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks for that, I corresponded with your father a few times, he was a lovely chap

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

My father served with the 903rd Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company (HAM) and was one of the guys that welded to teeth on the Rhino tanks during the Normandy invasion.

[@19brandon66]

Very interesting video. My father was severely wounded in the hedgerows at Villers Fossard, near St Lo. He was a US Army recon platoon Sargent. It was an action during tree burst shelling by the Germans. Thank you for posting...

[@justaguy1679]

My father was wounded in that same area on June 17, as a forward observer for 110 field artillery in 29 infantry division. I’m hoping to visit the area soon.

[@Normandy_Mike]

4th Cavalry? If so, which squadron?

[@ryanmcgann5895]

Very interesting video, It is cool to see that much of the bocage has remained unchanged since the war. I am combat veteran (Infantry/US army), I fought in Afghanistan in a area called Zhari, in Kandahar Province. It resembles the bocage in many ways, sunken footpaths, thick mud walls, irrigation ditches and hundreds of small fields with thick tree and brush lines separating each one. We would blow up some of these overgrown areas with C4, APOBS or MPLC explosives in order to destroy previous ambush sites and paths riddled with IEDs. It was an incredibly exhausting, intense and frustrating place to fight, and I will never forget it. I still can’t imagine how difficult fighting in Normandy must have been for soldiers on the front, I have the highest of respect for the men who fought in this brutal war, they truly went through hell.

[@halcooper3070]

It hasn't remained unchanged, its must larger now. The video is misleading

[@HarryFenton6124]

Fascinating information. I live in the quiet Norman countryside and can vouch for the difficulty climbinging the bigger banks. I was trying to chainsaw a dead tree on top of one today and kept slipping down back to the road. They are also thick was brambles which are strong enough to stop someone pushing through and the Hazel trees usually have about 50 thick stems from the ancient coppicing.

[@WargamingHistory]

Great video, I purchased a 1935 Joanne guide which has a map of the paved, gravel and paths of Normandy. Plus the names of all of the cafes, restaurants, service stations and Chambre des hôtes etc and driving times between them.

[@pendulum1997]

Those sunken lanes are incredible, so much natural cover. Wouldn't have been much fun to be caught unawares in one of them though.

[@darrengilbert7438]

I have been studying World War 2 for over 45 years. The Normandy campaign was always one of my favorites to read about. I was very impressed with your video and the work you did to explain and show what the hedgerow country was really like. Seeing it like this gives a whole different perspective on all those books that I have read. I thought you did a wonderful job explaining the different types of hedgerows and I agree with your assessments on both defending and attacking the various types. I have seen many pictures from war time photos, but an actual video like yours is a lot more effective in giving the historian an actual feel for what the soldiers experienced. Great job and I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Darren, I hope you enjoy our live content too

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

I was going to comment... but you took the exact words out of my mouth. SECONDED!

[@brandonnotsowise2640]

I was inspired to learn more about the hedgerows after playing Hell Let Loose. I’ve even visited the beaches of Normandy, and was not fully aware of the Hell of the bocage that the soldiers had to endure after breaching the beaches. Thank you for this very informational and straightforward video.

[@WW2TV]

You're welcome

[@lthom5158]

Never really understood hedgerows before. Now I see why they were such an obstacle. Great video!

[@WW2TV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bmcg5296]

Absolutely brilliant video Paul, with extremely deadly narrow killing zones, for the defenders. Trying to even cross any part with a tank it was likely to kill any tank trying to drive over any hedge to escape from German anti tank weapons. You drive over one hedge to get hit with the perfect killing zone of the panzerfaust!

[@philipfreeman2863]

To make it easier for tanks to break through the thick roots and vegetation the army engineers took railroad tracks and cut rails used on tracks. And cut them to enable the tanks to break through the roots and soil and not expose the underside of the tanks to anti tank fire. It was a brilliant idea by the combat engineers. And it allowed the tanks to break into the hedgerows and expose themselves to anti tank fire. Tje germans were basically screwed from then on. And with the complete air superiority of allied air power and overwhelming man power it was only possible for the Germans to stall, but not to stop the allies advance. It indeed the end of the Germans to stop the allied advance. And the eventually invasion of Germany itself. Nothing the Germans tried was quickly able to be neutralized by air power or artillery fire. And once the allies were out of the hedgerows. There was little the Germans could do but delay the the inevitable crossing into Germany itself. And with the broad front campaign of the allies to mount a strong resistance everywhere. And the battle of bastogne was the a desperate attempt by the Germans to delay the inevitable. And with the advance by the Russians from the east and the allies from the west. The absolute defeat of Germany was assured. And Hitler was the most wanted individual in the world. And the allieds were listening to ever coded message inside of Germany at that time. And I'm sure some were quietly killed and their bodies completely destroyed in Secret that spread fear in the survivors. And in a hundred years from now. Just maybe the truth of those who killed by allied operatives and agents from Israel might be told. It's kind of difficult to be certain of that, because of the mystery and impact of the unknown can have a chilling affect on individuals who one day cross a line that never should have been crossed. And I've got a decent grasp on the next individual. Who will mysteriously disappear from the face of the planet never to be seen again. But I'll keep that to myself. But it won't be a major loss to humanity.

[@francispaz9816]

This is by far the best video available about the hedgerows in Normandy!

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Francis, please share it with your tour groups

[@simoncooper6014]

Great stuff paul

[@MrBlysko]

No not at all

[@brentcompton2381]

My grand father was in the 30th infringement was wounded in ww2 at St Lo France. He was in the hedge rows fighting.

[@WalkingDday]

An interesting study of the hedgerow problem. Many hedgerows were ripped out in the 80s. Over the generations farmers had inherited or bought fields all over the place. That resulted in herds of cattle going down roads between fields. Communes did what they called « remembrement » or re- membering as in restructuring. Each farmer was allotted the same area of land around his farm. The first thing they did was to rip out hedges separating fields so they could use machinery more efficiently. They then found that hedges are pretty useful to stop soil erosion by wind or rain , and give shelter and food to livestock. The indiscriminate ripping out slowed and some hedges were replanted.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Colin

[@tynao2029]

lol they thought they were smarter than they were like wait there is something to this

[@PeteV80]

Man, archaeologically that's a crime. Those were 1000 years old, or older. I can only imagine what could have been deposited in there.

[@mtygardsurgimesh]

Outstanding Video! As an amateur history buff of WW II I've long wondered what Normandy Hedgerow fighting was like...you've answered that question. Bravo!

[@tomquinn607]

My father (30th Infantry Div.) used to say how difficult the fighting in the hedgerow was. Now I understand. Thank you.

[@justaguy1679]

My dad was in 29th, 110 field artillery he hated the hedgerows, ans was wounded serving as a forward observer. Now I understand

[@justaguy1679]

I am so glad to have found this video and watch it. My father was in the 29th division, 110 field artillery. He was wounded on June 17, as a forward observer. He rarely spoke of his time in the war, but when he did, he would repeatedly say how much he hated the hedgerow. He said you never knew what was on the other side of the hedgerow, and it became nerve racking. He was wounded on the way St. Lo. I hope to get over there next year (2024), but if my health prevents my trip, having seen your video completes the puzzle I have had in my mind for 30 years. Thank you again.

[@WW2TV]

You are very welcome. Hopefully you'll find our other videos as interesting

[@shimmyhinnah]

I’m seeing the bocage in real time Dec, 2021. I’m visiting in the Bordeaux, Libourne, Laval region. I couldn’t understand why a tank would have difficulties ramming through a “hedge” but when you see it up close, it’s an almost vertical wall of soil and rocks and tree roots, many times a thick, tall, closely planted row of yews growing on the top. Superb video! I too was interested in finding out more on this!

[@mattd6086]

I watched this video for a WWII class I was taking, and shared with a classmate who lives in Normandy. He knows you and holds you in high regard. Small world. Thank you for this work.

[@garyaugust1953]

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant..in terms of other productions a simplistic account of the bocage. No battle plans and movements of opposing forces, just a real-time experience of the differing types of bocage. It is worth noting that those pesky Germans had years of experience stemming from occupation of the region. You have given a visual experience from an infantryman point of view, a tank commander, and an artillery battery. Also, from the perspective of both sides and how they used the bocage to their own needs, how they overcame their first experience. Genius, using Bradley's quote, this would have been fed back to him from serving officers and nco's personal terrain experience. Thank you once again, Paul.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Gary

[@jimwalsh1958space]

even though this is an old one it's still my favourite. you are a gifted film maker i apreciate that a lot. thanks

[@WW2TV]

Thank you too!

[@jeffreybaker4399]

Excellent presentation. Have never seen a better illustration of a terrain problem.

[@WW2TV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nangaleema]

this video is outstanding! totally changed my understanding of the bocage and hedgerows in particular. thank you for making this! very informative!

[@WW2TV]

You're very welcome!

[@Perfusionist01]

Thank you! This is the best description of the Norman hedgerows that I have run across, and I have been a serious student of WW2 for fifty years. I never had the chance to visit France to see the bocage country. Your video tutorial really helped in understanding the real structure of the hedgerows. This is of great use to me as a history buff and as a model bulder.

[@WW2TV]

You are very welcome

[@johnr7769]

A brilliant visual guide to the Bocage of Normandy. I have read many first hand accounts of American soldiers who described the difficulties of fighting in this area. I now have a better appreciation of the actions described by those who fought there. They also confirmed your assertion of the Germans counter-attacking whenever the Allies made an advance.

[@justaguy1679]

My dad was there, wounded on way to St. Lo. He told me it was the worst part of the war for him.

[@JamesSmith-oe1ot]

My uncle went in on 3rd day ( Normandy) and I tell you all he ever talked about was the hedge rows. Must a been a huge pia He went on to get shot and blown up. I loved him dearly and miss him and all the other guys from greater generation. Those were real men....I truly believe...I am the man I am today because of guys like that and my dad.It's just really hard to deal with what is now and what we had then . I miss them every day. And hey...My own dad was shot too. Korea. USMC. The best father you could ever ask for.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks for sharing that about your Uncle

[@T.J.Caldwell318]

Awesome video thank you. My grandfather fought the he was in the 30th infantry division 119th regiment. I hope I get to visit Normandy one day

[@jimasher]

...unbelievable...generations of animals and people wandering through the fields have made sunken trails...haven’t seen anything like it in my many travels...a hell of a welcome to our soldiers...thank God for your sacrifices...

[@stephenpegum9776]

What a truly fascinating video Paul - great stuff ! I think you've also answered a question that's been puzzling me for many years - i.e given the extensive military planning for Operation Overlord why so little advance knowledge seemed to exist about the presence of all the bocage in Normandy. You've just told us this intelligence did exist but was not disseminated widely for security reasons.

[@dannyglands4565]

That sunken path is actually amazing and kinda otherworldly

[@ok-pj4eu]

One of the best videos I ever seen on the bocage country. You really get a feeling for what it was like to fight in those hedges and the sunken Lanes. Keep up the great work!

[@jeffbosworth8116]

Very cool. My father was wounded crawling through a hedgerow somewhere between Timmes' Orchard and Amfreville. He stumbled across a German MG crew setting up on the other side. The point being they were on opposite sides of the same hedgerow and neither suspected the other's presence.

[@justaguy1679]

My father was in 29th, and he said it was nerve racking because you never knew what was on the other side He was wounded on the way to St. Lo.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

At about 15:15 you make the point I've been arguing for years. Many people are nearly incredulous the boys weren't trained for this topography.The Allies didnt train for the bocage because it was unique to that area of Normandy, and would be a dead giveaway as to the Allied beach landing zones. Very good doc, I enjoyed it very much!

[@1100McCauley]

I appreciate your film. I’m reading The Clay Pigeons of St Lo and wanted get a visual of what the hedgerows looked like. It enhanced the reading perfectly

[@joepalooka2145]

Thank you----- Superb video for anyone interested in the Normandy campaign. I've been reading James Holland's "Normandy '44", one of several great histories. Without going to the actual places where it happened, it's impossible to understand the actual realities of the "bocage". You have done a wonderful job. It looks so beautiful, green and peaceful today, but in 1944 this was a land of death and extreme terror and violence. The whole area was a massive slaughterhouse reeking of the smell of death and destruction. Thousands of men on both sides lost their lives, likewise innocent civilians trapped in the crossfire. While I'm imagining the dangers of fighting in the bocage, I'm also imagining what it was like for the Germans on the receiving end of the massive aerial bombardments that rained down on their heads. It's beyond our comprehension. It was total air superiority that enabled the Allies to push through the bocage and eventually defeat the Germans, otherwise history might have told a different story.

[@jasonpostlewait7513]

This is great! I used this as a resource for my class in US History in America. Thank you!

[@baalthazaarr5976]

This video has been invaluable as a reference for ww2 tabletop wargaming! Thank you!

[@WW2TV]

You're very welcome

[@loreleikomm5802]

what a great video; the battle of normandy sure makes a lot more sense after seeing this footage. Paul and WW2TV deserve many awards for their great work.

[@TheGreatest1974]

This was brilliantly done. My dad was in the battle of Normandy after Caen with the Royal Artillery.

[@kathrynsolomonides8772]

My dad was here told me of the hedgerows how the engineers devised what look like huge knifes attached to the front of the tank to cut through the hedgerows.

[@rossnelson8433]

This is an awesome resource. Thank you.

[@AA-jv1lj]

Amazing that this video exists and is only two months old, just as I was starting to develop an extreme interest in WW2 history and started looking into it all so many decades later, only now does this explanation of the Normandy environment exist. Very well done, gives an excellent perspective of what the ground was like for an infantryman.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you

[@scograham]

Incredible! I've been interested in this most of my life and finally someone helps explain the bocage. Awesome!!!

[@WW2TV]

Thanks for the nice feedback

[@deniahmadhendra8842]

Yes, hedgerows for me at first also a strange name, that is in fact significance at the very first phase of D-Day ( paras and infantries troops manouver).

[@johnwalako5675]

Excellent description of the Normandy Bocage. I’ve been waiting for a documentary like this including the proper archival footage. Im looking forward to part two. Well done.

[@mccuenoirfilms]

Paul, this is amazing! Next time in Normandy, if I’m not with a veteran group, I’d love for you to show me some of these locations! The scene where you’re talking about a possible ambush in the sunken track would look like, was mind blowing! The walls of the track are massive!

[@thereddragon2323]

Thank you so much for this video, it really allows one a better understanding of the hedgerow terrain of Normandy, some of those sunken lane hedgerows are absolutely incredible and must have been terrifying to have fought through in the summer of '44.

[@marcelosilveira2276]

exactly what I was looking for, and made for this specific purpose... now, that's something I don't see everyday

[@andypickard7314]

Best visualization of the bocage I have ever seen.

[@marthag1269]

Best video I have ever seen about the hedgerows! Thank You Sir for time and effort making this.

[@WW2TV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@justinneely294]

Thanks for the video. Very well researched. I fought in Sangin, Afghanistan and we had irrigation ditches bordering fields. They were much like the hedgerows with a lot less vegetation. We would use these for cover but IEDs mainly dictated our movement. If there was water in the ditches than we knew it was safe for us to move down. If no water was present than we assumed that the enemy had emplaced IEDs and we would buddy rush through the fields with MG cover fire or find another route.

[@lucas82]

Very interesting. I never really understood what fuss was all about a bunch of hedgerows causing the Allied forces so much trouble during the battle of Normandy. Now I know this must have been a damn nightmare for the attackers. Also, interesting to see a German with a Lee-Enfield at 18:45, never saw that before.

[@executivedirector7467]

I'd been reading about this for 40+ years but once I saw it myself it was an eye-opener.

[@justaguy1679]

My dad was in 29th division, 110 field artillery, and often told me hedgerow fighting was worst part of WW2 for him. He was wounded on the way to St. Lo, on D-Day +11. Now I understand.

[@jamesw1313]

What an amazing video. As much as I’ve read in books describing these, nothing i have ever seen gives the amazing look at these things as you have. Thank you so much for this.

[@Dochart268]

Most Excellent! Well done good sir! I really learned a lot watching this, far more then any WWII education programs on mainstream TV!

[@WW2TV]

Thank you. I will you will watch our other content

[@Dochart268]

@@WW2TV definitely will and shared your channel with my friends. We play Hell Let Loose, a fantastic WWII authentic FPS shooter game and this will definitely garner their interest! BTW did you ever make a Part II of this particular topic on hedgerows?

[@charlestaylor2594]

Splitting our time between homes in Yorkshire Dales and Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle we find your videos on Normandy (especially) to be fascinating, you have educated us about the WW2 & local history and what lies all around us. Will check out your Patreon page to try help you keep this great content coming.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you Charles, and yes do please consider helping us on Patreon. It takes a lot of time to put the shows together

[@Biffo1262]

Very similar to a great deal of Cornish farmland. Those that use unclassified Cornish roads on a regular basis know the possibility of a 'surprise' around every bend. A lot of field side hedgerows in Cornwall have now gone but the hedge lined sunken roads still abound.

[@stevehunter7118]

been researching this battle for some time and can confidently say it's unlike anything else. VERY illuminating and revelatory for my puposes. thanks for grat job!

[@Iris-tp2uj]

Brilliant. Not seen anything as good as this on the bocage.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you Iris, I hope you will check out our live shows too

[@deniahmadhendra8842]

This is astonishing to see at Normandy hedgerows more closer, more deeper by this great channel.

[@andrewblake2254]

I believe my history teacher fought and was wounded there. He described to us it exactly as you have in the 1960's. A captain I believe.

[@johnjp8780]

Brilliant stuff Paul. Ed was reminded of the Bocage when he was over here down in Kildare. I recognise every type you described having seen them over here in Ireland. Keep up the good work! Pad.

[@johnfriscia1565]

Outstanding depiction and commentary. Well done would be an understatement 👍🏻👍🏻

[@seanclaxton7064]

Good job, Paul. Nicely illustrative.

[@pierre-samuelnatanson464]

This is really awesome Paul! Thank you. Watching this video is gonna become mandatory for any guest booking a tour with me!!!

[@WW2TV]

Thanks P-S, that makes my day and was exactly what I wanted to create

[@sandtreader]

This is really useful research for land use research as well as military! Thanks!

[@scottgrimwood8868]

An amazing show. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the Normandy hedgerows and this video really shows what a hedgerow is and how it effected the Normandy campaign.

[@loreleikomm5802]

Scott, thank you for recommending this particular show on ww2tv. It is (as always) fantastic. Paul has a gift for bringing clarity to the history of ww2 and the battle for normandy in particular.

[@scottgrimwood8868]

@@loreleikomm5802 You are welcome. I thought you would like the hedgerow show. I learned a lot.

[@HydroSnips]

Paul, this is superb. Currently reading John McManus’ book on US in Normandy when this popped up. Great footage - both yours and archival. We have a few sunken roads in parts of Dorset, with trees arching over the top. Weirdly claustrophobic and humid & verdant in summer. This film excellently captures the problems in manoeuvring out of those damn tracks/roads and also across the fields - also the close range of the fighting. Contrast it with Caen, Epsom & Bourguebus with those long ranges and fortified villages that posed their own tactical problem but here it’s very much the close range ambush which must have been devastating to those caught on a track or trapped in fields swept by interlocking MG fire. I noticed in John’s book how orientation went to pieces, with troops unable to see where they were exactly (one field boxed by hedgerows must look pretty similar to others, and which one is it on the map?), where friendlies were and where fire was coming from. This shows that quite well - I guess you’d be hoping to spot muzzle flash, or movement or smoke but all of that involves looking up and exposing yourself to fire. Are you able to pinpoint specific actions in individual fields/hedgerows from diaries/grid refs? Probably impossible, given the issues with locating exact spots at the time, plus probably one field blends into another in a day’s events. I was wondering earlier whether the tank-sized holes in the embankments made by Rhino Sherman’s remain. Thinking on Rhino’s... a lot gets made of those combined arms innovations in Normandy historiography, like Culin prongs or tankdozers or use of explosive etc to brute force through embankments and boundaries. But looking at this that’s still only part of a bigger problem. A Rhino or dozer won’t get you out of those sunken tracks, or up the pathways barely wide enough for two people side by side. At the end of the day you still need infantry to claw your way through them, and that’s going to incur a grievous cost in lives. I wonder whether Rhino etc gets more prominence than it should? One to ponder maybe. Anyway, thankyou for this - a brilliant resource!

[@WW2TV]

Yes it is possible to pinpoint certain actions to certain hedgerows. It usually needs to be an action near a road or feature. Yes the Rhinos get too much press,. They came too late in the campaign and it was probably the progression of infantry tactics that made the big difference

[@the_task_master3470]

This was amazing! Loved it & Subscribed! If I ever visit Normandy I'm looking you up for a tour lol!

[@SouthEastFJCruiser]

Paul, well done! Every film you make is better than the previous one. As others have mentioned the archival footage helps a great deal with the scale of the bocage as it relates to infantrymen and tanks. I very much look forward to Part 2!

[@WW2TV]

Yes, I'm getting there. Thanks

[@ropewalkr]

Phenomenal video! Very good descriptions and classifications of the four types of Normandy hedgerows. Excellent video footage accompanied by actual war time battle footage to help you imagine what it was like. Thank you so much for making this video. There are not many, if any of this type and level of detail. Subscribed!

[@markrunnalls7215]

Absolutely brill Paul, not sure I'd want to be an Allied soldier pushing through that, must have been hellish.

[@davidk7324]

Working my way through your library and I absolutely love this video, Woody. Looks like a lot of viewers feel the same. It's immersive and the care you took to set up the shots and organize the naming convention and sections really shines. The quotes about similarities to Guadalcanal took the words right out of my mouth. Significant tactical advantage for the defending Germans familiar with the ground. The decision to not inform field commanders about the Bocage terrain seems criminal because bypassing was only occasionally possible. The potential for enfilade fire from an even modestly trained defender is clear and your demo was excellent. Perfect ground for danger close grenades, too. The list of other more recent videos you've included above got me thinking. YT organization of large channels with multiple topics such as yours leaves something to be desired. A one-stop linked "Index" grouped/sub-grouped by topic with titles and a 1-2 sentence description/featured guest(s) would be effective and less overwhelming than YT's current design. A manageable project for a history (or library science) grad student ? It would require significant critical thinking skill for cross-referencing. Thanks for all you do--

[@WW2TV]

Yes indeed, the Playlist system is not always the best

[@markrunnalls7215]

Very interesting Paul, and can really get a detailed view of just how daunting and unpredictable such country could be for an Allied soldier.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Mark

[@lowercasediva8179]

So well done, Paul! I learned so much. Thank you!!!

[@NCRaiderOG12]

This was excellent. Very informative and detailed.

[@alexdavidson3836]

Wow, Paul - nice job! Really clear and clever weave of archive, maps, questions and PTC's.

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Alex

[@DazzaBo]

Watching from the hot and humid tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia. Thanks for such an in depth look at what actual bocage is like in real life. Bit different from the big grassy fields with occasional hedgerows I always imagined. Cheers!

[@forthleft]

Brilliantly produced.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you. I hope you will stick around and watch more of our content

[@michaelhatch6418]

Fantastic. Thank you for putting this together and posting it.

[@stallebrass]

Great video. They're beautiful and terrifying. And they're certainly unique to Normandy, not seen anything like them anywhere else.

[@WW2TV]

Yes, certainly in the size and density they are nearly unique to Normandy

[@rowanmaguire7890]

Desperately need video for yt, very well made and very informative, thanks for spending the time to produce it👍

[@justaguy1679]

I just read in one of my D-day books that a marine that fought in Guadal Canal, said hedgerow fighting was every bit as terrifying.

[@mcsmash4905]

honestly id rather fight the germans in the bocage than japanese in the jungle those dudes were just unsettling

[@Gool349]

Great film mate! Really illustrates this unique european „jungle“ the Allies faced in 1944

[@ClevorBelmont]

Imagine hearing a Ring Wraith just breathing while you’re stuck in one of those

[@nateweter4012]

Incredible video with excellent commentary. I can't thank you guys enough for making this. It's been difficult to learn about these in depth here in the U.S. because they're unlike anything we have. I have heard so many veterans here talk about them and they really are remarkable.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you Nate. Your reply is exactly the type I was hoping for. I knew people outside of Normandy just had no idea what bocage really looked like - hence why I made the film

[@rodgerwaters8292]

Brilliant piece of work and much appreciated, I toured Normandy but could not find any hedgerows but my next visit...

[@southernflairphoto]

This is a very educational and informative video. I'm sharing it with the 50 people that will be touring this area this Summer with me.

[@WW2TV]

Please do!

[@836dmar]

Quite well done! We will be there next spring(June 4-10) and this is exactly what we want to experience. You have done what few historians have and it’s what we as WWII buffs and enthusiasts want to know. Thanks!

[@grimdesaye6534]

This was a Great help Thank you:) Dave in USA

[@WW2TV]

Thank you, I hope you will check out our other videos and films

[@Tobias1969]

Most enjoyable and informative. Thank you.

[@stewartmckenna3013]

Totally rocked the bocage(s)... very interesting

[@bhangrafan4480]

In the invasion of Europe there were just too many different things to brief on. Sometimes you just have to cross each bridge as you come to it. Some historians say that because of the technical difficulties and risks involved, training for amphibious operations took precedence over everything else, thus consideration of the Normandy countryside was neglected.

[@BG-xs9uv]

This is the best resource on this topic that I’ve found yet. Well done!

[@collinboothe5465]

Amazing. Just fantastic! I must say that this is probably the best video on the subject about the Normandy countryside. This is way easier to understand than by watching any documentary. Thank you for shedding light on this as I don’t believe it’s talked about enough!

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Collin, I hope you will stick with us, and maybe consider becoming a Patron?

[@collinboothe5465]

@@WW2TV I won’t be able to right now due to the lack of money in my bank account, but hopefully soon!

[@bhangrafan4480]

Serious effort has gone into this.

[@perrycocke4475]

Well done. Great video, with a good classification of types. My (limited) understanding is that the field boundary bocage, being so much more prevalent, was the most important type in the infantry-centric combat in that area. I think the distinction between light field boundary bocage and heavy field boundary bocage that you illustrate was very significant to the fighters therein.

[@WW2TV]

I don't really think anyone had tried to categorize them before, so I'm pleased it has helped with their understanding

[@sparkey6746]

Very interesting and well done! Always wondered why the Germans didn't use the covered trails to keep their troops better supplied, but I take it the network of covered trails and lanes isn't well interconnected.

[@sparkey6746]

BTW, I just became a Patreon of yours.

[@Nyllsor]

Very intresting and valuable document for a game level desiger. Thanks!!

[@carbinephantom]

Really late to the party here but the video was fantastic! Thanks for this.

[@justsendit8506]

Really fascinating and well done. Looking forward to Part 2.

[@WW2TV]

Thank you. I will work on part 2 soon

[@chipbrenner9981]

Awesome video Paul. Very informative.

[@garethgreen9537]

Interesting subject as the Bocage had a huge bearing on how the Battle of Normandy was fought. Great archive material and well put together giving a “Now and then” effect. The description of the types of hedgerow was unique and well explained. In my opinion best film so far.

[@WW2TV]

Still early days, more to come. Thanks for the nice comment