Research Material.

Below is a list of stuff each member should make every effort to source.

1st Airborne Task Force (Michel De Trez). Now notoriously hard to get hold of, this book is the ULTIMATE for Uniform and equipment information regarding the 1st Airborne task force. It features highly detailed pictures of ORIGINAL items used by the 1 ABTF during Operation Dragoon. Certain shops in Normandy still sell second prints which aren't quite as good as the first runs but still feature all the information that you'd need. Keep an eye out for Cheap copies of this book, but you're looking at paying upwards of £100 as it stands at the moment, less than £100 if you're lucky (Jon )

The Battling Buzzards This is the proper Regimental history for the unit. It can be bought from www.amazon.com as a proper print, or alternatively can be downloaded and subsequently printed off in full from the 517th PRCT website (Below). This book has everything you need to know about the 517th from training, right through to their disbandment into the 13th Airborne Division early in 1945.

http://517prct.org/ Again, official for the 517th, this website it run by Veterans and their families. Join the mail call, get involved, don't be afraid to ask questions. This website is quite literally RAMMED with pictures, which is quite amazing because it's just not equaled, not even for the 82nd or 101st. If any contact with a veteran is made beyond the point of simple conversation (i.e you ask a question about combat or equipment) and their answer is important, PLEASE post it on the forum for the benefit of other users.

More to come.

Regards, bez

I'm keeping everything crossed that my copy of the Bible, or De Trez's book as it's know to mear mortals has arrived at Cosford, if not Im getting in my car, driving to Belgium and twatting that c**t that took my £129 right between the legs!

Bez, I see you've bought a copy of the Regtimental History from Ian off the WW2 forum, you lucky git. If I'd have seen that we would have had to fight over it!!!

You'd have lost!

Remember shorty, when that book comes, it'll be useless if you stick all the pages together.............

i got myself the 517th parachute regimental combat team, published by turner i think for the vets association.. real good for personal accounts and pictures.
i am still in the market for a copy of the bible, dont understand why de trez will not print it again and make a killing from us folks without a copy.

Hi guys,

Heres a link i thought you may like. The page is done by a english/ swiss guy who spends from what i can tell a lot of time in the south of france, on the page there is loads of then and now pages, pictures of the south of france march and Dragoon re-enactment (see if you can spot a couple faces from this years trip ) as well as some battle finds finds to die for.

http://dogface45.skyrock.com/1.html

Darren

Hi Darren,

Yep seen that, he is a very knowledgeable man on the mighty 517th with some good stuff on his site.

Regards, Bez

YEAH REALLY NICE GUY I HAVE CHATTED TO HIM A BIT VIA EMAIL AND FACEBOOK, LIKE BEZ SAID A FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE. DONT KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN BUT ON ONE OF HIS PAGES, THERE IS A 517TH T SHIRT.. I WAS THINKING ABOUT GETTING SOME PRINTED MAYBE, JUST TO WEAR OUT AND ABOUT ETC. WHAT YOU THINK?

It'd be a great idea Darren, let us know how it goes!

Bez

ok will do, thought it would be a great way to advertise the group, and in a 100% true way