Dear Friends I spend some times in studying and describing the use of LP08 in the Western front on my book. Actually both the Somme battle (July 1916, September 1916) and the Verdun (February 1916) one are very interested to study, for LP08 enthusiasts, because of the German Sturmtruppen were employed. As you know the Sturmtruppen, elite infantry German troops, used also the LP08.
To learn these battles I bought several French and German books written in 1917 â?? 1918 that describe the front modification month by month. It was a very interesting research. Some results are summarised in my book, here I show you several historical pictures extracted by â??Almanach Hachette 1917â? that are not presented in my book.
The first picture is a map of Somme battle with the front line depicted using different layout for different months. In the bottom of the picture there is a caption written in French that you can easily translate:
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/somme2.jpg
The second one is a map of the Verdun battle:
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/Verdun.jpg
The third picture describes German soldiers captured by Allies armies:
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/somme1.jpg
The fourht one a heavy gun captured by England soldiers (maybe also several LP08s today in New Zeland) :
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/somme3.jpg
The last one a mortar abandoned by German soldiers and captured by the French:
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/somme4.jpg
I really believe that for a gun collectors it is important to know all details and accessories of his favourite guns but also the use and the battle where this gun was used.
Please donâ??t hesitate to ask me if you need other information on Somme and Verdun battles. I can send you good scans of my historical documents.
Ciao