Part 3 - D-Day Concrete Barges?

Were Concrete Barges directly involved in D-Day?

A recent program on ITV called 'D-Day in colour' had the following scene of preparations on the eve of D-Day. In my eyes it quiet clearly shows a whole pride of Concrete Barges along side the ship. Is this at last evidence that our FCB and others like it were War Heroes and deserve to be preserved in dignity?

Concrete Barges prepare for Dangerous Daring D-Day Delivery Duties?

Andrew Jackson takes up the investigation......

Cell One - High Powered Computer Imaging

Cell Two - Hobarts Funnies

Dave Bullock puts Professor Jacksons Rincer through the Mincer:

Doctor Jackson has made an oversight that blows his theory not literally out of the Sea. The images he has used are screen shots from an ITV programme that was recorded from Digital TV in the aspect ration of 16:9 (widescreen). The footage was then recorded onto an mpeg file from which screen shots were taken. The captured frames were 540 (w) x 432 (h) pixel images that work out as a ratio of 5:4 - which gave a slightly higher image than 4:3 anyway. We can compensate for this with the calculation:

For 16:9: 9/16 = 0.56 (height must be 56% of width). 0.56 x 540 = 302 pixels or 70% of captured height.

The original footage must have been from a Cine film that were near to the 4:3 format. They were most likely cropped by the programme makers to keep the correct ratios in the widescreen format. We have no way of knowing how well the makers carried this out but it would be interesting to see an analogue 4:3 standard version of the programme. Below I have resized the image to give a more acurate ratio of the picture.

Jackos findings 'Rinsed' down the Drain - FCB Heroes in widescreen glory.

This makes a significant difference to the height of the soldiers and even taking into account the theory they may have been malnourished, it gives them a better proportion. As the Barges have relatively insignificant height the changing of the ratio makes less difference to them and this measurement was used to approximate their length. These courageous concrete constructions contributed cunningly to D-Day!

Click on the Mulberry Harbour picture below for a further investigation into more possible Concrete Barge participation in D-Day!

Click Photo below for Part 4 - More Information on Concrete Barges around the UK:

Click image for Mulberry Harbour Section

PLEASE. If you have ANY info, no matter how small, on THE Concrete Barge or Concrete Barges in general, help us by sending in any information you have to correct / add to this info! We are also now collecting pictures of Canvey to add to the site for everyone's entertainment.
(See Guestbook / info @ concretebarge.co.uk)

Thanks so far to:
Margaret Payne - Info on History & 4 photos
Colin 'me-alone' - £3.70 donation to the Site
Ian Marsdon - £1 donation for ghost Barge picture on ebay
TerryXX - 99p Donation for Barge Enterprise picture on ebay
Andy Court - £1 donation for Barge of Love picture on ebay
Kevin Gardner - Photos
Steve Bullock - Photos
Mark 'Brainz' Graham - Help with java menu
Ken Smith - Scanning Slides
Edd of Westcliff - Photos