Photos Colour and Colourised Photos of WW2 & earlier conflicts

U.S. soldiers with Edouard Manet's "In the Conservatory"
April 25, 1945

The painting was discovered in the Merkers salt mine in Germany. It was among 400 paintings from Berlin museums stored by Nazis during World War 2. The cave also stored Reichsbank gold, and personal belongings from Nazi concentration camp victims.

Édouard Manet
23 January 1832 – 30 April 1883
French modernist painter. He was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, as well as a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism.

22 October 1918
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of the 51st Division crossing the railway at Douchy-lès-Ayette by the ruins of the blown up railway bridge.
(Photo source - © IWM Q 11413)


Aitken, Thomas Keith (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colourised by Doug

23 October 1917
Soldier of the Gordon Highlanders (51st Division) tending to his trench garden, Héninel, south east of Arras.


(Photo source - © IWM Q 6131)
Brooke, John Warwick (Lieutenant) (Photographer)
Colourised by Doug

This is Harry Hudec, a 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who was a Regimental Boxing Champion during WW2.


Harold Hudec, HQ / 508th. Harry was born in Cleveland March 16, 1922. Hudec jumped into Normandy D-Day 1:30 AM and fought on the site of Hill 30 between Chef du Pont and Picauville.

He was wounded in the leg on June 15th and took refuge in a farmhouse where a family hid him in their stable and cared for him for four days until the farmer warned him that "the Boche were coming".


Harry hobbled down the road and was fortunate to meet up with other Americans who then had him evacuated.
Harry remained friends with the farmer and family over the years and visited the farm on June 6, 2004 during the D-Day Plus 60 observation.
He jumped again in Holland on September 17th and survived the fierce fighting in the Ardennes.

Ready for a combat jump, note that he is wearing a captured German canvas MP40 machine pistol magazine pouch for use with his M1A1 Thompson magazines. On his shoulder he has his Airborne 1st Aid packet strapped to his web gear and his parachute is the updated T-7 with quick release.


His combat uniform is the M43 OD set with rigger modified canvas pockets on his trousers. On his left jump boot his M3 fighting knife is strapped to his ankle in typical Airborne fashion and he is holding his M1C Parachutist’s helmet.
Harry was also a boxing champion, with an extraordinary physique for a paratrooper since he measured 2.07 m. (6ft 8inch)!

The "Desert Fox", Erwin Rommel, Commander-in-Chief of the "German-Africa-Corps". Colour photograph from the magazine "Signal" 1942.

24 October 1940
A group of pilots of No. 303 Polish ("Kościuszko") Fighter Squadron walking toward the camera from a Hawker Hurricane Mk.1 (possibly F/O Jan Zumbach's RF-F V6684) after transferring from RAF Northolt for a well earned rest period.
RAF Leconfield, Beverley, East Yorkshire, UK.


Left to right, in the front row are - Pilot Officer Mirosław Ferić; Flight Lieutenant John A. Kent (the CO of 'A' Flight); Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak; Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski; Pilot Officer Witold Łokuciewski; Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa (obscured by Łokuciewski); Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg; Sergeant Jan Rogowski; Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. In the centre, to the rear of this group, wearing helmet and goggles is Pilot Officer Jan Zumbach.
(Photo source - © IWM CH 1535)




The Poles were keen to fight but the RAF would not at first let them fly operationally. This was because few of the exiles spoke English and there was concern about their morale. What the British did not yet realise was that many of the Poles were excellent pilots. Having come through the Polish and French Campaigns, they had more combat experience than most of their British comrades and they employed superior tactics.
As the Battle of Britain wore on, and the shortage of trained pilots became critical, the exiles were accepted into RAF squadrons and two Polish fighter units, Nos. 302 and 303 Squadrons, were formed. Once committed to action, the Poles flew and fought superbly, shooting down 203 enemy aircraft for the loss of 29 pilots killed. No. 303 Squadron became the most successful Fighter Command unit in the Battle, shooting down 126 German machines in only 42 days. Czech Sergeant Josef Frantisek, also of '303', was the top scoring pilot with 17 confirmed victories.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, who led Fighter Command, would later write:
"Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle would have been the same."
(Text Source - RAF Museum)
P/O Mirosław Ferić (of Croat origin) Died 14/2/42
Fl/Lt John "Johnny" Kent Died 7/10/85
F/O Bogdan Grzeszczak Died 28/8/41
P/O Jerzy Radomski Died 1978
P/O Witold Łokuciewski Died 17/4/90
P/O Bogusław Mierzwa Died 16/4/41
F/O Zdzislaw Henneberg Died 12/4/41
F/Sgt. Jan Rogowski Died 17/8/97
F/Sgt. Eugeniusz Skaposznikow Died 1991
F/O Jan Zumbach Died 3/1/86
Colourised by Doug

WW2 - Italian soldier holding a MAB 38 / A.
These days are the anniversary of the second battle of El Alamein, fought between 23 October and 5 November 1942 during the North African campaign of World War II.

The MAB 38 (Beretta Model 1938 Automatic Musket), Model 38, or Model 38 and its variants, were a series of 9 mm submachine guns used by the Italian army during the Second World War.
It was considered a reliable submachine gun that was also often used by German and Allied soldiers.

Tanks of Combat Command A, 11th Armored Division, ford the Muhl River near Neufelden, Austria. 4 May 1945.

General George S. Patton, Jr. (1885 - 1945), in command of US II Corps, looks at positions with bincoulars, in North Africa.

1916. German First World War airmen (from left to right): Technical Officer and Lieutenant Konstantin Krefft, Dutch Aircraft Designer 'extraordinaire' Anthony Fokker "The Flying Dutchman", First Lieutenant Kurt "Wolf Cub" Wolff (also known as "Gentle Little Flower"), and lastly, Fokker's good friend, Captain (or Rittmeister) Manfred von Richthofen "The Red Baron" himself.


Anthony Fokker (1890-1939) was a Dutch aviation pioneer, aviation entrepreneur, aircraft designer, and aircraft manufacturer. He produced fighter aircraft in Germany during the First World War such as the Eindecker monoplanes, the Dr.1 triplane and the D.VII biplane.
At the age of twenty, Anthony built his first own aeroplane, 'de Spin' (the Spider)
In 1912, age 22, Anthony Fokker moved to Johannisthal near Berlin where he founded his first own company, Fokker Aeroplanbau. In the following years he constructed a variety of aircraft. He relocated his factory to Schwerin where it was renamed Fokker Flugzeugwerke GmbH, and later shortened to Fokker Werke GmbH.
Despite Fokker's frantic efforts to also sell aircraft to the Netherlands, the Dutch government was only interested in French and English aircraft. That made Fokker finally decide to stay in Germany.
the Germans gave him all the space and appreciated his work.
At the outbreak of World War I the German government took control of the factory. Fokker remained as director and alleged designer of many aircraft for the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte), including the Fokker Eindecker and the Fokker Dr.I, the triplane made famous in the hands of friend and ace such Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron).
THE RED BARON
Fokker had had the strategy for some time to make as many friends as possible among fighter pilots.
He saw them as his most important customer and not the German state, as most competitors did.
Thanks to these personal contacts, the young Fokker knew exactly what type of aircraft pilots wanted. "And when the boys were not on duty, Fokker took them to Berlin. There he treated them to drinks, snacks and nice ladies."
In 1917, Von Richthofen and Fokker spent time together at the front near Kortrijk, Belgium. The Red Baron was already a major war hero in Germany by that time..
Fighter pilots as Von Richthofen were seen as Knights of the Skies. But von Richthofen was by no means chivalrous. "Fighting heroically was exactly what he didn't do. He looked for pilots who weren't paying attention and went after them as quickly as possible. He operated in a cool, calculating manner."
As with his previous aircraft, Von Richthofen had his triplane painted red. To stand out even more and to frighten the enemy. "But it also worked like a red rag to a bull. All the enemies tried to take him down and they finally succeeded."
On April 21, 1918, the Red Baron was fatally hit. He was flying over the front in northern France at the time. His plane had been pierced with bullets from the air and from the ground. Investigators never agreed on who was responsible for the fatal shot.
Von Richthofen's last words, according to an Australian medic: "Kaputt." ("Broken down")
Following WW1, Fokker was able to move out of Germany, which now no longer was that promising economically or industrially. He was able to move much of his aircraft making equipment and inventory out of Germany to Holland. There he established an aircraft factory. However, he realized that the future of the aircraft industry, at least in the near term, was in the United States. So in 1922 he moved to the U.S. with the intent to start building aircraft there. He founded the Atlantic Aircraft company which, at that time, became General Aviation Corporation, the biggest aircraft building company in the world.
He also became an American citizen.
Fokker died at age 49 in New York in 1939 from pneumococcal meningitis, after a three-week-long illness. In 1940, his ashes were brought to Westerveld Cemetery in Driehuis, the Netherlands, where they were buried in the family grave.
Colour and restoration by Jake
Colourised PIECE of JAKE

what a fantastic photo! spectacular!

Paratroopers of the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade in the drop zone at Megara in Greece, 14 October 1944

the partisan, very much with a pistol on his belt, it would not be strange if he was the one who made the signals for the landing of those paratroopers

Finns laying mines - 1942.

Conhoon said:

1916. German First World War airmen (from left to right): Technical Officer and Lieutenant Konstantin Krefft, Dutch Aircraft Designer 'extraordinaire' Anthony Fokker "The Flying Dutchman", First Lieutenant Kurt "Wolf Cub" Wolff (also known as "Gentle Little Flower"), and lastly, Fokker's good friend, Captain (or Rittmeister) Manfred von Richthofen "The Red Baron" himself.
View attachment 409920

Anthony Fokker (1890-1939) was a Dutch aviation pioneer, aviation entrepreneur, aircraft designer, and aircraft manufacturer. He produced fighter aircraft in Germany during the First World War such as the Eindecker monoplanes, the Dr.1 triplane and the D.VII biplane.
At the age of twenty, Anthony built his first own aeroplane, 'de Spin' (the Spider)
In 1912, age 22, Anthony Fokker moved to Johannisthal near Berlin where he founded his first own company, Fokker Aeroplanbau. In the following years he constructed a variety of aircraft. He relocated his factory to Schwerin where it was renamed Fokker Flugzeugwerke GmbH, and later shortened to Fokker Werke GmbH.
Despite Fokker's frantic efforts to also sell aircraft to the Netherlands, the Dutch government was only interested in French and English aircraft. That made Fokker finally decide to stay in Germany.
the Germans gave him all the space and appreciated his work.
At the outbreak of World War I the German government took control of the factory. Fokker remained as director and alleged designer of many aircraft for the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte), including the Fokker Eindecker and the Fokker Dr.I, the triplane made famous in the hands of friend and ace such Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron).

Click to expand...

How young are these guys, and true pioneers of flight and dogfighting.

WW2 - Finland, Winter War 1939-1940. A ground technician talks with the gunner of a British made Bristol Blenheim Mk I aircraft at an airbase at Luonetjärvi, deep in Finnish territory. The main hangar is visible in the background.

Greco-Italian War, 1940-41. March of the Greek soldiers on the Albanian front.

A New Zealand 18-pounder field gun in action near Le Quesnoy on 29 October 1918.
Photo taken by Henry Armytage Sanders.
Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand


Colourised by Doug

29 October 1918.
New Zealand gunners firing Ordnance QF 4.5-inch howitzers in an orchard near Le Quesnoy, France.
The capture of the French town of Le Quesnoy by the New Zealand Division on 4 November 1918 has special significance in New Zealand's military history. This is not merely because it was the last major action by the New Zealanders in the Great War – the armistice followed a week later – but also because of the particular way it was captured.
When the New Zealand Division attacked on 4 November, its units quickly by-passed Le Quesnoy and pushed further east on what was to be the New Zealanders' most successful day of the whole campaign on the Western Front. It advanced 10 kilometres and captured 2000 Germans and 60 field guns. The attack cost the lives of about 90 New Zealand soldiers – virtually the last of the 12,483 who fell on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918. (nzhistory.net.nz)


(Photo source - National Library of New Zealand - H1128)
Photograph taken by Henry Armytage Sanders.
Colourised by Doug

Exhausted enlisted crew members aboard aircraft carrier USS Lexington, CV-16, sleep in tangled patterns after 24 hours at General Quarters, off Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 5 December 1943.


On January 31, 1944, the 7th Infantry Division, spearheaded by the 111th Infantry Regiment performed an amphibious assault on Kwajalein. On February 1, 1944, Kwajalein was the target of the most concentrated bombardment of the Pacific War. Thirty-six thousand shells from naval ships and ground artillery on a nearby islet struck Kwajalein. American B-24 Liberator bombers aerially bombarded the island, adding to the destruction.
Of the 8,782 Japanese personnel deployed to the atoll (including Korean slaves), 7,870 "Japanese" were killed
Colour: Colourised PIECE of JAKE
Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration