Photos Colour and Colourised Photos of WW2 & earlier conflicts

[Conhoon]

Soviet AT gunner by Klimbim

View attachment 195065

About this photo by Klimbim (Olga Shirnina from Russia)

"Советский бронебойщик, вооруженный 14,5-мм противотанковым ружьем системы Дегтярева, образца 1941-го года (ПТРД-41) прицеливается через стену здания (за плечами пистолет-пулемет ППШ). На полке у стены расположена брезентовая патронная сумка на 20 патронов.
Фото: С. Фридлянд "

A Soviet armour-piercing rifle gunner, equipped with a 14,5mm Degtyaryov anti-tank rifle mark 1941 (PTRD-41), aims through the wall of a building (strapped over his shoulder is a PPSh-41 sub machine gun). A 20 rounds canvas cartridge bag is on the shelf on the wall behind him.

(Photo: s. Friedland)
(ca. 1942)

The PTRD-41 was a single-shot rifle which fired a 14.5×114mm round. Although unable to penetrate the frontal armor of German tanks, it could penetrate the thinner sides of early-war German tanks as well as thinly armored self-propelled guns and armored cars.

 

[Conhoon]

Soviet T-34 tanks on the streets of Lvov, 1944

(Colourisation by Olga Shirnina)

 

[Conhoon]

A British soldier of the 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 214th Infantry Brigade, 43rd (Wessex) Division, carrying a PIAT anti-tank weapon, resting during the assault on Geilenkirchen in Germany.
18 November 1944.

(Photo source -© IWM B 11928)
No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit - Carpenter (Sgt)
(Colourised by Doug)

 

[Conhoon]

Cromwell Mk IV tank, belonging to the 1st Polish Armoured Division (Commander Stanisław Maczek) in Scarborough, England.
The 1st Polish Armoured Division landed in Normandy in July 1944 and was attached to the 2nd Corps, 1st Canadian Army.

Emblem of 1st Polish Armoured Division

 

[Conhoon]

The Spitfire FXII had been in service for over a year when this shot was taken on 12 April 1944 of a flight Friston-based aircraft from No 41 Squadron, over the South Downs in Sussex. The main aircraft in full view are EB-B MB882, EB-D MB858, EBH - MB794, the other aircraft just out of shot are MB840/EB-J, MB862/EB-E, & MB843/EB-K.

The nearest aircraft, is MB882. In all this Spitfire Mk. FXII participated to 125 sorties including 30 anti-diver patrols, completing 153 hours and 20 minutes in operations. In this shot she is being flown by Flight Lieutenant Donald H. Smith (RAAF).

EB-B s- MB882 (posted by Dan Johnson on The Aviation Forum)..."MB882 was a Flight Commander's aircraft, first flown by F/L Don Smith RAAF and then F/L Terry Spencer when Smith went on to command 453 squadron. It had one of the last two Spit XII kills of the war when F/L Spencer shot down LW "Experten" 'Bully' Lang and his FW190 on September 3, 1944. MB882 took hits to the tail during that fight. Spencer downed a number of V-1s flying MB882 and it's the bird he was flying when he 'tipped' a V-1, something difficult to do in particular with a clipped wing Spit.

Peter Cowell was flying MB882 at low alt over the Channel when he 'bounced' off the water, shattering evenly all 4 blades about halfway down on each. He barely limped back at full throttle. This was in June 44."

Essentially a Mk V airframe mated to Rolls-Royce’s powerful 1,735hp Griffon engine (which gave it a top speed of about 390mph at 18,00ft), the Mk XII was a low-level interceptor, equipping two home-defence squadrons.

Photo: WikiCommons.com
Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland @HowdiColour.

 

[Conhoon]

Three Spitfire LF Mark VBs of No. 244 Wing RAF based at Bu Grara, flying in close starboard echelon formation off the Tunisian coast after escorting light bombers on a sortie to Mareth, on March 23rd 1943. Nearest the camera is AB502 IR-G, the personal aircraft of the Wing Leader, Wing Commander I R "Widge" Gleed, which he flew when he was shot down and killed over Cap Bon on 16 April 1943, while the two accompanying aircraft are ER220 UF-V and EP481 UF-F of No. 601 Squadron RAF. All three are fitted with Aboukir air filters and have 'clipped' wings in order to assist low-level performance.

W Cmdr Ian Gleed gained most of his 13-plus victories flying Hurricanes with No. 87 Squadron, particularly during the Battles of France and Britain in 1940. He also shot down a handful of Ju-88s and other Luftwaffe aircraft during the Channel War prior to shipping out for North Africa. On April 16, 1943 Gleed lost his life in air combat against Bf109G’s of JG-77 over the coast of Tunis near Cap Bon, most likely the victim of expert Weldfebel Ernst Wilhelm Reinert.

Photo: WikiCommons

Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland @HowdiColour.

 

[Conhoon]

Brave men of the much forgotten KNIL Dutch East Indies units. The Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger or KNIL is more often referred to in English as the Netherlands East Indies or NEI. This was the colonial Dutch armed establishment in the Dutch East Indies, modern day Indonesia.

From 1940 when Germany overran Europe, the Netherlands East Indies could no longer rely on supply from the homeland. The Dutch looked towards Australia for supply of munitions and military hardware. The Dutch looked towards Australia and potential allies to bolster its military forces, but also needed to maintain control over its territories. Long term friction with Portugal, which held the east end of the island and an enclave in the north, did not help the situation either.

By the time that Japan entered the war, Timor had about 600 KNIL officers and soldiers on duty. When the Japanese Imperial forces landed on 20th February 1941, KNIL units defended the left flank from the deepwater port Tenau to the 2/40th B Company lines at Klapalima where the coastal guns were installed. Outnumbered, most either killed or died as a result of being made POW in labour intense Japanese war camps. Such was the fate of the KNIL Engineering Soldiers in this picture (one of which was my client's Uncle), who died in a camp aged 23.

Credit: Richard Smit Family Collection - All Rights Reserved.

Minor Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland@HowdiColour.

 

[Conhoon]

"Tankborne" infantry (commander - sergeant major Iwanow) on T-34/76

Photo: Grebnev
Colourisation by Olga Shirnina (Klimbim)

 

[Talibanhunter]

Brave men of the much forgotten KNIL Dutch East Indies units. The Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger or KNIL is more often referred to in English as the Netherlands East Indies or NEI. This was the colonial Dutch armed establishment in the Dutch East Indies, modern day Indonesia.

View attachment 195237

From 1940 when Germany overran Europe, the Netherlands East Indies could no longer rely on supply from the homeland. The Dutch looked towards Australia for supply of munitions and military hardware. The Dutch looked towards Australia and potential allies to bolster its military forces, but also needed to maintain control over its territories. Long term friction with Portugal, which held the east end of the island and an enclave in the north, did not help the situation either.

By the time that Japan entered the war, Timor had about 600 KNIL officers and soldiers on duty. When the Japanese Imperial forces landed on 20th February 1941, KNIL units defended the left flank from the deepwater port Tenau to the 2/40th B Company lines at Klapalima where the coastal guns were installed. Outnumbered, most either killed or died as a result of being made POW in labour intense Japanese war camps. Such was the fate of the KNIL Engineering Soldiers in this picture (one of which was my client's Uncle), who died in a camp aged 23.

Credit: Richard Smit Family Collection - All Rights Reserved.

Minor Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland@HowdiColour.

This Uniforms look's very GREEN !!!
NL with french Mod1916 carbine !! ?
who knows more !

 

[Conhoon]

B-17Fs of the 381st BG - 534th BS at altitude, on their way to a (currently) unknown target in the early morning sunrise, during the Autumn of 1943.

The nearest aircraft is 42-30834 'Mickey Finn' GD-E. This aircraft would eventually be lost on the 4th February 1944, when after two engine were taken by enemy fire, it limped home to crash land. The aircraft just behind is 42-3118, GD-C, at this time named 'The Green Hornet', but was previously painted as GD-N 'Shack Rabbit'. This aircraft was lost on 11th January 1944 over Oschersleben, again with two engines KO’d by enemy aircraft & flak, it crashed out of control at Goslar near Bernburg, 20 miles SW of Oschersleben. 9 crew were taken POW, but the waist gunner Ross Defenbaugh was lost reported sucked from the aircraft without a 'chute!

Final interesting thing of note, 'Mickey Finn' has no discernible insignia on it's port wing in the original photo, and I have not ever seen that before.

Photo: Word press.com

Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland @HowdiColour.

 

[Conhoon]

The Landings on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.
Assault troops of the US Army's 2nd Battalion, 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division land on Yellow Beach on Butaritari Island at 1040 Hours, November 20, 1943

"Behind the tanks in the fourth and fifth waves came the troops of the 2d Battalion, l65th Infantry, boated in LCVP's. Like the tank-carrying craft ahead of them, these too grounded on the reef. After a short hesitation the men debarked into knee-deep water and began their slow passage into shore. The intensity of fire from the enemy increased. Radios, flame throwers, bazookas, and other equipment were soaked or lost. Yet, in spite of the fact that the troops were fairly closely bunched in the water, they escaped with few casualties. Most of the fire was low in the water and generally inaccurate. Only two were killed; none wounded."

(Photo source - US National Archives)
(Colourised by Royston Leonard)

 

[santana]

A big line up of Sherman M4A2 tanks with the French 12e Regiment De Chasseurs d’Afrique, part of the 2e Division Blindée, commanded by General Philippe LeClerc, taken August of 1944, nearby Vesly, Normandy, France.
The first Sherman, MAURIENNE, 12e RCA, 2e Escadron
was destroyed at Gros-Rederching (Moselle) on january 4th 1945,
the second one, TARENTAISE, at Rouessé-Fontaine (Sarthe) on august 12th 1944. The tank was hit several times and caught fire. The crew managed to evacuate, Chief Marshal of Logis Bizard, was wounded.

The French 2nd Armored Division (French: 2e Division Blindée, 2e DB), fought during the final phases of World War II in the Western Front. The division was formed around a core of units that had fought in the North African campaign, and re-organized into a light armored division in 1943. The division embarked in April 1944 and shipped to various ports in Britain.
On 29 July 1944, bound for France, the division embarked at Southampton. During combat in 1944, the division liberated Paris, defeated a Panzer brigade during the armored clashes in Lorraine, forced the Saverne Gap and liberated Strasbourg.
After taking part in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, the division was moved west and assaulted the German-held Atlantic port of Royan, before recrossing France in April 1945 and participating in the final fighting in southern Germany, even going into Hitler's "Eagle's Nest as one of the first units"

 

[santana]

American artillerymen from the US 3rd Infantry Division are firing from a 81-mm mortar M1 (anti-personnel artillery mine M43A1). A Corporal uses a field telephone to adjust artillery fire. France 1944

 

[Conhoon]

The B-17's of the 381st BG photographer on their way to hit targets at Achmer, over heavy cloud cover, on the 21st February 1944.

The closest in shot is 42-31443 "Friday the 13th" - VE - M of the 532nd BS. This aircraft was shot down by German fighters on it's 7th mission, to Oschersleben, the very day after this image was taken, 22nd February 1944! The plane was shot down by fighters near Munster in Germany and crashed near Bielefeld. Four of the crew became POWs, six were killed. (MACR 2930).

The rather weather beaten aircraft in the middle, is MS - X, 42-39906, 'Squat 'N Droppit' of the 535th BS. This aircraft was lost a freak accident after a training mission on the 15th April 1944. The aircraft was taxiing when engine 1 & 2 caught fire. Pilot Lt. Bill Bartlett cut both engines, but when fire crews arrived the wing with both engines burst into flames. The crew got out safely!
The furthest of the three is MS - N, 42-31357 also of the 535th BS, 'Man of War II'. This aircraft would later be lost on it's 10th mission, to Schweinfurt 13th April 1944 with Jim Mullane, Co-pilot: Pax Sherwood, Navigator: Pat O’Phelan, Bombardier: John Kirby, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ed Stahlke, Radio Operator: Bob Kettlety, Ball turret gunner: Thaddeus Tarczynski, Waist gunner: Lew Sparrow,Tail gunner: Frank Troxler (all 9 Prisoner of War); flak ko’d #3 engine, the bomber lost altitude and then another engine caught fire. Eventually the ship exploded and crashed Klosterkumbd, four miles N of Simmern/Hunsruck, 22 miles S of Koblenz, Ger; (MACR 3865).
Photo: WikiCommons & NARA Identifier 65947 AC.
Extensive Image Repair & Colourisation - Nathan Howland

 

[Conhoon]

Władysław Raginis 1908-1939

Captain Raginis was the commanding officer of the Polish forces in the Battle of Wizna, were less then 1,000 polish soldiers held out for 3 days against more then 40,000 German soldiers. Captain Raginis swore to hold his position as long as he was alive. When the last of the Polish postions ran out of ammunation he ordered his men to surrender but holding true to his word. Captain Raginis pulled the pin of a granade, killing himself.

 

[Conhoon]

Posed portrait of three guardsmen from 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, 23 January 1941.

 

[BravoZulu]

A U.S. Navy sailor removes securing lines and clamps in preparation for launching a Mark XIII torpedo from a Higgins-class motor torpedo (PT) boat operating from the Subchaser Training Center, Miami, Florida (USA), circa 1944. He is wearing bathing trunks, life jacket and steel helmet.
The photograph was received by the Naval Photographic Science Laboratory on 16 November 1945.

USS Indianapolis (CA 35) Off San Francisco, California, 1 May 1944, after overhaul and repainting with pattern camouflage.

 

[BravoZulu]

February 1925: IJN Submarine "I-153" on sea trials at Hiroshima Bay. Colorized by irootoko_jr.

 

[berkut76]

February 1925: IJN Submarine "I-153" on sea trials at Hiroshima Bay. Colorized by irootoko_jr.

For 1925 this design looks mighty impressive.

 

[santana]

"Italy! Two Yanks find 'C' rations tasty on a rare rainless day in the field when they can heat the food over a fire. Note the 'Goo-shoos', burlap wrapping worn for protection against rain and mud." U.S. Fifth Army in Italy - 24 November 1943

L. to Right: Cpl. John L. Hammer, New York and PFC Raymond M. Jankowski, Philadelphia, Pa.

(Photo source - US Army Signal Corps)