Photos Colour and Colourised Photos of WW2 & earlier conflicts




F-6B 'Jeanie' sn 43-6174, 'AX-K' of 67th TRG - 107th TRS with its pilot Capt. McAllister, and his ground crew, at Lemolay airdrome, France. August 1944.

Constituted as 67th Observation Group on 21 Aug 1941. Activated on 1 Sep 1941. Flew antisubmarine patrols along the east coast of the US after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Began training in Jan 1942 for duty overseas. Moved to the European theatre, Aug-Oct 1942. Assigned first to Eighth and later (Oct 1943) to Ninth AF. Re-designated 67th Reconnaissance Group in May 1943,67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group in Nov 1943, and 67th Reconnaissance Group in Jun 1945.

They trained in England for more than a year before beginning operations in Dec 1943. Used P-38's, P-51's, and F-5's to fly artillery-adjust-adjustment, weather-reconnaissance, bomb-damage assessment, photographic-reconnaissance, and visual-reconnaissance missions.
Received a DUC for operations along the coast of France, 15 Feb-20 Mar 1944, when the group flew at low altitude in the face of intense flak to obtain photographs that aided the invasion of the Continent. Flew weather missions, made visual reconnaissance for ground forces, and photographed enemy positions to sup port the Normandy campaign and later to assist First Army and other Allied forces in the drive to Germany.
Took part in the offensive against the Siegfried Line, Sep- Dec 1944, and in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1g44-Jan 1945. From Jan to May 1945, photographed dams on the Roer River in preparation for the ground offensive to cross the river, and aided the Allied assault across the Rhine and into Germany. Returned to the US, Jul-Sep 1945. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946.
 


USSR. 1942. Professor Ilchenko of the Moscow Conservatory performs before soldiers on the Southern front.

The battle of Stalingrad was among the bloodiest and most horrific of the second world war. During the cold winter of December 1942, the Commissar of Stalingrad organized open-air party meetings for local artists and musicians to encourage the exhausted and hungry soldiers.

One of those musicians was the violinist Mikhail Goldstein.
On New Year’s Eve, Goldstein went out to the trenches and found scenes of horror. He played Russian folk themes for the soldiers, but eventually played Bach, even though that was a German composer.

A story goes as follows...

The music was played over the loudspeakers as the shooting ceased. When he was finished, silence reigned, until a loudspeaker from the German side sounded, saying in Russian, ‘Play more Bach. We won’t shoot.’ Goldstein continued to play. After an hour and a half of playing his exquisite music in the trenches, he returned to the Commissar and the war resumed.
 


Three of the four crewmen of French Char B1 bis “Fleurie” pose next to their mount shortly before the German invasion of France. Winter/spring of 1940.

On May 16, 1940 “Fleurie” was getting ready to take part in the battle for Stonne when it was scuttled and abandoned due to mechanical problems.

Concerning these men’s identity, information available online points to the officer on the right being the tank’s commander, Sous-Lieutenant Soulet (survived the war, after the armistice left the army and joined the Resistance. After a long military career that saw him serve in Indochina, Senegal and Algeria, he retired from the military in 1965. Passed away in 2009 at the age of 97). On the left is Adjutant Levasseur (K.I.A. June 12, 1940 at Murmelon) and in the centre Sergent-Chef Jacques Dumay (K.I.A. June 15, 1940 near Mountsuzain).

After losing “Fleurie”, Sergent-Chef Jacques Dumay was eventually assigned to another B1bis named “Drôme” which also ended up scuttled and abandoned by its crew, probably on June 13.

Two days later, soldiers and vehicles of numerous French units retreating south were passing near the small hamlet of Montsuzain when the Germans arrived on the scene. In the ensuing fight, exposed on the clogged road, many are those who fall under a hail of German bullets.

Around 19h00, a lonely Char B1bis, “Villers Marmery”, leaves Voué in the direction of Montsuzain, 2 Km to the south. Without a tank, Sergent-Chef Jacques Dumay and Sergent Corentin Hervé follow some distance behind “Villers Marmery” in a Renault TRC36 tractor filled with fuel and ammo. They had travelled only 200 meters when their vehicle is hit and set on fire by shells from two German 37 mm anti-tank guns. Both men perish in the blazing inferno.

Today, their common grave in the local cemetery is a place of remembrance where every year the people of the surrounding communes pay homage to the events of that day and the men who fell there for France.

Note:

This photo offers an interesting view of French tank men’s personal equipment and uniforms with some oddities thrown into the mix.

The jackets are the 1935 model in brown leather but the middle man is wearing a one piece suit which doesn’t match any of those used by French tank crews. I am, for the moment, inclined to believe that it is an Air Force’s flying suit. Unfortunately, I was unable to pinpoint the exact model.
The man on the left is wearing a tank man’s helmet but the other two are wearing 'Guéneau Type 11 Airaile' flying helmets with headsets.

Text partially adapted from: "Blitzkrieg in the West, Then and Now" by Jean Paul Pallud.
 
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“Beute-Zirkus Rosarius”

A US serviceman (appears to be a paratrooper) looks at recently recaptured P-47D (T9+LK) at Göttingen, Germany, (probably April) 1945.

The fighter, (formerly Republic P-47D "Ruthless Ruthie") was captured in Italy when the pilot, Lt Lloyd S “Scotty” Hathcock, from the 310st FS, 332nd FG, 12th AF got lost during a ferry mission and landed in error at enemy held Rome-Littorio on 29th May 1944.

This particular P-47D was test flown by the Luftwaffe at Rechlin coded "8+6". It was later transferred to "Beute-Zirkus Rosarius" on Oct 12, 1944, and flown as T9+LK.

“Beute-Zirkus Rosarius” (Rosarius’ Booty Circus) was the unofficial name given to the 2.Staffel of the ‘Versuchverband Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe’ (Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief’s Research Unit) after its commanding officer, Theodore Rosarius.

This Luftwaffe’s special unit was divided into 3 Staffels, each with individual roles: 1.Staffel was involved in long range reconnaissance missions, 2.Staffel operated captured Allied fighters in a training role, and 3.Staffel carried out experimental and test flights with captured equipment.

The unit also conducted salvage operations all over occupied Europe. These were undertaken to such an extent that there was never a lack of spare parts, ammo, lubricants, and even allied fuel for the 20 odd fighters operating on average with the unit throughout the war.

In the background, on the right, a captured P-51D (possibly LH-N 44-14687 of the 350th FS, 353rd FG, lost on 24 March 45; the pilot, Lt. Carl A. Larsen, was taken prisoner), and on the back upper left corner the fuselage of an unknown British Mosquito.

Original: US Army
 


United States Navy Seabees from the segregated 17th Special Naval Construction Battalion await orders to move up to the southeastern promontory of Peleliu (Ngarmoked Island, actually a peninsula connected to Peleliu by a bridge) to act as stretcher bearers for the 7th Marines.

In the first 4 days of the Peleliu campaign, the 7th Marines, less the 2nd Battalion held in reserve, killed 2,609 Japanese while suffering 47 dead, 414 wounded, and 36 missing in action. The Imperial Japanese Army's veteran 2nd Battalion of the 15th Regiment was completely annihilated, many jumping into the sea or shooting themselves to avoid capture.

So many bodies crowded Ngarmoked that African-American Marines of the 16th Field Depot were detailed to bury the dead and retrieve the wounded.

Corporal Edward Andrusko, I Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, tried to find reinforcements and stretcher bearers.

He later wrote,
"Our trio set out to find help. We visited several headquarters command posts, and various rear special units, seeking assistance, but none was available.
Our Top Sergeant tried to influence his friends to get our company help, but there just wasn't any. A young black American sergeant overheard our plight, walked up and said, 'I heard you all were looking for troop replacements or supply help. We are from the Marine Ammunition Depot Company and have had some infantry training.' Our Top Sergeant looked a little stunned and speechless.

The races were so completely segregated during this era that we had no idea who these black servicemen were. The Top cleared his throat and asked, 'Who are you? Are you Army, Navy, Seabees, or what?' 'Top Sergeant, I am a U. S. Marine Sergeant. My men on this beach are all US Marines!
'Our Top Sergeant appeared very puzzled. How could he bring in an all-black unit to rescue wounded members of a Line company that was part of the famous 'All-White' First Marine Division? This division was heavily complemented with white Southern officers and men, home based at New River, North Carolina, and 'the pride of the South.

'Our perplexed Top Sergeant tried to discourage the volunteers from coming, stating they were not trained or qualified for the terror of this battle. By now, the volunteers had heavily armed themselves and lined up behind their Sergeant who insisted we lead the way to the front lines.

I heard our seasoned Top Sergeant say, 'Well, don't say I didn't warn you!' When we reached our mauled company area, it looked like General Custer's Last Stand. The Top Sergeant came upon our company's new replacement officer in command and said, 'Sir, I have a platoon of Black ...I mean a platoon of Marine volunteers who came to help.' The young new Commanding Officer said, 'Thank God. Thank you, men. Sergeant, take over. Get our wounded and dead out.

'We gave covering fire and watched in awe as our gallant volunteers did their job. Some of these new men stoically held a casualty stretcher gently in one hand as 'true angels of mercy'. Then, when necessary, they would fire an automatic weapon with the other hand, while breaking through the surrounding enemy. One badly wounded white Southerner said, 'I felt like I was saved by the Black Angels sent by God. Thank you. Thank you all!"
 
B-17 Flying Fortress crew members Gus Palmer (left), a citizen of the Kiowa nation and a side gunner, and Horace Poolaw (right), also a Kiowa and an aerial photographer, stand near their aircraft at MacDill Field, Florida., in about 1944.

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This photo was in the exhibition “For a Love of His People: The Photography of Horace Poolaw,” on the third floor of the National Museum of the American Indian.

As many as 25,000 Native Americans in World War II fought actively. Against a background of the popular Hollywood image of the Native American warrior spirit in American popular culture, Native, American men were generally regarded highly by their fellow soldiers, and their role appealed to the public. They first saw action in the Pacific Theater along with the rest of the US Army and Navy. The first known Native American casualty of war was a young Oklahoma man who died during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Over the course of the war, Native American men fought across the world on all fronts, and were involved in many of the most critical battles involving American troops, including Iwo Jima—the site of Ira Hayes' triumphant moment in the famous photograph of Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima with five of his fellow Marines—the invasion of Normandy, the liberation of the Philippines, the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of Paris, and the liberation of Belgium. Native Americans were also among the first Americans to enter Germany and played a role in the capture of Berlin.
The most decorated Native American in the history of the United States Army is Pascal Poolaw, who, after World War II, went on the serve in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, earning a Distinguished Service Cross, four Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, and three Purple Hearts.
By September 1942, the American government had recruited several hundred Native Americans who spoke both Navajo and English to translate English words into the Navajo language to foil enemy understanding. Often working behind enemy lines, the code talkers were commended for their bravery and gained respect from fellow soldiers. Until its declassification in 1968, the code that these Navajo developed remains the only oral military code that was not broken by an enemy.
Photo courtesy of the Estate of Horace Poolaw and the National Museum of the American.
Colour: ColourisedPieceofJake
 
B-17 Flying Fortress crew members Gus Palmer (left), a citizen of the Kiowa nation and a side gunner, and Horace Poolaw (right), also a Kiowa and an aerial photographer, stand near their aircraft at MacDill Field, Florida., in about 1944.

View attachment 233879

This photo was in the exhibition “For a Love of His People: The Photography of Horace Poolaw,” on the third floor of the National Museum of the American Indian.

As many as 25,000 Native Americans in World War II fought actively. Against a background of the popular Hollywood image of the Native American warrior spirit in American popular culture, Native, American men were generally regarded highly by their fellow soldiers, and their role appealed to the public. They first saw action in the Pacific Theater along with the rest of the US Army and Navy. The first known Native American casualty of war was a young Oklahoma man who died during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Over the course of the war, Native American men fought across the world on all fronts, and were involved in many of the most critical battles involving American troops, including Iwo Jima—the site of Ira Hayes' triumphant moment in the famous photograph of Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima with five of his fellow Marines—the invasion of Normandy, the liberation of the Philippines, the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of Paris, and the liberation of Belgium. Native Americans were also among the first Americans to enter Germany and played a role in the capture of Berlin.
The most decorated Native American in the history of the United States Army is Pascal Poolaw, who, after World War II, went on the serve in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, earning a Distinguished Service Cross, four Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, and three Purple Hearts.
By September 1942, the American government had recruited several hundred Native Americans who spoke both Navajo and English to translate English words into the Navajo language to foil enemy understanding. Often working behind enemy lines, the code talkers were commended for their bravery and gained respect from fellow soldiers. Until its declassification in 1968, the code that these Navajo developed remains the only oral military code that was not broken by an enemy.
Photo courtesy of the Estate of Horace Poolaw and the National Museum of the American.
Colour: ColourisedPieceofJake

B-17 Flying Fortress crew members Gus Palmer (left), a citizen of the Kiowa nation and a side gunner, and Horace Poolaw (right), also a Kiowa and an aerial photographer, stand near their aircraft at MacDill Field, Florida., in about 1944.
 


Vera Lynn with British servicemen in Burma, 1942

Dame Vera Lynn, the Forces' Sweetheart whose songs helped raise morale in World War Two, has died aged 103.

The singer was best known for performing hits such as We'll Meet Again to troops on the front line in countries including India and Egypt.

Six weeks ago, ahead of the 75th anniversary of VE Day and during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Dame Vera said simple acts of bravery and sacrifice still define our nation.
A week later, she became the oldest artist to get a top 40 album in the UK, beating her own record when her greatest hits album re-entered the charts at number 30.

Dame Vera, who had sold more than a million records by the age of 22, was also remembered for singing The White Cliffs Of Dover, There'll Always Be An England, I'll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings.

Born in London's East Ham in 1917, Dame Vera's singing talent was discovered at a young age and by age 11 she had left school to pursue a full-time career as a dancer and singer. In 1939, in a poll by the Daily Express, she was voted by servicemen as their favourite entertainer - gaining her the Forces' Sweetheart nickname.
 


Vera Lynn opens a variety Ladies Guild YMCA car in London in June 1942.

In 1940, at the height of the London Blitz, Vera Lynn would set off to the BBC's underground studios at the Criterion Theatre in central London. The 15-minute show was called Starlight and was broadcast at 2:30am to soldiers around the world. At the time, the BBC was being criticised in Parliament for broadcasting slushy, sentimental songs. A number of MPs felt there needed to be more upbeat songs to boost morale.
Her popularity even surprised the BBC, this was after all a little overseas show broadcast in the middle of the night.

Vera Lynn sang the songs that resonated emotionally with people who were separated from their loved ones and she sang them directly to you.
It was warm, intimate, heartfelt and personal, and that's why Vera Lynn became and will forever be the "Forces' Sweetheart".
 
In the Gallipoli campaign, the 14th Sikh regiment was virtually wiped out, losing 379 officers and men in one day’s fighting on 4 June 1915.

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Writing of the Third Battle of Krithia during the campaign, General Sir Ian Hamilton paid noble tribute to the heroism of all ranks of the 14th Sikhs:

“In the highest sense of the word extreme gallantry has been shown by this fine Battalion… In spite of the tremendous losses there was not a sign of wavering all day. Not an inch of ground was given up and not a single straggler came back… The ends of the enemy trenches leading into the ravine were found to be blocked with the bodies of Sikhs and of the enemy who died fighting at close quarters, and the glacis slope is thickly dotted with the bodies of these fine soldiers all lying on their faces as they fell in their steady advance on the enemy. The history of the Sikhs affords many instances of their value as soldiers, but it may be safely asserted that nothing finer than the grim valour and steady discipline displayed by them on 4th June has ever been done by the soldiers of the Khalsa. Their devotion to duty and their splendid loyalty to their orders and to their leaders make a record their nation should look back upon with pride for many generations.” (Gallipoli Diary, 1926)

During this battle, the 14th Sikhs (as part of the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade), composed entirely of seasoned Sikh soldiers from the Punjab, launched repeated attacks, in the face of murderous machine gun fire, against the Turkish positions astride Gully Ravine. Held up by the barbed wire that was unaffected by the allied artillery bombardment a section of men leapt the barbed wire and charged the Turks with their bayonets. However, human valour was unavailing against modern weapons of war, and on that day the battalion’s casualties amounted to 82 percent of the men actually engaged in the battle. Only 3 British officers were left unwounded.
 
An unidentified member of the 69th Australian Squadron, later designated No. 3 Australian Flying Corps, fixes incendiary bombs to an R.E.8 aircraft at the AFC airfield north west of Arras.

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The entire squadron was operating from Savy (near Arras) on October 22, 1917, having arrived there on September 9, after crossing the channel from the UK. (Australian War Memorial)
 
19 June 1944

"Lance-Corporal W.J. Curtis of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (R.C.A.M.C.) 3rd Division, bandages the burnt leg of a french boy whose brother looks on, Boissons, Normandy in France, 19 June 1944."

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The two children were identified by their brother Jean, in 1994, as Marcel (wearing a Glengarry) and Daniel Frémont (10 years and 4 years).
(Chemin du Colombier in Colomby-sur-Thaon 3 km from Villons-les-Buissons)

Lieut. Ken Bell, photographer:
Bell took part in the first day of the D-Day operation, disembarking at Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada (now known as the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada), part of the 9th brigade.
Bell's war photographs – taken with a Rolleiflex camera – are housed by the Library and Archives of Canada in Ottawa.

(Colourised by Doug)
 


A British landing craft mechanised (LCM 1005) approaching shore with its bow being lowered as naval beach parties and commandos training at HMS Saunders, Kabrit, Egypt, prepare to disembark, June 1943.
 



The First Independent Parachute Brigade of General Stanislaw Sosabowski. June 15, 1944.

Polish Paratroopers took part in the largest airborn operation of World War II under the command of General Stanislaw Sosabowski. The Brigade was established in 1941 on the initiative of the Polish government in London to participate in the liberation of Poland.

When the news of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising came in August 1944, the paratroopers were ready to fly over to the capital. However, instead of the Warsaw Uprising, the brigade was used in Operation Market Garden.
 


20 June 1944

Two knocked-out German Pz.V 'Panther' tanks of 1./Pz.Rgt.6 on the outskirts of Lingèvres, Normandy, France.
(the nearest tank could be #234 'Gerda')

A Sherman 'FIREFLY' of 'A' squadron, (17 Pounder Gun), 4/7th. Royal Dragoon Guards, commanded by Sgt. W. Harris had spectacular success on 13/14th June 1944 when five 'Panther' tanks were knocked out, thereby securing the village of Lingèvres.
Sgt Harris was awarded a DMC and his gunner, Trooper MacKillop got a Mention in Despatches for destroying 5 Panthers with as many shots

Five Panzerkampfwagen V 'Panther' tanks (inc Nr. 234 'Gerda') arrived at Pallières, a farm near Juaye-Mondaye (5km from Lingevres), on 10 June 1944. The unit was sent to support Pz.Aufkl.-Lehr-Abt. 130. The Panthers belonged to the 2. Kompanie of I./Panzer-Regiment 6 from 3.Panzer-Division.
 

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