Photos Colour and Colourised Photos of WW2 & earlier conflicts
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Royal Navy T-class destroyer steams next to the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-18) in August 1945. The destroyer's pennant number (D4?) is obscured by fuel oil. Five T-class destroyers and the carrier HMS Indefatigable (R10) were part of Task Group 38.3 in August 1945: HMS Teazer (D45), HMS Tenacious (D46), HMS Termagant (D47), HMS Terpsichore (D48), and HMS Troubridge (D49). The two funnel rings identify the ships as part of the 24th destroyer flotilla (all T-class destroyers). As the vertical stripe identifies the division leader in the flotilla (the second senior commander), the destroyer is most probably HMS Terpsichore (D48). In the distance are a long-hull Essex-class carrier, probably USS Randolph (CV-15, flagship RAdm Gerald F. Bogan), and the battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55).
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On March 25 1917, Canada’s first and only black military unit left Halifax harbour for the Western Front. Six hundred soldiers, mostly from Nova Scotia, formed up as No. 2 Construction Battalion.
Many had been trying to enlist since 1914, but winning this privilege had been an up-hill fight: for two years military authorities had turned down black recruits, telling them “This is a white man’s war.”
Finally, in 1916, Canada allowed black recruits entry into a segregated united of labourers. An additional 165 African-Americans crossed the border to join them, creating a full complement of 600 men. Winning the struggle to join up hardly ended discrimination. Except for the reverend, all officers were white, and even when they went to board their transport ship on March 25 the captain initially refused to let them on, saying that he would not let them travel on the same vessel as white soldiers.
The recruits hoped to be allowed to fight when they reached France, but instead the Canadian Expeditionary Force immediately downgraded them from a battalion to a company and assigned them to fell trees and prepare positions for white soldiers. They were not ever even issued with rifles. Their work was tedious and demoralising, and many considered themselves failures even as they suffered casualties from artillery shells and poison gas.
The unit returned to Canada in 1919, but received no fanfare upon arrival. Much like America’s black soldiers, they returned to a country that did not value them or their sacrifice and actively oppressed their rights. Most of these veterans returned to poverty and unemployment. When they finally had their first reunion in 1982, only nine could attend from twenty known survivors. Their legacy and sacrifice has been revived since then.
Many had been trying to enlist since 1914, but winning this privilege had been an up-hill fight: for two years military authorities had turned down black recruits, telling them “This is a white man’s war.”
Finally, in 1916, Canada allowed black recruits entry into a segregated united of labourers. An additional 165 African-Americans crossed the border to join them, creating a full complement of 600 men. Winning the struggle to join up hardly ended discrimination. Except for the reverend, all officers were white, and even when they went to board their transport ship on March 25 the captain initially refused to let them on, saying that he would not let them travel on the same vessel as white soldiers.
The recruits hoped to be allowed to fight when they reached France, but instead the Canadian Expeditionary Force immediately downgraded them from a battalion to a company and assigned them to fell trees and prepare positions for white soldiers. They were not ever even issued with rifles. Their work was tedious and demoralising, and many considered themselves failures even as they suffered casualties from artillery shells and poison gas.
The unit returned to Canada in 1919, but received no fanfare upon arrival. Much like America’s black soldiers, they returned to a country that did not value them or their sacrifice and actively oppressed their rights. Most of these veterans returned to poverty and unemployment. When they finally had their first reunion in 1982, only nine could attend from twenty known survivors. Their legacy and sacrifice has been revived since then.
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Soldiers from the Indian Legion being inspected by Luftwaffe officers, Bordeaux, France. February 1944
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Private Jack Gaghan (SN 2370) in South Australia, 1915.
John "Jack" Gaghan was born at Petersburg or Tarcowie, South Australia, on 7 October 1897 to Sarah Gaghan, née McDonald, a presbyterian mother. In 1915 he was single and worked as a labourer in Tarcowie, a small town in South Australia. He decided to enlist at Keswick on 24 March 1915 and served with the 10th Infantry Battalion. Gaghan embarked on HMAT Kanowna A61 in Adelaide on 23 June 1915. After a time in Egypt he was redirected to London, where he suffered injuries and was then placed for combat. He was shot in his right forearm on 21 September 1917 and wounded again on 31 May 1918, this time a gunshot on his right knee. He recovered in September and rejoined his unit, and eventually returned to Australia in 1919, where he received the Victory and British War Medals three years later, as well as a 1914-15 Star. He had served 4 years and 105 days. Gaghan was married to Noemie Ashken Arzeian and died 20 December 1933.
Source: State Library of South Australia (Ron Blum Collection: B73109)
John "Jack" Gaghan was born at Petersburg or Tarcowie, South Australia, on 7 October 1897 to Sarah Gaghan, née McDonald, a presbyterian mother. In 1915 he was single and worked as a labourer in Tarcowie, a small town in South Australia. He decided to enlist at Keswick on 24 March 1915 and served with the 10th Infantry Battalion. Gaghan embarked on HMAT Kanowna A61 in Adelaide on 23 June 1915. After a time in Egypt he was redirected to London, where he suffered injuries and was then placed for combat. He was shot in his right forearm on 21 September 1917 and wounded again on 31 May 1918, this time a gunshot on his right knee. He recovered in September and rejoined his unit, and eventually returned to Australia in 1919, where he received the Victory and British War Medals three years later, as well as a 1914-15 Star. He had served 4 years and 105 days. Gaghan was married to Noemie Ashken Arzeian and died 20 December 1933.
Source: State Library of South Australia (Ron Blum Collection: B73109)
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An Australian gun crew, part of the 55th Siege Artillery Battery, serving a 9.2-inch howitzer, men are stripped to the waist owing to the hot weather, at Fricourt during the Battle of Pozières Ridge, France, August 1916.
28 August 1918
An unknown soldier with the Royal Engineers Signals Section putting a message into the cylinder attached to the collar of a dog at the Central Depot of the Messenger Dog Service at Étaples-sur-Mer.
(He wears four Overseas Service Chevrons on this right sleeve and the dog has been identified as an Australian Blue Heeler, cattle dog.)
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During World War One tunneling under the enemy trenches and planting explosives, by both sides, was a very dangerous occupation.
A Canadian soldier (sapper/miner) has a well deserved rest after a heavy day of mining underground.
German Tunnelers c. 1916
A Canadian soldier (sapper/miner) has a well deserved rest after a heavy day of mining underground.
German Tunnelers c. 1916
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When I toured Hill 60, I learned many of those sappers and counter-miners are still down there.
Officers would lay underground with a stethoscope listening for sounds of digging. When located, explosives were placed to collapse enemy tunnels.
In other cases, hand to hand combat ensued when sapping parties encountered each other.
Officers would lay underground with a stethoscope listening for sounds of digging. When located, explosives were placed to collapse enemy tunnels.
In other cases, hand to hand combat ensued when sapping parties encountered each other.
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Photos - Tunnel warfare
Tunnel warfare is a general name for war being conducted in tunnels and other underground cavities. It often includes the construction of underground facilities in order to attack or for defence and the use of existing natural caves and artificial underground facilities (catacombs, city...
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