Photos WW2 British & Commonwealth Forces

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On the night of July 13th, 1943, during the Allied invasion of Sicily, the 1st Parachute Brigade, part of 1st British Airborne Division, attempted to occupy the Primosole Bridge on the Simeto River, in what was called Operation Faustin. This bridge was considered strategically important to reach the city of Catania.
After three days of hard fights against the Italian German forces the Primosole Bridge was conquered by the British troops.

 

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Men of the Long Range Desert Group at Siwa. 1942

 

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1941, soldiers keeping watch on the English Channel.

 

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A Sherman Firefly of the 22nd Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division comes ashore from HMS LST-406 (Landing Ship Tank), Gold area, Normandy. June 7th, 1944. [colorized]

 

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Squadron Leader James MacLachlan, the one-armed Commanding Officer of No 1 Squadron RAF, standing beside his all-black Hawker Hurricane Mark IIC night fighter, 'JX-Q', at RAF Tangmere, Sussex England - 1942
The Hurricane is sporting his personal emblem showing his amputated arm waving a 'V' sign
MacLachlan originally flew bombers in France in 1940, but transferred to fighters in June 1940 and shot down 6 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain
He joined No. 261 Squadron RAF in Malta, as a flight commander, and was shot down in February 1941, as a result of which his left arm was amputated
He quickly returned to operations after being fitted with an specialized artificial limb, flying with No. 73 Squadron in North Africa, but in July 1941 returned to the UK to take command of No. 1 Squadron
On July 18, 1943 the P-51 Mustang in which he was flying crashed over France, the Germans originally reported him as a POW but he died from his injuries on July 31, 1943 at the age of 24
MacLachlan was buried at Pont-l'Évêque Communal Cemetery in Grave 4, Zone 7
He was awarded a second Bar to his DFC on July 30, 1943 in absentia with his wartime score being 16 aircraft claimed destroyed, one shared with three aircraft claimed damaged
IWM - Woodbine, G. (Flight Lieutenant) Photographer

 

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A soldier of the 4/4th Gurkha Rifles engaged in house to house fighting in a Burmese village during the push for Mandalay. 1945.

 

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The attack on U-106, a Type IXB U-boat responsible for sinking 22 merchant ships, by Sunderland aircraft of 228 and 461 Squadrons based at Pembroke Dock, 2 August 1943. Photo IWM

 

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8th Army - North Africa..

 

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A signaller with an Aldis lamp on board HM Submarine TRIBUNE. 1942.
Tribune started the war with operations in the North Sea and off the Scandinavian coast. She had a number of patrols, attacking an unidentified German submarine and merchant, the U-56, the German tanker Karibisches Meer and the German merchant Birkenfels, all without success.
In the Mediterranean, she damaged the French merchant Dalny, which was beached to prevent her from sinking, and then damaged the now beached Dalny the next day. She also torpedoed and damaged the German tanker Präsident Herrenschmidt, and attacked the Italian merchant Benevento, but failed to hit her.
HMS Tribune survived the war, was sold for scrap in July 1947, and was broken up in November 1947 by Thos W Ward, of Milford Haven.

 

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A company of Seaforth Highlanders moves towards Ortona in 1943.
PHOTO: FREDERICK G. WHITCOMBE, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA–PA152749

 

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September 28th 1940, London UK.
Londoners sleep in a West End tube stop in underground station during Germany's bombing blitz.

 

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8th Army in North Africa.

 

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Lt Colonel Ralph Honners speech to his men (39th Militia Battalion) after their stand on the Kokoda track, Menari village 6th Sep. 1942
"Now I don’t know a lot of you by name, but I know you. We met at Isurava. We fought there together and every step of the way here.
Now we are relieved, and we will leave the battle. And every day the enemy supply line stretches further. He suffers now as you have suffered.
The battle we fought for the track may have just saved your nation. At Imita we will stop him.
Brigadier wants you to know…your gallantry, your courage, your fortitude are an inspiration. And I want you to know that you are some of the finest soldiers that I have ever seen.
You have seen things in this place that no man should witness. Some of these things you must forget. But history will remember you, and in the years to come others will wish that they had your conviction.
And remember…remember the glory is not the exhortation of war, but the exhortation of man. Man’s nobility made transcendent in the fiery crucible of war. Faithfulness and fortitude. Gentleness and compassion.
I am honoured to be your brother.” — Lt Col Ralph Honner DSO MC

 

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WRENS (Women's Royal Naval Service) Motorcycle Dispatch Riders in the UK - Summer 1941
The Motorcycles are BSA C10 249cc & Triumph 3S 350cc
LIFE Magazine Archives - Hans Wild Photographer

 

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Australian troops show off a captured Japanese flag following their victory at Milne Bay, New Guinea, the first Japanese land defeat of the war. September 1942.