Photos WW2 British & Commonwealth Forces

[BravoZulu]

A scout car and infantry fighting their way through Arnhem, 14 April 1945.

 

[BravoZulu]

British, West African and Gurkha Chindits (special operations units) waiting at an airfield in India before the air invasion of Burma nicknamed "Operation Thursday" in early March, 1944.

 

[BravoZulu]

Sherman Firefly crew of 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry load ammunition for the 17-pounder gun into their vehicle before the start of Operation 'Totalise'. August, 1944.

 

[BravoZulu]

A 17-pdr anti-tank gun of 44/13th Anti-Tank Regiment, 10th Indian Division, pictured in action in Sorrivoli, Italy, 18 October 1944.

 

[BravoZulu]

An Australian mortar crew firing at Japanese snipers in the tree line. Gona, New Guinea - 8th December, 1942.

 

[BravoZulu]

Flight Lieutenant Allan Francis McKinnon, DFC, at the controls of G George, Avro Lancaster B1 Bomber (W4783) 460 Squadron RAAF, between 25 February 1944 and 18 March 1944 after flying its 83rd operation over enemy territory.
G George flew a confirmed 89 operations, these operations were recorded by pilots and crews on the fuselage of the bomber, this is referred to as the Bomblog. Bomber crews used specific symbols to record who flew particular operations.
Visible on G george's bomblog are Cherries the symbol for 413528 Flying Officer (FO) Harold George 'Cherry' Carter and crew; Saint figures refer to 403380 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) James Alexander 'The Saint' Saint-Smith who was killed during a flying battle over Belgium on 29 June 1944; Red stripes refer to Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) Jack Murray; Blue 'V' refers to FO James Henderson. Flt Lt McKinnon flew G George on two occasions and was killed in action on 25 March 1944 during a raid on Berlin. Also appearing on the side of the bomblog are medal ribbons awarded to George by crew members as unofficial awards after 30 completed operations, visible are the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM).

 

[BravoZulu]

A gunner with 80th Medium Regiment (Scottish Horse) fusing a 4.5-inch shell, 31 July 1943.

 

[BravoZulu]

Sherman tanks of 4/7th Dragoon Guards, 8th Armoured Brigade move up to support the attack on Goch, Germany, February 17, 1945

 

[BravoZulu]

A forward observation patrol from C Company, 2/1 Infantry Battalion taking a break after striking level ground once more.
Identified are Private P.K.Dunlop a Bren Gunner and Corporal J. Selling an Owen Gunner. 22 April 1945

 

[BravoZulu]

Churchill MkIV carrying soldiers of the Royal Scots Fusiliers pass a knocked-out German Panzer IV in Le Tourneur Normandy - 3 August 1944

 

[BravoZulu]

The crew of a Light Tank Mk VIB cook their Christmas dinner besides their vehicle, Libya, 31 December 1940.

 

[BravoZulu]

On 2 August 1943, men of the 6th Inniskillings, 78th Division, await orders to move into to Centuripe, in the central portion of Sicily in the hill country between the Rivers Dittaìno and Salso.

 

[Conhoon]

3 August 1944
'C' Squadron "Pat" Sherman M4A2 tank and infantry advance through Impruneta, Firenze, Italy.

(Photo source - © IWM NA 17567)
Johnson (Sergeant)
No. 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit

 

[BravoZulu]

Army officers watch from their jeep as Curtiss Kittyhawk Mark IIIs of No. 112 Squadron RAF take off on a sortie at Foggia, Italy, 1943.

 

[BravoZulu]

Gunners run to take post at a 9.2-inch coastal defence gun at the Needles Battery on the Isle of Wight, 7 August 1941.

 

[BravoZulu]

Infantry of the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards patrol through Arras, 1 September 1944.