Photos WW2 British & Commonwealth Forces

[BravoZulu]

The Handley Page Halifax had quite a unique cockpit layout, as can be seen here. The pilot sits on top of the wireless operator and the flight engineer has his panel directly behind the pilot. The navigator and air bomber's station is where the cameraman stood to take this image

 

[BravoZulu]

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[BravoZulu]

Knocked out Churchill tanks seen from the deck of Tank Landing Craft 3 on the beach at Dieppe in August 1942

 

[NebrHogger]

Matilda disguised as a truck. Egypt, 1941.

 

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Lt Jack Reynolds photographed sticking two fingers up in defiance to his German captors shortly after being captured during the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944. Reynolds died in 2019 at the age of 97.

Arnhem, April 1945

 

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April 1941, Easter Tuesday. 200 Luftwaffe warplanes target Northern Ireland. More than 900 are killed in what will become known as the Belfast Blitz. An estimated 900 people lost their lives

 

[BravoZulu]

Today in 1942, aboard Royal Navy destroyer HMS Wheatland, moored in Iceland, the crew practice a boarding operation. A leading hand (a signalman) points a Lewis machine gun in a dramatic photo by Navy photographer Lt Ware

 

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Peter Churchill (1909-72) and Odette Sansom (1912-95) were captured by the Abwehr. They survived German concentration camps and married in 1947

 

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New Guinea Campaign. 22 September 1943. Australian commandos from the 2/6th Independent Company at the graves of their comrades who were killed during the raid on Kaiapit

 

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A scout car crew of 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, 8th Indian Division, share a humorous moment with two youngsters in San Felice, during the advance towards the River Sangro, Italy, 7 November 1943.

 

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April 1945, near Bastia, Italy. Churchill tanks crossing the Reno River

 

[TIGREDELAIRE]

Today in 1942, aboard Royal Navy destroyer HMS Wheatland, moored in Iceland, the crew practice a boarding operation. A leading hand (a signalman) points a Lewis machine gun in a dramatic photo by Navy photographer Lt Ware
View attachment 430046

Isn't that Benny Hill? It's very, very similar!

 

[BravoZulu]

Canadian troopers of Lord Strathcona's Horse on horseback, Harderwijk, Netherlands, 19 April 1945

 

[BravoZulu]

M4A2 Sherman in the river Biferno in Southern Italy recovered by REME personnel in October 1943

 

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Destroyed British CMP's in Greece, April 1941

Cruiser Mark I CS knocked out in Greece in 1941

Cruiser Mk II knocked out in Greece, April 1941

 

[BravoZulu]

Bob Tong of B Squadron, 2nd SAS Regiment, Italy 1943

 

[dan_inbox]

Swathed in smoke and dust these Churchills (probably NA 75s) are laying down some harassing fire from a static position.
75mm shells are stacked on the hull ready to use.
The majority of their crews are outside the vehicles, protecting their ears against the blast.
Interestingly, the official caption reads thus:
"SECRET: Jewish Brigade and North Irish Horse. Alfonsini Front and Nezzano area"
March 21st, 1945.
(IWM)

View attachment 266495

The Jewish brigade A Coy 1st Btn operated in the Mezzano-Alfonsine sector in March 1945.
IWM has another photo of their Churchill tanks at https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205204759

 

[BravoZulu]

HMAS Kuttabul sinking in Sydney Harbour after she was hit by a torpedo that came from a Japanese midget submarine on night of May 31st - June 1st, 1942. Nineteen RAN and two RN sailors were killed, while ten more sailors were wounded.

 

[BravoZulu]

British M3 Grant burning in North Africa in 1942 with a missing bogie suggesting it was taken out by a lateral hit

 

[BravoZulu]

An Italian soldier inspecting a pair of Churchill Mk III tanks of C Squadron North Irish Horse that got lost in the dark at Sedjenane in Tunisia in March 1943

Report of the action by Temporary Major Paul Welch:

At 1900 hours, 1st March, three Troops C Squadron was ordered to support the 138th Brigade at Sedjenane. They arrived at Tamara at 0400 hours Tuesday morning. I had made a reconnaissance with the officer commanding Lincolnshires the night before, being under his command. His orders were to hold Sedjenane as a firm base. The enemy had infiltrated through the positions of the Forresters, 1st Commandos and the Durham Light Infantry and had driven them from their positions during Monday's fighting. The Colonel of the Lincolns asked me to dominate Sedjenane at first light and to support his infantry. I moved two Troops to the village and one Troop on to the Mansour Ridge to watch the left flank. All were in position by 0900 hours. The Troop dominating on the right of the road was in a bad position due to difficult ground and the Germans managed to infiltrate right up to this Troop. On the whole, however, the day was quiet and the Germans were held. At dusk the Squadron was ordered to withdraw to harbour. The right-hand Troop when retiring got caught by the dark owing to pulling out a carrier. As a result two tanks, after taking a wrong turning, went over a small cliff by a mine pit shaft.

From the North Irish Horse War Diary on March 3rd 1943:

At first light at SEDJENANE, C Sqn took up position on high ground SW of SEDJENANE to give covering fire to infantry and succeeded in extricating some of our infantry from an awkward position. When retiring at dusk Lt JE Williams lost two tanks of his troop over a cliff. One member of a crew missing believed POW.