Wednesday, July 22, 2015

#WWIIPOD Maori 28th Battalion January '45; Italy




"Men of 28th (Māori) Battalion marching north of Faenza, Italy, in January 1945. They are moving out of the line approximately 2 km from the enemy-held Castel Bolognese.

Having spent several years in the deserts of North Africa, many members of the 'Div' were not prepared for the cooler climate that greeted them when they arrived in Italy in late 1943."


'Māori Battalion in Italy, winter 1945', 

Monday, July 20, 2015

#WWIIPOD : Arnhem Survivors, September 1944


British paratroopers after successful evacuation from Oosterbeek Cauldron, Holland, September 26,1944


 Members of the 1st Airborne Division, mostly 1st Border, safe in the grounds of the Missionary College in Nijmegen, on Tuesday 26th September, after being successfully evacuated across the Rhine. 

Left to right, 
Back row: Privates Jack Cohen (Divisional HQ's Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Defence Platoon), Poule (from Sheffield, unit unknown), Johnny Peters (No.14 Platoon, B Company, 1st Border, from Liverpool). 

Middle row: Lance-Corporal C. McInnes (23 Mortar Platoon, 1st Border), Private D. Doran (1st Border), unknown. 

Front row: Corporal Jim McDowell (23 Mortar Platoon, 1st Border), unknown, Private Danny Shaw (9th Field Company, RE), Lance-Corporal Thomas McKewan (No.18 Platoon, 10th Battalion), Private Patrick John (1st Border, KIA 11th October 1944), Private A. R. Morgan-Lewis (Royal Signals, 1st Airlanding Brigade), Trooper Jim Cooke (Recce Squadron), Lance-Corporal Ronny Lord (23 Mortar Platoon, 1st Border), WO Terry Armstrong, Lance-Corporal S. "Judy" Wright (Divisional HQ's Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Defence Platoon). 

Copyright: IWM HU3722.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

#WWIIPOD: British Army: Long Range Desert Group After Successful Raid; Libya 1942

A posed group portrait of personnel from 'Y' Patrol returning to Kufra after a successful raiding sortie-- Libya, 1942

Back row (left to right): Trooper 'Tankie' Babb ( Tank Corps); Corporal Jack Harris (Somerset Yeomanry); Gunner James D Patch (RA); Sergeant Derek (Hutch) Hutchins (Somerset Yeomanry); Lance Corporal Arthur (Tich) Cave MM (Somerset Yeomanry); Lance Corporal Brian Springford (Somerset Yeomanry); Trooper Kenneth Tinckler (Cheshire Regiment); Craftsman Alf Tighe MM (REME); Trooper 'Jesus' Armstrong (?).

Front row (left to right): Private 'Darkie' Devine (Seaforths?); Private John 'Daisy' McKay (Seaforths) ; Trooper F Gordon 'Harry' Harrison (Yorkshire Hussars); Private William 'Jock' Fraser (Seaforths); Trooper L D 'Mickey' Coombs (Somerset Yeomanry?); Trooper Robert Davies (?Yeomanry); Trooper Donald (Bomski) Cashin (Cheshire Yeomanry).


Taken from the Imperial War Museum Files:  Imperial War Museum UK