Images of POWs, 1940

Discussion in '1940' started by dbf, Jan 15, 2011.

  1. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    This thread is a wonderful archive in its own right and all credit to those who selflessly populate it. A thought about the locations. In trying to determine these, without the benefit of captions, peripheral or seemingly unimportant details might help. I have picked up on some posted by others, like shop front signs, house and building architecture, landscape, leaves on trees or not for dates. Uniforms not helpful if the resolution is not good for badges. So, if the column are all wearing uniforms, are they thrown open, even if wearing a greatcoat, indicating the weather was very warm at the time. What weapons are the guards carrying, what vehicles are they in, or are in picture? Just a few examples to think about. While a contemporary caption is the winner, it may be that looking at the whole collection of clues in a picture helps.
     
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  2. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Your guess is a good as mine to be honest. Seller said Dunkirk in his listing but then they always do because it bumps the price up!
     
  3. JDKR

    JDKR Member

    The word does look a little like ‘Norwegen’ but the buildings don’t look like any I have seen there. The narrow houses look decidedly Belgian to me.


    The scenery in the 25pdr photo certainly does not look like N France/Belgium and the men are all wearing greatcoats, which does not match May 1940. Could this be Greece? The rampant lion badge on the 25pdr should be a major help but afraid my knowledge of RA regimental badges is zilch. Someone out there will know!
     
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  4. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    The text says:
    gefangene Franzosen
    u.[nd] Engländer bei
    ????kirchen

    That is, French a[nd] English POW.
    It could be a place nearby a location with the name ending "-kichen". I'd say, Dünkirchen is possible.
     

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  5. Dave H

    Dave H Junior Member

    Can anyone ID the soldiers in this pic?
    It's titled Helmut Ritgen (Author of 6 Panzer Div 1937-45) interrogating prisoners captured at Cassel May 1940
    Just wondering if anyone has seen this picture before and knows anymore about it?
     

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  6. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Just bought this photo, i wonder what the german said to the pows to make some of them smile.
    Keith
    british pows KB.jpg
     
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  7. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    "For you the war is over" perhaps :rolleyes:. However more seriously it may simply be a form of social conditioning - when facing a camera - smile. Some years ago I attended an academic seminar on the making of the WW1 documentary on the Battle of the Somme made by Frank Hurley. Some of the unedited sections show columns of men trudging along and when they realise that they are being filmed they smile. Interestingly the same applies to columns of German POWs.
     
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  8. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Before and after maybe. I wonder if the guy on the left of the first photo with his mates and rifles ( cannot remember where from as saved years ago, could it be IWM pic or are they too scruffy?) is the same guy later as a POW in the second German soldiers photo.
    Craig

    large.jpg large 2.jpg
     
  9. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    The second photo has a secondary interest as it helps blow the myth of the mechanised German army as it pedals and clip clops past.
     
  10. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    So true and many of the horses ex British Army bought when we completely mechanised !
     
  11. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Thought i would put a close up of this photo, from my collection.
    Keith
    pow bef 1940.jpg
     
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  12. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Morris Commercial 15cwt with a load of POW's, shame I cannot make out divisional sign as it may give a clue to who they are.
    Craig j90.jpg
     
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  13. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    The first photo shows men from the 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders not long after the battle of Franleu - my great granddad was taken POW there. Most of the ones who survived the battle were evacuated from Le Havre. I don’t think the other photo is related - just two similar looking blokes.
     
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  14. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Here’s a few new ones. Anyone have an idea what the writing on the back of the last one says? One of the words looks like “Churchill”
    8D310F62-B9FB-4B19-B125-9C59C7389462.jpeg FC3C0D30-E756-42B2-A35F-EE9A3D1044CD.jpeg DF162149-0490-48A4-95AB-2DE44592464F.jpeg 5CA8F765-D014-4F23-B0FD-4592DB801F69.jpeg 2876DB22-21D0-461E-9F0F-CDA7753CDA3D.jpeg 95974339-948D-4DD2-BC60-D83B2BF6548C.jpeg
     
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  15. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    Well... The second word in the first line remains unclear, but the rest is readable. The officer Churchill's rank is stated as "Oberstlt", which gives "Oberstleutnant". I suppose that this text reads:
    Auf [???],
    Oberstlt. Churchill
    wird von uns im Krad
    abgeholt.

    That is:
    On [???]
    Lieutenant colonel Churchill
    will be picked up/collected by us
    in the motorcycle.

    6.2.jpg
     
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  16. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Presumably not Mad Jack. Possibly Lieutenant Colonel Churchill C. Mann who I believe was captured at Dieppe?
     
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  17. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    nice work deciphering that scrawl Nido. I figured he had to be someone important due to the senior looking officers posing with him and the fact they were taking him by bike rather than letting him footslog with the rank and file.
     
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  18. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    As far as I can tell Churchill C. Mann wasn’t captured at Dieppe. More information here MannCC
     
  19. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    If it is “Mad Jack” then that would make this photo from 1944.
     
  20. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Thinking about it the trees do look more appropriate for that theatre than N Europe
     
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