Images of POWs, 1940

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

  1. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Last one. Only one word on the back. Seller listed it as "France - English prisoners, German Panzer" If you look closely you can see some of the men are wearing kilts which leads me to suspect this is also from St Valery.

    [​IMG]St Valery POWs? by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]St Valery POWs? by Bill Robertson, on Flickr
     
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  2. LondonNik

    LondonNik Senior Member

    Deleted
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2017
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  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    It looks like "da machten wir 24000 gefangene" - We made there 24000 prisoners.
     
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  4. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Thanks Rich. That would certainly fit.
     
  5. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Some more recent arrivals... This one claims to be captured French soldiers at Dunkirk.
    [​IMG]Scan0006 by Bill Robertson, on Flickr
     
  6. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

  7. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

  8. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    I've seen this one further up the thread, presumably scanned from ebay? I bought the original ...or at least a copy of it!
    [​IMG]Scan0003 by Bill Robertson, on Flickr
     
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  9. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

  10. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

  11. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    From the writing on the back of some of these I think they were taken near Autun in France. Details below from the ebay seller's description after running through Google Translate.

    "From the estate of the veteran of the Wehrmacht Karl Bischoff.
    Service at the RAD Division 1/232 in Catterfeld, 1938.
    After his convocation, Wehrmacht served in the infantry regiment 86 (Mühlhausen).
    From the end of 1938 he was then active in Bohemia-Moravia (Czech Republic) and East-Prussia (Poland).
    In September 1939 invaded Poland as part of the 29th (mot.), In 1940 in France."

    [​IMG]Advance at Autun by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]Advance at Autun reverse by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]Colonial prisoners with hands up by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]Colonial prisoners with hands up reverse by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]Column at Autun by Bill Robertson, on Flickr

    [​IMG]Column at Autun reverse by Bill Robertson, on Flickr
     
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  12. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

  13. JERICHO

    JERICHO Junior Member

    Hi Bill,

    I think that on the last photo they are Soviet prisoners

    best regards

    Mathieu
     
  14. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Funny - Drew suggested the same thing. The uniform does look a bit Russian but the writing on the back clearly says they are French. Bit of a puzzle!
     
  15. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Actually it reads like it's France, that being the heading, rather than french.

    France
    Soldiers due to be imprisoned
     
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  16. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    This is what happens when you last learned German twenty five years ago - grammar was always my weak point :D does beg the question what would Russian POWs be doing in France?

    Anyway, not claiming to be an expert in uniforms etc just going by seller's description and what little writing there is. Hopefully someone who is might be able to give us a definitive answer!
     
  17. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    They look like Soviet prisoners to me as well, might not be a photo from 1940.
     
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  18. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Post # 172;

    The location would appear to be France as it looks like the trees to the left are the typical Plane trees which are found to line many French roads.

    The other observation is that to the right of the frame,the vehicle showing its LH side front has a look of a British Army vehicle.....perhaps those with military vehicle recognition expertise might disagree
     
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  19. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    It's entirely possible. I use 1940 as a keyword in my ebay searches and the seller listed it as May - June 1940 but without knowing more about where the photo came from there's very little to authenticate the date. I had just assumed the uniforms were French rear-echelon types as all I could see were side caps and none of the more distinctive French steel helmets.

    Drew wondered about the trucks as he also thought they looked British - he wondered if that was a K2 ambulance just behind the German guard. Could that other truck be a Matador or similar?
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Come on Rich where are you when we need you. Are we looking at a Austin K2 and another British truck on the right?

    Whilst I think the tunics look very Russian (I'm no expert) I thought they also wore high leg boots like the Germans rather than puttees?
     
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