My father served with British forces in in the final two years of the war. Mostly sentry duty at airfields, but he also has pics of himself in vehicles such as fuel and fire trucks. Not sure exactly where the locations are, but he did have a ring with the town Brindisi stamped on it. He was actually conscripted into the German army when he was 18 and in 1943 was sent to the Russian front. On the third day there he was wounded in the leg around the area of Kerch. When he was well enough, he was sent to the Italian front in 1944. It was here that he, along with another fellow, decided to cross lines and surrender. Both were made prisoners of war, but just after two weeks were given British uniforms and from there on finished the war serving for Britain. regards, Jack
Super photos thanks for sharing. Your Father's story sounds fascinating. Sounds like a good thread for another part of the forum...hint hint As he was allowed to serve in HM Forces can I assume he was Polish in origin ? I've heard of many Poles in the Heer being given British battledress & swapping sides.
Your Father's story sounds fascinating. Sounds like a good thread for another part of the forum...hint hint I'll second that, what a fascinating story
Thanks for posting these pics Jack. I agree it would be great to read some more about your father's story.
My father was born in Slovenia (back then known as Yugoslavia). Unfortunately it will be 11 years now that he has passed on. When he was alive it was rare for him to talk about those days. The few times I asked him some specifics he declined adding that it was so long ago that he can't remember. I do recall him saying that before giving his British uniform he was asked to swear alliance to King Peter, which George V was godfather to. Another anecdote he had shortly after this was when a new group of German PoWs arrived and one of them recognized my father's friend, the one that he was with when they had crossed lines to surrender. He kept calling his name "Trap... Trap!..." but he ignored him. Most likely afraid of the other regular German PoWs. What is a better forum location for this thread? Maybe the administrator could move it there? regards, Jack
Jack, Excellent photographs and a real story regarding your father. The Spitfire showing MK 4123 JU - S was just one of an order (28.5.1942) of 2,190 Mk Vc Spitfires which were delivered as below. Ninth order for 2,190 Spitfire Mk VC. Dated 28 May 1942 Serial allocations-MH298-336, MH349-390, MH413-456, MH470-512, MH526-568, MH581-623, MH635-678, MH691-738, MH750-796, MH813-856, MH869-912, MH924-958, MH970-999, MJ114-156, MJ169-203, MJ215-258, MJ271-314, MJ328-369, MJ382-428, MJ441-485, MJ498-536, MJ549-589, MJ602-646, MJ659-698, MJ712-756, MJ769-801, MJ814-858, MJ870-913, MJ926-967, MJ979-999, MK112-158, MK171-213, MK226-268, MK280-326, MK339-379, MK392-428, MK440-486, MK499-534, MK547-590, MK602-646, MK659-699, MK713-756, MK769-812, MK862-868, MK881-926, MK939-969, MK981-999, ML112-156, ML169-216, ML229-277, ML291-323, ML339-381, ML396-428. Built as Mk VC/IX/XVI between July 1943 and May 1944. First delivered MH298 1 July 1943, last ML427 29 April 1944. 2144 F Mk IX;46 F Mk VC. From: Production of Spitfire's between 1939-1945.htm Photo of Spitfire with JU markings 111 Sqn. Asisbiz SPITFIRE Spitfire,MkVb,JU,EP166,Bandeirante,No.111,Sqn,Squadron,Leader,P.R,Wickham Some good information for you on this squadron website: History - CXI (F) Squadron Regards Tom
Thanks everyone for the responses, as well as the links provided. Any idea where I could inquire to find which squadron's ground crew my father was part of?
The best forum I know for tracking down places of service, either through private databanks or advice on ordering records (which, as next of kin, you can do) is over here: Main Category It will help if you have your Dad's service number. Otherwise you'll end up posting his name, up to you whether you want to do that. Another option is to go here: Historic Aviation - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums and post the pics. There's enough folks over there with aircraft service histories to at least give you an idea as to where your Dad's photos were taken. Bear in mind that ground crew were often assigned to a station and worked on aircraft from more than one squadron. Great pics, fascinating story. Edit - Forgot to add, the "Luftwaffe Experten Message Board" forum may also be able to help, given the code on the Ju 88, which to my untrained eye looks like a night fighter. The sub-forum you want over there is probably the one to do with captured German equipment.
First class example of revisiting history through photographs. It's a fascinating story of how the Germans pressed occupied countries manpower into their own services. There were many Poles who were deemed to be German and who were forced to serve in the German forces.In Normandy the 1st Polish Armoured Division were well known to have made up for their battlefield losses by issuing Polish uniforms to Polish POWs who had been so pressed into the German forces. I wonder if the photograph showing the cluster of No 111 Spitfires is from an aircraft park of an MU,located well away from the battlefield before the aircraft were issued to the squadron.Certainly on an operational airfield where a potential threat from enemy aircraft existed would not have aircraft parked as shown. The squadron had an aircraft addition/conversion to the Spitfire 1XE in June 1943.Its original aircraft, the Spitfire VC which it had on charge for the Torch landings,the first North African base being Maison Blanche on 11 November 1942 were on charge to January 1944.The squadron were heavily involved in Italy as a resume of their airfields indicates.The squadron movements were frequent as they moved up the spline of Italy.The surrender of German forces saw the squadron located to Klagenfurt in Austria on 16 May 1945,disbanding in Treviso in May 1947,still with the Spitfire 1XE on charge. The airman shown in front of the Liberator,I would say is at Brindisi where Liberator operations took place from for bombing operations into the Balkans,clandestine drops to Tito's partisans and support for the Warsaw uprising in August 1944.