Please Help - Identification Needed

Hello
I’m hoping that the knowledgeable people here can help with identifying this chap.

If not by name, then maybe by nationality or service unit.

There is an interesting reason for this relating to a German Kubelwagen.

Any information will be gratefully received.

 

I checked if '177' the vehicle marking helped. There was a RAF 177 Squadron, but it was based in India / Burma 1943-1945. See: No. 177 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War

They then had Bristol Beaufighters, looking at imagery they do not have a lower forward windscreen.

The aircraft is a B-25 Mitchell, and early versions:

From: B-25 | Crew, Wingspan, Versions, & Doolittle Raid | Britannica

It served in the RAF. I recall they were mentioned as active in North Africa, possibly before El Alamein and having a Kubelwagen beside the aircraft would fit with the losses of the Afrika Korps. A search here might identify which squadron.

 

Aircraft are not really my thing, but it has a tailwheel and looks like a Blenheim to me.

The "177" looks like an Army Arm of Service marking. Middle East serials are poorly documented (assuming that's where it is ?)

I don't think he's British...I wondered French, or maybe Polish ?

 

Rich,

Yes, it is an option. Looking at the imagery online some versions has a perspex lower windscreen and others had a snub nose.

 

Not a B-25 , it's a Bristol Blenheim as Rich says.

 

Looks like a Blenheim Mk IV to me. Ref the chap in the photo, I cannot work out what the wings are - is this a cropped photo and, if so, can you post the whole thing? It might provide a bit more context…possibly…
Wikipedia lists Desert Air Force squadrons: Desert Air Force - Wikipedia
Not necessarily the best source, but the only one I have! Interestingly, 270 Wing included a French Blenheim squadron - Squadron Lorraine.

 

Definitely a Bristol Blenheim !

 

Thank you everyone for the replies,

This is what I know so far. The Kubelwagen was captured from the Africa Korps and utilised by the Allies.

Im trying to find out as much as possible about…

1. The man in the picture.
2. The Squadron utilising the Kubelwagen
3. The location
4. The Kubelwagen history

I have been contacted by a friend in Normandy who believes that he has located this Kubelwagen in a barn.

 

As I said earlier, the photo of the man looks like it has been cropped from a larger photo. Do you have the full photo and, if so, can you post that? It might help.

 

Photo in post #1 looks like it's been "improved" with AI & so it really misleading after seeing the full photo above.


Photo on AWM .

Western Desert, North Africa. c. 1941. A captured German Volkswagen Kubelwagen 'People's Car', ...

 

That’s a bit better. Right, in the larger image, the guy looks like he has ‘regular’ RAF pilot’s wings and he looks to have RAF officer rank insignia on his epaulettes.
I can’t help feeling a little sceptical (it’s in my nature - sorry!) that a Kubelwagen captured in the northern desert could make its way to Normandy - but never say never, I guess!

 

Good call Owen.

Well that's an hour of looking through books on insignia that I'm never going to get back.

 

Looks Like a RAF Pilot type getting out the passengers side.(RH)
Been raining recently (winter) and the driver is shorter than the Passenger.
The wiper operation seem to be manual from the outside? Judging by the cleaning arc(s) on the wind shield and knobs.
Perhaps your friend with the VW can confirm Wiper operation. manual/Auto and from where.
Front wheel air pressure 1.4atu, (bar) stencil on front mudguard seems a bit low but it is soft sand going.

see below, from the Greek 13th Squadron, which had

"During January 1942, at least 19 Blenheim Mk IV were delivered by the British to the Greek 13th Squadron in the Middle East, where they replaced the remaining Avro Anson that had managed to escape from occupied Greece. As the 13th Squadron operated under the RAF, the airplanes brought British insignia and camouflage. They were gradually replaced by the more advanced Mk V, the last Mk IV being returned to the British in January 1943."

Photo from https://www.haf.gr/en/history/haf-history-timeline/middle-east-italy/



From the rather blurry photo, The bod on the left, is looking very Middle East theatre RAF type.
The aircraft cam pattern is looking dark on the underside of the nose, which is RAF type camo which the Greeks used at least 19 off.

The original photo by AWM looks very good quality, staged and Press photo type with an Australian link.(showing the min amount of unit detail/identification.)

 

Thanks to everybody who has replied so far.

it is really appreciated.

This is what I have gathered so far from the picture & replies.

Because the picture was from the Australian War Memorial, I’m guessing that the guy in the photo could possibly be Australian (or from a Commonwealth country).

The aircraft is I believe a Bristol Blenheim.

The 177 marking on the Kubelwagen is I believe an Allied marking (but I have no clue as to the unit/squadron it represents. In the replies it was mentioned that there was a 177 Squadron, but that they were based in India.

There was some information with the photo, stating that the Kubel had been captured in Africa, but no indication of where or against what units.

And that is it so far….

If anybody had any further information, please post here.

Thanks again to everybody who has replied so far.

It is really appreciated.

 

The two subsequent images on AWM, MED0168 and MED0169 are both captioned as South African aircrew. There is a good possibility that they were taken at the same location. No.3 (South African) Wing included an RAF squadron flying Blenheims. 113 Squadron were also involved in Operation Crusader.

Western Desert, North Africa. c. 1941. Bomber crews of the South African Air Force make a dash ...

Western Desert, North Africa. c. 1941. Group portrait of South African Air Force bomber pilots, ...

The "177" looks more like an army than RAF marking, but it seems unlikely that they would have applied it without overpainting the Wehrmacht Heer registration plate.

 

Hello

I think this is him.

Wing Commander Robert Norman Bateson - Robert Bateson (RAF officer) - Wikipedia

Acting Wing Commander Robert Norman Bateson, DFC, of No. 613 Squadron, led an April 1944 sortie against a target in Holland, demonstrating skill and leadership Stock Photo - Alamy

- The AWM/Commons caption says the captured Volkswagen Kübelwagen was the private transport for the Senior Air Staff Officer at a bomber wing.
- It dates the photo to Western Desert, North Africa, c. 1941.
- It shows a Bristol Blenheim in the background, matching the Blenheim bomber wing context.
- The 211 Squadron Bateson page independently places Bateson as SASO of No. 270 Wing at Fuka
from 26 October 1941.
- No. 270 Wing was the RAF bomber wing at/around Fuka during the Operation Crusader period.

Thoughts?

 

Sure looks like him.

Better photo. That Robert Bateman!

Squadron Leader Robert Bateson of the RAF, having just received the... News Photo - Getty Images