As many videos as i have watched about WW2 and The Ardennes Offensive...........i never knew General Maurice Rose was killed in action. Oh Man..........if it happened to YOU, any death was bad.............but for a guy of that age, just 5 or 6 weeks before the war was over Maurice Rose - Wikipedia
I’ve just read in the Baton Rouge paper today The Advocate, that on this date in 1943 (February 7) that the federal government abruptly announced that the wartime rationing of shoes made of leather would go into effect in two (2) days. After that each person would be restricted to purchasing three pairs of shoes per year. Rationing of the above mentioned footwear was lifted in October 1945. I imagine that sales of leather made footwear was rather brisk and frenzied between February 7 when the edict was issued and February 9 when it was enforced. Those who know of the wartime rationing and shortages in Britain were much worse and longer in duration, and what was experienced in the States can’t compare.
I happened across something that i didn't know while trying to research an area mentioned in some of the War letters i have. I didn't know the largest explosion on British soil was when a munitions store exploded in Staffordshire. It was an old gypsum mine and the explosion caused a massive crater you can still see today, as well as killing around 70 - 80 people and wiping out a reservoir. I thought i would do my own write up on it by amalgamating different parts of info found on the web about it, if anyone would like to read it, it is here RAF Fauld Explosion 1944 (oldlettersanddiaries.com)
I am no WW2 or Aviation expert, but i had never heard a peep about this plane before. I wonder if any of the other members were familiar with it.?
I'm no expert either. It looks a little like the Beechcraft 18 but much bigger in every dimension and five times the HP. I can't remember what I was reading about when I came across it. I sure never heard of it before. Beechcraft Model 18 - Wikipedia
It turns out that the name ROUGH RIDERS was not a Teddy Roosevelt exclusive. THE BRITISH ARMY IN ITALY 1944
Another item from Quora. During World War II, Steinway & Sons air-dropped pianos with large parachutes and complete tuning instructions into the battle for the American troops. Called the Victory Vertical or G.I. Steinway, the pianos were to provide a bit of relaxation/morale booster. The pianos came in olive, blue and gray drab. By the end of the war, Steinway & Sons had provided about 5,000 pianos to the U.S. military around the world. They had four sons and a few cousins who served.
With apologies to the Goons - "Get in ze bunker, ze Americans are dropping bombs on us again!" <SOUND EFFECT OF CRASH mixed with random piano notes> "Help, get me out from under zis piano!"
More on the G.I. Steinways. Pretty neat stuff I think. I've also learned that Steinway shift war production to caskets and gliders in addition to these G. I. Steinways. Odd combination there, caskets and gliders. Steinway Victory Vertical G.I. upright piano for sale with a khaki case. This upright was airdropped on to battlefields during WWII for the American troops. Buy an antique, Steinway upright piano. Besbrode Pianos Leeds is a specialist Steinway piano dealer, trader and wholesaler based in Yorkshire, England, UK. There's one for sale in Britain for 20,000 lbs. Sorry about putting lbs after the 20,000 but I have an American keyboard and it does not have that British pound key on it anywhere. If it does I don't know how to find it. Steinway Victory Vertical G.I. upright piano for sale with a khaki case. This upright was airdropped on to battlefields during WWII for the American troops. Buy an antique, Steinway upright piano. Besbrode Pianos Leeds is a specialist Steinway piano dealer, trader and wholesaler based in Yorkshire, England, UK. When the Pianos Went to War
If using windows type 'Character Map' in the search box at lower left on Task Bar and open the application. Then copy and paste. £
or, if you have a numeric pad on your keyboard, ALT-156 (ie keep the ALT key pressed and type 1 5 6, then release the ALT key)
Civilians were evacuated from Gibraltar during the war as part of preparations for a second siege. Being the 80th anniversary of the fall of 'The Gibraltar of the East', that probably resonated a bit more than usual; Singapore's civilians being a significant factor in the case for surrender.
Nope, just the almighty (well, it used to be) $ sign. Not even the cent sign, the small case c with the slash through it. I always thought that symbol was cool. I have the Euro and the Pound sign on my phone though.
