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.
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!
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!
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.
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?
"For you the war is over" perhaps . 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.
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
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.
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
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.
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”
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.
Presumably not Mad Jack. Possibly Lieutenant Colonel Churchill C. Mann who I believe was captured at Dieppe?
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.