IWM AFPU Portrait photographs

I wonder if there are equivalent portraits for members of the RAFFPU? I suspect not.

Regards ...

 

AFPU Cameraman Catania, Sicily

 

Overturned AFPU truck or jeep Catania, Sicily probably dealt with by mine

 

The primary stills camera for combat use was the Super Ikonta 530/16 or 532/16 variant.

 

Captain Evans, Army Film and Photographic Unit 6th June 1944

IWM A70 36-2 SCENES IN THE NORMANDY BEACH-HEAD D+1, D+2 (PART 8)

ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHIC OFFICER AWARDED MILITARY CROSS | Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

IWM H 41589 ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHIC OFFICER AWARDED MILITARY CROSS (27th March 1945)
Captain Leslie J. Evans, of No.5 Army Film & Photographic Section, has been awarded the Military Cross. He landed on "D"-Day with 1st S.S. Brigade, where his bearing and example were commented on by senior Commando officers. He and his sub-section were largely responsible for the fine cine and still pictures of the Normandy battles which resulted in some of the best photographic publicity of the British Army. His courage and devotion to duty at this time earned him the Military Cross. Captain Evans was born at Elstree, Herts and before the war, was in the production office of Elstree and Denham Studios. He joined the Royal Artillery early in the war and was posted to the Army Film and Photographic Unit in September, 1942. He went with the Airborne Forces on their recent operation East of the Rhine, and landed by glider.

 

Hi,

"He went with the Airborne Forces on their recent operation East of the Rhine, and landed by glider."

I may have missed them but have never run across any Op Varsity photos by Evans?

Regards ...

 

I have this photo of Dutch children in Baarlo (not sure of exact date but after November 44). They are apparently Army press men. Photo with first names, anyone ID them?
Alex.

 

Is that Evans? Photo taken in Hamminkeln... I immediately saw a resemblance

 

Wrong... not Evans!

 

Alex,

I have that in a bigger size you sent sometime ago. Want me to stick it up?

Regards ...

 

alberk,

He is most likely a Glider Pilot going by name tag on right breast.

Regards ...

 

Hi Cee,
Please feel free to re-post!
alberk yes he’s a glider pilot, I spoke with a relative online last year I think it was.

 

Here you go. Sorry no idea who these guys are.



Regards ...

 

Captain Leslie "Busted Hooter" Evans seen 4th from right front row in this group photo from IWM along with other members of 5 AFPU.



Regards ...

 

Sgt. John Norman Johnson, No. 5 AFPU 8 Reels

British driver and NCO served with Royal Army Service Corps, 42nd (East Lancashire) Div in GB, France and Belgium, 5/1939-12/1942; NCO cameraman trained with Army Film and Photographic Unit at Pinewood Studios in GB, 1/1943-4/1943; served with No 3 Army Film and Photographic Unit in GB, 4/1943-6/1944; served with No 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North West Europe, 6/1944-9/1945

REEL 1 Background in Manchester and Hale, GB, 1909-1926: family; early interest in photography; attitude to initial employment on leaving school. Aspects of period as employee with J T Chapman Ltd in Manchester, GB, 1926-1939: employment as photographic apprentice; marriage in 1929; work as technical consultant in company shop in Albert Square, Manchester; learning about cinematography; attitude to prospect to making medical training films; character of company; nature of company's photographic and film work, Aspects of background in Manchester and Hale, GB, 1909-1926: childhood hobbies; education.

REEL 2 Continues: family move to Hale; mother's lifestyle and occupation; his amateur photography; family holidays; reasons for leaving school at sixteen. Aspects of period as employee with J T Chapman Ltd in Manchester, GB, 1926-1939: cinema visits; financial constraints during early period of marriage, 1929; background to learning about cinematography; question of moving away from Manchester; background to working as technical consultant in company shop in Albert Square, Manchester; returning to work for company after Second World War; question of becoming as manager with company.

REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as driver with Royal Army Service Corps, 42nd (East Lancashire) Div in GB, 5/1939-9/1939: background to joining Territorial Army, 5/1939; allocation to Royal Army Service Corps element of division; attitude to service; mobilisation, 2/9/1939. Aspects of operations as driver and NCO with Royal Army Service Corps, 42nd (East Lancashire) Div in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-12/1942: initial basing of unit at Lancashire County Cricket Club at Old Trafford, Manchester; move to Morpeth; role as driver/mechanic; move to France, 3/1940; move to La Bassee Canal, France; start of German offensive, 10/5/1945; move into Belgium; start of retreat and abandoning vehicles; evacuation by destroyer from Dunkirk beaches, 5/1940; applying to become RAF observer, 1942. Recollections of enlistment and training as cameraman No 3 Army Film and Photographic Unit at Pinewood Studios in GB, 1/1943-4/1943: interview at Grand Central Hotel, Marylebone, London, 12/1942; selection procedure; background of photographers; basic training at Pinewood Studios, 1/1943.

REEL 4 Continues: training as cine cameraman; work with experimental Vinten cine camera; character of DeVry 35mm Cine Camera; description of Eyemo 35mm Cine Camera; use of Vinten Model K Normandy 35mm Cine Camera; story of cameraman using a noisy DeVry 35mm Cine Camera to film General Bernard Montgomery; question of trade tests; opinion of his skills as news film cameraman; accommodation at Pinewood Studios; spirit of cameraman; discipline and independent nature of three man camera units; attending junior officers course with Irish Guards at Guards Depot, Caterham; failure rate; promotion to sergeant at end of training and importance of rank; relations with war correspondents and sources of intelligences.

REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as cameraman with No 3 Army Film and Photographic Unit in GB, 4/1943-6/1944: selection for service in India; question of taking commission; filming 'Rough Weather Landing' with Commandos in St Ives area, 1943; background to attachment as cameraman to General Miles Dempsey. Recollections of period as cameraman with No 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North West Europe, 6/1944-9/1945: story of landing with General Miles Dempsey's staff in Normandy, 7/6/1944; problems of filming General Miles Dempsey; amusing story of filming King George VI in Normandy beach-head, 16/6/1944; how General Bernard Montgomery provided jeep for cameramen; filming return of General Charles De Gaulle to Bayeux, Normandy, 14/6/1944; filming Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

REEL 6 Continues: filming Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Normandy, 12/6/1944; rules for filming VIPs; attitude to filming VIPs; attachment to 12th Corps and forming partnership with Gordon 'Jock' Walker; method of filming stories; degree of contact with Headquarters, Army Film and Photographic Unit; incident of being surrounded; chain of command; film stock supplies; independent nature of role and liaison with Headquarters, Army Film and Photographic Unit; question of lack of coverage; relations within unit; degree of contact with commanding officer Major Hugh Stewart.

REEL 7 Continues: transfer of cameramen between different units; unit casualties; filming action films; filming crossing of Albert Canal, Belgium, 9/9/1944; filming flame throwing Churchill Crocodile tanks; problems with Vinten Model K Normandy 35mm Cine Camera in cold weather; attitude towards reports sent from War Office; need to reconstruct scenes and use close ups; question of recreating battle scenes; attitude of troops to being filmed; initial problems encountered with officer when trying to film troops entering Hamburg, Germany; filming flame throwing Churchill Crocodile tanks in Netherlands; reaction to filming aftermath of Falaise Gap battle; lack of self-censorship; obtaining intelligence from different units; question of behaviour on being captured.

REEL 8 Continues: dangers of filming at Blerick in Netherlands, 3/12/1944; filming in Berlin, Germany, 7/1945; source of cine film stories in Berlin, Germany, 7/1945; attitude towards Germans; filming Sandbostel Concentration Camp, Germany; dispersal of unit, 8/1945-9/1945; demobilisation, 9/1945; determination to enter film industry after service; joining ATC, 1944; opinion of importance of service with Army Film and Photographic Unit; preference for documentary film making.

Filming General Demopsey's H.Q. 20th July 1944

 

As an aside Sgt. Johnson was also involved in filming the Russian Military Delegation's visit to Nomandy including their tour of the British Airborne landing zones.



Regards ...

 

No.5 A.F.P.S. Irish Guards Training Depot, Lingfield, February 1944

FRONT ROW
C.S.M. KOERY (I.G.), LT. Harry THOMPSON, Lt. Jack FLACK, Cpt. EVANS, Lt.Col. TUFTON (I.G.), Maj. Gen. LAWSON, Lt.Col. MURPHY (I.G.) 2/Lt. CROSBY (I.G.), Lt. Peter HANDFORD, Lt. MALINDINE, R.S.M. KELLY (I.G.)

2nd ROW
Sgt. CARROLL (I.G.), Les CARPENTER, John CONNOLLY (3), Max COLLINS, Bob JONES, Fred PALMER, Mike LEWIS (6), Charlie WATERHOUSE, Norman MIDGELY (4), Dick LEATHERBARROW, Des O'NEILL, C.S.M. HOME (I.G.)
(Some names are in incorrect order, number in brackets refer to their actual positions in the row from the left.)

3rd ROW
Eddy SMALES, Ernie WALTER, Jerry RENNISON, Terry MCARDLE, Bill LEESON, George LAWS, Vic WATKINS, Len HARRIS, George LEGGE, Norman JOHNSON

BACK ROW
Jim MAPHAM, Bill WOOLDRIDGE, Allen TAYLOR, Norman CLAGUE, Roy PARKINSON, Bert WILKES, Jock LAING, Don ROBSON, Ian GRANT, Bert HARDY, Cpl. KOYLE (I.G.)

 

Award Military Medal Sgt. Henry Martin Wilson, No. 2 Army Film and Photo Unit, Royal Corps of Signals

WO 373/2/283

IWM NA 388

Sergeant H. M. Wilson of No. 2 Army Film and Photographic Unit has been awarded the Military Medal for his part in the No. 1 Commando raid on Cap Serrat, when having lost his camera through enemy ambush and after having swum some distance ashore, assisted in the evacuation of the wounded whilst under fire, 2 January 1943.

 

Cameramen at the Quarry Awards - July 16th, 1944.



Regards ...

 

That is George Rodger (Life) jotting notes, looks like a Contax II around his neck. Along with Capa, H.C.B., a founding member of Magnum.

Captain Malindine (No.5 A.F.P.S.) behind him.