At Lofty's SOGs meeting the other week he gave me a couple of bags of photos he found somewhere or other. I have selected and scanned a few of the most interesting and would be interested to hear members opinions and thoughts on them. Where there is anything written or stamped on the reverse I will include the description. First what appears to be a RN escort carrier, a converted merchant ship.
Next one - nothing written on the back but it is stamped 'supplied by Fox photos, 6 Tudor Street, London EC4'.
This is marked with 'The Dreaded Forts (RAF pilots briefed to avoid flying over them)'. Is that a Flak 88 on the right hand side? Where would flak towers like this be? North Sea coast?
Finally one for the AFV buffs. This has 'M44872/7' handwritten on the back and a stamp from 'Graphic Photo Union, 200 Grays Inn Road, London WC1'. Is the tank a Cromwell? Could it be being loaded in one of the London Docks? Any idea of an approximate date or what the ship is?
That's a rather interesting Churchill. thought at first it might be a bridger or Ark with no bridge, but nothing quite fits, and then thought it looks suspiciously like bulldozing gear - but again, it doesn't fit any info that's immediately sprung from the bookshelf. Cupola's odd too, though maybe just a waterproof box placed over? Hmmm. I am rusty at this stuff...
Can anyone trace T31565? I can't make out what the 'stuff' hanging off the back of the tank is - it seems to be part of the tank and not the ship behind. Some engineer variant perhaps? Ah, that looks a good match Owen. Mentions hinged spade anchor and A frame winch, the cupola look similar too.
Blohm & Voss Ha 140 Pic of D-AMME here. http://www.luftarchiv.de/index.htm?/flugzeuge/blohm-voss/bv140.htm
D-AMME (Damn) you're getting good at this Owen! The carrier in post#1 - the aircraft seem to be Grumman Wildcats? Post #6 Is that Walcheren? Giveaway might be the windmill.
While we are having a go at tank spotting, may I offer a few more more pics, actually a series of pics I offered for sale on Ebay with no takers , they depict the loading, journey and arrival at Belsen camp and it destruction, just might be of interest to tank buffs here on the forum, they are original prints regards to all lofty
I can see why you didn't offer those to me Lofty - some great pics there. Wonder if the Buffalos were on their way to Walcheren or the Rhine crossing? The Crocodile pictures are good too - always had a soft spot for the flame throwing Churchill - and I know bugger all about tanks.
Post No 5 - sea Fort, this is British. It's a Royal Navy fort on the Thames Estuary (or possibly elsewhere, Bristol? Liverpool?) They complemented the more well known Army Forts which were very different; so it's not an 88 it's a3.5. Noel
Agreed , pic on IWM website. Thames Estuary Sea Fort (Naval Type). © IWM (MOD 426)IWM Non Commercial Licence http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30018261 Thames Estuary Sea Fort (Naval Type). © IWM (MOD 426)IWM Non Commercial Licence
Funny that - I wondered when I first saw the pic whether it was a British of German tower. I settled for German when I saw the description on the back about avoiding overflying. Guess the RAF weren't too confident in AA gun crew aircraft id. Very different to the well known 'Maunsell' forts. Would the AA guns have been 3.5 or 3.7"? I have followed the threads about anti tank use of 3.7s with interest since I have looked into local HAA sites a bit and we seem to have one of the best preserved close to me in Ilford.
