Photos that make you think.

[Stonker]

Who's the VC holder?

I sincerely hope it's not the pugnacious looking fat one in the left of photo #1.

 

[Stanchion]

Who's the VC holder?

Probably George Roupell VC, last Colonel of the East Surrey Regiment,

This Chap?

 

[HE117]

I sincerely hope it's not the pugnacious looking fat one in the left of photo #1.

Nah, the Full Colonel IO has the VC..
The OC is in Blues, fat boi is a Lt..

I would speculate that the turnout is all down to the racing snake Badge mit der pace stick...

 

[HE117]

Probably George Roupell VC, last Colonel of the East Surrey Regiment,

This Chap?

That's the man..

If anyone has ever shot the Roupell cup, you will understand why he is that thin....!

 

[Bacongrills]

That's the man..

If anyone has ever shot the Roupell cup, you will understand why he is that thin....!

Cause he keeps getting shot at everytime he gets his cup out ?

 

[Murphy_Slaw]

Hitler's father. What would the world have looked like in the 20thC if he had been a "Jaffa"?

New book gives rare glimpse into Hitler's upbringing

amp-dw-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Bodenplatte]

The McNair family at home in 1943. The older man on the left is Lt Gen Leslie McNair, with his son Colonel Douglas McNair.

The two men were killed in action within 12 days of each other in July/August 1944, Leslie in Normandy and Douglas in Guam.

The General was aged 61. He is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, his son was aged 37 and is buried in Hawaii.

Old BFPO 45 hands might remember McNair Barracks.

 

[syrup]

View attachment 551963

The McNair family at home in 1943. The older man on the left is Lt Gen Leslie McNair, with his son Colonel Douglas McNair.

The two men were killed in action within 12 days of each other in July/August 1944, Leslie in Normandy and Douglas in Guam.

The General was aged 61. He is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery, his son was aged 37 and is buried in Hawaii.

Old BFPO 45 hands might remember McNair Barracks.

Wasn't the General killed on a blue on Blue by B17's.
IIRC up to that point in the war he was the most senior officer killed

 

[Bodenplatte]

Wasn't the General killed on a blue on Blue by B17's.
IIRC up to that point in the war he was the most senior officer killed

Yes. The Army had asked for air support as they kicked off Op COBRA, the American breakout from their Normandy bridghead. The 8th Air Force sent 1500 heavies, B-17s and B-24s, and the 9th sent another 1000 Mediums and fighters. Astonishing air power. The Air Forces wanted something like a mile of separation between the leading ground elements and the bomb line, but the men on the ground wanted to be much closer in order to rush and overwhelm German positions.

McNair was there to observe, and also to aid in the ongoing deception operation trying to convince the Germans that the main thrust would come elsewhere. He was killed by bombs dropped short.

 

[Goldbricker]

Yes. The Army had asked for air support as they kicked off Op COBRA, the American breakout from their Normandy bridghead. The 8th Air Force sent 1500 heavies, B-17s and B-24s, and the 9th sent another 1000 Mediums and fighters. Astonishing air power. The Air Forces wanted something like a mile of separation between the leading ground elements and the bomb line, but the men on the ground wanted to be much closer in order to rush and overwhelm German positions.

McNair was there to observe, and also to aid in the ongoing deception operation trying to convince the Germans that the main thrust would come elsewhere. He was killed by bombs dropped short.

McNairs reputation is mixed to put it mildly

His crippling the program for the 90mm tank (Indeed even the 76mm ), demand that TD's fight tanks are well known enough. He also more than any other US officer was responsible for the Horrible replacement program which fed G.I.'s like cannon fodder into units still engaged with the enemy.

You were trained say as a Bofors gunner or clerk typist and upon arrival at 10th replacement in Litchfield assigned as a rifleman or tank crewman and sent on your merry way. your survival was up to you as no extra training was usually given

As to his death didn't Bradley want the AAF to bomb parallel to the US lines and instead they bombed perpendicular with the inevitable result that smoke obscured the lines from the IP?

 

[Goldbricker]

 

[Trackpen]

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Dumbo 2: the non-animated version.

 

[Gardner6LXB]

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That’s gotta be the Indian Air Force?

I bet they never forget their way back to base.

 

[Bodenplatte]

McNairs reputation is mixed to put it mildly


As to his death didn't Bradley want the AAF to bomb parallel to the US lines and instead they bombed perpendicular with the inevitable result that smoke obscured the lines from the IP?

Yes. The Op was due to start 24 July, but was cancelled due to bad weather. However, many aircraft didn't get the recall in time, and bombed. Spillage from the bomb line caused 160 US casualties on the ground, about thirty of them fatal.

Next day, the 25th, 1500 heavy bombers went again. Cloud conditions forced them to descend to drop their ordnance, and this meant that the bombardiers had to rapidly adjust their Norden bombsight settings.

P-47s of the 9th AF had hit the area a few minutes before the heavies arrived, and as you say they had put up smoke and dust. As a result, bombs were dropped long and short killing more than a hundred GIs including McNair, and wounding 500.

You're correct again about Bradley's wish for the strike to be made parallel to the ground line, the St Lo-Periers road. He was supported in this by Air Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory who had oversight of coordinating strategic air forces with their temporary tactical use in Normandy.

The Eighth commanders, though, were adamant that they could not guarantee hitting the target if they flew parallel, and this had been shown to be the case on 6th June when another huge force missed the coastal defences at Utah and Omaha and bombed empty fields a couple of miles inland.

Jimmy Doolittle, Commanding General 8th AF, almost lost his command over the incidents but he stood by his crews, pointing out the virtual impossibility of using heavy bombers as accurate flying artillery.

 

[Ruckerwocman]

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View attachment 553735

Indian Air Force showing off. Any idea as to why they kitted out (at leas two) of their helicopters to resemble pachyderms?

 

[PuriPuriManTumas]

Indian Air Force showing off. Any idea as to why they kitted out (at leas two) of their helicopters to resemble pachyderms?

Goodness Gracious Me! Most revered of [insert Deity of choice]‘s living things ... and Oh! I so much want come back as one of that variety in order that I may shower my gift upon so many who have done so much to give me the Jimmy-Britts during my lifetime!

 

[Unremarkable]

A bit of a transformation, larks (Aloutte III) to elephants!

 

[adouglasmhor]

That’s gotta be the Indian Air Force?

I bet they never forget their way back to Best Marigold Hotel

Fixed.

 

[Stanchion]

Indian Air Force showing off. Any idea as to why they kitted out (at leas two) of their helicopters to resemble pachyderms?

This'll be the Indian copycat version of of the UK nature series 'Spy Cam in the Wild'

Unfortunately, for reasons that should have been foreseen, that elephants have not learned to duck when approaching rotors, it proved unsuccessful.

 

[BareGrills]

Eléphant, gentille Eléphant
Eléphant, je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
Je te plumerai la tête
Et la tête, et la tête
Eléphant, Eléphant
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Etc, etc ...