schwere 24cm Kanone(t): In Action at the Siege of Leningrad

     The back breaking job of loaders of heavy siege guns is amply illustrated in this photograph. The gun is the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) and the crew belonged to the 2. Bataillon, Artillerie Regiment 84, Heeresgruppe Nord. As for the date and location, the photograph was taken sometime in September 1941 in Russia during the opening weeks of the Siege of Leningrad which ran from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. The battalion consisted of three batteries, each battery being equipped with two of these massive guns.

     The gun itself, however, was not of German manufacture. The gun was designed by Škoda, which was then located within the Austrian Empire, based on a request in 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian Army. The request was for a gun capable of demolishing targets far behind enemy lines as the current heavy siege guns in service lacked the desired range. Škoda, in order to save both development time and material resources, constructed the new 24cm Kanone M. 16 in parallel with the larger 38cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16 and so the new gun utilized the same horizontal sliding-block breech, gun carriage, and firing platform as the bigger weapon. Construction began in 1916 but only two examples were completed before the end of World War One. Another six were constructed between 1918 and 1921 and were used by the Czechoslovakian Army. When Germany, in 1938, annexed Czechoslovakia, the German Heer (Army) purchased the six guns from the Czechoslovak government and put them into service as the schwere 24cm Kanone(t).

     Deploying the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was a long, laborious task. For transport, the gun was broken down into four loads (barrel, carriage, and two halves of the base box), each carried on an eight-wheeled, electrically powered trailer. Each trailer was pulled by a Austro-Daimler Artillerie-Generator Zugwagen M. 16. These specialized trucks were fitted with two electric generators which were powered by the truck's 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The generators provided power to the truck's rear wheels and drove the electric motors in each of the trailer's eight wheels. A fifth truck towed an ammunition trailer that carried 28 complete rounds plus a loading crane. Top speed of the gun train was just under 9mph. For longer distances, the entire gun train was moved by rail via locomotive. Once a firing site was chosen, ground depending, it took 8 to 20 hours to prepare the firing pit to accept the assembled base box. Using a series of jacks and guide rails, the two halves of the base box were connected then lowered into the pit. The entire base box measured 21ft. long, 17ft. wide, and 4.6ft. high. Once the box was in place, it took another 6 to 8 hours to assemble the gun. The carriage was moved into position, jacked up to allow the trailer to be removed, then it was lowered to the base box and bolted down. Block and tackle was used to lift the barrel from the trailer then fit the barrel onto the carriage with the final steps being the connection of the recoil brake pistons, filling the recoil system with hydraulic fluid, then testing the entire recuperator mechanism. The combat weight of the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) totaled 95 tons.

     The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) rested on a turntable fitted to the base box that allowed the gun to be traversed a full 360 degrees. Elevation was a maximum of 41 degrees and a minimum of 10 degrees. Each shell weighed 437lbs. and consisted of the shell itself and a separate, 43lb. cased powder charge. The photograph depicts the gun just after firing with one loader removing the spent cased charge, smoke still issuing from it. The size of the case is quite evident in comparison to the loader. The gun has already been lowered to 6 degrees to permit reloading and behind the loader, three men are prepared to move the projectile into the breech with the aid of a roller race. The shell was put onto the race via a crane, not seen in this photograph. Once the loader was clear, the race was pushed forward and the three men shoved the projectile into the gun. This was followed by the powder charge. Once the breech was closed, the gun was elevated back up to its original firing position and upon the order to fire, the gunner pulled the lanyard, sending the projectile down range. The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was capable of a maximum range of 16 miles thanks to its 2,600 feet per second muzzle velocity. A skilled crew could fire one round every minute.

     Prior to deploying to the Eastern Front, the battalion had been positioned on Cap-Gris-Nez, Pas de Calais in France to interdict British shipping within the English Channel as well as provide protective fire for Kreigsmarine ships operating in the channel. By June 1942, the barrels of the battalion's guns had worn out and were shipped back to Škoda for refurbishment of the barrels and repairs of the gun components and equipment. Usage of substandard metals caused one of the barrels to rupture during testing which caused considerable delay in the refitting. It would not be until July 18, 1943 did the battalion receive two refurbished guns, enough to equip a single battery. The unit was deployed back to the Eastern Front, again under Heeresgruppe Nord. Another two guns arrived in January 11, 1945 to equip a second battery but four would be the total the battalion would get. The battalion continued to see action but would eventually be caught up in the Courland Pocket, surrendering on May 10, 1945 to the Soviet Army.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Abandoned in Sudova Vyshnia

     A group of Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD; Reich Labor Service) soldiers take some time to explore an abandoned Soviet T-35 heavy tank in the village of Sudova Vyshnia sometime in 1942. The tank, hull number 715-61, was constructed in 1936 and was the first to be fitted with the P-40 anti-aircraft machine-gun mount on the main turret and was the thirty-first overall T-35 tank to be built. It was issued to the 68th. Tank Regiment whose repair center was located within the village and on June 24, 1941, the tank was listed as needing repair to its gearbox and fan drive. However, the rapid advance of German forces would see to it that the repairs were not completed (or perhaps not even started) and so on June 29, 1941, the breeches of the main turret's 76.2mm KT-28 gun and the two 45mm 20K guns in the secondary turrets were removed along with all the machine-guns, ammunition and optics. This was all buried in the ground away from the tank to keep it from falling into the hands of the Germans. When the Germans occupied Sudova Vyshnia, the T-35 was a favored curiosity to visit and be photographed with. Over time, bits and pieces of the tank were removed and photographs of the derelict T-35 by January 1942 showed the radio antenna around the main turret missing, leaving only the support struts which dates this photograph to the late spring or summer of 1942. The two white stripes on the main turret identify the tank as belonging to the 68th. Tank Regiment.

     Of interest is the fact that the RAD troops are equipped with old Gewehr 98 rifles which are of World War One vintage. This is evidenced by the straight bolt handle, the location of the front rifle strap fitting, and the overall length of the rifle. Some of them appear to have been modified in some degree to post-WW1 Karabiner 98b standards. These changes included using a tangent-leaf rear sight instead of the Lange tangent sight, turning down the bolt handle, and the removal of the front and rear rifle strap swivel mounts and replacing them with simple loop on the front barrel band and a lateral slot cut into the stock. The RAD soldier nearest the camera appears to only have the newer tangent-leaf sight as it retains the straight bolt handle and given the way the rifle is slung, appears to have the original swivel strap mounts. Notice also the variance in the wood coloration of the rifle stocks among the soldiers. RAD units were not considered, at this time, as front line combat troops and so had to make do with elderly weapons. Given the lack of equipment, these men may have been taking an excursion to visit the T-35 wreck. The distinctive RAD service cap can be seen tucked into the front of the belts of some of the soldiers. What informs the viewer they are RAD men is due to the arm shields (Dienststellenabzeichen) seen above the armband but the photograph is too blurry to make out the numbers on the shields which would identify their unit. As a note, by 1942, there were some 427 RAD units deployed on the Eastern Front and as the war ground on and the Soviet war machine ground up regular Wehrmacht forces, these units saw more and more combat rather than the rear echelon tasks they had originally been deployed to do.

Lieutenant Richard E. Smith: 39th. Fighter Squadron

     Lieutenant Richard E. Smith stands next to his Lockheed P-38H “Japanese Sandman II” (serial number 42-66905). Smith’s previous aircraft, a P-38F, had been written off and so he carried over the name to his new mount. Smith was with the 39th. Fighter Squadron, 35th. Fighter Group, 5th. Air Force and the unit flew missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater beginning in June 1942. By the close of 1943, the 39th. transitioned to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The P-38s were transferred to the 431st. Fighter Squadron, 475th. Fighter Group that operated from North Borio Airfield, Borio. 

     On December 4, 1943, Lieutenant Dolphus Ransome Dawson II took the former Smith’s P-38H up for a training exercise but during the flight, the aircraft developed mechanical problems and Dawson had no choice but to force land the plane. Unable to make any of the nearby airfields, Dawson brought the plane down into a swamp near Embi Airfield No. 2 located in Papua, New Guinea. The P-38H was a complete write-off but Dawson walked away without injury. Rescue personnel from the airfield retrieved Dawson but the aircraft was abandoned where it lay. 

     Smith would survive the war, achieving seven kills against Japanese aircraft (two A6M Zeros fighters, two Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters, two Ki-61 “Tony” fighters, and one G4M “Betty” bomber) which made him an ace. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Captain and passed away in 2006. Dawson would also retire from the Air Force, earning the rank of Major, before passing on in 1995. 

     Sometime in the 1980s, the wreckage of the P-38H was discovered and in 1986, Smith would visit the crash site of his former aircraft. In 2003, both tail booms and other various parts and components from the P-38H were salvaged and as of 2006, remain with Precision Aerospace out of Wangaratta, Australia. As for the 39th. Fighter Squadron, it is still in active service as the 39th. Flying Training Squadron, operating out of Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The 431st. Fighter Squadron, however, was inactivated on June 30, 1992, the General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” being the last aircraft the unit flew.

Obergefreiter: Panzer-Abteilung 300

     A studio photograph of an Obergefreiter (Senior Corporal) of a panzer unit. Comparing the uniform to the previous panzer crewman photograph before this image, one will note that the pink piping is no longer present on the collars as a means to simplify production of the uniform. His rank is denoted by the insignia on his sleeve consisting of two strips of tress forming a downward pointing “V” on a triangular wool backing. For decorations, he wears the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) through the buttonhole of his tunic. Next is the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge) which was awarded to recognize those who showed exceptional élan and achievement while involved in armored combat. The medal beside it is the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge 3rd. Class). It was awarded to those wounded 1-2 times in combat. The semi-matte black paint of the medal has been worn off, no doubt from rubbing against equipment and metal within the confines of a tank.

     The main interest in this photograph is the Krimschild (Crimea Shield) which is sewn to the sleeve of his tunic above his rank. Instituted on July 25, 1942, the Krimschild was awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet forces in the successful taking of the Crimea region from September 21, 1941 to July 4, 1942. This meant that the Obergefreiter was with a unit under the 11th. Army which von Manstein commanded during the Crimea Campaign. Thus, it is possible that he belonged to the only panzer unit attached to the 11th. Army, Panzer-Abteilung 300. This unit specialized in using radio-controlled demolition tanks, being equipped with the Schwerer Ladungsträger Borgward B IV (Sd.Kfz. 301; Heavy Explosive Carrier Borgward B IV), the Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302; Light Explosive Carrier Goliath), and Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd.Kfz. 141) medium tanks.

Offiziersanwärter: Decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

     A driver of a Panzerkampfwagen V Panther smiles for the camera after having just been decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). This decoration for bravery in the face of the enemy was relatively common, being awarded nearly five million times to individuals during World War Two. The award was typically presented to the recipient in a blue paper packet with “Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939” printed on it. Inside the packet was the medal and the ribbon. The recipient also received an award document and his soldbuch (the standard military identification document) was noted with the award and the date it was received. For the purposes of the photograph, the ribbon was fitted through the ring on the medal and looped around the lapel of his panzerjacke (more commonly referred to as a panzer wrap). The medal was not worn on the uniform and so soldiers usually either put it with their belongings or sent it back home. The ribbon would be fitted through the upper buttonhole on the left lapel of the jacket and sewn down.

     For rank, the driver is a Gefreiter and this is denoted by the single chevron on his sleeve. This rank was the equivalent to a Private First Class in the U.S. Army. However, around his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) can be seen two loops of silver tress. This denotes him as being a Offiziersanwärter, or Officer Aspirant. Thus, he would attend one of the Kriegsschulen (war schools) and while in the school, he would hold the rank of Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier. As he neared completion of his studies, his rank would become Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel. Finally, upon graduation, he would serve in the role of acting Leutnant with the rank of Oberfähnrich. Once he earned his commission, his rank would then become Leutnant. The course of study was an intense, eight week program which taught leadership and command skills and techniques. Once this program was completed, the Offiziersanwärter moved on to a Truppenschule, or branch of service school. In this soldier's case, it would be to a Panzertruppenschule. Other branches, such as combat engineers (pionier) and medical personnel had their own schools.

      The piping along the schulterstücke and the collar of the panzerjacke was pink as was the piping around the collar tabs. This was the waffenfarb, or branch color, of panzer troops. Earlier in the war, a pink inverted chevron called a soutache was sewn over the Reichskokade on the front of the M1938 feldmütze (field cap) being worn here but as the war went on, this was done away with for simplicity sake and in any case, the later M1942 feldmütze had a two-button front which when undone, allowed the sides of the cap to fold down over the wearer's ears. This new style left no room for the soutache. This photograph also gives a detailed view of the kehlkopfmikrofon (throat microphone) and the accompanying kopfhörer (headphones) which were used for communication within the tank by the crew members. The metal bar near his arm is the rung fitted to the outside of the driver's hatch. Because of this feature, the model of the PzKpfw V is either an Ausf A or Ausf D series Panther as the hatch swiveled to the side. The Ausf G model used a hinged hatch.

Polikarpov I-16 "Red 64": Crash-Landed on Lake Ladoga

     The Finnish, despite being outmanned and outgunned, managed to severely bloody the nose of the invading Soviets during the Winter War which took place between November 30, 1939 and March 13, 1940. The peace, however, would be short lived and once more, the Finnish went to war against the Soviets in the Continuation War which commenced on June 25, 1941. Typically flying aircraft considered obsolete, the Finnish Air Force downed 360 Soviet aircraft of various types by the close of 1941 with the loss of 54 of their own. 

     Heavily reliant on imported combat aircraft due to having little indigenous aircraft production capability, the Finnish made much use of captured Soviet aircraft. One such aircraft was this Soviet Polikarpov I-16 fighter (“Red 64”) that made a crash landing on the frozen, snow covered Lake Ladoga and was captured by the Finnish on December 10, 1941. The I-16 was the primary Soviet fighter in 1941 and would soldier on into 1943 before being completely replaced by more modern designs. This particular I-16 was equipped with four underwing rails, two per wing, which carried the RS-82 air-to-surface rocket. The Finnish recovered “Red 64” and sent it to the State Aircraft Factory where it was given the Finnish code IR-104 but it was not able to be returned to a flyable state. In fact, only one captured I-16 (IR-101) was ever deployed starting with 3./Le.Lv.6 (3rd. Flight/Flying Squadron 6) and later 2./Le.Lv.30 and even then, it was not used in combat and instead served as a test plane and aerial aggressor for pilots to train against.

Char B1 (n° 463) “Davout”: Victim of the Luftwaffe

     The 28e BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat) was created from assets of the former 512e RCC (Régiment de Chars de Combat) on August 26, 1939 at Chalons-sur-Marne. The new unit’s motto was “Toujours Devant” which meant “Always in Front”. The Char B1 heavy tank “Davout” (n° 463) was assigned to 2e Compagnie (2nd. Company) and was commanded by Lieutenant Jean Lafforgue whose crew consisted of driver Caporal (Corporal) Lebris, gunner Caporal Meissonier, and radio operator Caporal Magaud. 

     On June 6, 1940, the 28e BCC along with the 25e BCC, were deploying towards the French town of Roye in order to shore up and clear the left flank of the 29e DI (Division d'Infanterie; other sources say it was the 24e DI) of any German combat forces. At approximately 10:30am, the unit came under fire from both anti-tank guns as well as artillery. “Davout” had its external radio apparatus destroyed and suffered damage to the left side running gear which was severe enough that Lebris could only drive the tank in 4th gear and even then, only in a snaking pattern. In the end, his efforts to drive the tank forwards ceased when the German Luftwaffe appeared in the skies. 

     A near miss from a bomb was enough to literally lift “Davout” off the ground and it came down into a deep ditch. None of the crew was injured (but certainly shook up) and quickly bailed out of the tank. A nearby Char B1, “Dassas”, was flagged down and the “Davout’s” crew hooked up tow chains to “Dassas” but as the attempt to pull “Davout” from the ditch commenced, the engine caught fire. The tow chains were hastily released and the fire spread, detonating some of the ammunition which buckled the left side hull. The fire burned itself out but now “Davout” was completely out of action and was abandoned, the crew being carried out of the battlefield by another Char B1 named “Kellerman” (n° 514).
 

Char B1 (n° 490) “Rivoli”: Abandoned Outside Milly-sur-Thérain

     On May 28, 1940, a two Char B1 tank element from 1ère Compagnie, 47e BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat) was a part of the combat known as the Battle of Abbeville which commenced on May 27, 1940 to June 4, 1940. The two tanks which made up the element were “Rivoli” (n° 490) and “Crouy” (n° 404). “Rivoli” was received by the 1st. Company on May 10, 1940 and not long after, was rolling into combat. The tank was commanded by Lieutenant Gazelle with the remainder of the crew being Sergent Miard (driver), Chassseur Guillot (gunner), and Chassseur Riedinger (radio operator). Without any infantry support, the two tanks along with other 47e BCC tanks proceeded towards the village of Huppy along the Doudelainville-Poultières-Huppy Road. No enemy was seen until machine-gun fire and strikes from 37mm anti-tank guns began to rattle off “Rivoli’s” armor. Lt. Gazelle steered his tank towards the direction of the enemy fire and began to fire the co-axial 7.5mm Châtellerault M1931 machine-gun but in short order, it jammed. Another B1, “Jeanne d’Arc”(“Joan of Arc”; n° 425), crushed a German PaK 36 37mm anti-tank gun position by running it over. Gazelle ordered the hull-mounted 75mm ABS SA 35 howitzer into action and he himself manned the turret mounted 47mm SA 34 gun. In short order, the Germans were routed, fleeing in the face of what appeared to be unstoppable tanks. At the time, Gazelle did not know it but his tanks had engaged two battalions from Infanterie-Regiment 217 (IR 217) who had nothing heavier than the ineffective PaK 36 with which to attempt to stop the B1 tanks and thus crumbled and fled when the only anti-armor weapons they had were seemingly useless. 

     As “Rivoli” continued on towards Huppy, Gazelle lost sight of “Crouy” as the tanks continued to be involved in mopping up pockets of resistance by the remains of IR 217. Around this time, Miard informed Gazelle that the oil for the complex Neader transmission was almost at zero which meant a leak. Gazelle ordered the tank to a halt and shut the engine down. Quickly, the crew attempted to locate the leak in an attempt to repair it for without the Neader transmission, the tank would become difficult to steer and also the aiming mechanism for the 75mm howitzer was tied into the transmission. Unfortunately, the leak could not be found and so not wanting to be a sitting target, Gazelle decided to risk making for Huppy. “Rivoli” arrived at a rally point north-east of Doudelainville and here, the leak was found as well as another leak near the engine’s carburetor. The issue with the co-axial machine-gun was also fixed, the stoppage having been caused by a round which swelled in the breech, preventing extraction. Repairs were effected and the tank went back into action but on June 5, 1940, “Rivoli” was abandoned due to further engine problems somewhere between Milly-sur-Thérain and the Vauroux. 

     As for “Crouy”, its remains were discovered near Croisettes, having been hit twice by 105mm shells, likely from a German 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer using direct fire. The commander, Lt. Bauche, was killed when the first round struck the tank’s turret. The driver, Sergent Rouille, was killed when the second shell crushed the driver’s side hull. The remainder of the crew, Chassseur Baumont and Chassseur Nacre, were severely injured. The other mentioned tank, “Jeanne d’Arc”, in just two hours of combat, was hit some 90 times and once its main guns were put out of action from the hail of anti-tank rounds, the tank simply ran through enemy positions. In all, “Jeanne d’Arc” destroyed 12 anti-tank guns and two German armored cars before the Char B1 was struck near Croisettes by a large caliber anti-tank round (at the time, believed to have been from a German 8.8cm gun) which set the engine on fire. The crew was able to abandon the vehicle with only minor wounds. 

The Moschetto Automatico Beretta 38: Italy's Best World War II Submachinegun

     Designed in 1935 by Tullio Marengoni, the Moschetto Automatico Beretta 38 (Beretta Automatic Musket 38; MAB 38) would prove to be one of the best Italian small arms of World War Two. The MAB 38, better known simply as the Model 38, was a traditional blowback firearm. Other features included a recoil compensator fitted to the muzzle, a sliding dust cover operated by the bolt, and utilization of a floating firing pin. Unlike many select fire weapons, the Model 38 used dual triggers instead of a lever. The forward trigger fired the weapon in semi-automatic while the rear trigger fired the Model 38 in full automatic. The key advantage of this was that the operator could quickly change fire modes without having to take the weapon off target or potentially lose critical seconds by having to flip a lever. The Model 38 also enjoyed a longer range than most sub-machineguns thanks to the Cartuccia 9mm M38 ammunition. This was a standard 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge but the M38 round was a “hot” load, meaning, additional gunpowder within the cartridge in order to increase muzzle velocity which in turn produced a greater effective range. 

     The Model 38 was a high quality weapon, even when the war situation forced some changes to allow for faster and cheaper production. The Model 38 was widely used by Italian forces, many of them elite such as the Reggimento San Marco and 185ª Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore. So well respected was the Model 38 that captured weapons were quickly put into service with German forces as the Maschinenpistole MP 739(i) where it was preferred over their own German built MP 38 and MP 40 sub-machineguns. Not surprisingly, even Allied troops, when able, used captured Model 38s as this picture of a U.S. soldier with one attests to.
 

Vickers-Carden-Loyd A4E12: Chinese 8th. Route Army

     In 1932, the Chinese military purchased a number of the Vickers-Carden-Loyd A4E12 light amphibious tank. See an earlier post (from June 4) for more details about this tank. These would see action against the Japanese at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The photograph depicts a column of A4E12 tanks of the 1st. Platoon, 8th. Route Army which was based near Canton circa 1933.

     The nearest vehicle is the last tank of the platoon as denoted by the number “6” on the side of the hull. The 1st. Platoon tanks were numbered 1 through 6 while 2nd. Platoon had tanks 7 through 12. The Nationalist insignia on the tank’s turret may have been added to the photograph as normally, these tanks did not carry any insignia on them. The 8th. Route Army was a Chinese Communist Party force which prior to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, fought against Nationalist Chinese (Kuomintang) forces under Chiang Kai-shek as part of the Chinese Civil War which began on August 1, 1927. The Japanese invasion of China in 1937 would see the Communists and Nationalists put aside their differences and combine forces to repel the Japanese as the Second United Front. However, the alliance was weak at best and neither side ceased vying for power to the point they were ineffective in stopping the Japanese. The 8th. Route Army was commanded by Communist leader Mao Zedong and General Zhu De. 

     Following the exit of Japan in World War Two, Chiang Kai-shek attempted to broker peace with Zedong but this failed and the Chinese Civil War resumed in 1946 with the Communist forces emerging victorious. On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China and would remain the Chairman of the Communist Party until his death on September 9, 1976.

British A10 Cruiser Tank Mk. IIA: 7th. Armored Brigade

(Associated Press)

     An Associated Press wire photograph dated January 26, 1941 depicts the crew of a British A10 Cruiser Tank Mk. IIA enjoying a Christmas Day meal. This would put a date of December 25, 1940 when the photograph was actually taken by the war correspondent. According to the tag line, the men were eating a British Christmas pudding which was made from biscuit rations, prunes, marmalade, and rum. The men appear to be haphazardly uniformed but all five men are wearing the standard tank crew pants that featured large thigh pockets. All of the pants show varying degrees of staining from oil, grease, and other grit and grime found inside tanks as well as staining from having to perform mechanical maintenance on their tank. The pants also show various degrees of sun bleaching. Three of the men sport the British Army peaked cap while the other two have knit hats. Given the temperature can plummet even in the desert during the evening and night, all the men have various jackets and sweaters over their uniform blouses for warmth. Of interest, three of the men appear to be carrying captured Italian Beretta Model 1934 semi-automatic pistols judging by the shape and design of the leather holsters. That they are carrying captured Italian weapons can be bolstered by the Carcano Modello 1891 bolt-action rifle seen on top of the tank turret. The AP photograph stated the tank crew was in the vicinity of the Libyan city of Bardia. If this is accurate, it would mean the men were part of the British 7th. Armored Brigade. This was because the unit, along with elements of the 7th. Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), were attached to Australian forces consisting of the 6th. Australian Division along with the 16th. and 17th. Australian Infantry Brigades for the purposes of assaulting Bardia. That the men belonged to the 7th. Armored Brigade is because the only tanks the 7th. RTR had with them for the attack were Matilda II infantry tanks.

     The Australians began building up their forces in the Bardia area beginning in December 1940. The Australian units were not at full compliment and thus it took some effort to fill the gaps with various British forces in the region to ensure the Australian units were at strength. The time was used by the British Royal Air Force to dispatch reconnaissance sorties from No.208 Squadron flying Westland Lysander aircraft escorted by Gloster Gladiator fighters from No.3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force. In addition, foot patrols goaded Italian artillery to fire which divulged their locations while these patrols also conducted ground reconnaissance of Italian antitank obstacles and barbed wire lines. On December 24, 1940, Christmas Eve, British Major General Richard O'Connor directed the commander of the assembled forces, Australian Lieutenant General Iven Giffard Mackay, to begin planning for the taking of Bardia. Defending Bardia were some 45,000 Italian troops, made up mainly from the remnants of four infantry divisions along with a mixture of Blackshirt divisions, frontier guards, and three companies of elite Bersaglieri infantry troops.

     The attack commenced on December 31, 1940 when RAF bombers began a series of sorties against Bardia which lasted until January 2, 1941. Over 100 sorties were flown by No.70 Squadron RAF and No.216 Squadron RAF with fighters patrolling the skies from No.33, No.73, and No.274 Squadrons RAF. Ground artillery added to the bombardment with the Lysanders from No.208 Squadron acting as spotters for the Australian and British guns. On January 3, the Royal Navy battleships HMS Warspite, Valiant, and Barham along with their escorts commenced ship-to-shore bombardment, firing nearly 245 rounds of ammunition from their big guns before departing, leaving the bombardment duties to the elderly HMS Terror (a monitor launched in 1916) and her escorts, the gunboats HMS Ladybird, Aphis, and Gnat. At 0416, the Australian units were on their start lines and at 0530, the artillery bombardment commenced. Sappers went forward in advance of the infantry to clear lanes and once these lanes were open, the assault got underway. By 0920, the Australian forces had achieved their objectives, having made good progress against the Italian defenders. The second wave of Australian forces commenced their attack following an artillery barrage that started at 1125. The Australians again made progress but the Italian resistance was stiffer and at the end of the day, the Australians and British had penetrated nearly two miles into Bardia. On January 4, the attacks resumed at 0900 and as the day wore on, the Italians lost further and further ground until only isolated outposts remained. General Giuseppe Tellera, who commanded the Italian 10th. Army, considered sending a relief force but in the end, saw that the situation at Bardia was hopeless and any relief effort would be doomed to failure. The combat continued but by the close of January 5, 1941, victory belonged to the Australians and British. All told, the Allies attacked with 16,000 men against the Italian strength of 45,000. Of the Allied forces, 130 perished with 326 wounded but the Italians suffered 1,703 killed in action with 3,740 men wounded. Another 36,000 Italians surrendered to Australian and British forces.

Private Wiley: Boca Raton Army Air Field

     Date unknown and assuming the name written on the photograph pertains to the soldier, then Private Wiley poses with his M1903A3 Springfield bolt-action rifle on the sands somewhere in Boca Raton, Florida. That we know the location is because, written on the back of the photograph, it reads: “This is on bivouac at Boca Raton. Everything was sand including half I ate.”

     Even though the date is not known, we can place it to at least after June 1, 1942 when Boca Raton Army Air Field (AAF) officially opened. The facility was under the jurisdiction of the 3501st. Base Unit, Eastern Technical Training Command. Other units stationed at the airfield included the 319th. Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron, the 26th. Anti-Submarine Wing, and the 13th. Sub Depot, Air Technical Service Command. The entire base encompassed some 5,860 acres with a little over 800 buildings and a regular population of 16,000 military personnel. The main role of Boca Raton AAF was to train personnel in the use of radar. In addition to instruction on using radar, training was also provided on maintaining radar equipment and the unit also performed the installation of radar gear in aircraft.

     PVT Wiley looks to be wearing the M1938 one-piece herringbone twill (HBT) coverall which suggests he may have been a mechanic as this uniform item was typically only issued to mechanics in addition to tank crewmen. However, the coveralls soon became popular with other branches in the U.S. Army so this isn't a reliable indicator of his military profession. For equipment, PVT Wiley has little. It would appear that he only has on his M1VA1 gas mask bag that contained his M3 diaphragm gas mask. For head covering, he is only wearing the liner to the M1 steel helmet. The bayonet fixed to his rifle is the original M1905 pattern which featured a 16 inch blade. By 1943, a new bayonet for the M1903 was issued, the M1, which was shorter at 10 inches. Many of the original M1905 bayonets were taken out of service, modified to M1 standards, then reissued.

     As for Boca Raton AAF, by the end of World War Two, the need for the facility fell and on May 5, 1947, the last class from the radar school graduated. The program then moved to Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi. On September 18, 1947, the Category 4 Hurricane Four severely damaged the facility before all of the equipment was moved to Keesler Field. Nature wasn't done with Boca Raton AAF and on October 12, 1947, the Category 2 hurricane, informally called Hurricane King, ravaged the base to the point it was largely uninhabitable. Some of the land was returned to the town of Boca Raton and 838 acres was kept as the Boca Raton Air Force Auxiliary Field (AFAF). It was used as a secondary base for the 1707th. Air Transport Wing and the U.S. Army Chemical Corps used part of the facility as a research lab. By 1958, Boca Raton AFAF was shut down with 1,000 acres given for educational purposes (today, the land is used by Florida Atlantic University and shared with Palm Beach State College), 200 acres left for the Boca Raton Airport Authority (where Boca Raton Airport currently operates), with the remainder given back to Boca Raton.

Staff Sergeant Frank T. Lusic: 327th. Bomb Squadron

     Draped in a belt of .50cal. ammunition, Staff Sergeant Frank T. Lusic poses for the camera in front of the Boeing B-17F bomber named “Meat Hound.” Lusic was a waist gunner which was, perhaps, the most vulnerable and exposed duty position on a B-17. Each B-17 had two waist gunners, one for the port side of the aircraft and the other for the starboard side. The gunner positions were directly across from each other and since the B-17C model, each station was open-air and equipped with a Browning M2 .50cal. machine-gun. This meant that the gunners were fully exposed to the elements and the frigid temperatures when operating at 29,000ft which was the typical height the bombers would fly. In addition, since their position was open, there was no protection from enemy bullets. Each waist gunner wore electrically heated flight clothing in order to withstand temperatures that could go as low as 60 degrees below zero. Once the bomber flew above 10,000ft. in altitude, the crew had to wear oxygen masks. Finally, once the bomber was nearing the target zone or commenced to flying into enemy held territory, the gunners would don a heavy, 25lb. armored apron and in some cases, a M1 steel helmet, to serve as their only means of protection.

     Lusic is wearing the B-3, a heavy leather jacket, and A-3 leather pants. Underneath his jacket and pants would be the F-1 heated suit which included gloves and heated booties. The connectors that supply heat to the gloves can be seen poking out from underneath his jacket. He looks to be wearing the B-6 helmet with B-7 goggles. The yellow item is the B-3 “Mae West” flotation life vest and the tan straps are a QAC (Quick Attachable Chest) harness. If forced to bail out, he would quickly attach a parachute to the harness. The reason for not typically wearing the parachute was due to its bulkiness which made movement in the cramped interior of the B-17 difficult. Lusic's unit was the 327th. Bomb Squadron, 92nd. Bomb Group. On September 6, 1943, Lusic and his fellow crew of a B-17F bomber (serial 42-30000) were returning from a sortie against Stuttgart when the flight was jumped by German fighters. The bomber was heavily damaged to the point the pilot, 1st. Lieutenant Wayne Bogard, ordered everyone to abandon ship near the town of Troyes. All of the crew were able to parachute safely from the bomber which crashed near the town of Estissac, some twelve miles west of Troyes. Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Arthur Beach (top turret gunner) evaded capture, 1Lt. Bogard was captured and spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft I, S/Sgt. Floyd M. Carl managed to get back to England by boat (the “Suzanne-Renee”) on December 7, 1943, S/Sgt. Cloe R. Crutchfield (ball turret gunner) and Technical Sergeant Max Gibbs (radio operator) both evaded capture and crossed the Pyrenees in January 1944, Sergeant (Sgt) Taylor Harrison (bombardier) evaded capture, 2nd. Lieutenant (2Lt) Robert D. Larson (co-pilot) made it to Switzerland, 2Lt. James McGrew (navigator) was captured, S/Sgt. Herschell Richardson (left waist gunner) evaded capture, and Lusic (right waist gunner) was also captured and spent the rest of the war as a Prisoner of War (POW).

     As for “Meat Hound”, it had the serial 42-29524, and belonged to the 358th. Bomb Squadron, 303rd. Bomb Group. On January 11, 1944, the bomber was returning from a raid on Oschersleben when it was hit by enemy aircraft fire over Durgerdam. Pilot 1Lt. Jack W. Watson ordered the crew to bail out of the stricken bomber which the crew did near the shore of Lake IJssel which was northeast of Amsterdam. Sadly, the fates of the crew were not as fortunate as Lusic's compatriots. 2Lt. Vance R. Colvin (bombardier), S/Sgt. Samuel L. Rowland (flight engineer), Sgt. Fred H. Booth (ball turret gunner), and Sgt. William H. Fussner (right waist gunner) all landed in the lake and drowned and would eventually be recovered and buried in Amsterdam. 2Lt. John G. Leverton (navigator), S/Sgt. Harry Romaine (radio operator), Sgt. Eugene R. Stewart (left waist gunner), and Sgt. Roman P. Kosinski (tail gunner) were all captured by the Germans and became POWs. 2Lt. Clayton C. David (co-pilot) managed to evade capture and crossed the Pyrenees and made it back to England on May 25, 1944. Watson was able to bring the crippled “Meat Hound” back to England.