Collection Alfred Kühn – 20 September 1980

Meeting on 20 and 21 September 1980 where 49 sailors from the T24 and a sailor from the Z24 met to reminisce about the events of the Second World War.

A sailor's story/Les souvenirs de guerre d'un marin/Eine Seemannsgeschichte

Here is a picture of Alfred Kühn’s collection.

On 20 and 21 September 1980, 48 sailors met in Budingen, Germany.

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Alfred Kühn identified all the sailors.

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It was his son Manfred who shared this photo several months ago. It is high time to try to reach the family members of these sailors. Do you recognise any of the names of former sailors from torpedo boat T24?

Here are the first fifteen with their names:

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Pour nous contacter… To contact us… Um uns zu kontaktieren…

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Nisei – part 3 Nisei ROTC in Hawaii

Nisei – part 3 Nisei ROTC in Hawaii

Pacific Paratrooper

HI Territorial Guard, UH, 1942

On 7 December 1941, the UH ROTC Regiment over 600 strong was called out over the radio to report to duty. We reported to the ROTC Armory, which is that little wooden building now standing at the end of Sinclair Library parking lot. We were greeted by the sight of Sgt. Ward and Sgt. Hogan feverishly inserting firing pins into Springfield .03 rifles. I reported to my unit, Company “B”, 1st Battalion, commanded by Captain Nolle Smith. We were issued a clip of 5 bullets with our rifles.

It was reported that Japanese paratroopers had landed on St. Louis Heights. Our first order was to deploy down across Manoa Stream where Kanewai Park now stands and to prevent the enemy from advancing into the city. We were crouched down among the koa bushes for long hours in the hot sun, waiting for the enemy which…

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We’ll Meet Again… A Love Story

About a love story

Harry James Goodwin DFC DFM

This photo is part of Harry James Goodwin’s collection. 

Jimmy has he was called by others when he was with 78 Squadron had a girlfriend when he was stationed in England. I believe this photo was taken at Linton-on-House late 1943 or early 1944.

On what occasion was it taken that I don’t know.

What I know is that Jimmy’s daughter would like to know more about Jimmy’s girlfriend.

Hi Pierre,

My Dad is in the front middle of this photo and the girl I told you about is kneeling behind Dad with her hands on his shoulders. I would love to know who she was. I know you will find her, no pressure LOL
Regards, Gayle

I have asked Gayle for more information sending her this montage.

Hi Pierre, I think the girl you circled in green is the one Dad was going out with, the one in red…

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Book review

About a book review

Souvenirs de guerre

Book review

Bagotville 75 Years of Air Defence.

by Pierre Gillard, aeronautical reporter, 5 December 2017

The first thing you will most certainly notice when you buy this book by Marc-André Valiquette is its price! But as soon as you have it in your hands, you’ll understand why: it weighs exactly 2.9 kilograms and has 512 pages, a very large number of which are in colour. In terms of weight/price, you’re a winner, as well as, rest assured, in terms of value for the price. Indeed, in recent years, this author has accustomed us to books of excellent quality, and this one about the history of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville is also proving to be a masterpiece of historical research, documents and stories. Everything is related to it with a flawless historical meticulousness. As has been the case since Marc-André’s first title, the text is bilingual in order to satisfy…

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GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!

Christmas is just a few weeks away.

Imaviation

Bagotville – 75 Years of Air Defence

Only 14 limited / luxury editions are still available at $300 : numbers 18 – 34 – 35 – 37 – 38 – 40 – 44 – 46 – 58 – 60 – 63 – 68 – 73 and 74. Signed by Colonel Darcy Molstad, CO 3 Wing Bagotville, box with metal inlays, challenge coin, dust jacket, embossed and stamped cover.

Regular edition is $60.

WWII : No. 3 OTU, No. 130 Sqn, Hurricane, Harvard
The 50s : Vampire, Sabre, CF-100
Supersonic era : CF-101 Voodoo, CF-5
The high-technology era : CF-18

Lots on 413 Sqn, 432 Sqn, 440 Sqn, 425 Sqn, 433 Sqn.

* 512 pages
* 1,600 pictures
* 175,000 words
* 14 illustrations / cartoons
* 19 paintings
* 12 profiles
* Bilingual
* Hard Cover
* Printed and Bound in Canada by Friesens

GST included, shipping extra.
Contact me…

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Remembering the Vietnam War this Veteran’s Day

Remembering Vietnam

The Unwritten Record

In honor of Veteran’s Day and in conjunction with the opening of the National Archives’ newest exhibit, “Remembering Vietnam,” we’re highlighting some of NARA’s Vietnam era film footage. You can read more about the exhibit here and here. If you would like to conduct research relating to the Vietnam War, NARA has created a portal accessible here.

The Vietnam war brought the front lines of combat to America often mere hours after events occurred creating an increased need for film footage. The images broadcast in America’s living rooms during the war were often captured by military combat photographers. The increased demand for footage was answered by both private sector journalists and the United States government. The military increased their production of photographs and moving images and because of this, NARA’s motion picture holdings relating to the Vietnam war are quite expansive. Included in the collection are…

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Available Now!

512 pages!
About the history of Bagotville, 75 years of Air Defense

Imaviation

To contact us…

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Australian Prisoners of War Memorial.

A friend is remembering…
Australian Prisoners of War.

Paol Soren

More than 35000 Australian POWs have their names recorded on the 130m long black granite wall that makes up part of the  Memorial in the Ballarat Gardens. More names are added if they are discovered. The names are listed alphabetically. No one’s rank or serial number is recorded. All prisoners were equal. 

In front of the marble monument is a garden of Yakka bushes; a quintessential Australian plant. The granite pavement is made up of narrow stones laid to represent a railway, the most infamous of all being the notorious Burma Rail that the Japanese built during the Second World War and on which 12,621 Allied POWs died during the construction. The dead POWs included 6,904 British personnel, 2,802 Australians, 2,782 Dutch, and 133 Americans. Thousands more Asian locals were conscripted as forced labour and also died.

The wall is broken in the middle by seven stone  obelisks which stand as sentinels over our prisoners…

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“MacRoberts Reply” crash 1942 – Gals Klint

There is a Canadian airman buried there, he is a pilot P/O W.F. Hull.

More information here.

Hampden I AE148 crashed Sanderum 11/12-1941.

The aircraft belonged to RAF 408 Sqn. and was coded EQ-B.
T/O 17:15 Balderton. OP: Gardening Kiel Bay.

At 21:00 hours the aircraft crashed in a field between Dyrup and Sanderum near Odense. Apparently the aircraft exploded before hitting the ground and parts of the aircraft as well as parts of human beings were found spread over quite a large area.
The aircraft seems to have still been carrying the mines when exploding since a crater 6 x 12 meter wide and 3 meters deep was found in the field. The crew of four died.

During the evening the remains of Sgt Lynn Harding and Sgt Samuel Jamieson were found in the field while the remains of Pilot P/O William Francis Hull RCAF and Sgt Duncan Luin Todd RNZAF were found in the wreck the next day.
They were laid to rest in Odense Assistens Cemetery on 15/12-1941 at 09:00. The graveside ceremony was performed by a German Field priest and no Danes except Mayor Werner, Vice Mayor Christensen and Head of Police Seldorf were allowed to enter the cemetery while this was done.

 

Also…

On 11 December 1941 HAM AE148 crashed at Sanderum near Odense in connection with a minelaying operation over the Kiel Bay. All on board were killed.
In Sanderum this monument from 1949 is now here, about 100 m east of the crash site. In 1941 it was in a field. Now there are houses. (Source: Bent Henriksen)
The German attitude to the burial of airmen changed during the war!

“On 15 December 1941 at 10 a.m. the burial of the 4 airmen took place as a German military burial carried out by a German army chaplain.

Mayor I. V. Werner and Chief Constable H. M. V. Seldorf attended the ceremony from the Danish side, while the Garrison Commander-in-Chief, Colonel Mikkelsen and about 30 officers, who, unannounced, had come for the ceremony, were ordered to leave by the Germans about 20 minutes before the start of the burial.

The ceremony started from the chapel of rest where a German guard of honour stood at the 4 coffins. From here the coffins were carried to the plot by German soldiers.
A German company of honour led the procession. At the grave a German army chaplain made a funeral oration and officiated at the graveside. Then the coffins were lowered to drum rolls and horn chorales. Then a salute of honour was fired over the grave.

According to German custom the German officers, the two Danish civil servants and engineer Jørgen Christensen, member of the City Council, also sprinkled earth
on the graves. Inscribed wreaths were laid by the Danish and the German side. The great crowd of people who had attended the burial at a distance were allowed to
enter the cemetery after the ceremony.” (Source: FAF)

5 days later the inspector of cemeteries writes in his diary:
“There is a constant flow of people to our new soldiers’ graves with wreaths and bunches of flowers. The 4 wreaths from the Germans are continually covered, but the Germans bring them out again every day.”

About AE148

With a wrong caption about the crash…

henryhogh

Vi har gennem de seneste år været på Hindsgavl Festival og i Batteriplantagen jævnligt været forbi mindelunden for det engelske Stirling fly “MacRobert Reply”, der styrtede ned i 1942. Interessen for historien om dette fly har fået mig til at “grave” dybere og skrive denne lille beretning.

Kortudsnit af Fyn med den gamle Lillebæltsbro: (5) mindelund hvor “MacRoberts Reply” styrtede,  (6) Hindsgavl hvor den overlevende forbrændte flyver Don Jeff blev plejet, senere overført til tysk militærhospital.

Hindsgavls logo. – Mindelunden for det styrtede fly. – Mindesten over de dræbte flyvere.

På World War II today kan man læse om “MacRoberts Reply” sidste mission 18. maj 1942 der endte med fatal crash ved Gals Klint.  Stirling bombeflyet fra RAF’s 15. Squadron, havde været på et mineudlægningstogt til Øresund. Det blev under missionen ramt af antifuftskyts (flak), hvorpå det med en motor i brand satte kursen mod vest. Ved Lillebæltsbroen blev flyet…

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More on Corporal Philippe Payer

A time to remember the past

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

Corporal Philippe Payer aero-engine mechanic

Corporal Philippe Payer aero-engine mechanic testing the engine

Corporal Philippe Payer aero-engine mechanic with a Fleet Finch

This blog exists so you can tell your story or the story of those who have been forgotten in World War Two history books.

BCATP was created back in 2012 to pay homage to young kids who joined the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Philippe Payer enlisted in 1939 when the war was just one month old.  His son was just 16 months-old.

Philippe Payer probably never told his story. Corporal Philippe Payer’s son is sharing all with me, and I will share his father’s story here through his father’s pictures and service record.

Corporal Philippe Payer aero-engine mechanic service record

Every picture has its own story to tell.

Update about this picture

A comment to shed some light concerning the Kittyhawk photos.
The picture in the hangar…

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