World War Two in (Canadian) Colour

A selection of colour photographs made during and just after World War Two by Canadian Army photographers. The majority were taken on Kodachrome film--significant, as Kodachrome is by far the most stable colour film, resulting in colours that are just as vibrant today as in 1943 (none of these have been enhanced in the digitization process-- I have seen several from this collection in person!). 

The photographs range from staged to very staged, but the view they offer of the kinds of pictures the Canadian government wanted is fascinating in itself. Colour film was still quite rare, as well, and it is clear that most of the shots were chosen to maximize its impact. 

 Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

Canadian soldiers and Dutch civilians in a field of wild cabbage. Source

 Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

Airmen prepare for a flying mission in Italy. Source

 Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

Albertan tanksman play a (carefully arranged) card game, France. Source

Spitfires, in Colour

This blog has seen a number of striking photographs depicting the Spitfire; today, more great photographs of the iconic Second World War plane--this time, in full colour!

© IWM (COL 189)

A Spitfire in flight over England, 1939-1945. Source

© IWM (COL 190)

Three Spitfires flying in formation over Essex, 1939-1945. Source

© IWM (TR 823)

Spitfires of the Royal Canadian Air Force in Tunisia, 1943. Source

Canadian Army Women of WW2 (in Colour!)

The Canadian Woman's Army Corps (CWAC), was the women's branch of the Canadian military founded in WW2, similar to the American Women's Army Corps (WAC). Though CWACs had strictly non-combatant roles, many served outside the country in the United States, the UK, Italy, and northwest Europe. The CWAC was disbanded in 1964, when women in service were merged into the main Canadian army. 

The majority of these photographs seem to have been taken during or just after World War Two, probably mostly for promotional and/or recruitment purposes. Thanks to the format of Kodachrome transparency, the colours are just about as bright now as they were then. 

(Unrelated note-- after almost three years I finally realized how/why to make jump breaks, so posts will now appear shorter on the blog main page (a big plus if you, like me, have a crummy computer/internet connection that doesn't like too many images!). Don't forget to click "read more", though-- still as many images per post as ever!)

Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

CWACs in Holland. Source

Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

A CWAC with flowers in Holland. Source

Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada

CWACs salute. Source

Shore Leave in Central Park

A couple of young sailors making the most of their time on leave-- with girls, of course. New York City, 1943, shot by Peter Stackpole for LIFE (though apparently unpublished). 

Peter Stackpole, LIFE © Time Inc.

Source

Peter Stackpole, LIFE © Time Inc.

Source

Peter Stackpole, LIFE © Time Inc.

Source

Scramble!

Scrambling, in WW2, was the order for pilots to get to their planes and in the air right away, because approaching enemy aircraft had been detected. Of course, as soon as you know enemy aircraft are on their way you want to be after them really, really fast, so pilots trained to scramble really, really fast. One moment you'd be chilling at the base (in your gear, of course), the next you'd be off to risk your life in the skies.

© IWM (CL 570)

A pilot of 175 Squadron RAF scrambles to his plane, Britain,  1944. Source

William Vandivert, LIFE © Time Inc.

Pilots to scramble to their planes, Britain, 1940. Source

© IWM (D 9521)

American pilots of the RAF scramble to their planes, Britain, 1942.  Source

A Time of War

Photographs taken in London in the days right before and after the declaration of World War Two, late August and early September 1939. 

By William Vandivert for LIFE, although they don't seem to have been published in it. 

William Vandivert, LIFE © Time Inc.

Headlines of the days leading up to the war's outbreak. Source

William Vandivert, LIFE © Time Inc.

Soldiers filling sand bags for air raid protection. Source

William Vandivert, LIFE © Time Inc.

Putting masks on a traffic light (so they can't be seen in a blackout). Source

Airplane Art II

We've had a look before at some of the adornments airmen gave to their planes during World War Two; however, these photographs, whether taken by official government photographers or photojournalists, were intended for publication. Since it was the 1940s, well, quite a lot couldn't be published. When you take a look at the personal photographs of aircraft artwork, well-- the picture is a lot more colourful! 

Snapshots from the collection of the San Diego Air and Space Museum. 

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Source

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Source

Soldiers Drinking

All right, time for the blog to get back on track! I apologize for the extended absence--last month of the first year of grad school! (in photographic history and preservation, of course). Thank you to all my wonderful followers for your patience, tons of great stuff to come!

--

 We've had a post on soldiers drinking tea; sometimes--especially during or at the end of a war-- something stronger is needed.

© IWM (SE 4758)

Recently released British prisoners of war have drinks at an officer's bar in Rangoon, Burma, 1945. Source

 © IWM (BU 714)

British troops have a drink at a cafe in Brussels, 1944. Source

© IWM (CL 1138)

Airmen on leave have a beer in Brussels, 1944. Source

A Return to the Battlefield

A photo series from 1947 following an ex-GI and his new wife re-visiting the battlefields of France where he fought in the war. I find it so striking that he felt compelled to do this, and especially that she felt compelled to do it with him. 

By Tony Linck for LIFE magazine. From the LIFE archives. 

The ex-GI, Ernest Kreiling, and his wife overlook a valley where he fought in WWII. Source

The woman puts a helmet on her husband in the foxhole where he first heard an enemy shell. Source

The man gives his wife a demonstration of how he washed his socks during the war. Source

Life in a London Hospital

A series of photographs capturing the experiences of workers and patients at a busy hospital in London, 1941.

From the Imperial War Museum.  

© IWM (D 2312)

Stretcher bearers carry a casualty into the hospital, while a 'tally man' (usually a student doctor) assigns a number. Source

© IWM (D 2322)

A view of the hospital reception ward, with a doctor in the foreground preparing to take a x-ray with a mobile machine. Source

© IWM (D 2317)

A doctor and nurse tend to a patient, while an almoner takes personal details. Source

Americans in World War Two

Part Two of a Memorial Day weekend series. "Americans in World War Two" is about as broad as you get, and I haven't even tried to encapsulate it; rather I've selected a collection of compelling photographs in the general spirit of remembering those who fought and what they had to go through.

A medic gives blood plasma to a wounded soldier, Sicily, 1943. Source

Wounded soldiers await evacuation on Omaha Beach, France, 1944. Source

Infantrymen firing mortars ( holding their ears as they do) after crossing the Rhine, Germany, 1945. Source

Returning

A series of photographs following newly repatriated New Zealander prisoners of war as they arrive back in Britain (specifically the town of Margate, Kent, England), April 1945.

From the Imperial War Museum

The New Zealander ex-POWs (NZPOWs, as I shall refer to them) jump from a truck upon arrival at the Grand Hotel in Margate. Source

The men climb the steps of the Grand Hotel, being used as a reception centre. Source

Source

Airplane Art

A variety of squadron, plane, and personal emblems painted onto aircraft in World War Two (mostly). 

From the Imperial War Museum and LIFE archives. 

© IWM (CM 5005)

Wing Commader Ian Gleed in his Spitfire decorated with a cartoon of Figaro the cat batting a swastika, Tunisia, 1943. Source

© IWM (CH 9331)

Pinocchio on a Halifax recieving its latest mission completed symbol. The ice creams are raids on Italian targets and the key represents the plane's twenty-first mission. UK, 1943. Source

Walter Sanders, LIFE © Time Inc. 

A tornado on Capt. Howard Curran's fighter plane, Germany, 1948. Source

Jack Wilkes, LIFE © Time Inc. 

A Gurkha paratrooper in front of a plane with a drawing labelled "Gravel Gertie", apparently. Rangoon, 1945. Source

© IWM (H 9195)

A pin-up painted or glued onto a Hurricane. In 1941 this image was deemed too risque for publication! Scotland. Source

© IWM (TR 1000)

A caricature of the squadron's commanding officer on the nose of an Avro Lancaster, 1943. Source

 © IWM (CE 126)

"Dante's Daughter", an RAF Lancaster, with a 65th raid completed symbol being added. The ice cream symbols represent raids on Italy. c. 1943. Source

© IWM (CM 407)

An insignia made up of emblems for each member of a Vicker Wellington crew, headed by Flying Officer Lemon (of course). Egypt, c. 1942. Source

© IWM (CH 2718)

An RAF soda-syphon spraying bombs on a Vickers Wellington, c. 1940. Source

© IWM (CH 6614)

A train painted on a Handley Page Halifax, with a truck added for each successful mission, c. 1942. Source

© IWM (CBM 1261)

Dumbo painted on the nose of a Liberator, Egypt, 1942. Source

Walter Sanders, LIFE © Time Inc. 

A goggled face on the jet of Major Wallace Frank, Germany, 1948. Source

© IWM (CH 7135)

A dragon emblem on an Avro Lancaster of the RAF, c. 1943. Source

© IWM (TR 978)

A shark face on a Curtiss Kittyhawk of No 112 Squadron RAF, Tunisia, 1943. Source

© IWM (CH 1570)

The wasp emblem on Pilot Officer A V Clows' Hurricane, with a stripe added for each plane he shot down, UK, 1940. Source

© IWM (CH 13734)

Grumpy on a Mitchell, UK, c. 1943. Source

© IWM (CH 1934)

The Burmese flag painted on the Hurricane of Squadron Leader R. R. Stanford Tuck, UK 1941. Source

 © IWM (CM 2531)

Squadron Leader Billy Drake with his Hurricane, painted with his personal emblem "Zut". Sierra Leone, c. 1941. Source

Sam Shere, LIFE © Time Inc.

A bomber pilot with plane named "One Weakness", US, 1945. Source

© IWM (CH 4015)

This has been in the blog before, but I just have to include it again. Squadron Leader J A F MacLachlan lost an arm after being shot down in February 1941; by the summer he was flying again. His Hurricane sports his personal emblem: his lost arm waving the V-sign. I love how he is giving the sign back. UK, 1941-43. Source