Edward Bate (Left), of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, preparing for a large Airborne exercise on the 22nd April 1944 just a few weeks before D-Day. He is seen helping his friend “Heinrich”, an Austrian from Vienna to adjust his parachute prior to take-off. Photo taken by Sgt. Mapam 22-4-44 IWM H.37730
Comrades of Rifleman John Beeley VC of 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh on 21 November 1941, working on a cross to be placed over his grave, 22 May 1942. IWM (E 12286)
Corporal Bennett of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, armed with a Sten gun and about to go on a fighting patrol, near Elst, 2 March 1945. Photo I.W.M.
British Official Press Photograph, No. SE.3398 (WPL)
Fort Dufferin falls to “Dagger” Division
It was announced on the 8th March 1945 that as a result of a dramatic surprise thrust by a strong armoured column, British and Indian troops of the 19th Indian “Dagger” Division had fought their way into Mandalay. Twelve days later Fort Dufferin, the last remaining stronghold of the Japanese in the city, fell into British hands. The fort is square, with sides a mile and a quarter long, right in the heart of Mandalay, surrounded by a 30 feet rampart and a moat 70 yards wide.
Photo shows: Private A Brain of Banbury, Oxford, leans on his rifle for a breather after the final assault on fort Dufferin
Sgt Clifford Brown of the Somerset Light Infantry quenches his thirst with other members of his platoon during the attack on Mont Pincon, Normandy 7 August 1944. IWM (B 8787)
This photo taken by, Midgley, A. N. (Sergeant) No. 5 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit 7 August 1944.
FIFTH ARMY : ACTION ON THE BRIDGEHEAD ANZIO
Original wartime caption: The crew of this gun have accounted for at least 200 Germans since they landed at Anzio, and when the battalion was surrounded, they brought their cumbersome weapon safely back. They are:- Sgt. Clarke of 96 Carr Lane, Grimsby (at the gun) Pte. Reynold of 921 York Road, Seacroft, Leeds Pte. Beckham, of Alma Road, Burnham, Bucks. IWM (NA 13647)
Lieutenant Simon Fleming, born in County Down in Northern Ireland, commanded the M2 patrol of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) in 1944. The LRDG was a unit of the British Army established in Egypt in 1940 that specialised in intelligence gathering, mechanized reconnaissance and navigation, often operating behind enemy lines. Fleming commanded M2 patrol on an aerial drop behind enemy lines near Montepulciano, south east of Siena in Italy, which was designed to gather intelligence on German troop movements during the Allied advance. He died on 13 June 1944 after his parachute failed to open. He was 23 years old. Art.IWM ART 16556
Sgt. Bert Hardy of the Army Film and Photographic Unit transported three German POWs on the hood of his jeep through Hamont-Achel, Belgium, in September 1944.
Original wartime caption: (Left) Driver Mary Hegarty of Preston, Lancs., was a waitress in peace time. She has been in the ATS twelve months. (Right) Driver Ethel Taylor of Prescott, Lancs, was in a printing and bookbinding business in peace time. She has been in the ATS seventeen months. IWM (H 32510)
Guardsman. A.Hilton of 16 Albemarle Road, Gorleston receives Military Medal
Creator No. 2 Army Film Unit and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit
(Photographer) Radford, John H. B. (Undefined) Production date 26-09-1944. IWM (NA 18968)
Glider pilots pose in front of a Horsa glider, 11 December 1944. From left: Lt J F Hubble; S/Sgt B L Morgan; S/Sgt J L Crone; Sgt R Biagott. IWM (H 40984)
Pte. E. Lee of Wandsworth, London, gets down to work on the engine of his lorry with his new assistant - a youthful member of the German Army near Ahrensburg, Germany 1st June 1945. IWM (BU 7058)
Edward Bate (Left), of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, preparing for a large Airborne exercise on the 22nd April 1944 just a few weeks before D-Day. He is seen helping his friend “Heinrich”, an Austrian from Vienna to adjust his parachute prior to take-off. Photo taken by Sgt. Mapam 22-4-44 IWM H.37730
Comrades of Rifleman John Beeley VC of 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh on 21 November 1941, working on a cross to be placed over his grave, 22 May 1942. IWM (E 12286)
Corporal Bennett of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, armed with a Sten gun and about to go on a fighting patrol, near Elst, 2 March 1945. Photo I.W.M.
British Official Press Photograph, No. SE.3398 (WPL)
Fort Dufferin falls to “Dagger” Division
It was announced on the 8th March 1945 that as a result of a dramatic surprise thrust by a strong armoured column, British and Indian troops of the 19th Indian “Dagger” Division had fought their way into Mandalay. Twelve days later Fort Dufferin, the last remaining stronghold of the Japanese in the city, fell into British hands. The fort is square, with sides a mile and a quarter long, right in the heart of Mandalay, surrounded by a 30 feet rampart and a moat 70 yards wide.
Photo shows: Private A Brain of Banbury, Oxford, leans on his rifle for a breather after the final assault on fort Dufferin
Sgt Clifford Brown of the Somerset Light Infantry quenches his thirst with other members of his platoon during the attack on Mont Pincon, Normandy 7 August 1944. IWM (B 8787)
This photo taken by, Midgley, A. N. (Sergeant) No. 5 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit 7 August 1944.
FIFTH ARMY : ACTION ON THE BRIDGEHEAD ANZIO
Original wartime caption: The crew of this gun have accounted for at least 200 Germans since they landed at Anzio, and when the battalion was surrounded, they brought their cumbersome weapon safely back. They are:- Sgt. Clarke of 96 Carr Lane, Grimsby (at the gun) Pte. Reynold of 921 York Road, Seacroft, Leeds Pte. Beckham, of Alma Road, Burnham, Bucks. IWM (NA 13647)
Lieutenant Simon Fleming, born in County Down in Northern Ireland, commanded the M2 patrol of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) in 1944. The LRDG was a unit of the British Army established in Egypt in 1940 that specialised in intelligence gathering, mechanized reconnaissance and navigation, often operating behind enemy lines. Fleming commanded M2 patrol on an aerial drop behind enemy lines near Montepulciano, south east of Siena in Italy, which was designed to gather intelligence on German troop movements during the Allied advance. He died on 13 June 1944 after his parachute failed to open. He was 23 years old. Art.IWM ART 16556
Sgt. Bert Hardy of the Army Film and Photographic Unit transported three German POWs on the hood of his jeep through Hamont-Achel, Belgium, in September 1944.
Original wartime caption: (Left) Driver Mary Hegarty of Preston, Lancs., was a waitress in peace time. She has been in the ATS twelve months. (Right) Driver Ethel Taylor of Prescott, Lancs, was in a printing and bookbinding business in peace time. She has been in the ATS seventeen months. IWM (H 32510)
Guardsman. A.Hilton of 16 Albemarle Road, Gorleston receives Military Medal
Creator No. 2 Army Film Unit and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit
(Photographer) Radford, John H. B. (Undefined) Production date 26-09-1944. IWM (NA 18968)
Glider pilots pose in front of a Horsa glider, 11 December 1944. From left: Lt J F Hubble; S/Sgt B L Morgan; S/Sgt J L Crone; Sgt R Biagott. IWM (H 40984)
Pte. E. Lee of Wandsworth, London, gets down to work on the engine of his lorry with his new assistant - a youthful member of the German Army near Ahrensburg, Germany 1st June 1945. IWM (BU 7058)
Thank you for Visiting.
Projects Archive
The People’s War History Group.
We at the Society strongly encourage proper crediting of all materials used on our pages. This includes clearly acknowledging both the creators and the original sources.
If you discover any of your work featured without appropriate credit, please contact us immediately — we are committed to resolving such issues promptly and respectfully.
The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk All site sections are subsequently recorded as part of our nation’s history and heritage at The British Library.
