Two World Wars

The Learning Network

2011-08-31T05:32:00.000-07:00

The learning network have posted a short teaser on the 1919 Treaty of Versailles

How I met Rommel

2011-08-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a great little anecdote of how a Tommy got to meet Rommel

Civilans at war

2011-08-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

This article is rather thin on detail, but shows how a patriotic man classed 4F still managed to serve his country during wartime

In Canal Zone during the war

2011-08-01T09:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a memoir of what life was like in the "Canal Zone" during the war.

The death of San Pietro Infine

2011-07-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here's nice article on the death of an entire village in Italy during WWII

Camp camp show.

2011-07-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a interesting gallery of photos taken in WWI prison camps of soldiers dressed up for camp shows.

Giving the good back

2011-07-29T04:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a fascinating article detailing how articles taken from a french soldier by his German killer are returned to the Frenchmans family

D-Day Dice !?

2011-07-28T05:28:00.000-07:00

There is a board game called D-Day Dice, in which you play as a commander on the beach trying to make your way up the beach under fire. It's free, but you'll need to do some printing out.

Tourist Photos

2011-07-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

Follow to days link to see a collection of tourist like photos that show some of the very well preserved artifacts and sights to visit in Normandy. Thanks for posting these!

D-Day Memoir and podcast

2011-07-26T05:20:00.000-07:00

This article relates the tale of a D-Day veteran and includes a podcast interview. This vet landed on Omaha to carry out demolition work.

Mongomery

2011-07-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

A small 3 page overview of Field Marshal Montgomery. I never knew why he wore a beret until I read this

German photographer

2011-07-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

This light article highlights the investigation that took place to identify a German Nazi photographer. The article contains a few of the interesting shots he's taken. The links on the page take you to other pages with more pics.

Revision of history

2011-07-23T04:38:00.000-07:00

Heres an interesting article that compares the Hitler/Stalin pack with the secret discussion between the German and the UK. Makes some good points that are often overlooked. Or is it that they are deliberately forgotten!

The Shilling

2011-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here's an article I found fascinating. It tells of how a chap found an old shilling in a draw and how that lead him to write a book about his relatives WWI experiences.

On French soil

2011-07-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a short little memoir from d-day and the fields beyond the beach head.

Desert rats online

2011-07-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

It seems that the movie , Desert Rats is now available for you to watch free online.

Frank Capra in the Pacific

2011-07-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Internet archive has a cool 1941 documentary about the naval war in the pacific.

Air Army news reel 5th April 1945

2011-07-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

Here's another news reel, from April 1945 this time. Snippets include Eisenhower presenting the 101st with a unit citation for their efforts in the Battle of the Bulge.

May 1945 news reel

2011-07-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a digitised news reel from May 1945, highlighting the Italian theater in true propaganda style. Also includes some German footage, showing German civilians suffering from the bombing.

5 Horrid days

2011-07-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

In this memoir of five days at Dunkirk waiting for rescue , by a military engineer, you'll be able to his tale of despair, hope despair and hope!

War comes a visiting

2011-07-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a really nice article about how one family had a couple Tommies billeted on them, and the other effects the war had.

British WWI graves in Italy

2011-07-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

The BBC production From Our Own Correspondent has a nice article about the forgotten dead of WWI, those British soldiers who fought alongside the Italians. The accompanying article is quite sad.

U-boat wallpapers

2011-07-13T01:02:00.000-07:00

Just found a web site that's offering a bunch of u-boat themed desktop wallpapers, included photographic and artistic.

U-boat POWs

2011-07-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Here's sometime wartime footage of German POWs doing the "walking round the wire" thing that you always see allied POWs doing in films. Looks like every nation indulged in that hobby.

MANSTEIN Hitler’s Greatest General

2011-07-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Todays link is to a book review, but the review itself is quite informative so I imagine the book must be too!

Mask of Mongomery

2011-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

I was surprised to discover a mask of Field Marshal Montgomery on ebay. Odd. Well, whatever floats your boat I suppose.

Wartime Boxing?

2011-07-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

I was astounded to read this article reporting how an RAF pilot escaped an internment camp but was sent back by the British government!

WWII Situation maps

2011-07-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a site that's got a bunch of scanned in situation maps from WWII

New Zealand time line

2011-07-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

Some one has started to put together a timeline of New Zealand's involvement in WWI. It look's like it's just started, but I like how this web-tool operates.

"Time"'s D-Day coverage

2011-07-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting overview of Time magazines D-day coverage, the page I'm linking to has a bunch of links to the articles in question. Great read!

Fitting Axis turrets on Allied Tanks

2011-07-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

So you cant see very well out of your tank, then you notice some wrecked enemy kit laying around...

WWI in pictures and documents

2011-07-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

I just found out about a cool Europe wide call for WWI period photos, letters and documents all of which have been placed on line in a an archive. Fantastic stuff!

Miners at war

2011-07-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice article highlighting the part played by coal miners in the trench warfare of WWI

War Themes

2011-07-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

I've recently received an CD called "Essenital War Film Themes" as a present. It is what it says on the cover and presents some lovely music. I find the orchestral/choral tracks especially moving. I also found myself "pom pom poming" along with some of the good rousing marches! Who can't la-la along with the theme to "The Great Escape"

Five Stripe Marine

2011-07-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting memoir. A young lad trys to join up right after Pearl Harbour but his dad says "No", a dad by the way that joined up for WWI aged 16!

From Horses to Motors

2011-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a short article about a (then) young man who was drafted into the cavalry, learnt about horses and then had them replaced with motors. It's that fascinating crossover of technologies.

Only the Brave

2011-06-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

I just got my hands on a movie called "Only the Brave", no idea what it's like yet, but its part of the story of second generation japanese-americans fighting during the WWII. I had no idea about this, I thought they were all interned! Anyway, the history around the special japanese-american fighting units is fascinating.

Fans of WWI aviation

2011-06-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to find a web site set up for fans of WWI aviation. Not only does it have lots of info but there is an active forum too ( but you'll have to join )

Commando comic's 50th birthday

2011-06-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Commando comic that I've read on and off since I was about 10 (30 years) has just reached it's 50 birthday. Excellent stuff, I love these things

History King

2011-06-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

The question of how many soldiers were involved in the Battle of the Somme has recently popped up over at History King. The answer is short, sweet and rather inconclusive!

Sherman for sale - NOT SOLD

2011-06-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Now maybe it's just me but 200,000 for a rusty Sherman hulk seems like a lot?

Official WWI War Diaries

2011-06-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

This was a staggering find, scanned images of actual offical war diaries for various parties during WWI. This collection is stored on the Australian Government museum site. These will be a real boon to the amature WWI researcher who otherwise wouldn't have had access to such material.

Japanese ships sunk

2011-06-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

The link today is to a list of Japanese shipping sunk by the American submarines. I knew a lot of shipping was sunk during the war, but when you see a list like this, it really brings home just how many ships and crews were truely sunk

WWI aviation manual

2011-06-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Although the quality of the scan is quite low this manual of aviation dating from 1917 does have some fascinating sections and some pictures to glance over

Life in a Tank

2011-06-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Fancy reading about what life in a WWI tank was like? Well now is your chance with this narrative of experiences by Richard Haigh.

A tribute to the dead of WWI

2011-06-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

There is a free to download MP3 album that has been put together as a tribute to those that fell during the first world war. It has a dark ambient sound that wont be to everyone's taste.

German attack on Convoy

2011-06-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

I've just found this astounding, if short, audio clip that is a genuine recording made while German bombers attacked a Briish Convoy in 1941.

Dam Busters audio drama

2011-06-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

We've all heard about the Dam Busters and their highly successful Dam busting raid, right? Do you have any idea what other things they did? Well, in short they remained a specialist unit for the remainder of the war and even had a very special D-Day mission. You can hear all about it in this old time radio dramatisation of their war time service.

Popular Science 1940's style

2011-06-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

A Popular Science web site presents a slideshow of 9 sensational war time headlines. Read the shock! Read the despair about the German 88!

Tunnel of Victory

2011-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Wind tunnels are something we see if not every day then at least once a week in a film on the TV or even in an advert. What you dont see every week is a wind tunnel that helped win the war!

Prisoners of War

2011-06-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

Over on the WWII experience web site thay have a collection of short memoirs from POW interned in the Pacific campaigns.

2011-06-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

A modern Sherman (M4) rolling around a field. Are these still being built for enthusiasts?

Draft cards for the famous

2011-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Command Posts web site has some scans of famous peoples draft cards, including Louis Armstrong and Fred Astaire!

Easy Company Motivation

2011-06-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

I've found a collection of 18 motivational posters you can print out, each of which features the words/pictures of members of Easy Company from WWII (the company feaured in the HBO series Band of Brothers).

WWI aircraft factory in pictures

2011-06-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

I recently found a free to download photobook of the Fisher Body Aeroplane Div (World War I), factory where they are making de Havilland & Caproni Biplanes. The photos show the factory in action, the men and women working on the lines and the products of their efforts. It's a totally thrilling read

Tanker memoir

2011-06-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Bradenton has a short memoir article from a d-day tanker with a loathing of hedgerows!

Park your UBoat in my Mall

2011-06-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

A massive 3 ton model of a UBoat ( made for the film U571 ) is being parked in a Biloxi mall

Journalists memoir

2011-06-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a srort article written by a WWII era journalist, remembering his meeting s and interviews with some of the "stars" of the war.

WWI Tunnels

2011-06-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

The BBC's online magazine is running a good article on the tunneling that took place during the first world war. They mention, not just the tunneling itself but the counter tunneling and the placing of mines. Some nice pics too.

U-Boat tunnel opened

2011-06-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

"The National" has a short article on the recent opening of a Nazi built tunnel for housing late war submarines, as a museum. Even considering the poor slaves who worked and died in its construction, it's amazing how something so big, could have been built so quickly.

Happy Warriors zine

2011-06-12T02:21:00.000-07:00

The latest Milk Run Fanzine has just been released with a couple of amazing stories from WWII bomber crews. It's a PDF download, only two pages long, but still worth a read.

Veterans review aerial photography

2011-06-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Listen and view an audio slideshow as two WWII veterans look over some aerial photography from D-Day and Auschwitz.

Operating the M3

2011-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a another treat for Tank fans. It's the operating manual [declassified] from the M3 light tank, as issued in 1943.

Eisenhower's words

2011-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure we've all read or at least heard Eisenhower's D-Day briefing to the troops, but this is the first glimpse I've ever had of his draft notes for the "we failed" speech!

History of Propaganda Posters

2011-06-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting artilce that's a light introduction to Propaganda Posters of World Wars 1 and 2.