Hi Guys, I have some images of paratroopers of the 6th Airborne Division taken prisoner on or after D-Day, I have some more pictures which I will put up when I can. Can you name any of the men in the pictures or have any information about paratroopers taken prisoner from the 6th Airborne Division? The photo with three paratroopers are of Private David Duce, of 9th Parachute Battalion Signal Platoon, an unknown and S/Sgt. William Ridgeway of F Sqn Glider Pilot Regiment. Would love to hear any info you have. brithm
Photo 2 - I can identify the two chaps in as Canadian paras; sorry, no names. Photo 6 - The chap whose face you can see behind the tall fella is Sgt Bill Shannon D Sdn GPR Steve W.
britm, I threw those in Google Images and nothing much turned up, except for the double image. The bottom picture has something to do with the assassination of Philippe Henriot by the Maquis. Since I suspect you found it on the same site, did you see the one just before which I'll attach. Possibly another Canadian Para on the march with other allied pows through Paris. Regards ...
Steve, Thanks for that; the Canadian paratroopers are part of Lt. Cote's stick who dropped near Octeville close to where glider pilots S/Sgt. Potts and Sgt. Jones landed their glider north of Montivilliers. The paratroopers and glider pilots with their passengers were taken prisoner where they were filmed & photographed together by a German propaganda team. I am not sure where they were when they were filmed. Dan Hartigan in his book A Rising of Courage believed that the stick were dropped on purpose to help divert the attention of the German forces, Hartigan proposes that there was also a dropping of an SAS team or 'Ruperts', parachute dummies, further East inland near Harfleur. The first two pictures show a wounded Potts and the third Lt. Cote in the background with a Paratrooper with the Red Beret of the Royal Engineers or Royal Artillery. (can anyone identify the other men in the photos?) The fourth picture shows Potts' glider Chalk Number 45. brithm
brithm No dramas. Thanks for the photo of Johnny Potts' glider; never seen a number 'chalked' on like that, nor in that position. Would have been great to have had the photo for One Night In June. For information, Johnny was wounded when shrapnel, from an anti aircraft shell, came up through the cockpit floor and took the skin of the side of his face before exiting through the roof. The Canadians may well have been in the right place but Potts and Jones certainly weren't. Steve W.
Steve, Look over here for another example of a painted chalk number. Don't want to knock this thread too far off course. June 6th footage........... Post #12
Here are some more pictures, I am looking for more identifications of paratroopers in the photos. They are all 6th Airborne Division taken prisoner, if you look at the photo of the POWs in columns at the Gare du Nord, the photo does not show it very well but there are two glider pilots in the first column both first and second on the right, one is holding something under his arm while the other has a smock over his arm. In the actual photo their Glider Pilot badges are very clear. brithm
Hello Brithm, a comment regarding picture 1: The picture was taken Rue d'Alsace in Paris, just outside Gare de l'Est station, near platform 1. The photographer was standing on the stairs of a stairway (Passage Delanos) allowing pedestrians to walk to Gare du Nord station. It's a 5 minutes walk to get from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord. Regards, Ludo
Ludo, Thanks for that, I am going to look at that on google maps. Here is some mixed footage of POWs and crashed gliders, they are different reels cut together taken from different areas in Normandy, from critical past. Stock Footage - British prisoners are led and interrogated by German soldiers in Normandy, France. Stock Footage - German troops advance and take Allied paratrooper as prisoners in France during World War II. brithm
Photo 2 - I can identify the two chaps in as Canadian paras; sorry, no names. Photo 6 - The chap whose face you can see behind the tall fella is Sgt Bill Shannon D Sdn GPR Steve W. Hi Steve, Finally registered- the "tall fella" was the Lancejack signaller on Glider 123. Nicknamed 'Lofty'. I'm embarrassed to say I've spoken to him over the phone, but have forgotten his name. edited to add: Think his surname was Milne.
Hi Kevin, Thanks for your identification of 'Lofty,' was it Albert Crittell who you spoke on the phone to, he was the only L/Cpl in Shannon’s glider. There is a portrait photo of ‘Crittell’, if it be he, on the first post with a partially blackened face; Sgmn. Milne drowned when the glider crashed into the sea. All the best brithm
Hello Brithm, I am not able to give you any names but I think that picture was also taken rue d'alsace in Paris, close to Gare de l'Est. If you look on Google Earth you will recognise the shape of the building/fence/windows. Do you agree? Regards, Ludo
Ludo, There's a wealth of Parisian views as the POWs march through the streets in the links below. The translation from Dutch of the picture you attached is somewhat confusing. A date of July 16th is given with mention of an indignant Paris population at the assassination of Philippe Henriot ...? Otherwise if you view carefully there are many airborne men in the procession. Stock Footage - Civilian onlookers shout and jeer at Allied POWs ... Stock Footage - German-sympathizing Parisian men and women shout, jeer at and spit on Allied prisoners ... Stock Footage - Allied Prisoners of war being moved through streets of Paris ... Regards ...
Cee, Fanstastic find, these are great shots. Well done. Hopefully Steve and Kevin can tell us who the glider pilot is. brithm
Hi Cee, Hi Brithm, nice films indeed. I confirm all films shows the way from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est. The POW were taken by bus to Gare du Nord and kept in a bus depot close to the Gare du Nord station. The POW walked from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'est: They start Rue de Dunkerque, turn right onto Rue du Faubourg Saint Denis, turn left Rue du 08 mai 1945 (was rue de Strasbourg in 1944),and finally bear left onto rue d'Alsace. They are now waiting outside Gare de l'Est station. On some shots we can even see the POW walking into the Gare de l'Est station. Each film show two or three times the same scenes. Sorry again but I am not familiar with the faces... Ludo
Ludo, Thanks, I was wondering why some were bussed and others marched. You have to wonder if that was the common routine or just a one time occurrence for the sake of the cameras and ultimately propaganda. The small group of people who were harassing the passing POWs are shot repeatedly from several angles and half-heartedly restrained by the German soldiers. It looks like it was staged to me. I wish I had a time machine so I could go back and throttle that little weasel in fedora with glasses ... Regards ...
Hello CEE, I read in a personnal account, Private George ROBERTSON, 1st Canadian Para. , something interesting that might give an answer. Herafter his words: "It was sunny and hot as we sat in front of Pantin Station. A german indicated that we were about to move, so we all stood up. Suddenly, the door of the military office burst open, and an ugly, screaming woman rushed toward Albert Herrington of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, making like she was going to hit him on the head with a furled umbrella. A photographer was there, all set to take a picture of the event. The woman did not land the blow. It was just a propaganda stunt for German newspapers." In his account George Robertson writes that they left from Pantin station to Germany. So I have a new question. All the films shows a walk from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est. Was it just one walk organised for the propaganda and was it something usual? I would think so as the walk was probably difficult to organise, and the jerries probably did not want any escapers. Regards, Ludo
Thanks Ludo, Good story - another case of creating a scene for propaganda purposes. Ludo, what station are the troublesome civilians located at? You almost get the impression the way the clips have been spliced together that after the POWs leave the buses they run the gauntlet of harassers? I sent a few stills of airborne men to brithm. I'll attach several of what appear to be GPR men here. The third, I believe, shows the same two men brithm mentioned earlier. Came across the following abbreviated video of the event with French commentary on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynbOFb1qLcU Regards
