Thanks very much for that Ron. It would appear that the 'super sleuths' have cleared up another mystery! You don't happen to go around in a small van with some friends and a dog do you? All the best mate.......... You are watching too much TV Paul, real detectives only need a computer nowadays. Ron
You are watching too much TV Paul, real detectives only need a computer nowadays. Ron ......and access to the Arnhem/Oosterbeek Municipal Archives!! . Now that the location of Lofty's photo has been established I've cobbled up this picture from GoogleEarth. It's not the best angle but it's as good as I could get it. As for the houses opposite it would seem that the 1944 ones have been demolished and new ones built since .
Update 2. The reverse of the picture has now had some restoration and is readable but can anyone come to grips with name ---- -------- MM, the date at the very top appears to 19 -9 - // Good luck and thanks, LOFTY Have included pic so you can see what we were dealing with. Could M.M. be M.I.A
It looks like: "A picture taken -- arnhem, by Cpl. (or Cpt.) ----ghe mm -- of the 1st Parachute Batt." If it is indeed 'MM' then it would narrow the field quite a lot, unless of course he was already a 'MM' before Arnhem. Thanks for the update Lofty .
If it is MM then it is likely Cpl not Cpt I couldn't better the restorsation of the back of the photo so I decided to remove all the 'Noise' leaving only blue ink as best as I could judge. [always removed - nothing inserted] As to name - OYLE as the last letters seem a very good bet - this guy rarely closes his loops -> see 'a's and 'O's' elsewhere. My money would be on Hoyle; The first letter has 2 upstrokes both of which are exaggerated by this writer as elsewhere M.M. not MIA Hope this helps = if ever anyone does find a Cpl Hoyle MM in 1 para I'd love to know.
Hi today have added the picture kindly restored by drumaneen, with many thanks for his input, and effort,
If it is MM then it is likely Cpl not Cpt I couldn't better the restorsation of the back of the photo so I decided to remove all the 'Noise' leaving only blue ink as best as I could judge. [always removed - nothing inserted] As to name - OYLE as the last letters seem a very good bet - this guy rarely closes his loops -> see 'a's and 'O's' elsewhere. My money would be on Hoyle; The first letter has 2 upstrokes both of which are exaggerated by this writer as elsewhere M.M. not MIA Hope this helps = if ever anyone does find a Cpl Hoyle MM in 1 para I'd love to know. Excellent work mate! What software did you use to achieve this result? All the best..........
If it is MM then it is likely Cpl not Cpt I couldn't better the restorsation of the back of the photo so I decided to remove all the 'Noise' leaving only blue ink as best as I could judge. [always removed - nothing inserted] As to name - OYLE as the last letters seem a very good bet - this guy rarely closes his loops -> see 'a's and 'O's' elsewhere. My money would be on Hoyle; The first letter has 2 upstrokes both of which are exaggerated by this writer as elsewhere M.M. not MIA Hope this helps = if ever anyone does find a Cpl Hoyle MM in 1 para I'd love to know. Possibly your man Anthony B Lloyd | ParaData
Loft do you have the email address of my mate Peter Vrolijk?, he is an the expert. on 1st Parachute Battalion, and most probably can help you out.
Excellent work mate! What software did you use to achieve this result? All the best.......... Thanks... Nothing fancy, just photoshop Elements
Spot on englandphil. I have over the last week emailed all the latest pictures and comments from ww2t to the veterans son,today he visited his dad armed with it all. The picture was indeed taken by Corporal A. B LOYD MM. (KIA 26/9/44 plot 3 A 19 OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY) they were in a trench together, when Loyd was killed when a shell landed in it. The picture was sent by Anthony Loyds parents. THERE IS MORE, he then told his son that it was himself in the picture and that the chap laying on the grass on the otherside of the road is his mate JIM CROW (with a bren he seems to remember) and he is sure there was another chap standing at Jims feet,(LOOK AGAIN) he is sure the sign said Oosterbeek. He was sure Jim perished at arnhem but I can find no evidence of that, I have had another look at the picture and sure enough can i see two figures one behind the post the other laying like he said, They were members of T.Troop,having read a bit about them I guess there is a lot he would rather forget, I am sorry this has been a long journey to get to this. I would like to thank again everybody for thier input and restoration skills, thank you. now back to the picture and look for two more soldiers.With permission from him I will soon post then and now pictures of our vet,and his name etc LOFTY
What a fabulous end to this thing - WW2Talk is an incredible site with some fantastic people who abhor a mystery, you can almost hear you all beavering away on this very worthwhile 'issue' I salute you all!
Just been showing this thread to my good lady - she thinks you are all amazing but accuses me of a little overrestoration of the photograph:- Essentially she is saying that what I thought was a white blemish in the trees across the road and 'restored' by infilling with foliage is in fact a gap in the trees (above the hedge) through which she says she can see a house and window ..... I really hate to admit that I think she is right and here is the image again with this put back. A minor thing perhaps but accuracy is very important.
Well done fellas! Especially Lofty, Drumaneen and Englandphil! It would seem that not only has a previously unknown 'Arnhem' picture been unearthed but the story behind it has been cleared up too! Excellent stuff !
One thing has just occurred to me. If Lloyd took the picture but was sadly killed by a shell landing in his trench, how did the camera and film find it's way home to his parents at the end of the battle? Did Lofty's veteran friend bring it home with him I wonder?
Seems you all have figured out already where it was taken. Is it known who took the camera back to England and did send a picture to the Loyds family ?
