IWM AFPU Portrait photographs

Cee, it's Jimmy Mapham

 

Ho,

Someone holding Sgt. Harris' chalk board, or is it Harris himself? Taken while shooting Op Mallard loadings and takeoffs at RAF Harwell seen here. He was partnered with Capt. Malindine at the time but it isn't Malindine.



Regards ...

 

It's not Len Harris, as he didn't wear glasses. Looking at the beret, he may have been one of the men destined for Op.Mallard helping out?
The next shot shows a close-up of Airborne insignia, jump wings and stripes etc.

 

16th November 1942
"It took a number of days for the sappers to clear the road to Derna of landmines and make it safe for vehicles to get down to the town. Or so they thought. Unfortunately, they missed one and Duggy found it. He was driving the three-quarter ton Chevrolet truck....Next Second, there was an enormous bang. The Chevvy and all inside went flying into the air. The truck was mangled beyond repair. Duggy's left arm was in a very bad way but Smiler and Ray in the back had just cuts and bruises. A ruse learnt in Egypt had worked a treat. They had carpeted the truck with sandbags and an upturned table which had absorbed much of the blast and prevented the floor from shafting up into the passengers."
Edgar "Smiler" Smales

 

https://twitter.com/6thairborne/status/1570484301212577799

16mm film taken during Sergeant Mike Lewis' training as a cameraman, and prior to his drop at Arnhem, shows a British sergeant cameraman of the AFPU and his US counterpart in the Army Signal Corps comparing their cameras.

IWM MGH 1967a


Jimmy Mapham

 

Some more AFPU training films - not that exciting though ...

AFPU TRAINING FILM [Allocated Title]

Regards ...

 

For those interested in the Canadian Army photo units ... The LAC picture summaries read: Lieutenant Donald I. Grant of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit, who holds an Anniversary Speed Graphic camera, England, 11 May 1944. Sergeant Elmer R. Bonter of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit attached to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, England, 11 May 1944.




The LAC picture summaries read: Lieutenant Frank L. Dubervill of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit, holding an Anniversary Speed Graphic camera, England, 11 May 1944. Sergeant W.G. Grant of the Canadian Army Film and Photio Unit, England, 11 May 1944.




Sgt. Bill Grant (left) and Lt. Frank Dubervill were filmed a few days after landing in Normandy, June 1944.


RISEN FROM THE ASHES – The British Pathé Archive Reveals Lost Canadian Footage – Welcome to the Canadian Film and Photo Unit website




The LAC description for PA-152089 reads: Sergeant W.G. Grant, who has broken his leg, receives assistance from Captain Colin McDougall (left) and Private M.W. Treganza, all of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit, Bayeux, France, 14 June 1944. Photo captions are similar for the other two images.




Lt. Bell, who photographed the injured Sgt. Grant. The recruiter probably told him that officers are gentlemen and never dig holes. And still wearing his neck tie too! The LAC summary reads: Lieutenant Ken Bell of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit digging a slit trench in the Normandy beachhead, France, 10 June 1944.

 

Re. AFPU (Photographer) Sergeant Albert (Bert) Edward Wilkes...

Film...
Find an object | Imperial War Museums

Find an object | Imperial War Museums

IWM Tag - Sgt.Wilkes : Find an object | Imperial War Museums

IWM Tag - Sergeant Wilkes : Find an object | Imperial War Museums

IWM AFPU Portrait photographs



The Photographer's Story - West Bromwich Local History Society

 

Re. Edgar (Eddy) (Smiler) Smales...

"When You’re Smiler" Book bio - "Eddy 'Smiler' Smales was an accidental pioneer in British feature films in the 1930s, combat filming in the 1940s and television news from the 1950s. When You’re Smiler gives a personal perspective on the dramatic evolution of factual film and television in the mid-20th Century set against the social, political and military history of the times. It tells tales of halcyon days in the British film industry and of early life and times at BBC TV News, but its primary focus is on Smiler’s adventures with the ground-breaking British Army Film & Photographic Unit during WW2. Illustrated with 83 photographs and sprinkled with anecdotes of well-known characters Smiler worked with, including Peter Ustinov, David Niven, Dickie Attenborough, Frederick Forsyth, John Mills, Michael Aspel and many others."

Find an object | Imperial War Museums



Search | Imperial War Museums

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
HU109825 : Object description - A section of AFPU cine-cameramen 'posing for the camera' recreating a 'shoot' prior to the commencement of the Battle of El Alamein, October 1942.

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

HU109823 : Object description - Posed, semi-humorous photograph taken of Douglas Wolfe and Sergeant Eddy Smales of AFPU at Alamein entitled 'Ready for anything!'. Wolfe holds a cine-camera, while Smales has a still camera. October 1942.

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
IWM HU109818 : Object description - Informal group photograph of members of Sgt Eddy Smales's section within 5 AFPU. Depicted are cine-cameramen (left to right): Sgt Charlie Crocker, Sergeant Bob Stiggins, Sergeant Johnny Connolly and Smales. Note they are carrying representative cameras in use with AFPU at the time. Believed to be taken in Germany, c1945.



J/CMDR. MARY CHURCHILL CHRISTENS PLEASURE STEAMER FOR BERLIN TROOPS
BU 9292 - Object description
Original wartime caption: Sergeant A. Warner, who is manager of the 'Southend' Club, previously managed the MAAFI 'Half Way House' on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road, is seen having a pint of beer with Sergeant E.R. Smales of Chiswick, London [Army Film Unit] who often called in the 'Half Way House' for a refresher during his service with A.F.P.U. in the desert and knew Sergeant Warner well.

And there's an E.H.Smales tag... (i.e. not "E.R.Smales" ) here...
Find an object | Imperial War Museums

 

Re. Sergeant Charlie Crocker...

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

IWM HU109818 : Object description - Informal group photograph of members of Sgt Eddy Smales's section within 5 AFPU. Depicted are cine-cameramen (left to right): Sgt Charlie Crocker, Sergeant Bob Stiggins, Sergeant Johnny Connolly and Smales. Note they are carrying representative cameras in use with AFPU at the time. Believed to be taken in Germany, c1945.




C.Crocker IWM tag - Find an object | Imperial War Museums

Sgt. Crocker IWM tag - Find an object | Imperial War Museums

 

Re. Sergeant Robert (Bob) Stiggins...
Died 1988 - Army Film & Photographic Unit

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

IWM HU109818 : Object description - Informal group photograph of members of Sgt Eddy Smales's section within 5 AFPU. Depicted are cine-cameramen (left to right): Sgt Charlie Crocker, Sergeant Bob Stiggins, Sergeant Johnny Connolly and Smales. Note they are carrying representative cameras in use with AFPU at the time. Believed to be taken in Germany, c1945.



As "Robert Stiggins"
"robert stiggins" - Google Search

IWM Tag - Find an object | Imperial War Museums

 

Re. Sergeant Johnny (John) Connolly...

THE SERVICE AND CAREER OF SERGEANT EDDY SMALES WITH ARMY FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY UNITS DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

IWM HU109818 : Object description - Informal group photograph of members of Sgt Eddy Smales's section within 5 AFPU. Depicted are cine-cameramen (left to right): Sgt Charlie Crocker, Sergeant Bob Stiggins, Sergeant Johnny Connolly and Smales. Note they are carrying representative cameras in use with AFPU at the time. Believed to be taken in Germany, c1945.

IWM - J.R.Connolly - Find an object | Imperial War Museums

 

As pointed out by Ramiles above some good footage of the River Orne/Euston/Horsa Bridge by Wilkes.

ARMOUR AND SOFT-SKINNED TRANSPORT POUR INTO THE ORNE BRIDGEHEAD PRIOR TO 'GOODWOOD' [Allocated Title]

I know there are other film scenes (earlier?) of the bridge of soldiers marching over but I just can't place them at the moment?

Regards ...

 

Have you tried a key word search at... - IWM Film

Failing that I've sometimes had luck with keyword searches via Google looking specifically in the IWM website... i.e.

site: www.iwm.org.uk "orne bridgehead" - Google Search

 

Wilkes may have been partnered with Sgt. Christie on July 18th.



Regards ...

 

Smales was in the same neighbourhood on July 17th.

PRELUDE TO THE BIGGEST ALLIED ATTACK SINCE D-DAY [Allocated Title]

Regards ..

 

An unknown soldier holds up a container/case with Sgt. A.C. Gross' scene info on side.



ACTIVITIES IN THE ORNE BRIDGEHEAD, JUNE 1944 (PART 4) [Allocated Title]

Regards ...

 

Cee,
It's Lt. Peter Handford No.5 A.F.P.S.
Guy

 

Guy,

Very interesting, thanks for that. Would never have guessed as it was just a curiosity to me.

Regards ...

 

More sign holders from a Sgt. Walter series of clips. The first looks like Lt. Handford again followed by three Sergeants who may or may not have a connection to the AFPU?



ACTIVITIES IN THE ORNE BRIDGEHEAD, JUNE 1944 (PART 3) [Allocated Title]

Added - the last two Sergeants may be the same man?

Regards ...