Irish Guards Photographs

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by Bob Wilton, Oct 26, 2014.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    It certainly is a bloody good read, if a bit 'rushed' towards the end in respect of Irish Guards Group in NWE. The more entertaining (and poignant) tales are from the varied exploits of the 1st Bn, in Norway, North Africa and Italy. Written by someone who loved his regiment and the men who served in it.

    I've been pondering this. While Bob's anecdote is also the first time I've heard of any Micks on Camino, it's not improbable if the movement and organisation of reinforcements, not bns, is considered. If a batch were being sent over to the Med region from each of the Training bns in UK, then it might have made more sense not to stop over in NA to drop off a few Micks but to carry on to Italy - where other Gds regts had more pressing needs - and then leave men waiting in RHU for their prospective units to join them in Italy from Tunisia.

    Camino would have been an adhoc requirement: the conditions demanding the manhandling of supplies etc up the mountain for wet, cold, hungry and exhausted troops, periodically cut off from their units as well as continuously observed by the enemy.

    If men were needed in this support role, those in a holding unit would come to mind ...

    Lot of ifs there I know; perhaps too many, but the only scenario I could think of to explain.


    The guards in general had manpower shortages by the time the Italian campaign was up and running: borrowed companies being a prime illustration e.g. 2CG took S Coy SG and didn't give them back. 1IG, when depleted by Anzio etc, found itself the eventual loser, for reinforcements, to 3IG then in the UK, who still had to borrow X Coy SG for Normandy. 3IG later took on strength 1IG veterans, and X Coy SG then went to 1WG also within the GAD.

    I heard from one forum member: when finding themselves in need, 2Armd IG took a 1Armd CG tank crew from the GAD pool. Sadly it's not noted in any account or war diary but ... Coldstream men were killed in their battle.

    As for them taking only 'guardsmen': that sort of went out the window later on too. 201 Gds Bde ended up as a training cadre in UK with each gds regiment 'accepting' some RAF Regiment recruits.
    Screen Shot 2015-02-25 at 12.28.13.png Screen Shot 2015-02-25 at 12.31.32.png Screen Shot 2015-02-25 at 12.33.22.png
     
  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Hyacynth, nice to see you back, great photos, thanks for putting them on the forum.
     
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  4. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Yes of course Diane, I am in the middle of pulling it all out - attic etc. What resolution would you like? :salut:
     
    dbf likes this.
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Cheers,
    That's very decent of you indeed.

    Whatever you can manage - so that faces of individuals could be seen more clearly. There many folks out there desperate for a photo of a relative; this would be a great help I'm sure.

    Good to hear you're revisiting your Dad's story and are preparing it for the family. (I hope it's less daunting for you now you 'know who your readers are' - personally, I found it easier to imagine I was having a conversation with my children about their grandfather, explaining his experiences to them. They often ask to hear a particular story again anyway.)
     
  6. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Hi, these were taken, I believe, in either North Africa or Italy, not sure. I can't find originals at the moment so these are scans without the higher resolution. It's definitely St Patrick's Day


    The rest I have rescanned. Not sure how well they will come out as they are rescans of prints! We had our roof redone a couple years ago, hubby told me he had covered everything up! Grrrr.
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf and 4jonboy like this.
  7. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Great photos Hyacynth, thanks for posting

    Lesley
     
  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Hi they were definitely taken in Italy, on St. Patrick's day as you say. They'll have been taken during this event when Alexander took time out of planning Cassino to visit the Battalion.
    Keep your eyes peeled, there's also a brief clip of march past.
    http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675059354_Azio-rocket-gun_Saint-Patricks-Day_shamrocks_General-Eisenhower

    See this other post for more info from IG History - and which has a photograph attached showing the photographer who must have taken your photos!
    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/13436-1st-battalion-irish-guards/?p=288348
     
  9. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Ist Battalion Irish Guards
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    eek, that one came out poorly, I need to find the original, sorry.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Ist Battalion
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Sgt Frank Mears on right
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Very young here and before the war, he joined in 1930 - I would say this wasn't long after that. Ist Battalion Irish Guards
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  14. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    My favourite photo, again very young - happy
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  15. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Ist Battalion
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Ist Battalion
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  17. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    Very young and before the war - Ist Battalion
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    From shamrock behind the cap badge it would appear photo taken on 17th March?

    Steve
     
  19. Hyacynth

    Hyacynth Member

    I think that's the lot for now, there are others I think, one in a frame which I can't do or take apart! I may take it to a printer to see if I can get it done. Hope this helps. The movie of St Patrick's is fantastic and I do think I can spot my Dad in the photos but could never be positive, I have a very vague memory of him mentioning it when we looked at the photos, many moons ago.
     

    Attached Files:

    dbf likes this.
  20. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hyacinth,

    That looks like his Squad Photo at the Guards Depot.

    Steve
     

Share This Page