This is Volume 7 showing the next batch of 250 photographs from a collection of photos taken by many servicemen on the Eastern Front, also known as the Russian Front. Starting in 1941 with the German invasion of Russia with the sunshine and the dust, then going on through the hard winter months that the German forces were unprepared for. The Russians forces were well used to the cold climate and so were better placed for winter warfare. Then the advance turned into a long retreat with bitter fighting and heavy casualties leading to the Fall of Berlin in May 1945.
The collection features uniforms and vehicles from both sides of the conflict and many of the photos illustrate the harsh conditions and the reality of warfare, which must have been a horrific experience whichever side your were on. Again, we have to say that Miliblog is NOT a political website at all. There are many enthusiasts across the world interested in the equipment and uniforms of the Second World War. Many are serious model makers and may even find an idea for a model diorama or even for painting of model figures. The aim of Miliblog here is to bring together photographs for these students of history.
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 28 JUNE 2010
Hi there and welcome to what’s new on miliblog this week. Well after three shows last week it was time once again to trawl through the collection of German WW2 photographs to add some more to our Eastern Front Collection. From our email-bag, these photos are very popular with you all, so I hope you will enjoy this week’s additions of which we feature five samples below.
We kick off with a column of German infantryman marching along a dusty road in the height of Summer. Following on is an unusual photo featuring two soldiers standing guard over a mermoral to their comrades lost in action. Next we have some more marching soldiers, but this time Soviet prisoners of war and marching off the other way into captivity.
Next photo is a chiily one in the snow with a sergeant holding up a snow stick. And finally, we have an unusual one in the form of a crashed Soviet Polikarpov I-16 fighter plane, so neatly crashing without even knocking over any of the fences.
So we’ll return to the scanner and the phot box and see what we can bring you next week.
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Colection No 1341
Eastern Front Collection No 1345
Eastern Front Collection No 1348
Eastern Front Collection No 1352
Eastern Front Collection No 1359
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 21 JUNE 2010
Hi and welcome to this week’s what’s new on Miliblog. Well it’s been a busy week with three separate shows over the weekend. We started off with a nice drive out into the Worcestershire countryside for the Wartime in The Vale Show at Evesham on Saturday. We’ve a full report with over 150 photos under our Show Report section. However I couldn’t resist adding a before and after photo from our collection of a vehicle we saw at the show !!! Even the markings are the same on the front mudguard.
Austin K5 3Ton GS (KFF 980) in the 1990s
Austin K5 3Ton GS (KFF 980) Under Preservation 2010
The next day we scooted over to Halfpenny Green Airport, near Stourbridge for the 100 Years of Wolverhampton’s Airports Show. This was an event to celebrate the 100 years to the day since the first flight from a Wolverhampton Airport, which occurred on 27 June 1910. A show of military vehicles had been advertised, but by the time we arrived, they’d all left. Something to do with World Cup football match between England and Germany I believe, Still it was nice to have a walk around a wartime airfield complete with it’s original wartime control tower. Years ago, in the 1970′s, the airfield used to hold an annual air show that was a national event and featured the Falcons, the British Parachute Regiment display team, displays of Spitfires and Hurricanes and I believe the Red Arrows too in their Folland Gnat aircraft. Below is a photo of the control tower.
Halfpenny Green Airfield Control Tower
Also at the event was a lovely percival Prentice Trainer, that I think was owned by Air Atlantique and based at Coventry Airport, which is pictured below.
Percival P40 Prentice T1 Trainer (VR-259)
Finally after enjoying the sunshine we headed off to Himley Park near Dudley for the British Armed Forces Day. Here we saw a selection of familiar vehicles seen at other shows across the Midlands. Below is Tony Whitehead’s superb Austin 10hp Light Utility. Sorry Tony I think you were having a quick sleep as we went by and we didn’t like to disturb you for a chat !!! Perhaps next time.
Austin 10hp Light Utility (ORE 89)
So it was back home for a well deserved cup of tea and check out the photos we’d taken over the weekend.
Have a great week and we’ll see you soon !
Cheerio !
Simon
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 14 JUNE 2010
Hi once again to you all. On Miliblog this week we feature some more photos loaded onto our Eastern Front Collection. We’ve received a number of emails from you saying how much you’re enjoying looking at the Collection, especially from visitors from Germany, so below are five more samples of photos added this week.
First we start with a cold looking infantryman on guard duty. Next illustrates that the German army wasn’t as fully mechanised as many think. These poor horses must have suffered in the apauling winter conditions, with one of collapsing under the strain. Another illustration of the conditions on the battlefield where the rain and the earth roads led to thick sticky mud that caused all sorts of problems. And here’s another photo of a horse drawn column of supply wagons, stuck down in the mud and having to be pushed out.
Finally we have a battleweary German soldier with what looks like a summer uniform. Maybe one of you out there that is more knowledgeable on uniforms can help. Is that a torch strapped onto their shoulder ?
So have a great week and we’ll be back soon with some more exciting items on Miliblog.
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Collection No 1282
Eastern Front Collection No 1301
Eastern Front Collection No 1303
Eastern Front Collection No 1328
Eastern Front Collection No 1338
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 7 JUNE 2010
Hi and welcome to everyone across the world. What a fantastic month May has been for Miliblog, with over 10,250 visitors to our little website from all over the globe. Between you, we had over 730,000 hits looking at all the items we have on Miliblog. So all I can say is a big THANK YOU to you all.
We often are emailed from many of you asking if we know where you can find a certain vehicle or a spare part. Some have asked if they can feature their vehicle for sale. Well now you all can !
A new feature on miliblog is a classified section, where for free, no charge, you can upload a photo of your vehicle for sale and a brief discription of it as well. However for £5 you can place an advert and load upto 10 photosof your item that will be there for 3 months.
If you’re organising an event, whether it a 1940′s event or military vehicle show, then please list your event for all similar minded enthusiasts to find. Again you can even load photos to go with the advert.
What about if you have a club or museum ? Well we can cater for you as well, with a special page dedicated to all different clubs and associations from all over the world.
Lastly, if you offer any type of service whatsoever to the military sectors from vehicles, uniforms, vehicle parts and renovations to models and books on military items, then we’d love to feature you here on Miliblog.
So down to this week’s features, and so we’re featuring some more of our collection from our Eastern Front. It’s pretty hot here in the UK, but just look how cold it is in some of the photos. We start with a nice photo of three Panzer crew members, very useful for our uniform collectors and modellers. Following on is a nice Stug 3 (Sturmgeschutz) Self Propelled Gun, based on a Panzer 2 chassis, here seen at speed on a well used snowy road. Another snowy and cold photo next with some some shivering German infantrymen aboard what looks like a Panzer 3 tank, judging by the height of the vehicle.
Next we have a pair of Panzer 2 tanks in a more warmer time on the battlefield, with a nice little Mercedes light truck parked up or probably getting out of the way of these speeding tanks. Finally we have a German infantryman ready to defend his post with his Kar 98k rifle and some ‘potato masher’ grenades.
So we say have a good week and continue enjoying visiting and looking at all the different items we have for you on Miliblog. And don’t forget, if you want to sell your military vehicle, why not pop it onto our classifieds section, after all it won’t cost you a penny or a cent !
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Collection No 1231
Eastern Front Collection No 1260
drugs without prescription class=”size-medium wp-image-2322″ title=”Eastern Front Collection No 1272″ src=”http://miliblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/east-12722-214×300.jpg” alt=”Eastern Front Collection No 1272″ width=”214″ height=”300″ />Eastern Front Collection No 1272
Eastern Front Collection No 1277
Eastern Front Collection No 1280
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 31 MAY 2010
Welcome to what’s new on Miliblog this week in what’s a very historical week in military history. Seventy yeras ago this week in 1940, the little boats were heading across the English Channel to pick the remnants of the British and French armies from the beaches of Dunkirk. This week I would like to dedicate this week’s newsletter to my dear Uncle Bob, Private Robert Nourse. A lovely chap, he joined up into the Royal Worcesters and soon found himself digging trenches in Northern France. After a long retreat to the beaches he was eventually picked of the beaches by one of the little boats and managed to get back to England. He died a couple of years ago, but would never speak of his experiences, saying that he lost many good friends.
Also this week, June 6, is the 66th Anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy.
As much as we would have liked to be over in Normandy visiting the various museums and famous sights, we instead went a few miles down the road to the West Park in Wolverhampton for the annual Wolverhampton Steam Fair and Transport Rally. For a full report visit our Show Reports tab, with lots of pictures of vehicles from the event. However below are five sample photos to tempt you to have a look further at all our show reports.
Firstly we have a lovely Austin Champ. These old British soldiers from the 1950′s are so full of character, you can just see the National Serviceman is his khaki uniform and beret driving it down the roads of Western Germany. The small and patina of these vehicles have grown on me over the years and if I had the room to store one, I’d certainly be out there looking. Next is a lovely Landie, but a pretty rare one too, a S3 Shorland Armoured Car. The owner told us all about it’s history, which is also in the Show Report. Flying an Ulster Defence Force flag, is a clue.
Next photo is another unusual vehicle spotted in the commercial section. It’s a Dodge Commando RG13 Coach, previously serving with the RAF as a coach/ambulance. Following on is a Scammell Explorer that we haven’t seen before, which is another nice 1950′s British Army vehicle.
Finally, we have a photo of Phil Palmer’s Leyland Hippo 10 Tonner. Although we’ve seen this beast many times before, it never fails to impress with it’s size.
So have a great week ahead wherever you are in the world.
Cheerio !
Simon
Austin Champ (HMJ 951 F)
Land Rover S3 Shorland Armoured Car (HNP 853 J)(12 FL 02)
Dodge Commando RG13 Coach (A 135 YOX)(18 KA 92)
Scammell Explorer 10Ton Recovery Tractor (YSY 250)
Leyland Hippo Mk2 10Ton GS (JSK 164)
