Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
Field Kitchen - most important piece of kit since the days of Napoleon! An army marches on it's stomach. Reminiscent of the British Soyer Stove of the Crimean War.
After eating in several British Cook Houses when attached to the 2nd Div BAOR, I know why the Brits fought so hard against the Wermacht - they were hoping to capture a German field kitchen intact and get a decent meal!
One of my favourite anecdotal stories of the North African war against Rommel concerned the field hospitals. Because of the fluidity of the war, they didn't move but stayed put, treating the wounded of both sides with both Afrika Korps and 8th Army Drs. in attendance. Presumably that meant the kitchens for same were static as well.
Must have meant for some interesting meals ..... Bully Beef mit schwarze brot und suppe fur mittagessen.
After eating in several British Cook Houses when attached to the 2nd Div BAOR, I know why the Brits fought so hard against the Wermacht - they were hoping to capture a German field kitchen intact and get a decent meal!
One of my favourite anecdotal stories of the North African war against Rommel concerned the field hospitals. Because of the fluidity of the war, they didn't move but stayed put, treating the wounded of both sides with both Afrika Korps and 8th Army Drs. in attendance. Presumably that meant the kitchens for same were static as well.
Must have meant for some interesting meals ..... Bully Beef mit schwarze brot und suppe fur mittagessen.
They didn’t seem to mind shooting Canadian POWs.
On another thread I was commenting on my reservations about giving to charities with ‘large’ administrative overhead ... with special mention of the Red Cross as one ‘offender’ and that I preferred the Sally Ann based on fathers wartime, very positive experience with them.
It reminded me that many years ago at my units reunion dinners those veterans who had landed at Dieppe and thereafter spent the war as POW’s, would occasionally share some of their experiences with me.
One story I will never forget was told by several vets and involved the packages that they were allowed to receive from home and that were delivered to their POW camp by the International Red Cross. Incidentally the T Eaton Company was in the habit of augmenting these packages by providing various items at no charge or upgrading blankets to best quality heavy wool if they knew the parcel was being made up for a POW.
The problem was that the parcels werent arriving at the POW camp with the items expected and as described in the letters from home! I was told by these men that they complained bitterly to the guards and accused the Germans of pilfering the packages. Apparently the Camp Commandant was outraged at the accusations and arranged a camp parade for the next visit of the Red Cross with the parcel delivery and insisted that the Red Cross officials hand over the parcels directly and to verify that the German guards had not interfered with them. According to these men - the parcels had still been ‘tampered’ with and i know those men who told the story went to their graves believing that the International Red Cross was stealing and reselling the more desirable contents.
Take the story for what its worth.
It reminded me that many years ago at my units reunion dinners those veterans who had landed at Dieppe and thereafter spent the war as POW’s, would occasionally share some of their experiences with me.
One story I will never forget was told by several vets and involved the packages that they were allowed to receive from home and that were delivered to their POW camp by the International Red Cross. Incidentally the T Eaton Company was in the habit of augmenting these packages by providing various items at no charge or upgrading blankets to best quality heavy wool if they knew the parcel was being made up for a POW.
The problem was that the parcels werent arriving at the POW camp with the items expected and as described in the letters from home! I was told by these men that they complained bitterly to the guards and accused the Germans of pilfering the packages. Apparently the Camp Commandant was outraged at the accusations and arranged a camp parade for the next visit of the Red Cross with the parcel delivery and insisted that the Red Cross officials hand over the parcels directly and to verify that the German guards had not interfered with them. According to these men - the parcels had still been ‘tampered’ with and i know those men who told the story went to their graves believing that the International Red Cross was stealing and reselling the more desirable contents.
Take the story for what its worth.
We shot plenty of theirs as well. Remember, history is written by the victors.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Lovely colour pic of Grumman Tarpons of the FAA:
Mr Wolverine
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoba. Canada
Lovely colour pic of Grumman Tarpons of the FAA:
Great photo, not seen that one before, just as real rifles have two barrels, real planes have radial engines! Unless a Merlin!
I remember the first time I flew into Miramichi airport, I couldn't believe my eyes as I spotted a group of "Avenger" torpedo bombers parked there. Unfortunately I never got the opportunity to try and view them, I believe they are all gone now.
Mr Wolverine
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoba. Canada
Even a Fairey Battle looked better.
Or better yet a Fairey FireFly
You are correct, but we are comparing race horses with cart horses, each has their place.
They were there as of at least 8 or 9 years ago. Probably gone now. I always liked seeing them as I drove by. It's been years since I was back home though. Those things were so much bigger in real life than I thought they were from watching videos.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Even a Fairey Battle looked better.
I always thought the Battle was a good looking kite. A shame they were such abject pigs, and grossly outclassed by most everything else by 1939.
They were used locally in the BCATP. Here we see one embracing the good soil of Manitoba:
A sister ship in the same affectionate state:
Better they should be placed gently on Canadian dirt than smeared across some Euopean landscape.
"Dear Mom - having a wonderful time. All is well. Look what I did!"
Mr Wolverine
CGN Regular
- Location
- Manitoba. Canada
I always thought the Battle was a good looking kite. A shame they were such abject pigs, and grossly outclassed by most everything else by 1939.
They were used locally in the BCATP. Here we see one embracing the good soil of Manitoba:
A sister ship in the same affectionate state:
Better they should be placed gently on Canadian dirt than smeared across some Euopean landscape.
"Dear Mom - having a wonderful time. All is well. Look what I did!"
As you say, a good looking Kite but by the outbreak of WWII they needed at least another 500 HP . Some very brave men crewed them when war broke out.
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
The Handley Page Harrow served throughout WW2 with the RAF. Two examples flew with the RCAF.
Not graceful, not pretty, not fast.
Almost as homely as the nastiest of the interwar French designs.
But they were present and flyable when needed, and that's better than some.
Was it mandatory for aircraft built in 1938 to look like flying barns? DeHavilland though not. Witness the Albatross:
That's a stunning thing, and a contemporary of HP's product. 40 KPH faster. Imagine what it could have done with four Merlins and four-blade props, or Griffons...
Not graceful, not pretty, not fast.
Almost as homely as the nastiest of the interwar French designs.
But they were present and flyable when needed, and that's better than some.
Was it mandatory for aircraft built in 1938 to look like flying barns? DeHavilland though not. Witness the Albatross:
That's a stunning thing, and a contemporary of HP's product. 40 KPH faster. Imagine what it could have done with four Merlins and four-blade props, or Griffons...
Last edited:
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
The Wiki page on de Havilland has some brilliant stuff. Here's one I didn't know about, the de Havilland DH-86 Express:
Like a Dragon Rapide with two extra motors.
Someone with a very good eye designed those wings. Look how pretty they are.
Meanwhile, over at Bristol ('If it's ugly enough, it'll fly by repelling the Earth") their artistes gave the world the Bombay:
The boys at DH had some sense of aesthetics. Looks like everyone at Bristol was an engineer, and none of the draftsmen owned a French Curve...
Here's another contemporary, the DH Flamingo:
(And in Mufti, 'cause it's a military pic thread.)
A great looking thing. That teardrop fuselage. Lovely.
Like a Dragon Rapide with two extra motors.
Someone with a very good eye designed those wings. Look how pretty they are.
Meanwhile, over at Bristol ('If it's ugly enough, it'll fly by repelling the Earth") their artistes gave the world the Bombay:
The boys at DH had some sense of aesthetics. Looks like everyone at Bristol was an engineer, and none of the draftsmen owned a French Curve...
Here's another contemporary, the DH Flamingo:
(And in Mufti, 'cause it's a military pic thread.)
A great looking thing. That teardrop fuselage. Lovely.
Last edited:
