Picture of the day

Dietrich with "her boys":

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She cared deeply for the boys on the front, and went to great lengths for them. Using her star power and connections to wrangle in morale boosting supplies of food and comfort items like fresh socks (if you've ever spent time in the bush or worked days on end in steel-toed boots, you'll understand just how much a pair of fresh new socks means).

As the war came to an end, she immediately began to do the same for the people rebuilding in the demolished towns and cities across Western Europe, including Germany. The people of Germany forgave her for working for "the other team." By all accounts, she was something of a force of nature.

In the end, though, she paid for it. The emotional toll of what she'd seen lead to her spending her final decades secluded in an apartment in Paris, keeping in touch with her friends almost exclusively by phone, rarely venturing out.
 
And his sweetheart Betty.
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Here is a bit of a follow up or a Pt.2 regarding the veteran and his gal Betty.

Following the ceremony (May 8 2005) at the National War Memorial all the Veterans and VIPs mount up on their assigned vehicles that are staged along Wellington facing west towards the CWM on Lebreton flats for the "roll past". I was impressed by the turn out of citizens showing up along the Wellington side walk that was closed off with barriers with spectarors four and five deep saying Thank You (something said long before "thank you for your service" became a thing) and trying to hand flowers to the Veterans. The plan was to roll slowly down the center line, nose to tail, on Wellington past the reviewing stand with Martin pretending to be PM and giving a damn. I thought this sucks as its the Veterans big day and it seemed we are denying then their due moment, so after driving about fifty feet I turn to my Veteran and ask him if he wants to shake hands, get flowers or have some fun on his day. He has Betty in hand and says Ok and at that I drive along the barriers slowly and folks are loving it they can say thank you to him, shake his hand, generally interact. What does my man do ?? he holds Betty up and starts asking folks if they know who she is !! Hey I did say he had a thing for her. My jeep was about 1/4 back from the front of the parade and we went weaving back a forth from one side of Wellington to the next and my vet was loving every moment (and still quizing folks about the Betty pic). The vehicles in front of my vehicle where sticking to "the plan" slow rolling along nose to tail, I look back and ALL the vehicles behind are following my lead and weaving back along the barriers and now ALL the Veterans are having a blast, flowers are being handed over barriers, hands are shaken and thank yous galore. We get down to the Canadian War Musem and off load the Veterans and my guy starts trying to stick Betty back on my dash at which I tell him she is his gal and to keep her.

Skip forward a number of years and a friend of mine tells me that I am mentioned in one of Rick Hilliers books regarding the grand opening day at the CWM...........well not so much me, but rather my Veteran who had to stop and ask the CDS once inside the CWM if he knew who she (Betty) was. Without a doubt that was the best day I ever had as a vehicle owner.

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My Veterans having his day. Notice the "unparade" like rabble of vehicles following along.
 
Last surviving example of the turret for the proposed Canadian Skink anti-aircraft variant of the Sherman tank

There were 2 of those in the Vernon training ares for years. I last saw them in 1988/9, might have pictures. I saw one that I assumed was taken from Vernon, in the LdSH(RC) lines in 2008, part of the historical vehicle troop.
 
There were 2 of those in the Vernon training ares for years. I last saw them in 1988/9, might have pictures. I saw one that I assumed was taken from Vernon, in the LdSH(RC) lines in 2008, part of the historical vehicle troop.

Check out Maple leaf Up for the numbers of Skink turrets that are out there and where they are today, certainly more then just one.
 
There were 2 of those in the Vernon training ares for years. I last saw them in 1988/9, might have pictures. I saw one that I assumed was taken from Vernon, in the LdSH(RC) lines in 2008, part of the historical vehicle troop.

Those two were reportedly with casting numbers 80 and 81. One of them apparently went to Edmonton (with Historic Vehicle troop at LdSH(RC)) and the other had been intended for a swap with the War Museum. That was 20 years ago.

Casting #80 is the one shown in the above post #24328.

Check out Maple leaf Up for the numbers of Skink turrets that are out there and where they are today, certainly more then just one.

Apparently only 8 turrets were actually completed, and only three completed vehicles, and reportedly only two of them remained in Canada. I have seen photos of other busted up Skink turrets. None of them in good a shape as #80.
 
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A Lockheed P-38E modified in 1942 as a two-seat research aircraft on the study of laminate profile wings to reduce drag.
This unique plane was dubbed the "Swordfish" and we can understand why!
 
Is that a Springfield sniper rifle with a BAR magazine?

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The 1903A4 looks like an 20rd extended Air Service magazine. However, the picture is not clear and it might be a field expedient example with a BAR. There is a silver line at the juncture between the floor plate area and magazine. The GI was capable of a lot when thr situation required it.
 
Rhodesian pookie if I’m not mistaken

I don't remember if that's the name of that vehicle or not but I rode a couple of hundred kliks in one and I was amazed by how smooth it was on rough roads.

The "V" shaped bottoms were purpose built to deflect the blast from the mine and were also filled with water to cut the heat from the blast etc.

I saw one by the side of the road with the front end blown off and stripped for parts. The water tank had ruptured but the cab interior looked to have survived the blast.

Small one person vehicles that didn't have much range and a small motor in comparison to the weight.

There were several different versions, including a minesweeper.

The vehicle I was in had very wide tires without treads and a sled type affair to explode land mines across the front that was wide enough for vehicles following to come up behind.

The wide smooth tires were supposed to spread out the weight of the vehicle so if they passed over a mine, the mine wouldn't explode.

The unit in the pic looks to be a two seater recon vehicle with unique roll bars and road tires.
 
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