Picture of the day

[Dark Alley Dan]

Bader kicked ass, which was really something considering...

The day he was fitted with his prostheses, he told the makers he was going to walk out of the shop on them. They told him he wasn't. Told him it'd take months to get used to them and learn how to function on "tin legs".

That was all he needed to hear. He sweated, swore, and fell a lot, but he walked out on those legs that day. One seriously tough SOB.

 

[RRCo.]

Yes and he led a Canadian squadron

The RAF was very keen to "poach" Canadians from the RCAF; that is men who would have otherwise joined the RCAF. There was a single "unofficial" recruiter in BC who signed up more than 500 men before WWII for the RAF. The reason they wanted Canadians is that we were pretty damn good at it. About 35% of the pilots in the RFC in WWI were Canadian I've read and most of the top aces were too.

Our leaders in WWII were actually much less interested in giving us independent and unified Canadian formations than they had been in WWI. Weird, but true.

 

[mkrnel]

The RAF was very keen to "poach" Canadians from the RCAF; that is men who would have otherwise joined the RCAF. There was a single "unofficial" recruiter in BC who signed up more than 500 men before WWII for the RAF. The reason they wanted Canadians is that we were pretty damn good at it. About 35% of the pilots in the RFC in WWI were Canadian I've read and most of the top aces were too.

Our leaders in WWII were actually much less interested in giving us independent and unified Canadian formations than they had been in WWI. Weird, but true.

Not only Canadians, but also South Africans, Poles, Americans, New Zealanders and Australians as well.

 

[bearhunter]

I don't know how to say this, so here goes.

The recent Paralympics show people doing things that would loosen my bladder in a hurry. They do it well and they love what they do.

Some people with abnormalities or physical conditions will succumb to them. Most don't.

They may need a bit of help once in a while or need special equipment but they not only get by, they do one hell of a job.

They never do anything in a small way. They go all out, when they find a venue to express themselves. Bader, was very similar of others in his situation. Because of personal wealth, connections and of course an inner need to succeed at everything he attempted, he found his limits and pushed them to breaking point. This gave him a tough appearance and personality. Few people are driven to such extents.

When I was watching a few minutes of the Paralympics, I saw men and women strapped onto a snow board, on top of a 30cm pedestal. They eagerly barrel assed down those slopes at speeds that are mind boggling at best. Some fell, some finished the course. Those that fell, had no difficulty or fear when they went back for another run. Were they anxious??? You bet but they were also very excited.

I have a lot of respect for everyone and everything that overcomes their disabilities. Whatever it takes. Usually, they don't fit well into regular society because of their drive and lack of ability to put up with pissyfaced whiners and BS artists. But once you get to know them at the levels they exist on, they are fabulous people.

 

[Sharps '63]

Amen to that!

I have '0' tolerance for fat, out of shape blobs that need to look in a dictionary to know what "exercise" means. Our society has become one of bloated, obese, future diabetics. Some of the most motivated people I know have overcome issues in their lives I wouldn't want to deal with - physical and otherwise.

You don't have to be an Olympian to be fit. All it takes is self-discipline, a trait missing in a lot of people in modern society.

I used to have a lady friend who was an oncology nurse. I asked her why some of the most positive people I knew were cancer survivors. She looked at me like I was a dolt and said - "They beat the 'Big C'. Give them something to worry about!"

Three summers ago I beat the 'Big C', spending the months of July and August taking daily doses of radiation and mild chemotherapy. I went to the Vancouver Cancer Clinic fit and came back even fitter (save for the radiation sickness) having spent my weekends hiking the North Shore mountains and doing daily long walks following my treatments. Took a long time for my fellow patients to accept me as one of them.

I do a daily exercise routine that would hospitalize most men half my age and love it when I get shots about my age. Doing a some handstand push ups tends to shut up these people in a hurry.

I don't know how to say this, so here goes.
The recent Paralympics show people doing things that would loosen my bladder in a hurry. They do it well and they love what they do.
Some people with abnormalities or physical conditions will succumb to them. Most don't.
They may need a bit of help once in a while or need special equipment but they not only get by, they do one hell of a job.

I have a lot of respect for everyone and everything that overcomes their disabilities. Whatever it takes. Usually, they don't fit well into regular society because of their drive and lack of ability to put up with pissyfaced whiners and BS artists. But once you get to know them at the levels they exist on, they are fabulous people.

 

[hnachaj]

A very good Russian movie with English subtitles about a mysterious white tiger tank etc... You got to watch it! https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By7I2IIHlQQjeDIyRTBsRndjVFk/edit?pli=1
Many real tanks and equipment are used including an old Willis jeep!
Henry

 

[machman]

Amen to that!

I have '0' tolerance for fat, out of shape blobs that need to look in a dictionary to know what "exercise" means. Our society has become one of bloated, obese, future diabetics. Some of the most motivated people I know have overcome issues in their lives I wouldn't want to deal with - physical and otherwise.

You sound like you might be a Nietzsche fan. Maybe you should save your superman rant for the "Off Topics" forum. Lots of "fat, out of shape blobs" never get cancer or diabetes, but those that do deserve it, I guess, judging by your sensitive opinion.

 

[machman]

Back to the pictures!

 

[moonshot5]

A lot of pictures here...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...tmans-salvaged-WW1-archive.html?frame=2861436

A German soldier from the 2nd Battalion - 236 at the Somme

Pictured here is a Royal Engineer in a 'home' made winter coat - probably a goat - taken in the winter of 1914/15 before winter coats were issued to soldiers

 

[screwtape]

A lot of pictures here...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...tmans-salvaged-WW1-archive.html?frame=2861436

A German soldier from the 2nd Battalion - 236 at the Somme

Pictured here is a Royal Engineer in a 'home' made winter coat - probably a goat - taken in the winter of 1914/15 before winter coats were issued to soldiers

Well that second picture might be a WW1 Royal Engineer wearing a homemade coat ... or it could be a photo of one of Genghis Khan's Mongols who somehow got slightly displaced in time... the coat would certainly fit, wouldn't it?

WRT the first photo, the shell he is sitting by is marked 38cm, which would make it what, about a 15 inch shell? Does anyone know what British gun would have fired that on the Somme in 1916? Did any RN battleships take part in the bombardment from offshore perhaps, or did the Brits maybe use excess naval guns as railway guns?

You know, as an amateur historian, I find that photo collection absolutely appalling. Things like a whole series of photos of the London Scottish Regiment in 1914. No other photos of the regiment are known to exist from WW1 - or at least from early WW1 before the first version of the regiment was pretty much wiped out in the early battles.

And these ones only exist now because back in the 1970s, this garbageman noticed them as he was emptying a trashcan into the back of the compactor truck and rescued them from being mashed up and dumped in the landfill.

Just like everything else in his collection - 5,000+ WW1 photos plus letters, memorabilia and God knows what else -- all thrown in the trash heap instead of being sent to the National Archives or the Imperial War Museum or any one of a number of regimental or local museums or archives.

People are uncaring idiots sometimes about history, aren't they? ... But then you also have the occasional one like this garbageman, who noticed an old letter going into the garbage, opened and read it, realized it was that soldier's last letter home before he was KIA and decided that sort of thing shouldn't just be going into a landfill. So he spent the next 30 years trying to save what he could.

Of course nowadays, with the automated forklift trucks that dump the bins, nobody would ever have a chance to notice this stuff in the trash...

 

[scott585]

that 38 cm shell seems small, the american 16" shells are about 6ft long

 

[Sharps '63]

I apologize to machman and any others who might have taken offence at my remarks. I tend to judge myself and others by a harsh yardstick. Self discipline was instilled in me early in life and became a corner stone of my being, along with taking individual responsibility for my life choices. This was reinforced by Regular Army service where "Not On My Watch" meant what it said - NO Excuses!
And yes, I have read from Nietzsche and von Clausewitz. Perfect philosophy with little or no practical application outside of the military, just as much liberal philosophy has little to no bearing on the military.

You sound like you might be a Nietzsche fan. Maybe you should save your superman rant for the "Off Topics" forum. Lots of "fat, out of shape blobs" never get cancer or diabetes, but those that do deserve it, I guess, judging by your sensitive opinion.

 

[mkrnel]

Well that second picture might be a WW1 Royal Engineer wearing a homemade coat ... or it could be a photo of one of Genghis Khan's Mongols who somehow got slightly displaced in time... the coat would certainly fit, wouldn't it?

WRT the first photo, the shell he is sitting by is marked 38cm, which would make it what, about a 15 inch shell? Does anyone know what British gun would have fired that on the Somme in 1916? Did any RN battleships take part in the bombardment from offshore perhaps, or did the Brits maybe use excess naval guns as railway guns?

You know, as an amateur historian, I find that photo collection absolutely appalling. Things like a whole series of photos of the London Scottish Regiment in 1914. No other photos of the regiment are known to exist from WW1 - or at least from early WW1 before the first version of the regiment was pretty much wiped out in the early battles.

And these ones only exist now because back in the 1970s, this garbageman noticed them as he was emptying a trashcan into the back of the compactor truck and rescued them from being mashed up and dumped in the landfill.

Just like everything else in his collection - 5,000+ WW1 photos plus letters, memorabilia and God knows what else -- all thrown in the trash heap instead of being sent to the National Archives or the Imperial War Museum or any one of a number of regimental or local museums or archives.

People are uncaring idiots sometimes about history, aren't they? ... But then you also have the occasional one like this garbageman, who noticed an old letter going into the garbage, opened and read it, realized it was that soldier's last letter home before he was KIA and decided that sort of thing shouldn't just be going into a landfill. So he spent the next 30 years trying to save what he could.

Of course nowadays, with the automated forklift trucks that dump the bins, nobody would ever have a chance to notice this stuff in the trash...

I also wonder how many veteran's bring back handguns and other collectables went into the trash and then landfill when the veteran passed on and his widow just wanted to quickly dispose of his old "Junk".

 

[mkrnel]

Oh and here is a pic to keep with the thread's theme -

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[mkrnel]

Here is a good one showing the German POW's being marched through Moscow in late 1944 on their way to the gulags in Siberia.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[lister]

Wow. That's an awful lot of dead men walking.

 

[Recce21]

"Gulags"

You mean Death Camps. But ya, Uncle Joe was on our side so lets not make a big fuss.

Here is a good one showing the German POW's being marched through Moscow in late 1944 on their way to the gulags in Siberia.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Sharps '63]

As a gas utility technician, I got into a lot of homes on service calls.

One was the home of a recent widow in ritzy West Vancouver, BC. I ran the bell and heard a voice calling from the yard. I went to the sliding patio door and was admitted.
Right beside the door was a gallon pickle jar FULL of twoonies and loonies! She said it was for her grand kids, collected by her late husband.

As I walked in, I noticed a full suit of Samurai armour on a display mount, not under glass as it should have been. The sword looked incorrect and I commented on it. She said that it was of WWII vintage. The armour was her wedding present from her husband, found in a 'junque' shoppe on Robson Strasse, purchased cheap after Pearl Harbor, when things Japanese were not very popular. The sword came later.

I suggested she get these items appraised as they were likely quite valuable on the current market. She then opened her husband's desk and showed me A Kriegsmarine dagger and Naval Model P-08 in the original holster! I was aghast .....

I asked her if she had any paper on the pistol, and she said she hadn't yet gone through her husband's documents. I referred her to a local collector/appraiser I knew that lived in the area. I often wondered what she did with these items .....
Oh, and I suggested that she put the pickle jar out of sight and/or deposit the money in an account for her grand kids.

I also wonder how many veteran's bring back handguns and other collectables went into the trash and then landfill when the veteran passed on and his widow just wanted to quickly dispose of his old "Junk".

 

[points]

"Gulags"

You mean Death Camps. But ya, Uncle Joe was on our side so lets not make a big fuss.

No. He was not on our side. He happened to be fighting the same guys as we were. "Enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my freind" He was allied to the Nazis when they split up Poland (I'm Polish) then was shafted by Hitler a bit later. He was an ally of convenience until the day Germany surrendered. About 2 days later Uncle Joe was our enemy again. If you were unlucky enough run into the Russians as an escped pow from the Axis, you stood a good chance of being shot by the Russians.
I am not putting down by any means the contribution they made in defeating Germany but they were never our freinds

 

[hnachaj]

He separated the officers form the noncom and killed them at Katyn. My father a Polish soldier was captured by the Russians on his way on leave to see his father. When the Germans invaded the partition, they bombed only the Russian barracks. The Polish were let loos to find their way to Palestine.