WWII Pictures - Jack Delport

[SteveTheBruce]

I do not do much posting on any forums but I figured that this information was too important not to share.

My Grandfather passed away in the Spring of 2001, his name was Jack Delport. Mr. Delport became a Captain in the South African Natal Carbineers, he fought in Italy and North Africa during World War Two, I have had many great conversations with him about his antics as a tank commander in the Carbineers. He had some wonderful stories and lived well.

He always used to call his wife (married 55 years) by the nickname "V.C.", when someone asked him why, he simply said that the Victoria Cross was the highest honour that the Army could bestow on a man, and he married his highest honour after WWII.

The picture below is from his time in North Africa, Mr. Delport is on the left.

Jack Delport was also a bit of a hobby photographer and while my mother was going through some of his stuff a few years ago she came across these two excellent pictures amongst a bunch of wartime pictures of Italy and North Africa.

The first is Sir Winston Churchill dis-embarking from a ship, I'm not sure where this was taken as there is nothing written on the back of the photo.

The second picture is of Field Marshall Rommell in North Africa.

I took photos of these pictures with my iPhone camera, perhaps some day I will professionally scan them and make them available to a historical society that can make use of them.

Hope that you enjoy the history....

 

[tommyinbc]

Superb pictures, lovely story, great history and good that you have taken such an interest in your Grandfather. In so many instances, the life and times of these men fade away once they have passed. The fact that you had many conversations with him is very special. Enjoyed your post..thks.
Just out of interest, I'm just liaising with an old school friend who's Dad owned a confectionary shop close to our house (in the 70's) As kids we were in there every day. He always had a 'military flare' about him, but we never thought to ask being so young...Turns out he was a glider pilot at Sicily and Arnhem, but she only found out after he passed away..Never talked about it..

 

[Rule 303]

First photo: on the left is Delport as a Corporal, chap to the right sports a crown.

I would venture to say that the crown indicated that he was a Warrant Officer Class 3.

 

[Garand]

Rommell never surrendered to the allies. He committed suicide after the plot to kill Hitler in late 1944.

 

[SteveTheBruce]

First photo: on the left is Delport as a Corporal, chap to the right sports a crown.

I would venture to say that the crown indicated that he was a Warrant Officer Class 3.

Thanks for the info, I'm not sure who the fellow to the right was.

Jack Delport became a Captain long after the war, I believe that he served in the Carbineers until the mid 60's.

 

[SteveTheBruce]

Superb pictures, lovely story, great history and good that you have taken such an interest in your Grandfather. In so many instances, the life and times of these men fade away once they have passed. The fact that you had many conversations with him is very special. Enjoyed your post..thks.
Just out of interest, I'm just liaising with an old school friend who's Dad owned a confectionary shop close to our house (in the 70's) As kids we were in there every day. He always had a 'military flare' about him, but we never thought to ask being so young...Turns out he was a glider pilot at Sicily and Arnhem, but she only found out after he passed away..Never talked about it..

Yes, indeed, unfortunately there were many more stories to tell, I regret that I did not spend more time listening to them. I appreciate the time that I had though.

 

[SteveTheBruce]

Rommell never surrendered to the allies. He committed suicide after the plot to kill Hitler in late 1944.

Sorry, I guess I should have checked my facts before posting, it was the only reasonable explanation that I could come up with as to why an Allied soldier from South Africa would have been able to take a picture like that, I will edit my original post with just the fact that it is a Picture of Rommel in North Africa.

The back of the picture has "Field Marshall Rommel - N Desert" written on it.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Rod B]

Rommell never surrendered to the allies. He committed suicide after the plot to kill Hitler in late 1944.

Not exactly a suicide. After the plot failed all the perpetrators except Rommel were slow hung. Because of his service to the Reich, Rommel was handed a pistol & told to use it on himself

 

[tommyinbc]

Sorry, I guess I should have checked my facts before posting, it was the only reasonable explanation that I could come up with as to why an Allied soldier from South Africa would have been able to take a picture like that, I will edit my original post with just the fact that it is a Picture of Rommel in North Africa.

The back of the picture has "Field Marshall Rommel - N Desert" written on it.

Thanks for the info.

The picture show's Rommel drinking a toast just prior to the battle at El Alamein (October 1942)The original was found on a captured German soldier...

 

[SteveTheBruce]

The picture show's Rommel drinking a toast just prior to the battle at El Alamein (October 1942)The original was found on a captured German soldier...

That's really neat. My Grandfather was wounded at the battle of El Alamein. I had thought that this was an original picture that he took. It would seem though that he must have somehow received a copy of the picture.

 

[RRCo.]

Not exactly a suicide. After the plot failed all the perpetrators except Rommel were slow hung. Because of his service to the Reich, Rommel was handed a pistol & told to use it on himself

No, he was given a cyanide capsule and the opportunity to use it during a drive in the mountains. He turned down the option of being tried in the "People's Court" for the sake of his wife and son who would have perhaps gone to a concentration camp if he was found guilty. He might as well have strapped on a bomb and blown Adolf and friends to hell as been hung or forced to commit suicide, but then the same can be said for Stauffenberg and all the others. As a German woman who lived through that time said to me once, not one of them were willing to destroy themselves to destroy Hitler.

As for surrendering, Rommel was flown out of North Africa before the collapse and surrender in Tunisia. When a division would have won Egypt for Hitler he said he had none to spare, then later they rushed over tens of thousands of men when it was already too late.

The picture show's Rommel drinking a toast just prior to the battle at El Alamein (October 1942)The original was found on a captured German soldier...

Makes sense, he looks exhausted, he was a sick man by that time.

The photo of Churchill was not taken in the Med. Looks more like his outfit when he met Roosevelt at Argentia in 1941