Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos - The Firearms Forum

polishshooter · 05-09-2006, 11:37 PM

A buddy that I work with just had his aunt die, and he was named executor.

His uncle died several years ago, and had served on the HMS Victorious in WWII, during the late Pacific battles. My buddy remembered talking to him about getting hit by several kamikazes, while he was below decks servicing Corsairs.

Anyway, on his last trip to Toronto to help settle her affairs, he found boxes of old WWII photographs from the Victorious, at least one of a Kamikaze coming in from the few he's seen.

His uncle was an amateur photographer, and also told my buddy the "official" ships photographer would take pictures and "sell them" to the crew on the side.

He's going to let me go through them to see if I can identify anything.

He also agrees with me that if there IS anything interesting, we should contact the Navy's historical section and offer to let them see them.

I'm pretty excited, some of the pictures supposedly show "brass" coming aboard at the end of the war, he want's to see if I recognize any. I'm looking forward to it, being able to look at ORIGINAL "unofficial" historical prints!

SouthernMoss · 05-09-2006, 11:50 PM

Awesome! Do you you think he'd let you scan and post some here?

Marlin · 05-09-2006, 11:52 PM

What a great opportunity, Polish. Please share with us any interesting ones.

inplanotx · 05-10-2006, 09:04 AM

I'm jealous!

Pistolenschutze · 05-10-2006, 09:05 AM

Post them if you can, Polish. I would love to see them. It is hard to imagine that over 60 years have come and gone since WWII. With some of the students I teach, WWII equates in their minds right alongside ancient Rome or the Crusades! Hell, for that matter, so does the Vietnam War.

polishshooter · 05-10-2006, 10:25 PM

I called him today to see if theres any CCTV work or interrogations he needs help on, to give me an excuse to drive to Toledo to see them all.

If not, we have to fly to Dallas for a meeting next month, so he said he will bring a lot with him then....

I'm pretty pumped...

My buddy is actually a Brit, lived here since his Father got offered a job here as an engineer when he was 12, I'm kinda on his butt to go finally take the test and be able to VOTE and not just BITCH at the democrats...

His father served in the British navy too, I believe in the British Merchant Marine...

And he says there are quite a few good pictures of "brass" in whites being piped aboard, he's wondering if I might recognize them, he can't tell if they are RN or USN...

HE did tell me when his uncle was alive, he didn't talk much about his service until they were alone, then he would open up...his favorite story was being topside when they got attacked by a kamikaze, and watched it coming in, with all the AA firing, and they hit it, it's wing broke off, and the plane flames and spun in pretty close, and all the AA guns quit at once, and he remembered the silence, until a Chief or somebod yells "Bloody Hell, there's ANOTHER one!" and points, and ALL the guns opened up all at once again! He then decide since his work place was BELOW the armored flight deck that might be where he ought to go....

polishshooter · 06-01-2006, 11:21 PM

WOW, I got to look at the photos yesterday, and there are some REALLY great shots of the Victorious...and yes, one GREAT shot evidently shot from a plane or another ship, with flak bursts in the air and a kamikaze just before impact on the flight deck...it was a little blurry, but with a small magnifying glass I had, it looked like a Judy. Several shots after the hit, and of repair parties.

Another earlier shot with an Albacore warming up, Fulmars spotted on the side of the deck, and an aircraft (looks like a wingless Albacore?) going over the side! (Probably in the Atlantic.)

Another great one of a Walrus Amphibian that just landed and them helping a resued pilot down from it.

Many photos of his leaves in Italy, Colombo, Ceylon, Bombay, and Sydney, plus many of shipboard "sports days," "PT" and "crossing the line" festivities. One shot of the Vic in the Suez Canal, probably on her way to the Pacific in '44...

Several of Brit Destroyers alongside, passing mail, etc. One with what looks like some Brit Light Cruisers, and several with other carriers. I mentioned possibly the Formidable, and the Illustrious, and my buddy remembered his uncle talking about the Formidable, but not the Illustrious....

One shot I THINK is a "Flower" class corvette alongside, in the Atlantic.

Most of the deck shots were late war, all Avengers and Corsairs on deck., Plus MANY great shots of Avengers in flight, with Brit Fleet Air markings...

Three photos of some airstrike, possibly the same target, showing what looks like fuel tanks exploding, one with visible bomb strikes across the target....possibly Indonesia???

The Admirals I could not positively identify, except for Vian, (but that picture was marked on the back! (but I THINK there are several of Bertram Ramsey, and one during a review of Royal Marines, he is with some General I think is Lord Mountbatten.)

He is going to try to scan them to a disk, and let me have them, if I get them I will post some.

Only a few of them have writing on them, which is a shame.

But it DID get me to thinking, a scary thought....with WWII vets dying now about 1000/DAY, how MANY original photos that have been buried away are now being THROWN OUT or sold at yard sales, by relatives that have NO IDEA of the HISTORY they are seeing....

05-09-2006, 11:37 PM	#1
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,879	Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos A buddy that I work with just had his aunt die, and he was named executor. His uncle died several years ago, and had served on the HMS Victorious in WWII, during the late Pacific battles. My buddy remembered talking to him about getting hit by several kamikazes, while he was below decks servicing Corsairs. Anyway, on his last trip to Toronto to help settle her affairs, he found boxes of old WWII photographs from the Victorious, at least one of a Kamikaze coming in from the few he's seen. His uncle was an amateur photographer, and also told my buddy the "official" ships photographer would take pictures and "sell them" to the crew on the side. He's going to let me go through them to see if I can identify anything. He also agrees with me that if there IS anything interesting, we should contact the Navy's historical section and offer to let them see them. I'm pretty excited, some of the pictures supposedly show "brass" coming aboard at the end of the war, he want's to see if I recognize any. I'm looking forward to it, being able to look at ORIGINAL "unofficial" historical prints! __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. -->

05-09-2006, 11:50 PM	#2
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos Awesome! Do you you think he'd let you scan and post some here? __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony

05-09-2006, 11:52 PM	#3
Marlin TFF Admin Staff Chief Counselor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: At SouthernMoss' side forever! Contributor Posts: 13,854	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos What a great opportunity, Polish. Please share with us any interesting ones. __________________ *The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.* *The only criminal class native to the United States is Congress.*

05-10-2006, 09:04 AM	#4
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos I'm jealous! __________________

05-10-2006, 09:05 AM	#5
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos Post them if you can, Polish. I would love to see them. It is hard to imagine that over 60 years have come and gone since WWII. With some of the students I teach, WWII equates in their minds right alongside ancient Rome or the Crusades! Hell, for that matter, so does the Vietnam War. __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter)

05-10-2006, 10:25 PM	#6
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,879	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos I called him today to see if theres any CCTV work or interrogations he needs help on, to give me an excuse to drive to Toledo to see them all. If not, we have to fly to Dallas for a meeting next month, so he said he will bring a lot with him then.... I'm pretty pumped... My buddy is actually a Brit, lived here since his Father got offered a job here as an engineer when he was 12, I'm kinda on his butt to go finally take the test and be able to VOTE and not just BITCH at the democrats... His father served in the British navy too, I believe in the British Merchant Marine... And he says there are quite a few good pictures of "brass" in whites being piped aboard, he's wondering if I might recognize them, he can't tell if they are RN or USN... HE did tell me when his uncle was alive, he didn't talk much about his service until they were alone, then he would open up...his favorite story was being topside when they got attacked by a kamikaze, and watched it coming in, with all the AA firing, and they hit it, it's wing broke off, and the plane flames and spun in pretty close, and all the AA guns quit at once, and he remembered the silence, until a Chief or somebod yells "Bloody Hell, there's ANOTHER one!" and points, and ALL the guns opened up all at once again! He then decide since his work place was BELOW the armored flight deck that might be where he ought to go.... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

06-01-2006, 11:21 PM	#7
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,879	Re: Get to look at original private never seen WWII photos WOW, I got to look at the photos yesterday, and there are some REALLY great shots of the Victorious...and yes, one GREAT shot evidently shot from a plane or another ship, with flak bursts in the air and a kamikaze just before impact on the flight deck...it was a little blurry, but with a small magnifying glass I had, it looked like a Judy. Several shots after the hit, and of repair parties. Another earlier shot with an Albacore warming up, Fulmars spotted on the side of the deck, and an aircraft (looks like a wingless Albacore?) going over the side! (Probably in the Atlantic.) Another great one of a Walrus Amphibian that just landed and them helping a resued pilot down from it. Many photos of his leaves in Italy, Colombo, Ceylon, Bombay, and Sydney, plus many of shipboard "sports days," "PT" and "crossing the line" festivities. One shot of the Vic in the Suez Canal, probably on her way to the Pacific in '44... Several of Brit Destroyers alongside, passing mail, etc. One with what looks like some Brit Light Cruisers, and several with other carriers. I mentioned possibly the Formidable, and the Illustrious, and my buddy remembered his uncle talking about the Formidable, but not the Illustrious.... One shot I THINK is a "Flower" class corvette alongside, in the Atlantic. Most of the deck shots were late war, all Avengers and Corsairs on deck., Plus MANY great shots of Avengers in flight, with Brit Fleet Air markings... Three photos of some airstrike, possibly the same target, showing what looks like fuel tanks exploding, one with visible bomb strikes across the target....possibly Indonesia??? The Admirals I could not positively identify, except for Vian, (but that picture was marked on the back! (but I THINK there are several of Bertram Ramsey, and one during a review of Royal Marines, he is with some General I think is Lord Mountbatten.) He is going to try to scan them to a disk, and let me have them, if I get them I will post some. Only a few of them have writing on them, which is a shame. But it DID get me to thinking, a scary thought....with WWII vets dying now about 1000/DAY, how MANY original photos that have been buried away are now being THROWN OUT or sold at yard sales, by relatives that have NO IDEA of the HISTORY they are seeing.... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. Last edited by polishshooter; 06-01-2006 at 11:24 PM..