[REQ] identify these troops and one helmet

[ak74u]

and the helmet on the tanker on the right side of the picture, looks like a mix between a american helmet and british para helmet

[4444]

to me the first 2 pics look a bit like movie shots. Reason: none in particular, just a general impression... these photos are just too picturesque to be real...

[Ernest Penfold]

Perhaps they get that look because they were staged or reenacted for the camera?

Anyway, the top photo looks like it was scanned from a book. There is some backwards text visible that may be of help. Trying to read it in "reverse" from a pocket mirror and playing with the contrast of my monitor, I get:

"...directed the fire of the 17-pounder anti
tank guns and knocked out a Tiger tank
himself. Every officer (something) had with him
was killed or wounded. He led alone. The
only time reinforcements got through he..."

Sounds like they're describing a very brave chap indeed. I cant make out much more than that, its the best I can get out of my 50+ year old eyes - maybe someone younger can have a go. The T-prefix on the Sherman's hull number tells us its British or perhaps Commonwealth...

[Ernest Penfold]

I've done some more digging.

The text on the reverse of the photos describes the actions of Maj DV Currie of the South Alberta Light Horse on 19 Aug 1944, for which he earned the Victoria Cross for holding St Lambert sur Dives against repeated German attacks. (One of the words I couldn't make out previously was "Currie").

Further digging among Canadian military books turned up the cover of this book. One of your photos is the cover of a book about Canadian military men.



Hopefully this is enough information to help further you with your research.

Good luck.

[Ernest Penfold]

Here is the last bit you seek on helmets. Not exactly a scholarly source, but it shows you a picture of the sorts of helmets that Commonwealth tankers wore.

http://www.ultracast.ca/products/AC35/006/default.htm



With all that, I need to be off to bed!

[Tom Houlihan]

That almost looks like the scarf or whatever the SAS wore. They could be some manner of Spec Ops guys?

[Herr Doktor]

In the first few photos it looks like they are wearing sniper veils like a scarf over their heads.

Sniper veils are green mesh material, easy to look through while draped over your face, over a weapon, etc as one looks through the mesh holes at bad guys. But because of the mesh, they are difficult to see into from a distance, concealing shapes and skin color when worn as a veil, making them effective camoflague (with other items). You can see the mesh pattern in some of the photos and these troops are carrying scoped weapons, so likely snipers.

I didn't know the Brits, Canadians (or whoever these troops are) wore those back in WWII, possible I suppose. I think they are still issue kit for the British Army, not just snipers but all combat troopers. An effective, easy to carry and deploy item. Don't leave home without one

Cheers,

HD

[awaygood]

Although slightly off-topic, the head-covering shown in the photographs reminds me that the modern British Army has long-adopted the 'shamargh' (there are various spellings), from its days in the Sultanate of Oman. A shamargh is the Omani term for the patterned head-cloth which Omani men wear in the form of a turban, and is a square of patterned cloth, which is folded into a triangle before being wound around the head to form the turban. The pattern on the Omani army's shamargh is made up of various darker shades of green on a lighter green background, and this is the version often seen worn by British soldiers around their necks -it has been found to be a very useful item of clothing, because it can be used to protect the nose and mouth from dust, as a scarf, as an item of camouflage, and to keep the head warm when the wearer lies in a sleeping bag. All in all, a very useful bit of kit!
The nationals of other Gulf countries also wear shamarghs (although they are often known by other names -eg: 'ghutra', in Saudi Arabia) but only in Oman are they worn as turbans.

[Ernest Penfold]

Here's yet another book cover showing a Canadian sniper at work. He is wearing the headgear previously described.



The book is:

Without Warning - Canadian Sniper Equipment of the 20th Century, Clive M. Law, 88 pages, 140 ill. CDN$29.95 (approx US$22.50)

[ak74u]

Thaks everyone, to bad i dont own a credit card or i would get those two books

[Ernest Penfold]

Just out of curiosity - what is your interest in the photos?

[ak74u]

The snipers looked too come from the "vietnam'ish" era but they had british/commenwealth equipment,


BTW the picture have been taken down from the server