Jonathan Ware

army group b and poor sturmpanzer colorized
#ww2 #sww #history

‘Germany must win… the Fuhrer will find a way.’
Anon Officer, 271 Artillerie, 30 July 1944

Spoiler: they didn't
#WW2 #SWW #History

Parklife

As Me 163 & V-1 are correct, I suspect due to different curators.

Grandad

Father

Son

Spitfire Trinity
#WW2 #SWW #History

Slave labour underpinned V-2 production, engrained in the Holocaust. To suggest it was POWs overlooks a deliberate Nazi campaign of exploitation, presecution & genocode.

I think this needs to be front & centre.

Thoughts?
#WW2 #SWW #History

Gebuza Nungu was a Zulu member of 15th Glamorganshire (Gower) Home Guard, born in Ulundi in 1870, he came to Britain as a lion tamer with the The Savage South Africa Show in 1898, before moving to South Wales & working in the steel industry.
#WW2 #SWW #History

Historians of Germany, fascism, & the Second World War: any suggestions for recent book chapters/articles that examine the historiography of Nazi Germany along the lines of those in Kershaw's rather dated The Nazi Dictatorship: Problems & Perspectives of Interpretations? It's for a senior seminar.

At some point we need a suitable phrase for 21st Army Group's massive July offensive, 15 - 25 July... as these lack a suitable operational name tying them together.

'Titanic'
#WW2 #SWW #History

Very glad, if knackered, to say that Vol 1 of Jocks, Dragons and Sospans, the new history of 53rd Welsh Division has been submitted to the publisher.

Now to finish Vol 2.
#WW2 #SWW #History

All being well, my next book comes out on 30 Nov 25. It looks at the alleged disappearance of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment & looks at all the duff history that surrounds the story of their advance on Kuchuk Anafarta Ova on 12 Aug 15 during the Gallipoli Campaign #WW1 #FWW #Norfolk #Gallipoli

A reminder to most militaria dealers that the majority of Sospan Fach were not manufactured or supplied to 4 Welch...

But to the Home Guard.

Possibly a ratio of 10:1.
#WW2 #SWW #History

One with boots is 4 Welch.

I believe museum policies had a real cooling effect, seeing many donations refused.

Undermined by a lack of national military museum for Wales.

One of these may be, bootless. A chance it is 2 SWB.

Kit/training/location on the rest is right bar.... div!

Sadly there are not too many of 2 Mons about, at least that I've been able to access.

So @wartimeni.com thought you may like these higher res images of troops in NI, feel free to use them.

A Challenger (no not that one) at the surrender of Cuxhaven, 7 May 1945.
#WW2 #SWW #History

Simple maths.

Approximately 90% of German divisions on the Eastern Front participated in genocide/atrocities/the Holocaust.

German infantry divisions in Normandy had approximately 30% of their strength drawn from Eastern Front veterans.
#WW2 #SWW #History

Someone, I'm not sure who, will write a book on this subject.

Suspect it'll sell well.

Person A: Did the army not put out any guidance on how to wear GS Caps?

Normandy Bean: You mean Cap, Ridiculous?

British soldiers:
#WW2 #SWW #History

One of the many British soldiers who served in 53rd Welsh Division.
#WW2 #SWW #History

The IWM is rarely open to any discussion.

It has a long, and terrible, track record.

Read n' reviewed: Niels Henkemans’ Defending Normandy Vol.1B by Panzerwrecks Publishing Scale models, model reviews, tamiya, 1/32, 1/48th , aircraft modelling, model building, tank model, car model, figure model, 1/72nd scale, star wars,

Always nice when people take the time to review your books.
Here's a new one from The Modelling News: www.themodellingnews.com/2025/07/read...

I mean in many ways bulldozers are not sexy.

Yeah, many would say heavy plant is dull.

But bulldozers were an essential piece of kit that allowed 21st Army Group to keep things moving.

People go on about Tigers, but... had Army Group B had a few bulldozers, well... /thread

Find trashed kit?

Into the ditch with it.

Open up core line of communication.

Column moves on.

Job done. /12

The biggest moment for D-7s came during spearheading 11th Armoured Division's charge smashing eastwards through the Falaise Gap.

No other vehicle could so easily take small arms fire etc & clear obstacles for other AFVs etc.

Ralph Rayner with his D-7. /11

When Sherman Dozers weren't available to smash through roadblocks or wreckage, armoured D-7 Dozers helped lead the way.

These hulking pieces of kit granted Allied divisions a real edge: not mirrored by any German asset in Normandy. /10

Sherman Crabs could clear tank tracks through minefields, but it was often up to bulldozers shuffling through afterwards to properly open up the route for non-tracked vehicles. /9

Towns with crossroads were a particular ballache.

Key communication centres that could be blocked for weeks, in some cases the Germans struggled to reopen these routes for months.

Send in bulldozers?

Job done. /8

Many roads suffered extensively & collapsed from overuse by much too heavy vehicles, pre-registered fire and generous application of airpower, again bulldozers were in constant action filling craters, and helping speed the movement of essential supplies and troops. /7