From the negative grouping of Edward Majchrowicz
From time to time I will cull through my backlogged collections and pull out interesting images for posting here to PortraitsofWar. My collection of 42nd Division negatives from a member of the 222nd Anti-Tank Company is comprised of nearly 600 B/W negatives and an additional 200 prints. The collection is one of the best I own, and is ripe with juicy frontline photos. I’m even friends with a veteran from the company, who can tell me the stories behind the images. Here’s a nice shot of a group of dejected German POW’s. Apparently, the line consisted of nearly 1,200 soldiers who surrendered somewhere outside Schweinfurt, Germany.
Happy to have come across this. I’m reading Infantry Soldier by W. Y. Boyd who was a veteran of the Rainbow division. In the book, the unit is described as the mine platoon of the anti tank company of the “triple nickel” which I suppose is a stand in for the 222nd infantry.
I’ve heard them referred to as the triple deuces but never the triple nickles. Good to know!
2 of my Grandfathers were in the 42nd Rainbow Division. Clarence S. Falardeau was in the 222nd Infantry Division and Virgil I. Hixson was in the 232nd Infantry Division. This is a long shot, but do any of the pictures you have soldier’s names on them? I’ve wondered if it was possible that they had met that would be amazing if they did.
Jason, yes Clarence was in the same unit – 222nd AT co. as the man who took the photos. I think we’ve corresponded before. I don’t believe he appears in many. The men in the images certainly knew him. There are even photos of the plane crash event where Clarence was wounded. Wish I could help! I believe we emailed back and forth a bit.?