Bantheville Center of Town
Nantillois Cemetery 32nd Division
Grave of 27 Officers and Men of Co. A – Captain Debario, 1st Lt. Cole, 1st Sgt. Lindsey
Dugout Near Anceville
Baby Carriage Found in German Front Line Trenches
German Front Line Trenches Occupied as 2nd Btn. P.C.
Trench Near 2nd Battalion P.C.
Villers-Devant YMCA
Villers-Devant Division German Munitions
One of the most interesting forms of communication used during WWI has to be the homing pigeon. Front line troops couldn’t rely on wire messages getting through to rear echelon support units. Often times homing pigeons were used to relay messages back to HQ. Here’s a nice shot of a pigeon unit posing for the camera sometime after the armistice.
And some nice details! Including a captured German helmet for good measure.
Ever since I first laid eyes upon the WWII portrait art of Alva V. Alegre, I knew that I had to track down an original piece of his work. I tracked down his original photographic prints, his negatives, and even have spoken with people knew him. I’ve followed him from his first arrival in the US in the 1930s, through England during WWII, to NYC in the 1950s and eventually to Troy, NY in the 1960s. After years of waiting, I providentially stumbled across one of his portraits on eBay. It’s all coming together…….
With the help of a group of dedicated historians with the 388th Bomb Group, we’ve (possibly) identified the Major as Frank Hess.
For more photos and images of Alva’s work, please search for “Alva” in my search bar.
Frank Hess
How do we know this is a piece of Alva’s work? For disbelievers, check out this comparison of signatures from my negative collection and the signature on the recently acquired painting. 100%!
The vibrant colors of 1945 pop to life in the period color Kodachrome film 35mm slide. The sitter is posed next to a signpost in Turangi, New Zealand. Lake Taupo can be seen in the background in a vibrant blue. This area is known for it’s world-class trout fishing.
Another nice studio portrait taken in 1945 in St. Dizier, France in 1945. A member of the 511th Fighter Squadron during WWII, Georges G. Bond later went on to serve in Korea. His wartime address was 415 West Pine St. in Enid, Oklahoma. Georges was born on July 10th, 1920 and passed away on September 7th, 2007. My condolences to his family.
Source: FindaGrave.com
Another great WWII interior studio portrait arrived in the mail yesterday. The subject of the photo is Ervin G. Collins of (wartime) 391 Liverpool Ave, Pawtucket, RI. The photo was taken in France and shows Ervin posed with a studio prop – a French Louis XVI Style gilt rectangular center table. The photo was taken in St. Dizier by a photographer named Andre Dirler. St. Dizier is roughly 120 miles east of paris; the 511th was stationed at Clastres (A-71) during the tail end of 1944. He was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 112 pounds when he enlisted on July 3rd, 1942. Before the war he was able to graduate high school and worked as a salesperson.
Mr. Collins was born on March 5th, 1921 and passed away on November 2nd, 2001. He is buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Pawtucket, RI.
The world of WWI photo collecting is becoming increasingly expensive; good identified photos are beginning to bring big bucks in the eBay world. I was lucky enough to “steal” this gem of a portrait from the realm of auction obscurity. Identified to a Sgt. Alex Arch of C Co. 6th Field Artillery, 1st Division. I was blown away when I learned that Mr. Arch was the first US soldier to fire against the Germans on October 23rd, 1917. He technically pulled the firing cord of a French 75mm while in Xanrey in the Luneville Section. A great addition to the collection!
Although my East Coast residence prevented my viewing of the solar eclipse today, I am able to post a wonderful shot of an eclipse captured nearly 100 years ago. Snapped by a US nurse while stationed in Rimaucourt, France. I have an album of nearly 200 images following a Springfield, MA native through her WWI service. Some of the best shots come from her time with the 52nd Base Hospital. Enjoy!
Portraits of War 