We here at Portraits of War have spent countless hours scanning and editing the photographic work of Alva, but have neglected to post a series of photos relating to what he looked like while stationed at Kennishall nearly 70 years ago. I hope you enjoy seeing the face of the man responsible for recording the everyday activities around Knettishall.
The tension in the air is almost palpable. Painted bomber jackets, crusher hats, and wafting palls of smoke all set the scene. A basic map is being chalked on the board, while pilots and navigators take note.
Alva Alegre took every opportunity to shoot in and around London while on pass. His images capture wartime London as seen in 1944, at a time when the Luftwaffe was still a real threat to the civilian population. Please enjoy the view through Alva’s lens as he travels throughout the city of London!
Alva and Muse
The Royal Arcade
Close Up View of Sign
August 25th, 1944,
Glenn Miller poses with some members of the 388th Bomb Group. Only a few months later Miller went missing during a flight over the English Channel,. spurring 70 years of mystery and intrigue. His death is still an unknown, although many suggest that he was in fact a German spy. The second image shows the crowd during the concert – snapped by Alegre from the front of the stage.
Some of Glenn’s best known hits are Moonlight Serenade, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Little Brown Jug and Tuxedo Junction. Many of these songs are likely lost on my generation, but will be familiar to many of the readers of this blog. Please check out the links listed below for some vintage Glenn Miller footage!
Click for larger View
Click for larger view
Click for larger view
Alva Alegre had an uncanny ability to capture the subtle beauty of his female subjects. Here are some superlative examples which capture the personalities of the women portrayed.
Platinum Blonde Beauty
Fire Hazard
Color at Knettishall
Work Horses Plow a Field
Windswept Nurse
Alva spins a spit!
Seated Pose
A Barracks Fistfight
One of my favorite topics within the collection has to be the various sketches and murals strewn about the Knettishall barracks. From the humerous to the erotic, Alva painted it all. Enjoy!
A recent eBay discovery yielded this little gem for my collection. Original snapshots of Ernie Pyle are not uncommon, but this one can be tied down to a specific date. Ernie landed on June 7th, 1944 on D-Day +1. Enjoy this rare original photo!
Ernie Pyle June 7th, 1944
Photo Reverse
Earl Denzil Reese
Memoir Collection
I recently purchased a mystery grouping of WWII photos off my favorite internet auction site and stumbled across the wonderful story of Earl Reese and his wartime experiences while with the 99th “Checkerboard” Division during WWII. The full story starts out on a sad note, but I hope to honor Earl and his life achievements by publishing his story here on PortraitsofWar.
Earl Reese ca.1980
After purchasing a grouping of 50+ images from an eBay dealer back in April, I became interested in the details pertaining to the man who took the photos. He had a knack for writing blurbs on the back of photos, something not many soldiers did at the time. The content was first rate; the unknown soldier seemed to be in a front line unit that saw a good amount of action. I contacted the seller in hopes of finding some additional information to help me piece together the identity of the unknown GI. I’ve done this in the past with varying amounts of success. Most of the time the seller knows nothing about the photos, or maybe only a first name or general geographical area the fellow was from. In this case, the seller had a small treasure trove of information about the soldier.
Earl in 1945
After attending an estate sale in Santa Barbara the friendly eBay seller was rummaging around through some paper bins outside and found the life memoirs and photos of Mr.Reese. Some family member or estate executor threw away the entire life work and memories of Earl! He generously sent me the complete memoir manuscript and photo collection as a gift. I plan on digitizing the wartime section of the memoirs, which constitute three or four chapters of the 30+ volume.
Ridin’ Tanks
Crossing the DanubeCombat!
Earl Rides an M8 Greyhound
Germans Surrender on Motorcycles
Ruhr Pocket Battle Rest
In the Ruhr Pocket
Earl Snaps a Photo in Neustadt Germany
Various shots of buildings in and around the 388th base at Knettishall England. Nice shot of a WAC building with a cute WAC standing outside. More to come, check back for more!
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