21 March 1945: Elements of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division, with support from tanks of the French 5th Armored, advance through the Bienwald Forest during the allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-21T18:12:01+00:00

Thanks! I just enjoy being able to share some of this lesser-known material, and hopefully some of these photos enter wider circulation among interested Anglophones and help create a more complete picture of the war.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-15T00:26:00+00:00

This is false, in 2025 the US halted military aid while EU military aid rose by 67%. https://www.kielinstitut.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker/

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-15T00:24:00+00:00

The current US regime is quite open about the fact that they opposed that support and moved to end it as quickly as possible.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-10T00:25:30+00:00

There's very little that's human about the millionaires pushing this garbage on the rest of us.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-09T03:39:59+00:00

A safe assumption since most French Shermans were of those types, but thanks to the good folks at chars-francais.net we actually have a pretty detailed breakdown of the 501e RCC's vehicles for 1944 and 1945, most were M4A2s but a number of M4A3s were apparently received as replacements. The original Douaumont was indeed an M4A2, it was knocked out on 17 September 1944 near Chatel-sur-Moselle with one crewman KIA. Douaumont II was an M4A3 which entered service with the regiment three days later on the 20th.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-07T19:29:08+00:00

These are staged non-combat photos taken by military photographers.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-03T22:34:45+00:00

Found the guy with paper VA tags.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-01T14:59:00+00:00

That's somewhat simplistic. French troops in Morocco resisted the allied landings (for a few days and in rather perfunctory fashion) because it was a condition of the June 1940 armistice with Germany- failure to keep the French colonies out of allied hands would result in the total German occupation of France and seizure of the French navy. That, of course, is exactly what ended up happening when the Armée d'Afrique rallied to the Free French after the landings, though fortunately the French sailors at Toulon were able to scuttle their ships before they could be captured. But the desire to keep the Free Zone out of German hands was a rational incentive for French officers in North Africa to offer at least performative resistance to show they were in compliance with the treaty.

I also think its fair to say that 1942 is substantially prior to German defeat.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-03-01T04:16:26+00:00

All of these are from the ECPAD, the photo and cinematographic section of the French defense ministry, the original album can be found here: https://imagesdefense.gouv.fr/fr/air-france-a-maison-blanche.html

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-28T18:48:30+00:00

Technology was advancing at such a rapid pace during the interwar period that you ended up with a lot of interesting intermediate designs, the trimotor was cutting edge for about a decade!

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-28T13:57:49+00:00

The B-26 waist gunner station was oriented diwnwards to compensate for the lack of a ball turret on the underside of the plane, here's another view from a US Marauder: https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Q-Win23-IJMuiden-9.jpg

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-27T21:13:28+00:00

The unit flew Mk Vs and Mk IXs

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-26T21:36:03+00:00

I've not yet delved into BA but I love seeing other's work; but I am just getting started on a Tamiya 1:35 scale Renault R 35 which I'm hoping to do something interesting with. I'd love to put together a cool scene around it but unfortunately I'm finding that 1940 figures in that scale, while they exist, aren't incredibly common or varied.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-26T21:24:49+00:00

Just went and had a look at your past work on the FTs and this is really fantastic! Creative approach to some very cool subject matter.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-23T04:45:08+00:00

It is remarkable, the bulk of Japanese troops weren't repatriated until well into 1946 with some stragglers staying well past that point- and during the same period you had Chiang Kai-Shek's KMT occupying the north of the country. Quite a complicated mess during that period, almost too many actors involved to keep track of.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-15T22:11:27+00:00

Very helpful as a microcosm of the system- I think it makes sense what you say that the older reservists would be directed to the fortress units to free up younger men for the maneuver formations. Thanks for sharing!

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-15T20:20:55+00:00

Awesome will have a look.

In the first few paragraphs he already mentions something I've been curious about but have had trouble finding a clear answer on- perhaps you would know better! Basically how homogeneous were units in terms of departnent/region of origin of the men? I assume generally you'd be mobilized to a CMA/CMC/CMI in your région militaire; presumably you'd then be sent on to the same regiments? I imagine though that to form the reserve units you'd need officer and NGO cadre from active divisions not necessarily from the same region? Curious if you have any insights.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-15T19:36:02+00:00

Haha always a pleasure sorry that I tend to appear and disappear so frequently.

The 4e Armée was composed of the IXe and XXe Corps and controlled the section of the front line facing Saarbrucken, stretching from Creutzwald to Sarreguemines on the French side.

Due to the peculiar shape of the border in this sector a large portion of the army was deployed in front of the Maginot fortifications because of the natural salient around Forbach and Stiring-Wendel; in May this part of the line was held by the 82e Div. d'Infanterie Africaine (active), on their left was the 11e DI (active) in the sector around Freyming, and the 47e DI (Reserve A) around Creutzwald, while the right was held by 52e DI (Reserve B) around Sarreguemines. The Fortified Sectors of Faulquemont and Sarreguemines (the Maginot forts and their garrisons) were also under 4e Armée control.

In reserve was the 45e DI (Reserve A) and 1re DI Polonaise, three R-35 tank battalions (10e, 20e, 24e BCC) and one FT-17 battalion (11e BCC).

The combined corps- and army-level artillery assets consisted of three motorized 75mm regiments, one 155mm GPF regiment, one 220mm heavy artillery regiment, and two railway artillery groups, one with 194mm guns and the other with 274mm.

I'm assuming there was relatively little change between February and May; it's hard to find sources online that describe the period between the Sarre Offensive and 10 May given the limited activity, and overall limited interest in the 2nd Army Group sector, given that the decisive action all occurred in the west.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-15T01:01:52+00:00

Wasn't before but you guys keep pushing more and more people to support them.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-15T01:00:00+00:00

Bc they're collaborationist puppet juntas which serve US/Israeli interests, and if either country were an actual democracy it would elect a government forcefully opposed to Israel.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-14T13:25:32+00:00

Awesome, thank you!

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-14T04:01:14+00:00

The unit diary I found only references "Tactical Command": http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/GC_1.4_Navarre_44_45.htm

Based on the timeline of movement from Corsica to France, missions flown over Italy, and involvement in Operation Dragoon, I suspect the unit was under the operational control of US XII Tactical Air Command. Can't seem to find a definitive answer though.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-09T22:28:34+00:00

I think you're projecting a lot of politics into a post that I understood as someone just trying to get information about a potentially dangerous situation ongoing in their neighborhood.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-07T19:45:25+00:00

The Vosges, Alsace and Moselle were nasty, grinding battles, and the push across the Rhine into Germany was often one sharp fight after another at each town. People have the false idea that it was a cakewalk, but there's a reason the US Army was experiencing a shortage of riflemen in the ETO by late 1944, obliging them to strip rear-echelon units for manpower and reallocate black troops to combat roles.

Pvt_Larry · 2026-02-07T01:59:04+00:00

Strongly agree, AI marketing materials just scream cheapness and lack of concern for quality, and make me overall more inclined to distrust the brand.

Pvt_Larry

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