Passchendaele the movie! WW1 battleground.

Recently watched Passchendaele the movie, its made from the point of view of the Canadian soliders that went there. It has some cracking scenes from the trenches and battle but I believe its spoilt by the love story back home that consumes the whole movie! It is better to be a war movie than a love story grr.

Here we see Canadian troops at Passchendaele what can only be described as a mud bath. Taking the injured troops took a real effort across virtually unwalkable paths. In WW1 horses were still used to move heavy artillary, injured about.

Bizzare WW2 Propaganda Poster: Hang out

Found this today and it's rather funny. Hitler's image on the pee pot for one :) the hanging out text when refering to men going to the toilet. There are literally hundreds of posters from WW1 & WW2 that outline the danger of idle chit chat, i guess they thought it was a huge problem?

WW2 1942 Trench Digging: Funny sign.

Canadian personnel digging slit trench during attach. (L.-R.): Signalman Rusty Forsythe, Capt. R.W. Armstrong. 25 July 1944, Ifs, France. Funny sign, but I guess this felt true for alot of the men in WW2, constantly having to 'dig in'.

Inglourious basterds: Jewish Soliders WW2

People seem to forget, America and also numerous European countries had Jewish soldiers in the military. Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany, 1946, Jewish American soldiers at the first Passover Seder after liberation in the camp.

Inglourious basterds is a very cool film and Brad does a great job in the lead role. The movie is loosely based on certain events that happened in WW2. I always find the best movies are based on semi truths made exciting :) Jewish troops getting ultimate revenge on the Nazi's.

Bizarre things from the past: Gas masked stroller and Wooden swim suits.

Around the 1940's England.  With the threat in WW2 people invented different contraptions to save themselves from Gas attacks! Here is a vintage baby stroller kitted out with anti-gas protection! The glass on the top to let the baby actually see and it has chimney to breath. Bet it was really heavy to push.   

This I believe is from the States where fashion meets the truly bizarre. Advertised as the quick way to swim through the water 'wooden' swimming suits were in the rage! Did they soak up the water and chaff? Never seen such suits before so I am guessing they were not a great invention.

Chariots of Fire: THE Olympic Movie

 

For those that don't know Chariots of Fire is a movie about the Olympic games in Paris 1924. I recently watched a documentary on film and the characters in the movie. It was incredibly interesting finding out how they lead their life's before, during and after the Olympics.

 

Still set in an period of history where the Olympics where very much an hobby pursuit. Full time coaches, being professional in your approach were unheard off. This movie guides you through a number of friends from Britain who participate in the Olympics.

Not only is the movie a fantastic story, but a really heartwarming vision from its director. Almost as famous as the movie is the soundtrack. For people reading this blog that have not seen Chariots of Fire do so now! it will set you up nicely for the 2012 London Olympics.

1880s. New York: Cable car construction

Cable car system under construction. Union Square, Manhattan, c. 1880s. A few things to remember, horse and cart moved all the heavy stuff about, it was real hard work constructing the track for the cable cars. Reminds me how grim building the great railways to the west must have been a huge task!

Olympic Games Posters: 1924 Games in Paris

 Inspired by the London Olympic games 2012 and watching Chariots of fire again! here are some of the posters from the Paris Games. Considered by many as the first modern Olympic's.

Nothing amazing with these posters, but a reminder on what the games used to be like. Only 3000 people took place in the Paris games from around the world.

BLITZ REPAIR SQUAD'S LONDON CAMP 1944

 

A view of London's Onslow Square, showing the ablution and mess huts which have been constructed in the road to house the builders (groups of whom can be seen around the Square) of the 'Blitz Repair Squad'. This Squad is a team of builders who have come to London from various parts of the country to help repair damage caused by V1 flying bombs. The camp was originally intended for use by refugees from Normandy, but is used instead by the building teams, who are billeted in many of the houses around the Square.

Coygirls 1910 & Bridgitte Bardot in the Movies

Standard posed photo generally used for postcards around 1910. Two ladys from Montana with guns! One thing I did notice from this was the size off their wastes?! I guess in those days fast food was a quick stew over the fire.

This photo from the movie Viva Maria (1965) has Bridgitte Bardot in it, a very poweful pose. No gun this time but you wouldn't mess with her!

WW1 & WW2 Propoganda: Belgium 1918 War ending; WW2 Stamps

Found this in with a bunch of other Propaganda  posters. It is a little different though, an artist picture of the end of the 1st World War (WW1). Two soldiers on a battlefield showing little emotion it has to be said. I guess this was used for years to come to celebrate the ending of the Great War, never forget.

This was a pretty standard poster for USA WW2. It was all about getting people to save, buy stamps, do their bit for the war effort. Using the stamps as ammunition going into the gun.

1800's Photos Part 3: Labour Day Canada

The great thing about Google is the neat feature to drag any image into the search box and see what it comes up with. I found the above photo searching for 1800's photos but I could not find out where and when it was taken. I placed it in and it came up with a number of references to labour day in Canada. Now it is supposed to be in 1900! so the 1800's theme is out of the window.

The fashion in it is fantastic, what I would have thought to be very English clothing, look at the dresses and hats, something I have seen on numerous English post cards and old photos'.

1800's Photo Collection 2: DeadWood 1888 & TV series

 Most people have only heard of Deadwood from movies or the really good TV series of the 2000's. But this photo gives you an idea of the place, a town moulded around the hills built to house all the gold diggers etc.

Ian McShane and  Tim Olyphant both excellent in the show. Shame it only lasted 3 series.

1800's Photo collection 1: Fitness freak; Kid Miners

 

 I have been trying to figure out how this machine helps with fitness!? lol it moves his pelvic up and down. An 1800's verson of the treadmill.

I wonder how many children growing up realise not so long ago kids had to work for their living, generally in crap jobs that were unsafe. Lots of kids would go into mines from 7-8 years old onwards, long days, poor conditions, low pay. At least they got gloves :)

British veterans of the American Civil War

 It is a photo of British veterans of the American Civil War of 1861-65. The British veterans had gathered in London in 1917 to welcome the American troops on their way to Fight in France during World War One. Among them is (I believe ) a Sikh gentlemen sitting near the centre.