WW1 Italian Officers Posed Photo 1918

I do like my WW1 photos, you get such a slice of what life was like for these troops just by seeing them. Les just say this bunch of Italian officers look a funny bunch! Alot of them seem to be holding mixing/cooking utensils, either they got called away to get in the photo or they thought it would be interesting posing with everyday items. The man pouring his drink on the right has his fly down and could do with a few more drinks it seems. My favourite is the officer reading the newspaper, chilled very cool sir.

WW1 Propaganda Posters: More Food Advice!

My final post about food advice posters from WW1. I find it amazing there were so many telling people what and what not to eat in those times.

 

So ladies and gentleman buy your food with thought, lol. Make sure you cook it with due care and attention. Correct portions and feed the pets whats left over!

Similar theme, eat less of the important stuff they would prefer the troops to get! No meat for us civvies its all about the corn and rye, sounds delightful. No really.

WW1 Propaganda Poster: Sugar! Sugar Pass the Sugar

Inspired by my recent Cottage cheese poster find I recently found this Sugar poster from WW1. I can see the merit on saving sugar, not throwing it around willy nilly on Fruit or desserts and at least they say only LESS sugar to be used on the important stuff like cake and drinks! lol. What area of peoples  life's were not effected in WW1 & WW2? it seems almost impossible to imagine how little people had in those times, so many resources were needed at the front to keep the troops going.

WW1 Propaganda Posters: Go West Gay men, Funny rations advice

I guess in those days the Pet Shop boys were not about with the flashy videos with muscular men in them. Maybe they got the idea of those videos from this WW1 propaganda poster? Was this a huge pull to get men to sign up for the navy in WW1? I have my doubts.

I have looked  at over 300 propaganda posters from around the world over a number of conflicts but I have never seen one so mental as this. Eat more cottage cheese :P lol. It's protein value is more than various bits and bobs of meat which are rarer and more of a drain on the countries resources. They provide a lovely recipe card with how to you cottage cheese.

On a personal note I found it hard to remember the last time I actually had cottage cheese, we used to have it alot growing up, especially with salads yum yum. A guess would be 10 years ago on my last cottage cheese experience :) maybe I will get a tub from marks & sparks next week.

Tooled up in Stalingrad WW2

Generally we assume everyone in Stalingrad was low on ammo, hungry and dug in a bunker/building somewhere for months on end. Its nice to see these hardy soldiers tooled up and ready for action. Maybe fresh from home coming to the front, tool kits in front and hand held grenades around the waste, saying that they look a bit unhappy..

Shroud of Turin

I have always been fascinated about the Shroud of Turin, its been a very hectic few years for the Shroud what with the advances in carbon dating and such like. It is good imo that no one can say for sure if it was in fact Jesus face on the cloth.

The Kardshians are not the only thing to come out of Armenia

Armiena is a pretty unknown country on the boarder of Europe and Asian. A country with a rich and varied history. This photo shows us a family from the 1890's in typical clothing. Kim and the rest of the Kardashians dont have a patch on this lot.

WW1 Artillery: Howitzer

WW1 and typical battles on the western front like the somme often had large artillery that would pummel the enemys lines 24/7. These machines are not like todays weapons where 1-2 men can fire off huge cannon type devices! Look at the number of men it took to load, hold it in place and fire the thing. 12 men in the picture around the Howitzer :) I bet the kickback on these was deadly if not setup correctly.

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!