Coquelicots de Bruxelles

14/07/2026

Crewmen of a Cromwell tank from the 4th County of London Yeomanry prepare a hot meal beside their vehicle during a pause in operations in Normandy, June 17, 1944.

14/07/2026

In 2018, a shocking discovery emerged from the quiet waters of the Meuse River near Verdun, where thousands of World War I shells had been dumped after the 1916 Battle of Mort Homme. Scuba divers entered the freezing river to attach ropes around hidden explosives, and a crane pulled out more than five tonnes of unexploded artillery shells in a single day. The rust-covered munitions were still a deadly reminder of a century-old conflict, with experts estimating hundreds of tonnes may remain buried across the region.
https://bicnews.com/a-century-on-from-ww1-100-years-of-work-remains-to-clear-munitions/

12/07/2026

British Soldier keeps a lookout for snipers with his No 4 Mk I Enfield in the ruins of Caen - 9 July 1944

Christie (Sgt) Photographer
IWM B 6725 WWP-PD

12/07/2026

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion’s first main objective after landing in Normandy was the bridge at Robehomme. Dropping shortly after midnight as part of the Allied airborne operations east of the Orne River, their mission was to secure key crossings over the Dives River and block German armour from striking the eastern flank of the invasion beaches.

The Robehomme bridge was a vital route for enemy reinforcements heading west toward the D-Day landing zones.
Though the drop scattered them ... a common issue that night ... small groups of Canadian paratroopers regrouped and pushed toward the target. They found the bridge lightly defended, quickly took control, and destroyed it, cutting off its use to German forces.

This move disrupted enemy movements and helped isolate the area east of the beaches.

While not as famous as the captures of the Orne and Caen Canal bridges, the Robehomme mission was a textbook bit of airborne sabotage: small teams, little time, and a clear, high-impact goal. Its success was a key part of holding the eastern flank in the crucial opening hours of D-Day.

10/01/2026

PFC George Kelly was Killed in Action during the Battle of the Bulge near Bütgenbach Belgium on January 10, 1945, he was 24 years old.

George Bruce Kelly was born on April 15, 1920 in Clappertown, Pennsylvania to George and Jennie Kelly, he had at least two siblings.

His remains were transferred after WW2 to Arlington National Cemetery - Section 12 Site 3094

This picture was used as the cover photo for the February 26, 1945 issue of LIFE Magazine, the editors probably didn’t know he was KIA.

Thanks John Klear for his assistance
LIFE Magazine Archives - George Silk Photographer WWP-PD

10/01/2026

A British Sten Gun Girl 🇬🇧

Around 950,000 British women worked in munitions factories during WW2, making weapons like shells and bullets.

Munitions work was often well-paid but involved long hours, sometimes up to seven days a week. Workers were also at serious risk from accidents with dangerous machinery or when working with highly explosive material.

Source: A Colourful History by HW

10/01/2026

"All Help for Russia Now" - Factory workers ride on Valentine Mk2 tanks as they leave a factory in Smethwick - September 22, 1941. They weren’t really friendly at the time. There was a lot of espionage activities between the two sides during the war and the A bombs were at least partially a warning to Russia. We’d supported the white army in the civil war following the Bolshevik uprising and Churchill detested communism.

10/01/2026

10/01/2026