"I have to write some letters first" - the final lines uttered by Richard Todd in THE DAM BUSTERS (1955), released #OTD 70 years ago. Emotive, because it shows the reality Guy Gibson faced and because writing to families bereaved by war was a task Todd knew too... 🧵 1/5 #WW2

"I have to write some letters first" - the final lines uttered by Richard Todd in THE DAM BUSTERS (1955), released #OTD 70 years ago. Emotive, because it shows the reality Guy Gibson faced and because writing to families bereaved by war was a task Todd knew too... 🧵 1/5 #WW2

On 8th May 1945, Winston Churchill broadcast to the nation to announce the end of war in Europe. To the men of the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment listening in Hamburg, the reality of that proclamation was all too clear... 🧵 1/5 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

On 8th May 1945, Winston Churchill broadcast to the nation to announce the end of war in Europe. To the men of the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment listening in Hamburg, the reality of that proclamation was all too clear... 🧵 1/5 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

"Later that evening, a signal came through from the admiral of the fleet ordering, splice the mainbrace." On #VEDay future Prime Minister, Lt Jim Callaghan was at sea, but like many serving in the Far East, celebrations did not mean his war was over... 🧵 1/6 #VEDay80 #WW2

"We decided to celebrate by making a V E pattern in the sky." On #VEDay, future Prime Minister Major Ted Heath turned the guns of his battery skyward. A final act in a long campaign across North West Europe... 🧵 1/7 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

"We decided to celebrate by making a V E pattern in the sky." On #VEDay, future Prime Minister Major Ted Heath turned the guns of his battery skyward. A final act in a long campaign across North West Europe... 🧵 1/7 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

"After we'd had the champagne, all my friends said you'd better give us a tune on the trumpet." In 1945, #VEDay was greeted with joy on the streets of London. Among the crowds was Lt Humphrey Lyttelton, a man who knew first hand the reality of war... 🧵 1/6 #VEDay80 #WW2

"After we'd had the champagne, all my friends said you'd better give us a tune on the trumpet." In 1945, #VEDay was greeted with joy on the streets of London. Among the crowds was Lt Humphrey Lyttelton, a man who knew first hand the reality of war... 🧵 1/6 #VEDay80 #WW2

"You did have the feeling really of a whole age coming to an end." For Major Denis Healey, #VEDay was the end of an army career that started on Ilkley Moor, ended in Austria, and encompassed some of the fiercest fighting of the Italian campaign... 🧵 1/9 #VEDay80 #WW2

"I remember taking off my life jacket and thinking thank God it's all over". For many, the end of the Second World War was met with a profound sense of relief, a feeling shared by merchant seaman, Ernie Wise... 🧵 1/6 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

"I remember taking off my life jacket and thinking thank God it's all over". For many, the end of the Second World War was met with a profound sense of relief, a feeling shared by merchant seaman, Ernie Wise... 🧵 1/6 #VEDay #VEDay80 #WW2

A lovely thread.

🪖 HARDY - 1st May 1945 One of the foremost cartoonists of the 20th century, Carl Giles' reputation was earned on merit but born in war. Such was his wartime fame that, #OTD in 1945, he became the star of a series of photographs... 🧵 1/9 #AFPUinNWE #WW2 #VEDay80 #VEDay

🪖 HARDY - 1st May 1945 One of the foremost cartoonists of the 20th century, Carl Giles' reputation was earned on merit but born in war. Such was his wartime fame that, #OTD in 1945, he became the star of a series of photographs... 🧵 1/9 #AFPUinNWE #WW2 #VEDay80 #VEDay

3 Scots Guards fought on through North West Europe and, fresh from a spell of leave, Whitelaw was at the front when news of Hitler's death reached these armoured guardsmen. For Whitelaw, it came with an added challenge 👇 🧵 7/9

"At eight o'clock in the morning, one of my friends arrived with the cigar." #OTD in 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in Berlin. The news soon reached future cabinet minister Major Willie Whitelaw and his comrades in 3rd Battalion, Scots Guards... 🧵 1/9 #WW2 #VEDay80

"At eight o'clock in the morning, one of my friends arrived with the cigar." #OTD in 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in Berlin. The news soon reached future cabinet minister Major Willie Whitelaw and his comrades in 3rd Battalion, Scots Guards... 🧵 1/9 #WW2 #VEDay80

Amazing what’s ‘beneath’ an AB64 and merely a line in the register from Alistair Taylor’s collection. All to be added onto the VMGCRA catalogue and archive. #archive #secondworldwar #arnhem #militaryhistory #airborne #parachuteregiment

The new issue of the BJMH is now online at journals.gold.ac.uk/bjmh/ As always Open Access and free to all! In this issue you’ll find a range of methodologies: biographical reassessment, statistical analysis, conflict archaeology, battlefield identification, oral history. 1/3

Ooh. Suit you, sir! Captured from the enemy was it, sir? Lined with fur, is it? Ooh. Suit you. #OTD in 1945, Field Marshal Montgomery was photographed inspecting a Canadian infantryman's winter apparel (dialogue may have deviated from that stated). #AFPUinNWE #WW2

🪖 MALINDINE - 15th February 1945 They say any landing you can walk away from is a good one. However, AFPU photographer Captain Ted Malindine would have been forgiven for doubting that when he met Major Dick Harden #OTD 80 years ago... 🧵 1/11 #WW2 #AFPUinNWE

🪖 MALINDINE - 15th February 1945 They say any landing you can walk away from is a good one. However, AFPU photographer Captain Ted Malindine would have been forgiven for doubting that when he met Major Dick Harden #OTD 80 years ago... 🧵 1/11 #WW2 #AFPUinNWE

It's #ValeintinesDay - a day to spend time with the one you love. But one Manchester Regiment soldier would have to wait 12 years before he could spend it (or a honeymoon with his wife. The story of Alfred and Elsie Sheldrake, a thread... 🧵 1/10 #WW2

It's #ValeintinesDay - a day to spend time with the one you love. But one Manchester Regiment soldier would have to wait 12 years before he could spend it (or a honeymoon with his wife. The story of Alfred and Elsie Sheldrake, a thread... 🧵 1/10 #WW2

Very informative thread on British #WW2 medals 🎖️ Also, worth mentioning British POWs endured years of hardship, yet no official campaign medal was ever awarded to them... #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #POW

More content coming up on WW2TV

"Bravey is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done" #OTD in 1945, Audie Murphy showed the gallantry that would see him awarded the Medal of Honor. He later replayed his war on film, but he wasn't alone in doing that... 🧵 1/11 #WW2 #AudieMurphy

A great photo featuring Leslie Banks' "romantic" side. During #WW1, he served in France as a subaltern in the Essex Regiment. He was wounded in the face in 1916. He recovered and returned to acting, emphasising the paradised side of his face when playing villains and the other when playing heroes.

"Bravey is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done" #OTD in 1945, Audie Murphy showed the gallantry that would see him awarded the Medal of Honor. He later replayed his war on film, but he wasn't alone in doing that... 🧵 1/11 #WW2 #AudieMurphy

#OTD 70 years ago, prisoner of war drama, THE COLDITZ STORY (1955) was released. Packed with pluck and boys own adventure, it cemented an image of that iconic Oflag that's been repeated ever since, but it's not where that popular image began (or ended)... 🧵 1/9 #WW2 #Film

#OTD 70 years ago, prisoner of war drama, THE COLDITZ STORY (1955) was released. Packed with pluck and boys own adventure, it cemented an image of that iconic Oflag that's been repeated ever since, but it's not where that popular image began (or ended)... 🧵 1/9 #WW2 #Film

There's been plenty of debate around recognising #WW2 gallantry with decorations. That process can be both complex and subjective, but campaign #medals, largely awarded on length of service in a theatre, are more straightforward, right? Maybe not.... 🧵 1/11 #History

Services rendered: medals awarded to a Royal Welch Fusilier for service in France & Germany between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945, and to a rifleman in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps for service between 1941-45. These simple items reflect stories of endurance & courage by British citizen soldiers in WW2

It's something that comedian Tommy Trinder, who entertained troops with ENSA, later worked into his act. There's perhaps little surprise that Fourteenth Army veterans initially christened the Burma Star the "Chowringhee medal" in reference to Calcutta's commercial hub. 🧵 7/11

Still, as Mitchell continued, this was the exception rather than the rule. His feelings here reflect a tension that existed at the time between those of the fighting teeth and the rear echelons. Roles (and dangers) differed, but the medallic recognition was the same. 🧵 6/11

Clasps or other designations to denote the type of role a servicemen played are unusual. Britain does not have an equivalent of the US Combat Infantryman Badge, for instance, but as 8th Amry veteran Norman Mitchell commented, clasps went some way to address this. 👇 🧵 5/11

This is a brilliant insight into what the ephemera of medals might mean.

An excellent thread:

There's been plenty of debate around recognising #WW2 gallantry with decorations. That process can be both complex and subjective, but campaign #medals, largely awarded on length of service in a theatre, are more straightforward, right? Maybe not.... 🧵 1/11 #History

The latest series of #SASRogueHeroes has sparked a lot of debate about the portrayal of historical figures on screen. But it's not the first attempt to put fact on film. Let's take a look at some approaches filming soldiers of #WW2... 🧵 1/12

Agree with this on the issue of reassessment of awards - disagree, discuss, debate, but I struggle with the idea that a subjective judgement made today, with often less evidence to base it on, is any more valid than the original one.

Plenty of talk about film and television productions getting history wrong, but which poor portrayal stands out for you? Mad about Mayne, bothered by Bourne, wound up about Wallace or nonplussed by Napoleon? Hit me with your historical howlers 👇

Our digitisation work - how you can help prioritise it Read more here: www.patreon.com/posts/our-di...

I have 2 panel discussions set to accommodate guests in different timezones Part 1 February 5th 1000 GMT / 2100 AEDT / 0200 PST Part 2 February 5th 1900 GMT / 1400 EDT I'm looking for 3 or 4 panellists per show. Please let me know if you can be available for one of the livestreams

Thanks, Paul - it's an interesting topic.

This, and especially the last two entries I the thread, on historical fiction and depiction. Fictionalising the past may lead to the fiction being seen as the fact.

Here's an interesting thread on just this subject and how historical people are depicted on screen: bsky.app/profile/whin...

The latest series of #SASRogueHeroes has sparked a lot of debate about the portrayal of historical figures on screen. But it's not the first attempt to put fact on film. Let's take a look at some approaches filming soldiers of #WW2... 🧵 1/12

SAS Rogue Heroes roars back onto television screens with a second series today, but this is far from the only popular depiction of those who dare. Let's take a look at dramatic depictions of one elite regiment on film and TV... 🧵 1/10 #SAS #RogueHeroes