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[Techno II]

The other thing that 'looks odd' (to me).......I presume it's the rear sight, which gives the impression that he's got a tiny moustache.
But then, my eyes do seem to do strange things.

Cheers - Phil.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Looks like a No 4 - in which case the rear site would be over rear of bolt, it's got me in my normal state - confused

[John Cook]

Looks like a No 4 - in which case the rear site would be over rear of bolt, it's got me in my normal state - confused

The sight on a No4 was indeed over the receiver as you say, but the rifle in the photo is a No1 MkIII on which the rear sight was over the barrel, forward of the breech.  If you are really interested in the Lee-Enfield rifle, and I concede most people are probably not, go here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee%E2%80%93Enfield

[John Cook]

I stand corrected John!

No problem, I knew my Drill and Duties Course, 1970-something-or-other, would come in useful one day.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Fired the No 4 a fair few times....and the SMLE rebarrled for .22

[Ben Waterhouse]

Fired the No 4 a fair few times....and the SMLE rebarrled for .22

Me too; standard rifle in my DWR ACF platoon when I joined at 13 many, many years ago...

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

How's the shoulder ?

[Ben Waterhouse]

Don't remind me, good practice for firing The Rifle (TM) in the Territorials...

[T13A]

And I thought I was old remembering being trained on the SLR and Stirling SMG! 

Cheers Paul

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Used them and the L4 Bren as well. SLR on gas 0 was worse than the No 4. Those I fired at school, CCF.

[fsn]

US Personnel board landing craft for the invasion of Italy in Termini Imerese Sicily - 1943

Some of the soldiers are with the 45th Infantry Division
Most of the LST's/Landing Craft appear to be Royal Navy

LIFE Magazine Archives - George Rodger Photographer

[fsn]

THE BATTLE OF ANZIO, JANUARY-JUNE 1944.
A Sherman tank comes ashore from a landing craft at Anzio, 22 January 1944.
Creator: Dawson (Sgt) (Photographer), No. 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit.
Source: © IWM NA 11034

[fsn]

A US-built M3 Medium tank.  These were used both by both the US and Britain; but basically, we liked the photograph.  The Thompson submachinegun with drum magazine was standard stowed equipment on these vehicles

I also like the photo.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Also used by the Soviets..

[Techno II]

I also like the photo.

So do I !

Cheers - Phil.

[Steve J]

Yep, nice photo for sure. The Soviets used to call it 'the grave for seven brothers', or words to that effect, which can't have engendered confidence in the crew!

[sultanbev]

There is an unsubstantiated story that the Soviets crammed 20 SMG armed infantry inside some Lee tanks instead of carrying them on the outside 

[Orcs]

Spoke to a 14th Army veteran at Bovington many years ago, and he said that in the jungle it got so hot in the tank  they went into action with all the hatches open. He said some crews even removed the hatches completely

[steve_holmes_11]

Spoke to a 14th Army veteran at Bovington many years ago, and he said that in the jungle it got so hot in the tank  they went into action with all the hatches open. He said some crews even removed the hatches completely

Hints of that in Defeat into Victory and also James Holland's Burma '44.
The troops in Burma foudn teh 2 guns handy for suppressing Japanese jungle bunkers.
HE to about 100 yards, then close in with machineguns and the 37mm continuing the suppression.

[fsn]

Firing the Comet's 77mm gun at night. This photo gives us some idea of how the Sherman Firefly received its name. In the dark the 77mm muzzle flash we see here would be blinding, and this is a less powerful version of the Firefly's 17 pounder. The muzzle flash from that could dazzle crews even during the day, and gunners were trained to close their eyes as they fired.


That, I did not know. Another mystery solved.