WwW: Part 1 covers the beginning of WW-One and trench warfare up to (+,-) 1916. Part 2 will follow next, and will cover Russia’s exit, America’s entry and the Armistice.
1)WwW, Part 1:
How it started. Austrian Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand & wife Sophie, shortly before their assassination in Saraje.
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The assassin Gavrilo Princip.
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Princip’s FN 380-cal. Model 1910.
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And so it did.
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British troops marching to the trenches.
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French troops.
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French soldiers, 1st battle of the Marne, 1914.
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Brit trenches.
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Austrian machine gun crew.
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German trenches. They would learn to dig them deeper.
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Christmas in the German trenches, 1914.
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German and Brit troops during the unofficial Christmas truce, 1914.
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1 British Webley .445 Revolver.
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Belgium Trench Sweepers.
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German U-Boat.
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The primitive rise of airpower.
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British Handley Page bomber.
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German Gotha bombers raided London.
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Rule .303 – British SMLE with grenade launcher.
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Australian infantry, Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915.
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British machine gun crew Battle of the Somme 1916.
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Canadian doctor Major John McCrae, who did not survive.
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Rail guns at Verdun, 1916.
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Third battle of Ypres, 1916.
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Trenches at 3rd Ypres, 1917.
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German Zeppelins bombed London.
WwW, Part 2:
It was an awful blood-bath but because our country wasn’t in it very long, I think sometimes we tend to forget how raggedly ugly it was. And probably part of that would be how America was attacked at Pearl Harbor and the extensive mobilization that wasn’t as wide-spread for WW-One. It definitely deserves more attention.
My father came along late in his father’s life, as did I, but his brother George was much earlier and rode the boat to France in 1918 (daddy rode the boat to Guadalcanal in the next “big one”). There’s a 37mm gun crew in this batch and Uncle George crewed one of those. I have an inert shell for one of those contraptions rat-holed that he gave to Dad.
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Germany sent Vladimir Lenin back to Russia where he led a revolution and took Russia out of the war.
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Tsar Nicolas and his entire family were murdered by the Bolsheviks.
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America goes in.
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USMC recruiting poster.
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USMC John Daley two time Medal of Honor winner who famously asked “Come on you sons-of-bitches, do you want to live forever?”
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American 37mm gun crew in Argonne Forest.
33A)
The deactivated 37mm that my uncle brought back from France and gave to my father, with a 30-06 for comparison.
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Major General John A. Lejeune, USMC, commanded US Army’s 2nd Infantry Division during WW-1.
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American artillery.
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Eddie Rickenbacker’s Spad.
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John Moses Browning and his water cooled heavy machine gun.
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Val Browning used the BAR designed by his father in combat in France.
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M1903 Springfield with trench stock.
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The Bloody Red Baron Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen sitting in his Fokker tri wing.
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Richthofen’s nemesis.
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Australian machine gunner SGT Cedric Popkin (middle row, 2nd from right) likely fired the shot that killed Richthofen.
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Clank, clank, I’m a tank. The state of Armor Branch in 1918.
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BB35 USS Texas, the last remaining Dreadnaught class Battleship also fought in WWII.
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USS Mullany, 4-stack destroyer.
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SGT Alvin York, Medal of Honor.
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Harry S. Truman’s 1911.
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American soldiers celebrating the Armistice, 1918.
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The railcar where the Armistice was signed.
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The railcar under new management in 1940.
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70)DMM’s Other Page…
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27 thoughts on “Gunday Monday, LXV, Armistice Day (Memorial Day) Edition”
Kevin had a big hand in authorizing and encouraging the project, not to mention whanging things around so they show up properly. We’ll be doing some others in the future, like VJ and VE day from WWII, Viet Nam/SE Asia, Korea, maybe some others. I gotta get a calendar made up and get myself organized.
Has anyone seen the documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old ? It is a well done piece and worth a watch. These poor souls truly suffered with the weather, trenches, disease, lice, filth and gas. Here is a link to the imdb review https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7905466/
Both sides of my family got here in the 1600s. Fought in every war. Great-grandfather was gassed in the trenches in Europe. Both grandfathers fought, 1 in Europe and 1 in the South Paciific. Father fought in Vietnam in the 60s. 1 brother fought in Iraq. I built some of the most horrifying weapons as an engineer (degrees in physics). It’s time for a long break and lots of peace! I don’t want my kids to have to do this.
France egged Russia on to protect the Serbs as they wanted a rematch with Germany, who was allied with Austro-Hungary. France and Russia bear the blame for the war.
Looks like a D.III with the radiator above the top wing and the exposed cylinders.
#6 The soldier in the center is carrying Chauchat magazines
#57 The bullet needs to be seated a bit deeper to crimp the case into the cannelure
My Great Uncle on my Moms side was a Marine an got gassed in WW1 but lived. I saw him when I was little and he looked like a skeleton and lived with my other Great Uncle.
My Dad went into the Marines at 17 in 43 and Island Hopped until he was blown up on Okinawa and spent the next year in a Naval Hospital. One of my Uncles was on the Missouri during WW2 and part of the gun crew that the surrender was signed under. My other Uncle was with Patton in Europe. Both of my Uncles never got wounded. My Dad’s scars were horrific and every 6 months he went into the VA in traction to straighten his back.
My brother was 6 years older than me and went to Vietnam in 69 as the Army got him. My Mom was livid. He stayed in the Army for 6 years. We did not see him for 3 years until they sent him home after he was wounded twice. Turns out he was grabbed by the Rangers after 6 months from his unit and spent the rest of the time in the Army in the Rangers. He called us from Ft Ord as he got out of an Army Hospital and was bussed to SoCal where we lived. He joined me back in our bedroom for his 30 days leave before he went to Ft Hood. The wounds I saw on him were not good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo
Pass the kleenex, it’s dusty in here.
Salute to all my fellow veterans.
…and thanks for the memes.
Back to ya
#58. Sign me up!
Very good 10-part series! 10/10 recommend.
WwW- that was a standalone post! Very timely. Should have shuffled mine off to next week.
Kevin had a big hand in authorizing and encouraging the project, not to mention whanging things around so they show up properly. We’ll be doing some others in the future, like VJ and VE day from WWII, Viet Nam/SE Asia, Korea, maybe some others. I gotta get a calendar made up and get myself organized.
Has anyone seen the documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old ? It is a well done piece and worth a watch. These poor souls truly suffered with the weather, trenches, disease, lice, filth and gas. Here is a link to the imdb review
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7905466/
I saw that in the theater when it first came out.
Then I bought a DVD copy.
Well worth the tears.
Amazing what the soldiers had to endure beyond being shot at!
It should be seen by ALL!
#32…Dan Daley’s “You want to live forever?!” wasn’t a question. It was an order to get off their backsides and fight.
Semper Fidelis!
Absolutely correct. My mistake, for sure. Daley was the real deal!
Both sides of my family got here in the 1600s. Fought in every war. Great-grandfather was gassed in the trenches in Europe. Both grandfathers fought, 1 in Europe and 1 in the South Paciific. Father fought in Vietnam in the 60s. 1 brother fought in Iraq. I built some of the most horrifying weapons as an engineer (degrees in physics). It’s time for a long break and lots of peace! I don’t want my kids to have to do this.
There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace returns to rule.
I have a familial history very much like yours. My maternal grandfather served with the 42nd division in WW1.
A friend long ago sent me an audio of 11/11/11 when the guns and bombs went silent, it was eerie.
If you haven’t watched this I highly recommend it.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7905466/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cred_c_5
ps 12 is one of my all time favorites about humanity, the rest of the story is sad commentary
ps ps 41 Always one of my faves.
46 Watched it again the other day, it never gets old.
“I’ll be thankin ya Ma” – my brother misquoting the movie several years ago but it stuck.
49 Used again the next go round.
Oops hadn’t see 50 yet
57 over the last few years many invested in base metals not knowing they would end up being alchemists.
65 Heather Vandeven
France egged Russia on to protect the Serbs as they wanted a rematch with Germany, who was allied with Austro-Hungary. France and Russia bear the blame for the war.
Outstanding post.
Minor quibble #40. The plane is not a Fokker Dr1 tri-plane. It is an Albatross, not sure which model.
Looks like a D.III with the radiator above the top wing and the exposed cylinders.
#6 The soldier in the center is carrying Chauchat magazines
#57 The bullet needs to be seated a bit deeper to crimp the case into the cannelure
My Great Uncle on my Moms side was a Marine an got gassed in WW1 but lived. I saw him when I was little and he looked like a skeleton and lived with my other Great Uncle.
My Dad went into the Marines at 17 in 43 and Island Hopped until he was blown up on Okinawa and spent the next year in a Naval Hospital. One of my Uncles was on the Missouri during WW2 and part of the gun crew that the surrender was signed under. My other Uncle was with Patton in Europe. Both of my Uncles never got wounded. My Dad’s scars were horrific and every 6 months he went into the VA in traction to straighten his back.
My brother was 6 years older than me and went to Vietnam in 69 as the Army got him. My Mom was livid. He stayed in the Army for 6 years. We did not see him for 3 years until they sent him home after he was wounded twice. Turns out he was grabbed by the Rangers after 6 months from his unit and spent the rest of the time in the Army in the Rangers. He called us from Ft Ord as he got out of an Army Hospital and was bussed to SoCal where we lived. He joined me back in our bedroom for his 30 days leave before he went to Ft Hood. The wounds I saw on him were not good.