World War II in Photographs
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ABOVE
Another Italian river: British troops
crossing the Melfa, May 1944.
RIGHT
A flak gun defends the
Eternal City: Rome, June 1944.
306
1944
LEFT
Captured German paratroopers
carry a British soldier who has lost
a foot to a mine, May 1944.
BELOW
US Rangers made a disastrous attempt
to capture Cisterna on January 30,
losing over 700 men. This is the
town on May 25, after its capture.
ABOVE
The Anzio landings began well.
Here German prisoners watch
landing craft unloading.
LEFT
Men of a heavy anti-aircraft battery digging
in, March 1944. Flak guns were manned by
the Luftwaffe: the soldier on the right wears
the distinctive Luftwaffe eagle on his helmet.
304
1944
THE GERMAN RETREAT IN ITALY
In late 1943, the Allies planned a landing south of Rome. The project
was scrapped but then revived as Operation Shingle, and 6th US
Corps, commanded by Major General John Lucas of the 5th Army
landed at Anzio and Nettuno on January 22. The plan was not
well conceived. The landing did not provoke German withdrawal
from the Gustav Line, and although Lucas might have entered
Rome in a rapid advance, he lacked the strength to hold it.
After severe fighting around the Anzio beachead, the allies broke
out in late May as Operation Diadem forced the Gustav Line.
•\ B ( i V
This shot, from the collection of the
Luftwaffe commander Field Marshal
Wolfram von Richthofen (right) shows Field
Marshal Albert Kesselring, the very capable
German Commander in Chief at a forward
command post in the Nettuno sector.
303
1944
RIGHT
There was sometimes light relief even in
Normandy. The original caption notes that
Derby Day (June 18) "was observed by
British troops - even though on a small scale
because of more urgent duties." Sergeant
A.A. Dalziel, Royal Signals, is the amateur
bookmaker and Lance Corporal Day
(demonstrating how his wool cap-comforter
should not be worn) acts as his clerk.
ABOVE
In August the Canadians fought their way
down the Caen-Falaise road in Operations
Totalize and Tractable. A Canadian column
passes the village of Rocquancourt, to the
west of the road, where smoke rises from
fires caused by bombing and shelling.
335
1944
ABOVE
The western flank of Normandy was
characterized by small fields separated
by hedged banks in a countryside called
bocage. "I didn't want to stand up and
slug ..." remarked Bradley, "but ...
while in this bocage ... we could do
nothing else." The shot was taken on
July 31, after the Cobra breakout.
336
1944
LEFT
The French Resistance initially comprised
heterogeneous groups which often pursued
diverse aims by different methods. From
February 1944, the Resistance, at least in
theory, was brought together as the Forces
Françaises de l'Intérieur. This jubilant FFI
man, with a British-supplied Bren gun, is in
the recently liberated town of Châteaudun.
BCLOW
Collaborators were mistreated or killed.
On Bastille Day, July 14, these Cherbourg
women, accused of sexual collaboration,
had their hair shorn and were paraded
around the town. The anguished
mother of one such victim observed
that her daughter would have slept
with Americans too: it was her job.
337
ABOVE
A US medic gives roadside first aid
to a German officer, shot up in
his staff car, Chartres, August 17.
LEFT
In Paris the Resistance rose as the liberators
- French men of General Leclerc's 2nd
Armoured Division - approached. Tanks
in action in front of Notre Dame de Paris.
OPPOSITE PAGE
A powerful icon: Americans
stop their jeep to admire the Eiffel Tower.
338
339
1944
ABOVE
German prisoners are marched down
the Rue de Rivoli in Paris under FFI guard.
340