Vintage shots from days gone by!

In light of the recent tragedy, this is a post card I found on-line of Joplin's main street in happier times. This was not the area of town that was hit by the tornado, that hit further south and east.

 

Since a few have chosen to honor and remember our collective troops,
I thought I would post this bit of history on WWl, or the 'Great War' as my Grandad used to call it....
(I hope this is not out of line)



Several Years ago I had a chance to tour the darkest corners of a few remote bookstores in the
south part of France. -I am an avid collector of old books and especially, old documents.

In the back room of one store I found a large selection of World War One era Pen and Ink Sketches
that showed what the war front was like back then. Back in the early part of the 20th century
only large and established newspapers could afford the expensive presses that could reprint
photographs and the small papers just hired artists to sketch the local news.

The sketches, Drawn by an 'L. Andreas', were an account of what he saw while working as an
artist for a small newspaper called "Le Radical" (The Radical).


Each sketch was inscribed on the border or on the back with the words that would accompany
the sketch in the small newspaper (in French).
As well as the editor also made notes as to how many columns (wide) the drawing would
occupy in the paper.
Each sketch also held a stamp proclaiming that the sketch was for "Le Radical".

Here are a few of the more interesting ones I acquired from that tiny bookstore..

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Below is Franz Ferdinand (of Austria) in all his royal finery, It was his assassination in June
1914 that was the straw that broke the camels back, the result was WW l.






Archduke Ferdinand had had threats against his life and was advised not to tour Sarajevo (Bosnia).

His death was really caused by himself and it might have been avoided (as well as WW l?)
It seems that after a particularly close call, Archbishop Ferdinand, in his motorcar wished to visit a
wounded friend in the hospital.
The driver accidentally took a wrong turn and Ferdinand himself yelled at the driver to
stop and back up as he chose not to take 'that route'.
Just as The chauffeur began to back up, the assassins shot rang out and Ferdinand lay dead.
-Austria declared war against Serbia. Germany was Allied with Serbia so Germany declared
war against Austria and the rest is history.

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As WWl progressed, Germany and her allies pushed south and west into neighboring
countries at which point France became aware that her borders were about to be breached.

This picture with inscription is of the local boys having one last good meal before leaving for
the front.
The owner is seen bringing out the finest of drink and food for the local boys.
For many, this would be their last good meal...




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At first the French put on a brave face and many sketches showed the tools and armament of
the boys,
Here we see 'A Henry' (one of our own) outfitted with the latest in gas mask. He is also using
an early 'Periscope' to view over and out of the trench.




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Things got pretty bleak once the Germans had rolled in and occupied all of France.
This sketch shows life under German occupation. The inscription loosely translates as
"No one is discriminated against, Old, young, man woman, we all get the
whitewash stenciled across our back showing that we are now property of the Germans.
(I apologize for the low quality of these pics, the actual drawings are spectacular!)



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"The local Casino is now occupied by the oppressors"




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In one of Occupied France's Finest Restaurants the Matradee attends to a sole German Officer.




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Even in the darkest hours, There was time for smiles.
'captured Germans'



Captured Germans and Serbs


A captured German Airman was a prize possession. Up until WWI, the fight was always on the ground.
With the advent of aircraft, the meager soldiers were just sitting ducks.
To take an airmen down was a hard fought victory.



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We have all heard the poem "In Flanders Fields"

Although it may be difficult to see or imagine, the ground was littered with fallen soldiers
as the war pushed back and forth through the tiny village of Flanders many times.
This is a sketch of "The Tiny Village of Flanders" of which the poem was written,
Many fallen soldiers are pictured as they had defended freedom in honor of their country.



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At first, America and her President tended to stay out of the way and preferred to try and
broker a peace treaty.
But it was Germany's persistence in using U-boats to target international shipping combined with the fact that
Germany had approached Mexico for help in the European theater that prompted The Americans to take a firm stand.
It seems that Germany had promised aid to Mexico, Germany would help push the Americans back and Mexico
would regain Texas (and the southern states) once Europe was conquered....

In April of 1917, America declared War on Germany and sent troops into France to help push
back the Germans.
This was a very welcome sight for occupied France (amongst other countries).



Here we see an American Soldier firing upon a German Soldier.
Pictured in a clock tower, you can see The enemies stash of food and wine,
In the background is the broken face of the clock where the Soldier had been perched.

A puff of smoke is illustrated in white paint to help accent it as it would appear in the newspaper.
This sketch represents the moment of death.



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The fighting didn't actually end until the signing of the Armistice on Nov 18th 1918 and the
Treaty of Versailles had been signed 5 years to the day after the Assignation
of Archbishop Franz Ferdinand on June 28 1919.


Below is a Large document I obtained in another tiny French Bookstore.
-It seems that every year when the taxes come due, the French dig through the attic and sell
their possessions to the local antique shops and bookstores...



This large Invitation (13" by 18" unfolded) is of 8 pages and is for a formal Dinner and dance
dated Monday November 10th, 1919 to be held by King George in the Grand Ballroom at
Buckingham Palace.

-It seems that a Scottsman had approached the King and had Suggested that there should be a
day to honor the those who fought in the Great War, 'Lest We Forget'.

King George agreed and on November 10th 1919, A banquet in honor or the President of the
French Republic was held with the first ever Armistice Day to be held the Following Morning.
Of course we use the term Remembrance day now but it's origins are shown in this invitation
to the very first ever day of Remembrance held in London at Buckingham palace.

Inside the Invitation is listed the King and Queen and all the Royals as well as the names of
the French President and his War Department.

Listed amongst the pages are names like Winston Churchill, who at the time was head of the
war Department and later became the British Prime Minister and would defend her against the
German attacks of WWll.

The Invitation is printed on a very high quality paper suitable for British Royalty and the
Official Kings Press.

Some here might recognize the names printed amongst it's pages.












-moe
(Always in support of our troops and with much respect for those who have and will fight for Democracy)




.

 

A salute to all of the Greatest generation!!

 

These might have been posted already, but should be seen again on Memorial day. THANK YOU VETRANS !!!

 

What I don't miss is the way it melted and ran down your forehead in the summer.

 

I don't miss the Butch, I think it cost $1 - that greasy kid stuff lasted forever.

But I do miss the cost for a flat-top ($1.25) - and the hair I used to have!

 

Broom Wagon at the end of a German cycle road raceThe Broom Wagon (also referred to as Sag Wagon) is the affectionate name for the vehicle that follows a Cycle Road Race picking up stragglers (or sweeping them up) who are unable to make it to the finish of the race within the time permitted.

In the Tour de France the vehicle used was traditionally a Citroën H Van. The expression broom wagon is a translation of the French, voiture balai, and it was seen first at the Tour de France 1910. The broom wagon of the Tour de France did indeed once carry a broom fixed above the driver's cab - except in the years that it was sponsored by a vacuum-cleaner company.

The usage of a broom wagon has expanded to other sports events - especially in marathon events a broom wagon is a common feature. In the various marathon races many people from the neighbourhood join in who are not able to reach the finish line within time such that the broom wagon puts an end to their effort. Also offroad races like the Dakar Rally have come to use a broom wagon that follows on the track picking up motorist who have broken down in between.

The broom wagon is colloquially known as the sag wagon. SAG is an acronym which stands for Supplies and Gear. By extension, cycle-touring groups which have a vehicle to carry their luggage and food are now said to be "sagged" in that they have a vehicle that carries supplies and gear for the participants in the ride.

 

The Cologne Panther in front of the cathedral is one of the best documented tank vs tank battles of WW2... the battle has been analyzed frame by frame. Here is a shorter version of that battle. It starts when the Panther destroyed a Sherman...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBI9d0-IfEM&feature=related

 

Last time I was over that way all his stuff was there and more. I'm trying to figure out how he got some of that stuff there. The place is about 3-5 miles west of Paris . Google map it and look at the satalite pics.

 

Can anyone tell if this is one of the 332nd FG Mustangs? God bless.

Vintageride

 

I got to know the SAG wagon well in my brief racing career while I was in the Army!!




Doc.

 

Certainly is. Charles White of the 301st fighter sqn of the 332nd. There is a new Spielberg film coming out soon about the 'Red Tails'.

 

AMEN, Dick! Well said. Why this thread's so popular, right?

And as for the HAIR GOOP, AMEN on running down your forehead on a hot day!!! LOL

 

EXTERMINATE!!!

 

Don't recognise that Dr Who..
Was this some sort of stage version?

Mart.

 

Hey, that's here in Kansas City!

~Jason

 

Peter Cushing in the movie..Dr Who and the Daleks, 1965.

Heres Jon Pertwee:

 

I scanned all the way from Bonham to Paris and found 1 plane at the Airplane Gas Station in Toco. 6 miles west of Paris..You remember well.

Not sure what the plane is but there is a dirt runway behind the station probably for crop dusters.

 

Originally posted by Stratocharger- I agree the pictures you posted are indeed Holy. In my opinion those old pilots are still flying the heavens today. We can't see them but if we could could they might look something like this. Thank you for posting the coolest Tigers pic I've ever seen.

 

Can anyone fill a kid in on how this works?

 

just goes to show you how gone to hell we are thats when we worked our asses of for every doller and were happy to have what we had.Now its all about what can a machine do for us this is what america need to get back to what the dream was all about heavy steel and leaded gas and a true working class america. I hope these pics strike a cord for us all that its time to get back to work and clean our shit up stop hireing illegals and put americans back to work what ever there nationality may be

 

Tommy Ivo -Jahns Pistons ad
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Mart3406
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....And a few more vintage
ads too....circa 1949 -'56.
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Mart3406
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Love the 58 Plymouth is that Christine.

 

Simple, one-word answer....ZOMBIES.
Rob

 

When I was a kid that guy had all kinds of planes out there. I think that plane is a old DC something . It's a old passenger prop plane. I haven't been by there in several years but I'll go by this week as I have to go to Paris to visit my ailing grandmother so I'll go that way to Paris

 

Please take a couple of photos of any aircraft you pass....thanks

Les