holland 04/10/1944

[243rose]

one more to be looked at.

this is reginal SPARKES top right.
on the back of the photo is Holland 04/10/1944.
what regiment is this and what are they doing on this date.

ta iain.

[scrimnet]

Is there any chance of doing a higher def scan pse???

The badges are rather indistinct...They could be Artillery (both types)...But we need a bit more definition!

As for why in Holland...This was part of the Allied thrust post D-Day towards the Rhine...

Now...Field Artillery didnt use the White Half Track, so he may be light anti aircraft...Or they have just cadged a lift...The vehicles in the background are more like those I would expect to see with the Artillery...

There are all sorts of uniform variants there...denims, battledress, leather jerkins (which were store items and only issued as part of cold weather kit) hat GS, berets....

[243rose]

I'll have to get back to you on the re scan.

cheers
iain

[emarbe]

Hi Iain

The main stumbling block in liberating the Netherlands was the River Schelde which was occupied by the Germans, also the allied supply chain was far too long and the river was desperately needed for this purpose. The main port of Antwerp had been liberated but without the river access it was useless, so the Canadians were sent to the southern bank while other Canadians, British and Polish took the northern bank. Eventually, in spite of several thousands of Canadians being killed, it was decided to bomb the small islands where the Germans were entrenched thereby liberating the southern part of Holland in October 1944. The Winter of 1944/45 was known as the "Hunger Winter" as it was one of the most severe the Dutch could remember and as a consequence delayed some of the plans for the push into Germany.
The photograph was more than likely taken in the south of Holland, near to the Belgian border.

Mike

[243rose]

Mike.

Thanks for the reply.
nice to have a bit of background to the photo.
they all look as though they are very relaxed and almost in a celebratory mood.

cheers
iain