WW1 Tanks

[dickiek]

Ok, who can tell me when they think this photo was taken and where?

[Andrew Upton]

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=155346&st=0&p=1497980&hl=+tank%20+russia&fromsearch=1entry1497980

[centurion]

Ok, who can tell me when they think this photo was taken and where?

Taken in the Soviet Union between about 1930 and 1945. These are British tanks either abandoned by or captured from the "white" forces towards the end of the Russian civil wars. Incorporated into the Red Army in which they served until there was an international disarmament conference and it was agreed that heavy tanks were a weapon of aggression and should be scrapped. Stalin made a grand gesture and announced that of course the peace loving non aggressive Soviet Union would dispense with its heavy tanks instanter (he had already approved the manufacture of bigger, better armed, faster and more heavily armed replacements but discretely didn't mention this). The tanks were sent as 'presents' to towns and cities deemed loyal in the civil war. Some were removed by the Germans as trophies in WW2 and were blown apart in Berlin in the last battle there (and no contrary to myth they weren't sent into battle) but many stayed and some still remain - some having been renovated quite recently

Here is the view when the snow melted

Now some people who ought to know what they are talking about (or at least so they assure me) have said that this is Kharkov whilst eqially expert types (as they insist) have told me its not so at this point I'll fold.

[dickiek]

I found this photo in a WW2 photo album recently given to me on a CD, the album belonged to a German Fallschirmjager who jumped into Crete on the 20^th May 1941 and then went on to serve in Russia from 1941 -1942.

Was this photo was taken during the war and picked up by the German to add to his personal album by the invading armies, or was it taken before the war and the soldier found it and then added it to his album ?

However, the other photos in the album have pictures of German Fallschrimjager in Russia with heavy snow, so I think this photo could have been taken around 1942.

What's interesting, in your photo, is that a German vehicle driving by?

[CharlieBris]

I think the location is Lugansk, SE Ukraine. The pair of Mark V hermaphrodites were the subject of many WW2 German photos.

Both tanks have recently been restored.

Regards,

Charlie

[centurion]

I found this photo in a WW2 photo album recently given to me on a CD, the album belonged to a German Fallschirmjager who jumped into Crete on the 20^th May 1941 and then went on to serve in Russia from 1941 -1942.

Was this photo was taken during the war and picked up by the German to add to his personal album by the invading armies, or was it taken before the war and the soldier found it and then added it to his album ?

However, the other photos in the album have pictures of German Fallschrimjager in Russia with heavy snow, so I think this photo could have been taken around 1942.

What's interesting, in your photo, is that a German vehicle driving by?

There are a lot of German photos of these tanks in various towns with German troops, military sign posts etc around. However there are also others that look to be in the pre or possibly post war period as there only appear to be locals and Soviet vehicles about. Unfortunately Soviet citizens appear to look equally morose pre, during and just after German occupation. I guess that to some the main difference was the size of the moustache the homicidal loony in charge of their destiny was wearing so its imposssible to answer your question other than with a definite maybe.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Ok, who can tell me when they think this photo was taken and where?

The photograph was taken in front of the Dormition Cathedral/Museum in Smolensk, Russia.

Coincidently, there is currently another thread with the same question, just in case it has different viewers, I shall post the same set of photographs here.

They were taken in WW2 by German troops visiting the Dormition Cathedral/Museum, which from 1933 to 1941 was an Anti-Religion Museum.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

German WW2 troops visiting the Dormition Cathedral/Museum in Smolensk.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Dormition Catherdral, Smolensk.

[dickiek]

It just goes to show that there's a whole lot on knoweldge out there in the big wide world and so much can be gleamed from one photo.... Thanks guys

[Sidearm]

These two tanks are the very same two that were shipped to Berlin and were recaptured by the Russian Army in 1945. I have written on this in other threads, if not on the GWF then in the Landships forum, should anyone wish to look up the full story.

Gwyn