Friday, August 28, 2009

Test Card 1 : Coastal Battery

"Gunners of a coastal battery were rehearsing a charity Christmas show when the alarm went. They had to run to man the guns. British authorities censored this picture in 1941"

14 comments:

  1. Puts me in mind of the TV series, 'It ain't half hot, Mum'.

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  2. John : I have to confess that I suspect the picture might have been posed. It looks a little too good to be true to me.

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  3. You are so much like my Dad. He'd have loved your blog if he had the skills to look at it. He was 18 when the war ended and joined Army Intelligence and I think felt a little ripped off that he never got to serve. So much so that his battalion had a photo taken at a Lancashire station with a "Hindustan" sign behind them. It took me years to realise that it was a fake!

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  4. Thank you Baino. it's a fine compliment I'm sure.

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  5. Oh my....they all have different hats, too...one still with her big bonnet! It would be interesting to know if it really was posed!

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  6. Anonymous1:41 PM

    Alan , I'm one to agree with you in that this does seem posed. Perhaps a propaganda pose for "being at the ready", as it were, wot?

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  7. whata cool capture and interesting story...

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  8. I would be tempted to agree with you Subby about it being a posed propaganda shot. But it was censored and banned until after the war and therefore it is a propaganda shot that didn't work.

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  9. Anonymous4:51 PM

    Alan, could be after the fact. Kinda like when they shelve a movie for later release, and then end up not using it( okay, 'tis a stretch but...) And do enjoy your week-end sir :)

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  10. It's a great find, what ever the mystique behind it! -Jayne

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  11. What an amazing photo, whether posed or not.

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  12. Definitely seems posed, but then again, stranger things have happened.

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  13. My dad was in the British Army, R.E.M.E. division (towards the end of the war) for 11 years, but never saw active duty. He too, would have enjoyed your blog, but alas, Parkinson's took hold long before blogging was available and he passed away last year.

    I'll have to enjoy it for him!

    Kat

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  14. Love the outfits! Yes, I imagine it was posed ... good picture though.

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