20th Century
The Desert War – February 1943
This month sees the battle of the Kassarine Pass.This was where the Axis forces gave the Americans a run for their money and may have been the start of the “our Italians” handle given to [more…]
Italy
20th Century
The Desert War – January 1943
January 1943 saw the Casablanca Conference take place where FDR, Churchill, Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud (de Gaulle’s #2) would discuss the future of the war though the French were not really involved in [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – December 1942
Things are finally looking up for the Allies at the last month of 1942. The Axis are on the run in North Africa, Operation Torch has been a success though not without some busy bits. [more…]
20th Century
A Motor Through The Alps
Here we see caped cyclists rolling downhill from the Brenner pass summit which marks the border between Austria and Italy. The sign to the left, in both English and German, reads ‘Good bye again in [more…]
19th Century
Murder Most French
Every once in a while, as one turns a page in an old family photo album, one runs the risk of falling across a cause célèbre or even a grisly murder. If, after braving the [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – November 1942
November would see the assault at El Alamein succeed and the Axis would now be on the back foot as they withdrew towards Tripoli and eventually Tunisia. On the 16th November the Stoneage convoy of [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – October 1942
This month 44% of military cargo and fuel sent to Libya was sunk, this was better than the 33% sunk last month and Churchill later claimed that petrol was especially targeted and 66% of that [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – September 1942
A funny old month September 1942 in the desert. A few attempts to break through on the sand but only half hearted. The navy was still in the thick of it and the air war [more…]
20th Century
Naples – Front Line Problem City
In March 1944 my uncle John Alldridge visited Naples a few months after it had been liberated and produced this report for the Manchester Evening News. – Jerry F *** War brought disease and desolation [more…]