Jonathan Ware
reassesshistory.bsky.social
Jonathan Ware
@reassesshistory.bsky.social
540 followers 2 following 370 posts
Enquiries: DM Military Historian, 'valuable' according to IWM Jocks, Dragons & Sospans (2024) Normandy 1944 specialist
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As Me 163 & V-1 are correct, I suspect due to different curators.
Slave labour underpinned V-2 production, engrained in the Holocaust. To suggest it was POWs overlooks a deliberate Nazi campaign of exploitation, presecution & genocode.

I think this needs to be front & centre.

Thoughts?
#WW2 #SWW #History
Gebuza Nungu was a Zulu member of 15th Glamorganshire (Gower) Home Guard, born in Ulundi in 1870, he came to Britain as a lion tamer with the The Savage South Africa Show in 1898, before moving to South Wales & working in the steel industry.
#WW2 #SWW #History
Reposted by Jonathan Ware
Historians of Germany, fascism, & the Second World War: any suggestions for recent book chapters/articles that examine the historiography of Nazi Germany along the lines of those in Kershaw's rather dated The Nazi Dictatorship: Problems & Perspectives of Interpretations? It's for a senior seminar.
At some point we need a suitable phrase for 21st Army Group's massive July offensive, 15 - 25 July... as these lack a suitable operational name tying them together.

'Titanic'
#WW2 #SWW #History
Very glad, if knackered, to say that Vol 1 of Jocks, Dragons and Sospans, the new history of 53rd Welsh Division has been submitted to the publisher.

Now to finish Vol 2.
#WW2 #SWW #History
Reposted by Jonathan Ware
All being well, my next book comes out on 30 Nov 25. It looks at the alleged disappearance of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment & looks at all the duff history that surrounds the story of their advance on Kuchuk Anafarta Ova on 12 Aug 15 during the Gallipoli Campaign #WW1 #FWW #Norfolk #Gallipoli
A reminder to most militaria dealers that the majority of Sospan Fach were not manufactured or supplied to 4 Welch...

But to the Home Guard.

Possibly a ratio of 10:1.
#WW2 #SWW #History
One with boots is 4 Welch.
I believe museum policies had a real cooling effect, seeing many donations refused.

Undermined by a lack of national military museum for Wales.
One of these may be, bootless. A chance it is 2 SWB.

Kit/training/location on the rest is right bar.... div!

Sadly there are not too many of 2 Mons about, at least that I've been able to access.
So @wartimeni.com thought you may like these higher res images of troops in NI, feel free to use them.
A Challenger (no not that one) at the surrender of Cuxhaven, 7 May 1945.
#WW2 #SWW #History
Simple maths.

Approximately 90% of German divisions on the Eastern Front participated in genocide/atrocities/the Holocaust.

German infantry divisions in Normandy had approximately 30% of their strength drawn from Eastern Front veterans.
#WW2 #SWW #History
Someone, I'm not sure who, will write a book on this subject.

Suspect it'll sell well.
Person A: Did the army not put out any guidance on how to wear GS Caps?

Normandy Bean: You mean Cap, Ridiculous?

British soldiers:
#WW2 #SWW #History
One of the many British soldiers who served in 53rd Welsh Division.
#WW2 #SWW #History
The IWM is rarely open to any discussion.

It has a long, and terrible, track record.
I mean in many ways bulldozers are not sexy.

Yeah, many would say heavy plant is dull.

But bulldozers were an essential piece of kit that allowed 21st Army Group to keep things moving.

People go on about Tigers, but... had Army Group B had a few bulldozers, well... /thread
Find trashed kit?

Into the ditch with it.

Open up core line of communication.

Column moves on.

Job done. /12
The biggest moment for D-7s came during spearheading 11th Armoured Division's charge smashing eastwards through the Falaise Gap.

No other vehicle could so easily take small arms fire etc & clear obstacles for other AFVs etc.

Ralph Rayner with his D-7. /11
When Sherman Dozers weren't available to smash through roadblocks or wreckage, armoured D-7 Dozers helped lead the way.

These hulking pieces of kit granted Allied divisions a real edge: not mirrored by any German asset in Normandy. /10
Sherman Crabs could clear tank tracks through minefields, but it was often up to bulldozers shuffling through afterwards to properly open up the route for non-tracked vehicles. /9