Michael Ventura Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Going through some old negatives of my mother's (probably my grandfather's) I came across this image and thought it was of Charles De Gaulle but now I don't think so and I could not find any similar photos on the web. Any WWII buffs who may know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvallee Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Sorry I can't help Michael but it's definitely not Charles de Gaulle, you're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Do you know what year this was taken, and where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 The sleeve marks show that he was a colonel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque maybe - its him on the left 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 6 hours ago, Colin Woods said: Do you know what year this was taken, and where? Thanks Colin! No, there are no notes with this negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Leclerc was a colonel only from 11/40 to 8/41. That would rule him out of meeting GIs in London- assuming I'm right about that. As would the lack of moustache. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Philippe_Leclerc_de_Hauteclocque#Promotions I'd need more metadata (haha) to confidently caption it as Leclerc. Looks very like him though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 Not sure where it is. Is it in the UK? Its hard to read the sign top right. Looking at it again before I send, does it say Gentlem, as part of a sign for the loos? That rules out France. They might not be GIs - could they be part of the USAF who had a presence in the UK before the USA. From Wiki "As a result, a special U.S. Army Observer Group was activated in London on 19 May 1941" I was basing my ID on the nose and chin, though the moustache is a problem. Those blokes tended to keep their 'taches. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 I was thinking it was in France. My mothers family lived in Paris and southern France, but before WWII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 3 hours ago, Colin Woods said: does it say Gentlem, as part of a sign for the loos? Likewise, but I suppose it could say part of something else in French. Any clues in adjacent frames, OP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 https://europeremembers.com/biography/philippe-leclerc-de-hauteclocque/ He was based in London as part of the Free French government in exile 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 28 minutes ago, spacecadet said: Likewise, but I suppose it could say part of something else in French. Any clues in adjacent frames, OP? No adjacent frames, just a 120mm clipped frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 And that photo of him grom the Europe Remembers site, with the cigarette, looks like your photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Decio Molaro Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 For me too... Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocquehttps://www.liberationroute.com/stories/45/philippe-leclerc-de-hauteclocque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 Thanks everyone! Is it safe to say that he is greeting U.S. soldiers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said: Thanks everyone! Is it safe to say that he is greeting U.S. soldiers? I merely asserted that they were GIs but I can't identify any of those caps. In my view it's not even safe to say it's Leclerc. One for an army uniform forum methinks. There are some things even we can't crack. Edited June 22, 2022 by spacecadet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Decio Molaro Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 I found the following in my research: the soldier looking at the camera has a hat (cap or cover) of a Brazilian soldier from the (Brazilian Expeditionary Force). I would put different nationalities or just soldiers! I don't think I helped much.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 I use the phrase 'thought to be' when not 100% sure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) On 22/06/2022 at 18:22, geogphotos said: I use the phrase 'thought to be' when not 100% sure. This is one of those occasions where I would have the liability provisions in the new contract in mind. Edited June 23, 2022 by spacecadet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogphotos Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 12 minutes ago, spacecadet said: This is one of those occasions where I would have the liability provisions in the new contract in mind. To me sayimg 'thought to be' means that the buyer needs to check because I am not 100% sure. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooth Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 these are all french soldiers, they are all wearing the distinctive french side cap (different style than the american garrison hat) that was standardized in world war 1 used through ww2. the photo is very low rez, but if you notice the symbol on the colonel's "patte de collet" it's a circle design of some sort, maybe medical officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Robinson Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 or Marie-Pierre Kœnig ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avpics Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 On 22/06/2022 at 12:22, Colin Woods said: Not sure where it is. Is it in the UK? Its hard to read the sign top right. Looking at it again before I send, does it say Gentlem, as part of a sign for the loos? It also looks like Station M..... under the clock. I'd love the image to depict soldiers that had escaped from Dunkirk arriving in London being welcomed, but that goes way beyond 'thought to be'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Woods Posted June 24, 2022 Share Posted June 24, 2022 Just found this photo of Leclerc https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4207352/mediaviewer/rm1212203521?ref_=nm_ov_ph The nose and chin look pretty good as a match. I can<t find a photo of Pierre König in profile, I'll keep looking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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