General Werner Kienitz in France

General der Infanterie Werner Kienitz (Kommandierender General XVII. Armeekorps) and his staff officers looking at ancient pillars in France. The picture was probably taken in May-June 1940, when Kienitz and his corps were stationed in Aisne, France. Between 11 and 13 November 1939, XVII. Armeekorps was transferred to France, and from January 1940 onwards it was placed under reserve in the 2. Armee. During the second phase of the Western campaign, XVII Corps was transferred in June 1940 to the 12th Army and deployed for the attack on the Aisne.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XVII_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=14230&start=9690

German Soldiers Visited Versailles Palace

The original "selfie" : Happy German soldiers visited the Versailles Palace in 1940, shortly after the fall of France and the German-French ceasefire of 22 June 1940. It didn't take long before they were sent to the Eastern Front to get ready for the upcoming offensive against Russia. Notice the guy in the second row to the left with a bugle of some sort!

Source :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/WW2-France-1940-Les-Allemands-visitent-Versailles-/382220109118?hash=item58fe18053e
https://id.pinterest.com/pin/320670435952374374/

Corporal William "Bill" Southworth from 10th Mountain Division on a Sled

This picture was taken in 1943 or 1944 and showing a toboggan (boat tow) is used at Aspen, Colorado, to transport skiers to the top of the slope. The photographer, Corporal "Bill" Southworth, turns his head toward the camera. He is wearing his U.S. Tenth Mountain Division skiing uniform and sunglasses. A group of young men and boys are in the boat tow. William A. "Bill" Southworth was born in 4 November 1921 in Dallas, Texas. He attended Le Rosey prep-school at Gstaad, Switzerland and graduated from Great Neck High School, New York, in 1940. Bill studied architecture at the University of Virginia before volunteered for 10th Mountain Division in 14 December 1942. He was assigned to 110th Signal Platoon and graduated from Signal Corps OCS in 28 December 1944. After honorably discharged in February 1946 with Good Conduct medal, Bill was recalled for the Korean Conflict but again did not serve overseas. Finally, he was action on three tours of duty in Vietnam in 1961, 1963 and 1966 as correspondent and CBS news cameraman. He is a founding member of the International Combat Camera Association.

Source :
Book "10th Mountain Division" by Randy W. Baumgardner
http://amyatishkin.livejournal.com/287245.html

Pilot of JG 54 with His Girl inside an Umbrella

Although it looks as if it might have come from a propaganda magazine, this photograph is in fact from the private collection of a pilot of III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) "Grünherz". Interestingly, this photo of 9./JG 54's "Staffelschirms" (Staffel Umbrella) with hand-painted "Teufelskopf" (Devil's Head) emblem was not taken early in the war when there was still time for such fun, but during the Reichsverteidigung (Reich's Defense) period. The photograph was shot in September 1943 at 9.Staffel's airfield at Schwerin-Görries. The umbrella, created by members of the Staffel, appears to be made of parachute silk.

Source :
Magazine "Luftwaffe im Focus", Spezial No.1 - 2003

Soldiers of sPz.Abt.508 in Italy

Two soldiers of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 508 used their spare time for sightseeing in Rome (Italy) with their staff car, 20 February 1944. This color side is interesting mainly because it provides an excellent view of the camouflage finish on the BMW 321 as well as the battalion emblem and the pink and black battalion pennant. In early February the Tiger tank battalion was sent to oppose Allied landings at Anzio. Transportation by rail ended at Ficulle in Italy, far from the enemy beachhead. Because Allied air superiority made further rail transport difficult, the battalion drove the remaining distance, via Rome. One Tiger caught fire on route and was destroyed in an explosion. Sixty percent of the Tigers suffered mechanical breakdown on the 200-kilometre (120 mi) journey through the narrow, winding, mountainous roads. By 14 February, the first company deployed piecemeal in the Anzio region near Aprilia (known as The Factory), as the second company arrived in Rome. This color slide itself is one of a series of color images of the Werkstattkompanie taken by Hans Becker. In the mid-1970s Becker's son loaned the slides to a model maker, who displayed them in the booklet "Modell Magazin - Foto Archiv". Since then the photos have appeared regularly in publications about the Tiger. Unfortunately the slides have not been returned to the son!

Source :
Book "Als Panzermann in Afrika und Italien 1942-45: Panzer Regiment 8 und schwere Panzer-Abt. 508" by Axel Urbanke and Hans Becker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/508th_Heavy_Panzer_Battalion
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=73232&start=7800

American Soldiers Talk with a Swiss Watchmaker during Leave

At the war's end, three veteran soldiers from the US Third Army get a few pointers form an elderly Swiss watchmaker in what to look for when purchasing a good watch. Watches are very cheap in Switzerland, and nearly every GI sent home with one for himself or his girl! All three men are wearing wool "Eisenhower" jackets, wool trousers and two buckle boots. The "Eisenhower" jacket was inspired by the British battledress and ETO jackets. It had been originally designed to be worn as a liner to the 1943 field jacket but was instead used as a dress, or Class A, jacket. The man on the right has sewn a Third Army patch to his left shoulder. He is also wearing a later pattern trouser with a pocket flap added to the back pockets. Earlier pattern of trouser would have had a simple slash pocket.

Source :
Book "Patton's Third Army" by Christopher J. Anderson
http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIIRecreation/PICT0151.html