Soldiers of the British 8th Army are pictured on duty in Italy in these original color photos taken in April 1944 by War Office official photographer, Captain A.R. Tanner.
The ‘Infantryman’. Corporal M. Smith of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, with his Tommy gun (Thompson submachine gun) at the main Headquarters of the Eighth Army in the San Angelo area. Corporal Smith, a former metal polisher from Birmingham, served in North Africa and Egypt before going to Italy in early 1944. He was involved in the fighting north of Cassino and on the Garigliano River.
The ‘Signal Lineman’. Signalman A. Johnson of P Line Section (No 1) Company, 8th Army Signals, with a role of wire at the main headquarters of the Eighth Army in the San Angelo area of Italy. Signalman Johnson, a former bus conductor from Mill Hill, left England for Egypt in February 1942. He served with the Eighth Army in Egypt until Mareth then went to Sicily, and has been in Italy since October 1943.
The ‘Cook’. Private W.A. Bowen of the Army Catering Corps, preparing potatoes at the main Headquarters of the Eighth Army in the San Angelo area of Italy. Private Bowen, a former painter and decorator, from Lisswerry, Newport, South Wales, served in a Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment before transferring to the Army Catering Corps. He left England in 1941, and served at Tobruk, Benghazi, and Tunis before landing in Italy during September 1943.
The ‘Tankman’. Sergeant A.G. Williams of 17/21 Lancers in the turret of his Sherman tank at the main Headquarters of the Eighth Army in the San Angelo area of Italy. Sergeant Williams from Woodford Bridge, Essex left England in November 1943, landed in North Africa, and from there was sent to Italy.
The ‘Artilleryman’. Gunner J.D. Thomas of the Shropshire Yeomanry closing the breech of a 5.5-inch gun under the camouflage netting at San Vittore, Eighth Army sector. Gunner Thomas, a former farmer from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, left England in 1942 and has seen service in Egypt, Tripoli, and Sicily before coming to Italy where he was involved in all the major battles up to this time.
The ‘Sapper’. Lance Sergeant E.R. Whiting of the Corps of Royal Engineers at the controls of a tractor at the main headquarters of the Eighth Army in the San Angelo area. Lance Sergeant Whiting, a former electrical engineer from Bedford, went to North Africa in May 1943 from where he went on to Sicily before landing in Italy in September 1943 to undertake road building operations.
The ‘Intelligence Officer’. Corporal D.A.R. Reynolds of the Intelligence Branch, working as a draughtsman at the main Eighth Army Headquarters in the San Angelo area. Corporal Reynolds, a former architectural assistant from East Horsley, Surrey, left England in December 1942 for the Middle East. He then went to Tripoli and Sicily and landed in Italy soon after the invasion.
(This original article was published on SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity)
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