Bob Lyons

Excuse my pudgy fingers, it is windy outside today, I think you would be very happy having this superb book on your bookshelf. One last shot from the book, here is another page from the Imperial section, Cheers Bob

Part of the photo essay on Knight's Crosses....

He corrects the previous known errors too, here is one of the corrections, the KM Honour Roll Clasp that is shown is now a wartime version, with smaller photos of the repro that was in the earlier edition....

From the Imperial section....

Hello Rich, From the acknowledgements section at the front, he states that there is nearly 80 new pages, plus 280 additional new photographs, well worth adding to the library I think, I was reading a bit of it last night, where he quotes the Manfred von Richthofen shot down 82 aircraft, I thought his tally was 80, but I haven't checked that one out yet, anyway, here are some photos from the book, there is a good additional section on the WW2 Knight's Crosses which makes the book worthwhile in it's own right... Here is the cover... Bob

Book arrived this morning, so will have my head stuck in this all day today! It looks great. Bob

I'm not the only one pushing the wrong buttons, Don't worry, I found the great photo you posted ! Bob

Great photos Alex, I have never seen the Student photo before. Great finds !! Bob ... sorry Jon, forgot to add, love your shot as well !!!

Is that another bit of one of the Japanese midget subs in the Seahorse cafe Johnsy ??? Bob

And the photo with the article, showing the submarine and it's props, in Sydney Harbour. Bob

Japanese raiders rest in watery tomb Ian McPhedran May 22, 2007 12:00am Article from: </IMG>THE bodies of two Japanese sailors who conducted an audacious World War II raid in Sydney Harbour will remain entombed in a mini-submarine off Sydney's northern beaches. The wreck of the M-24 lies in 54m of water about 5km off Bungan Head, where it sank on the night of May 31, 1942. The mystery of the last of the three mini-subs that brought war to a disbelieving city may never be fully solved. "These were the elite of the elite in the Japanese navy," said Australian War Memorial historian John White. "They were highly trained, very fit, and expert navigators." Lt Katsuhisa Ban and Petty Officer Mamoru Ashibe piloted their craft around nets strung across the harbour and past numerous lookout posts to fire two torpedoes at the heavy cruiser USS Chicago, moored off Garden Island. One struck HMAS Kuttabul nearby, killing 19 sleeping Australian sailors and two Britons. Ban and Ashibe then submerged in a bid to escape to one of five submarine mother ships waiting off Port Hacking. Two other Japanese subs were caught; their crews committed suicide. Ban and Ashibe's battery-powered mini-sub sailed about 13km northeast before it sank. In November last year, recreational divers found the wreck, partly covered by sand. The commander of navy clearance diving team 1, Lt-Cdr Etienne Mulder, said everything pointed to the bodies still being inside. A ladder would have been pulled down had the crew climbed through an escape hatch in the conning tower. "That ladder is still in the up position, as far as we can tell," he said. He said the Sydney harbour raid had been a "one way ticket". "The chances of you coming back aren't very high." He said it was amazing how few people knew that the M-24 was the sub that sank the Kuttabul. Questions remain about the fatal mission: WHY were scuttling charges not fired? WHY was the boat heading north, away from the mother ship? WAS she damaged or did she run out of power? Able Seaman Ryan Dart, from Ballina in northern NSW, made his fourth and final dive to the wreck yesterday. The young sailor carried a jam jar down into the dark water and scooped up some sand close to the sub. It will be presented to the brothers of Lt Ban and Petty Officer Ashibe. The wreck is a historic shipwreck and a protected zone, monitored by a video alarm system. THE NSW Heritage Office, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, will conduct guided ferry tours of the key sites of the 1942 midget submarine attack to mark the 65th anniversary on May 31.

A photo of the last of the Anzac series to be built, here is HMAS Perth alongside at Williamstown, Victoria, in the late afternoon sun. Bob

Dang, you take great photos Eric !! Congrats on your latest beauty too! Bob

What... ??? they give sailors medals as well, surely you guys are too spoiled!! I have heard the ADM being called the A....hole medal, as every one has one My motto, if they were giving away dirty socks, I would go and get a pair, just to give some damned pen pushed the pip. In all honesty it is good that they have gone to the trouble to recognize service to those who served but didn't go overseas or last long enough to get a long gong, just a bit of a shame they never stayed with the original design of the medal when it was first thought of. (tri service badge on the obverse and old style suspension bar) What is your trade patch Johnsy ??? Radar/Radios ??? Bob

Hi Snoopy, The 'drop tank thingy' is a wing weight from an aileron off a Bf 109. Bob

Hi Rick, I just asked the owner, he confirmed it as the 58th Bn. Bob (He was wounded 3 times in France).

And I have this shot on file too, it is the Me 262 that is also on display in the War Memorial in Canberra, with the Lancaster 'G - George' in the background. The Lanc has had a complete overhaul now and looks fantastic, and the 262 has had the postwar paintjob stripped back to show her wartime paintwork. This old black and white shot is from quite a few years ago. Bob

...and Bernard Ramcke. Bob

Hans Joachim Marseille

Hermann Goering

Gunther Rall

from bomber crews to night fighters

Hi all Some period colour to show the uniforms in wear and the actual colour contrasts of the uniforms, photos were all from the Internet, and as it is public domain, I think I can post them here without any probs, I don't know who has the copyright to the originals, but great photos, and need to be shared. Bob

and one on Buckles....

And the breast eagle.. Bob