Fighters Gallery

Prior to Coltishalls At Home day

Prior to Coltishalls At Home day on the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, September 1960. Six generations of RAF fighters line up together. Hawker Hurricane IIC, LF363; Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX, PM631; Gloster Meteor F8, WL164; Hawker Hunter F6, XK136; Gloster Javelin F(AW)9, XH894 and English Electric Lightning F1, XM137. [See also 56001263.] Date:

© The Royal Aeronautical Society (National Aerospace Library)/Mary Evans Picture Library

First to fight - Democracy's vanguard US Marine Corps - Join

First to fight - Democracy's vanguard US Marine Corps - Join now and test your courage - Real fighting with real fighters. Poster showing marines storming a beach. Date 1917. First to fight - Democracy's vanguard US Marine Corps - Join now and test your courage - Real fighting with real fighters. Poster showing marines storming a beach. Date 1917. Date:

© Mary Evans / Library of Congress

WW2 - Patriotic Czech League in London

WW2 - Patriotic Czech League in London - 'Way to go to it'. Many of the Czech soldiers (and civilians) that had managed to escape from Czechoslovakia when Germany invaded in 1939, decided not to stay in Poland and made their way to France and Britain instead. The British reformed approximately 3, 300 Czechs into the 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Brigade Group in July 1940. This brigade consisted of two infantry battalions, one artillery battalion, as well as smaller specialist units (communication, engineers etc). The British also organised the 200th Czechoslovak Light AA Regiment, with some 1, 500 men. In September 1943, the two units were merged to become the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade, with around 4, 000 men operational strength. Date: circa 1940

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection