Heavy Gallery

Lancaster Bombers ready to take off, 1942

Photograph of an Avro Lancaster heavy bomber at a British airfield, ready to take off, somewhere in England, 1942. Although the engines are already running, one of the aircrew can be seen standing on the port wing, perhaps carrying out final checks. In the background, one can see the other Lancasters of this squadron, also ready to go

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

German Railway gun captured at the Battle of Amiens - WW1

A huge German Railway gun captured at the Battle of Amiens on 8th August 1918 became a source of some Allied controversy. The Australian 31st Battalion effected its capture, but, in the wake of the continued Allied advance, the gun received a large painted inscription stating that the gun had been captured by the British 4th Army (see picture) of which the ANZAC Corps was a component. A thorough investigation was made of the circumstances of the gun's capture - an insightful example of the contested nature of war material involving notions of identity and ownership - before it was finally transported to Australia for public display (AWM Archive). The gun was originally intended for naval use, mounted in the battleship SMS Hessen. Date: 1918

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Soviet Heavy Tank in Berlin; Second World War, 1945

Photograph showing a Soviet heavy tank moving through Berlin, with the Brandenburg Gate in the background, May 1945. Berlin fell to the Russian Army on 2nd May 1945, after a battle which lasted 17 days. Given the demeanour of the men riding on the tank, it is safe to assume that this photograph was taken after the German capitulation

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans