A medal showing Manfred von Richthofen, bust, full face, in greatcoat and cap. To right of head, above subject's left shoulder, an oak branch obverse text : "MANFRED v.RICHTHOFEN" & "1917"

A medal showing a fist, clenched. In the background a partially disintegrated and burning aeroplane, roundel markings on its broken wings

In 1917 von Richthofen was awarded the Pour Le Mérite, Prussia's highest award for bravery. That year von Richthofen was commemorated in this medal. The reverse shows a fist smashing an Entente aircraft.

#IWMcollections MED 595

Soon after the death of Richthofen, souvenirs of his shoot-down started arriving at the Imperial War Museum. The most significant piece was probably this - the Oberusel engine from his Fokker Triplane. A short thread 🧵.

#IWMcollections 2020.165.1

image: The interior of a room lined with children's cots, occupied by very young children and babies. A group of nurses tend the babies in the background. A play-pen filled with toddlers stands in the foreground.

See also:

'Lady Henry's Crêche, Woolwich' (1919)
John Lavery
oil on canvas

#IWMcollections ART 3084

'outsourcing child rearing', 1942. Also known as:

'A Nursery-School for War Workers' Children' (1942)
Elsie Dalton Hewland
Oil on canvas

#IWMcollections ART LD 2371

Easter Sunday, 1944 - in the Anzio beachhead in Italy, chaplain Claude Lapsley (@acwlapsley.bsky.social's grandfather) preaches to an 8th Army congregation of Royal Army Service Corps troops from 1st Division. And two dogs. #WW2 #SWW

Film: #IWMcollections AYY 702/6 - www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

Good thread by Mr Bull. Reminded me of this poster advertising a 1925 Armistice Night Carnival Ball at the Royal Albert Hall, now on display at #IWMLondon.

#IWMcollections PST 5180.

Black and white photo shows a German Tiger I (Tiger 131) tank captured in Tunisia, on display at Horse Guards Parade in London, 18 November 1943.

Seeing as the discussion is continuing - some Wehraboos fetishise a Nazi tank. Probably. November 1943.

#IWMcollections H 34426 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

A photograph of a framed bronze plaque showing Adolf Hitler in profile, looking left. A small plate fixed to the plaque reads 'TAKEN FROM THE GERMAN SUPPLY SHIP "ALSTAR" [sic] CAPTURED BY "ICARUS" OFF VESTFJORD 11TH APRIL 1940'

Today in 1940, in the Vestfjorden off the Norwegian coast, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Icarus captures the German supply ship Alster. This bronze plaque of Adolf Hitler is found on board, and taken as a trophy. #WW2 #history #navalhistory

#IWMcollections EPH 9619 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

The footage used was taken by the British Army's Film And Photographic Unit (AFPU), and has been preserved ever since by the Imperial War Museum. The interviews were conducted by film archivist and curator Kay Gladstone, by coincidence my first boss in the IWM film archive. #IWMcollections

Sam Mendes: the Holocaust, my family and the film I had to make When the director was invited to assemble a documentary from archive Second World War footage, he was confronted with the horrific footage and brave testimony of two British soldiers

Am looking forward to seeing this film about Bergen-Belsen by Sam Mendes tonight. And pleased to see this article mention my old boss, Kay Gladstone, who gave me my start in the IWM film archive. #IWMcollections #history

www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-r...

A black and white photo of a puppy wearing a name tag reading 'Spud'.

Today in 1944, 'Ordinary Seaman Spud', the #dog mascot of the Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier HMS Searcher, poses for a photo. #puppy #History #WW2

Photo #IWMcollections A 22848

Today in 1945, in Levern in Germany north-east of Osnabrück, troops of Nazi Germany's Volkssturm militia surrender to British troops of 11th Armoured Division. #WW2 #History

Film: Sergeant Palmer, IWM A70 291-1 #IWMcollections

A black and white photo shows two British soldiers, one armed with a Bren light machine gun and the other with a Thompson submachine, in position on a pile of rubble in an urban area.

Today in 1945, Private Manders and Corporal Angus, of 1st Special Service Brigade, keep watch for enemy snipers in the German town of Osnabrück.

Photo: IWM BU 3057 #IWMcollections

A black and white photograph shows a sailor armed with a rifle standing at the rail of a warship. In the sea below a large group of men are swimming.

Today in 1944, in the Indian Ocean, Able Seaman H Leonard keeps watch as sailors of the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Newcastle swim in the sea. Leonard is armed with a rifle, for use in case sharks are seen. #WW2 #history #navalhistory

#IWMcollections A 23018

A black and white photograph taking from an aircraft passing low over a surfaced submarine.

Today in 1944 British naval aircraft attack and sink the German submarine U-288. In this photo, a Grumman Avenger from the aircraft carrier HMS Tracker passes over the boat's conning tower. A member of the U-boat crew can be seen manning a twin 20mm anti-aircraft gun.

#IWMcollections A 22861

A black and white photograph shows naval pilots posing for a photo with one of their aircraft.

'THEY LEFT THE TIRPITZ BURNING'

Naval pilots of the Fleet Air Arm pose for a photo with one of their American-built Corsair fighters, aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, following a successful airstrike against the German battleship Tirpitz, 3 April 1944.

#IWMcollections A 22668

A black and white photograph shows an aircraft, in a steep dive, attacking a large warship. A column of smoke is rising from the ship.

Today in 1944, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm mount Operation Tungsten. The objective is the German battleship Tirpitz, moored in a heavily defended Norwegian fjord. The raid fails to sink Tirpitz, but causes extensive damage & inflicts hundreds of casualties among the crew

#IWMcollections A 22638

obverse design : Victory, holding a sword in her right hand, flying to right above a French St Chamond tank which is lumbering to right over a trench and barbed wire entanglement piece

This 1917 medal was designed by French medallist Pierre-Alexandre Morlon (1878-1951). It depicts the figure of Victory sweeping forwards with St Chamond tanks of the French Army. #TankTuesday

#IWMcollections MED 664 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

'We know the Americans would keep faith with us...'

Came across this British official documentary from 1982, about Britain's nuclear deterrent, while looking for something else, and this line rather jumped out at me. #IWMcollections

Full film: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

RAF Church Fenton, 14 October 1940; pilots of No.85 Squadron, Royal Air Force, with their commanding officer Squadron Leader Peter Townsend (with walking stick).

Flying Officer John Hemingway stands with hands in his pockets, second from the left.

#IWMcollections CH 1474

Flying Officer John Hemingway, of No.85 Squadron Royal Air Force, following the announcement of the award of his Distinguished Flying Cross. Taken at RAF Stapleford Tawney, 4 May 1941.

#IWMcollections CH 2635

A black and white photograph taken in a drydock, showing a workman shotblasting HMS Belfast's hull. The man is dwarfed by the size of the ship, and is standing in a shaft of bright sunshine.

Today in 1938, #HMSBelfast is launched. In this photograph, taken during the ship's drydocking at Tilbury in 1982, Belfast's hull is shot-blasted before repainting.

Photo: #IWMcollections IWM-1982-40-40

A sculpted metal seahorse, encircled by a crown.

Today in 1938, #HMSBelfast is launched. A seahorse, from one the ship's tampion badges; the coat of arms of the city of Belfast feature a seahorse. #StPatricksDay

#IWMCollections MAR 573

A black and white photograph of HMS Belfast at sea, underway at speed.

Today in 1938, on #StPatricksDay, the Royal Navy light cruiser #HMSBelfast is launched. She's photographed here at speed off Scapa Flow in Orkney, during a review of the fleet by King George VI. #navalhistory

Photo: #IWMcollections A 18642, by Lieutenant Hudson

TROOP MOVEMENTS [Allocated Title] French and British troops from Dunkirk disembark in England.

#IWMcollections AYY 18
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

A black and white photo taken from a high vantage point shows Adolf Hitler driving in a motorcade through Vienna. A large crowd lines the road and many give Nazi salutes.

Today in 1938, Nazi Germany annexes Austria. A few day after this 'Anschluss', Hitler rides in triumph through the Austrian capital Vienna, announcing the incorporation of Austria into the German Reich.

Photo: #IWMcollections MH 13129

A white cloth banner with the outline of a building surrounding a Japanese kanji character.

Today in 1945 American bombers strike Tokyo, starting fires that will kill tens of thousands of people. This wartime banner bears the character 消, the meanings of which include 'to extinguish'. It may have been used to mark the location of firefighting equipment. #OTD #ww2

#IWMcollections FLA 925

Wing Commander James E 'Johnny' Johnson at Bazenville Landing Ground, Normandy, 31 July 1944 The RAF's top scoring fighter pilot flying in north west Europe, Wing Commander Johnny Johnson, seen with his pet Labrador dog 'Sally'. He recorded 38 victories, though at the time of the photograph his total was 35. He commanded No 127 Wing composed of three Canadian Spitfire squadrons. The decorations on his tunic are a DSO with two Bars and a DFC with one Bar.

Today in 1915, at Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire, James Johnson is born. He'll go on to serve in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, becoming the most successful Spitfire fighter ace. He's seen here at Bazenville Landing Ground, Normandy, 31 July 1944.

#IWMcollections TR 2145

whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and located in the lower half, in yellow- green, and in red, white and blue. The text is separate and placed along the bottom edge, in white. All set against a green and black background. image: a stylised portrait of a young woman, in profile, wearing an Auxiliary Territorial Service forage cap. text: A. GAMES R.E. JOIN THE ATS ASK FOR INFORMATION AT THE NEAREST EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE OR AT ANY ARMY OR A.T.S. RECRUITING CENTRE PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY FOSH and CROSS LTD., LONDON (51/1065)

'Join the ATS'

A recruiting poster for the British Army's female Auxiliary Territorial Service, designed by Abram Games.

#IWMcollections PST 4718 #IWD2025

whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower quarter, in black, and in white held within a blue inset. All set against a white background. image: a shoulder-length depiction of two women, positioned one in front of the other, looking directly out of the poster. The one at the front wears an ATS uniform and the other wears an RAF uniform. The shadowed profiles of a British infantryman and a male RAF member occupy the background left. text: RAF ATS Every woman not doing vital work is needed NOW FULL INFORMATION AT THE NEAREST RECRUITING CENTRE OR YOUR EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY J. WEINER LTD., LONDON, W.C.1. 51-2934

'Every Woman Not Doing Vital Work is Needed Now'

This British Second World War poster depicts women serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.

#IWMcollections PST 0124 #IWD2025