Libya, 5 June 1942: the bullet riddled tail of a Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt Bf 110 resting on 44 gallon drums is used as a long bar for the officers mess of Royal Australian Air Force’s Squadron, likely the No 3 Squadron RAAF. A number of squadron members enjoy a drink of Blackhorse Ale beer at “the bar”. According the Australian War Museum the German aircraft was shot down by a Kittyhawk of the squadron. In the background is a left-hand drive photographer's vehicle and a tripod perhaps of the official photo section of the RAAF (http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/MED0453). Victor Sierra

An airplane’s tail as long bar

Rayak air base, Lebanon, after the conquest by the British troops and the end of the campaign against the Levant’s Vichy forces, July 1941: Jim Kinnear, of the No 3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force standing in front to one of the French Vichy Air Force’s Dewoitine D.520 fighters destroyed on the ground by the earlier strafing attacks on June 1941 accomplished by the Curtiss Tomahawks of the same 3 Squadron flying from their temporary airfield at Jenin, Palestine, where was redeployed from Egypt. Crazy but true: in the No 3 Squadron RAAF history the French fighters Dewoitine D.520 are named «little Swiss-designed fighters»!!!! [photo Jim Kinnear Collection via 3squadron.org.au]. Victor Sierra

Australians at Rayak

1942-11-23. New Guinea. Gorari. Most of the hand to hand fighting took place in the Gorari region, where one Australian unit killed and buried over 500 Japanese. The Japanese dead were buried in common graves, 5, 6, and up to 10 in one grave. Their steel helmets were placed on the top of the graves. In this photo is an Australian burying party.

