The crew of Bristol Blenheim Mark I, L1381 fuselage code VA-G, of No. 84 Squadron RAF, prepare to board their aircraft at Menidi/Tatoi Airport, Greece, for a raid on an Italian port in Albania during the Italo-Greek war of 1940/1941. The Blenheim L1381 was one of four aircraft of this type lost by RAF during a raid on Valona, Albania, on 7 December 1941, when it crash-landed near Sarande after being damaged by an Italian fighter. Victor Sierra

British bomber in Greece

Sergeant of the 11th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army displays his trophy, a large Third Reich battle flag, northern Italy, 1945.  The wall behind appears to have been daubed with the slogan, "Viva il Duce".  Given the geographical realities of the British position in Egypt and North Africa for the greater part of the war, it is hardly surprising that Indian Army soldiers (notably Sikhs) played a major part in the defence of Egypt (as indeed they had in WW1), and in the Allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy.  Best regards, JR.

Fallen banner.

A RAF’s Martin Baltimore medium bomber at Triolo Airfield, Puglia, after a rainstorm, Winter 1944. Repaired from an old Italian Air Force’s runways by American Engineer Corps in September 1943 and inserted in the Foggia Airfield Complex, Triolo was employed mainly by USAAF’s units. The raised little building in background is perhaps the control tower. Many former RAF’s Baltimore was transferred to Italian Co-belligerent Regia Aeronautica. Victor Sierra