An example of the 8Stall 84mm field gun, a Krupp-manufactured field gun employed by Dutch forces in May, 1940.  The only thing particularly modern about this weapon was that it was a breech-loader.  Realistically, it was a fairly typical late-19th century design that would not have been regarded as current, in design terms, even in 1914.  Dutch forces fielded over 100 of these against the Germans in May, 1940.  Res ipsa loquitur.  Best regards, JR.

Blast from the Past.

Story of Belgian 'ace',Count Rodolphe de Hemricourt de Grunne(1911-1941)
During the Spanish Civil war he served in squadron 2-G-3,one of the best units of the Nationalists,the facist party of Franco.In less than a year,from 12th march 1938 till 2th januari 1939 ,he shot down 10 enemy planes in his Fiat CR-32 and accounted for 4 probable destroyed.After the Civil war ended Hemricourt turned his back on his facist friends.He was mobilised by the Belgian Army as a infantry soldier because he only had a civil flying certificate.This administrative error was soon rectified and at the beginning of 1940 he joined the Hurricane squadron at Diest(Belgium).On the 12th/3/1940 he intercepted a German bomber above Belgian territory but had to abandon the chase due to a mechanical failure.In may 1940 he became 'unemployed' for weeks because all Hurricanes had been destroyed on the ground.At the end of june 1940 he and some buddies escaped to England.Because of this experience he was instantly accepted in squadron 32,a Hurricane unit operating from Biggin Hill airfield.Our aristocratic adventurer got 3 more victories before on 28th april 1941 he was shot down over the Channel by a German fighter.
Greetz,brummbar

Belgian 'ace'

Wilhelmina, queen regnant of the Netherlands, a formal portrait 'photo made during her exile in Britain (? 1942).  When the German invasion began on 10 May 1940, the queen attempted to relocate from Den Haag to Zeeland to co-ordinate resistance in &quot;Fortress Holland&quot;, but heavy German attacks in that province prevented this.  Instead, she accepted the offer of sanctuary in England, sailing there on the British warship, HMS Hereward.  While in exile, she faced down defeatist elements in the Dutch government in exile, remaining steadfastly committed to restoring the unconditional liberty of the Netherlands.  She made regular broadcasts to her country through &quot;Radio Orange&quot;; German prohibition on receiving these broadcasts had little effect.  When she returned to the Netherlands (before the whole country had actually been liberated) she was warmly received by her people and, in spite of declining health, worked in the immediate aftermath to promote the recovery of her country.  A strong, determined and principled woman who was a true descendant of her Orange-Nassau ancestors, anybody who wonders about the respect with which the Dutch royal family is still shown in the Netherlands - in spite of some serious problems over the years - need look no further than this lady.  Best regards, JR.