A German Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 in the skies above Poland, 1939.

A German Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 in the skies above Poland, 1939.

A British Bren gun is in action somewhere south of El Alamein in Egypt in 1942.

A British Bren gun is in action somewhere south of El Alamein in Egypt in 1942. 

Spanish troops from the Blue Division (División Española de Voluntarios) trudge across rolling countryside on the Leningrad Front, winter 1942-1943

Spanish troops from the Blue Division (División Española de Voluntarios) trudge across rolling countryside on the Leningrad Front, winter 1942-1943.

A South African soldier sapper laying a mine, Egypt, 2 July 1942.

A South African soldier sapper laying a mine, Egypt, 2 July 1942.

A waffen ss soldier with MP40 in action , Battle of Kharkov,Russia, 1943.

A waffen ss soldier with MP40 in action , Battle of Kharkov,Russia, 1943.

A Slovak Soldier launch an stick grenade, somewhere on the Eastern Front

A Slovak Soldier launch an stick grenade, somewhere on the Eastern Front

German Wehrmacht soldiers in Stalingrad, the Eastern Front,

 German Wehrmacht soldiers in Stalingrad, the Eastern Front,

Australian troops approach a German-held strong point under the protection of a heavy smoke screen somewhere in the Western Desert, in NorthernAfrica on November 27, 1942

Australian troops approach a German-held strong point under the protection of a heavy smoke screen somewhere in the Western Desert, in NorthernAfrica on November 27, 1942

A German soldier riding a motorcycle in the snow of the EasternFront. The temperature could have been as low as minus 40 degrees.18 February,1942.

A German soldier riding a motorcycle in the snow of the EasternFront. The temperature could have been as low as minus 40 degrees.18 February,1942.

A British 4.5-inch field gun in action south of El Alamein, July 1942.

A British 4.5-inch field gun in action south of El Alamein, July 1942.

German Wehrmacht soldiers fighting in Sedan, France May 1940.

German wehrmacht soldiers fighting in Sedan, France May 1940.

Japanese troops occupy a strategic point on Chusan Island on July 14,1939, during the Sino-Japanese War

Japanese troops occupy a strategic point on Chusan Island on July 14,1939, during the Sino-Japanese War

Two German soldiers on the road over a hill on the Eastern Front, 1942.

Two German soldiers on the road over a hill on the Eastern Front, 1942.

A British soldiers "covers" beside a knocked out German Panzer III , Normandy 1944

 A British soldiers "covers" beside a knocked out German Panzer III , Normandy 1944

German soldiers move through a forest on the EasternFront in ...

German soldiers move through a forest on the EasternFront in 1941. The soldier on the left is armed with a PzB 39 anti-tank rifle

Unit of the Greek Army during the Spring Offensive (Spring 1941) in the Greco-Italian War.

Unit of the Greek Army during the Spring Offensive (Spring 1941) in the Greco-Italian War.

German soldiers in a street battle of Kharkov, 1941.

German soldiers in a street battle of Kharkov, 1941.

Dutch troops in a Mobilisation exercise shortly before World War II 01 January 1939

Dutch troops in a  Mobilisation exercise shortly before World War II 01 January 1939

German soldier attacking fortified position, russia ,1941.

German soldier attacking fortified position russia 1941.

Danish soldiers man an anti-aircraft gun, 1940. All wear the distinctive Danish helmet.

Danish soldiers man an anti-aircraft gun, 1940. All wear the distinctive Danish helmet.

A Waffen SS MG34 team in action at Rogatchev, Belarus, 1941

A Waffen SS MG34 team in action at Rogatchev, Belarus, 1941

Two New Zealand soldiers of the 26th Battalion in a slit trench in the Senio area, Italy,10 April 1945

Two New Zealand soldiers of the 26th Battalion in a slit trench in the  Senio area, Italy,10 April 1945

A German crew loading rounds into a Tiger I heavy tank, Belgorod, Russia, in July, 1943.

A German crew loading rounds into a Tiger I heavy tank, Belgorod, Russia, in July, 1943.

British, French and Polish soldiers in Narvik, Norway 1940.

British, French and Polish soldiers in Narvik, Norway 1940.

A German anti-aircraft gun crewman speaking into a field telephone, near Nettuno, Italy, 1944.

A German anti-aircraft gun crewman speaking into a field telephone, near Nettuno, Italy, 1944.

Japanese soldiers firing a Type 92 heavy machine gun, China, circa 1944

Japanese soldiers firing a Type 92 heavy machine gun, China, circa 1944

German soldiers in the flooded trenches sometime on the Eastern Front, October 1943.

German soldiers in the flooded trenches sometime on the Eastern Front, October 1943.

Australian soldiers, supported by tanks, during the fighting near Buna, January 1, 1942

Australian soldiers, supported by tanks, during the fighting near Buna, January 1, 1942

German aircraft wing H-Vc in flight over Gottingen. For the first time the aircraft flew on May 26, 1942.

German aircraft wing H-Vc in flight over Gottingen. For the first time the aircraft flew on May 26, 1942.

Soldiers of 5th Battalion-Coldstream Guards in the French town of Arras, early September 1944.

Soldiers of 5th Battalion-Coldstream Guards in the French town of Arras, early September 1944.

Crew of a German 3.7 cm Flakzwilling 43 anti-aircraft mount feeding its twin guns with 8-round clips, northern France, Jul-Sep 1943.

Crew of a German 3.7 cm Flakzwilling 43 anti-aircraft mount feeding its twin guns with 8-round clips, northern France, Jul-Sep 1943.

A Japanese soldier in action during the invasion of Indochina, September 1940.

A Japanese soldier in action during the invasion of Indochina, September 1940.

The calculation of the German 37mm anti-tank gun PaK 35-36 on the streets of the Belarusian city of Grodno,...

The calculation of the German 37mm anti-tank gun PaK 35-36 on the streets of the Belarusian city of Grodno, captured on the night of 22 on June 23, 1941.

New Zealand soldiers playing cricket in Syria, May 1942.

New Zealand soldiers playing cricket in Syria, May 1942. 

Soldiers pull camouflage net on the position of the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 18. Germany 1940.

Soldiers pull camouflage net on the position of the 88-mm anti-aircraft gun FlaK 18. Germany 1940.

Italian Marines with 8-mm Breda M37 machine gun after landing in Sitia on the island of Crete,1941.

Italian Marines with 8-mm Breda M37 machine gun after landing in Sitia on the island of Crete

One of the German's Cross-Channel artillery guns installed off the French coast. 1942-43.

One of the German's Cross-Channel artillery guns installed off the French coast. 1942-43.

Members of the 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment climbing the heights of Calvi Risorta in the invasion of Italy, October 1943

Members of the 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment climbing the heights of Calvi Risorta in the invasion of #Italy, October 1943

German Panzer VI Tiger I tanks passing burning buildings during the Battle of Kursk, 1943.

German Panzer VI Tiger I tanks passing burning buildings during the Battle of Kursk, 1943.

Australian soldiers with captured Italian Fiat M11/39 & M13/40 tanks in North Africa (Tobruk, Libya - January 1941)

Australian soldiers with captured Italian Fiat M11/39 & M13/40 tanks in North Africa (Tobruk, Libya - January 1941)

A Canadian soldier fixing up his bike; Normandy, France - 20 June 1944

A Canadian soldier fixing up his bike; Normandy, France - 20 June 1944

Germans shelling from a 7.5-cm-Pak 40 in Warsaw, September, 1944.

Germans shelling from a 7.5-cm-Pak 40 in Warsaw, September, 1944.

Japanese soldiers pose with captured Soviet equipment during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol , 1 January 1939

Japanese soldiers pose with captured Soviet equipment during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol ,
1 January 1939

Advance reconnaissance motorcycle element of the 7.Panzer Division during the...

Advance reconnaissance motorcycle element of the 7.Panzer Division during the offensive in France, summer 1940.

A lance corporal of the British Army East Surrey Regiment posed with a Thompson sub-machinegun...

A lance corporal of the British Army East Surrey Regiment posed with a Thompson sub-machinegun, Chatham in Kent, England, United Kingdom, 25 Nov 1940

German units take reconnaissance before crossing a russian bride.1941

German units take reconnaissance before crossing a russian bridge, 1941.

Maori battalion from NewZealand Troops in North Africa, July 1941

Maori battalion from NewZealand Troops in North Africa, July 1941

German paratroopers armed with panzefaust and panzerschrek sheltering near a Knocked Out american M4 Sherman tank during the Batlle of the Bocage, Normandy 1944

German paratroopers armed with panzefaust and panzerschrek sheltering near a Knocked Out american M4 Sherman tank during the Batlle of the Bocage, Normandy 1944

Members of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service aboard a Yokosuka P1Y Ginga bomber prepare for a sortie against Allied targets from an airfield in the Mariana Islands. September 1944

Members of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service aboard a Yokosuka P1Y Ginga bomber prepare for a sortie against Allied targets from an airfield in the Mariana Islands. September 1944

A Swedish volunteer, somewhere in Northern Finland, protects himself from the sub-zero arctic cold with a mask over his face on February 20, 1940,

A Swedish volunteer, somewhere in Northern Finland, protects himself from the sub-zero arctic cold with a mask over his face on February 20, 1940, while on duty against the Russian Invaders.

German paratroopers with R75 motorcycle, Italy, 1943-1944; note MG 42 machine gun mounted on the side car

German paratroopers with R75 motorcycle, Italy, 1943-1944; note MG 42 machine gun mounted on the side car