Strange photo, British troops with swastika, manoeuvres?

[MHillyard]

This photo has puzzled me for a while now, got it with a lot of assorted ww2 photos. i'm guessing its some kind of manoeuvre and they are the "Bad Guys", one has an mp40 and the other i think has a sten. unfortunately the photo itself is slightly blurred.

 

[ashley]

Hi just probally a pose dpicture

 

Ashley

[ashley]

Hi,

just probally a posed picture<BR><BR>

 

Ashley

[ferretfixer]

Looks like a Hitler youth Armband. That combined with the MP 40 & the VERY relaxed pose of these two soldiers.

SUGGESTS a posed picture in the lull between fighting in a safe area?

These may well have been souveniers picked up in the local area where they were then positioned at that time?

[Tony B]

BritishForces that operated close to , or beyond enemy lines in WW2 did use enemy weapons. The sound each weapons can be very distinctive. Using the enemy's weapons, or have them as well eases supply problems and prevents the sound being used to identify the type. Training in the use of enemy weapons was standard in some units. Y Service, Phantom and Commando's being three examples.

[MHillyard]

This is all very interesting and makes sense but why the british uniform with the swastika

[recymech66]

This is all very interesting and makes sense but why the british uniform with the swastika

 

Probably as already been said, souvenier photo, all squaddies do it, I've lost count of the photos I've had taken with various items of kit/weapons from the enemy in Bosnia,Kosovo,Iraq,Afghan.