A unusual and difficult to find original early Airborne Forces 'press-release' photograph dispicting young trainees, probably from X-Troop waiting for a training jump

This is a neat example of a unusual and difficult to find original early Airborne Forces 'press-release' photograph dispicting young trainees waiting for a training jump. These men a probably from the famous X-Troop. Members of X-Troop took part in the first ever Airborne operation named Operation Colossus. The target chosen for the operation was a fresh-water aqueduct near Calitri in southern Italy, which supplied water to a large portion of the Italian population as well as several ports used by the Italian military; it was also hoped that its destruction would hamper Italian military efforts in North Africa and Albania. This small-sized picture - it measures 17.5 x 15.5 cms - is neatly printed in a black and white on a semy glossy paper. This example has a earlt releas date of 30 October 1941. A difficult to find press photographs these days.

Code: 50827