Little Known Incidents of WWII (No 4) - Unlucky in War

Desert Stake-Out

 Given the slightly propagandistic nature of the War Comics, it's not surprising that torture rears it's ugly head in these stories, but not always in the way you would expect. The desert stake out in the picture above is nicely drawn but decidedly odd in the context of modern warface. Out of deference to the young target audience, the not inconsiderable homoerotic potential has been curtailed by his captors leaving him fully dressed, complete with ammo packs on his chest obscuring his groin and showing his legs less widely spread than you and I might prefer.
(View my re-imagined version)

Twenty five pages further on the handsome Lieutenant Jeffreys is in trouble again undergoing a seriously painful interrogation. Luckily good old Sam Kingsby is around again to save him at the window. The moral to young readers is all about loyalty, bravery and patriotism. All very laudable but I can't be the only one who saw something more immediately stimulating in these punishment scenes.

both images above from War Picture Library - 'Tough Guy'

From War Picture Library 'No Higher Stakes'

The desirability of capturing Officers on account of their knowledge of troop dispositions and battle plans is explored more explicitly in this scene set in the Jungles of South East Asia and facing a different enemy. I can't say how common torture was or what form it usually took, but it's hard not to feel the desperation and sense the fear in this man who (in the story) is a cultivated, chess playing individual. He even goes on to discard his Officer's insignia to escape torture but owns up and redeems his honour when he realises he has only deflected the suffering onto other, junior men.
Hurrah for proper values.

 This man's shorts and rolled up sleeves exposing muscular forearms make him seem very attractive. No wonder they wanted to get their hands on him! His fear and the danger he is facing give apply a strange erotic twist to the scene, just as we get seeing Freddie Kruger descending on unsuspecting young lovers or when James Bond is threatened with bizarre, sexual torture.

The portrayal of the fallen soldier on the left, presumably long past fear, also seems strangely attractive to me, but I cannot explain why.

Go to No 5 in this series

Read from Part 1