Military Despatches Vol 28 October 2019 Head-to-Head Modern assault Down and dirty Hand to hand combat in the trenches Oops, we misplaced a nuke Ten times the USA lost a Forged in Battle The M4 Sherman tank

For the military enthusiast CONTENTS October 2019

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Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African Goede interviews former Defence Force used 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, Williams. Afrikaans, slang and techno-speak that few Greek Special Forces outside the military could hope to under- 30 stand. Some of the terms Features Stick out your tongue were humorous, some 6 Anyone that did National Ser- were clever, while others vice in the old SADF will sure- were downright crude. Ten times the US lost a nuke ly remember their medical ex- It would be natural to assume amination. that security around nuclear Part of Hipe’s “On the weapons would be very tight. 34 couch” series, this is an So how exactly did the United Rank Structure interview with one of States manage to lose or acci- This month we look at the author Herman Charles dentally drop at least 32 of them? Greek military Bosman’s most famous 14 26 42 characters, Oom Schalk This may hurt... A matter of survival Special Forces - Greece A taxi driver was shot Lourens. Hipe spent time in According to SA law we can use Part three of the article on hunt- While many South Africans Hanover Park, an area force to defend ourselves and ing skills dead in an ongoing fought in World War II, not all plagued with gang anyone else, as long as the force war between rival taxi of them fought on the side of is not excessive. Ryan Murphy organisations. violence, to view first- the Allies. hand how Project looks at a possible solution. Quiz Ceasefire is dealing with 19 28 33 the situation. Straight Shooting Down and dirty Elite Forces insignia Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- Modern firearms used by the When involved in hand-to- This month’s quiz is simple. We thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. world’s counter-terrorist units. hand fighting in the trenches of show you 15 insignia, you tell This month we look at the Steyr World War I, troops needed an which or unit they are. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. GB, Browning HP, and 17. extra edge. 00 3 CONTENTS Page 74

Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media EDITOR Matt Tennyson

DEPUTY EDITOR an you believe that in Now that song is a classic. How John Verster three months time it’s can anyone not know that song? PHOTO EDITOR Christmas again. So Yet maybe two out of ten of October in military history C Regine Lord where exactly did 2019 go? them will be able to give you the They say that confession is title of the song. And you’ll be CONTRIBUTORS Head-to-Head Forged in Battle Book Review good for the soul. Well I have a lucky if one of them knows the Raymond Fletcher, Ryan Mur- confession to make. I spend way artist. phy, Matt O’Brien, Matt Tenny- 44 60 73 too much of my time watching Then again you have to re- son, Rev. Ralph Thornley. YouTube videos. member that the song was a hit Strongest military forces M4 Sherman Against All Odds I may, for example, be sitting for The Eurythmics back in 1983. Military Despatches is pub- This month we take a look at Iconic tank of World War II. The rescue of the passenger in front of my computer working In my mind that was only a few lished on-line every month. assault rifles of the ten strongest ship Oceanos. when I spot a five minute video years ago. But actually it was 36 The articles used in Military military forces in the world. on YouTube about the Siege of years ago. At least two decades Battlefield Despatches are copyrighted Front Cover Stalingrad. Surely I can spare a before any of these teens were and may not be used without Famous Figures 66 few minutes to quickly watch it. even born. prior permission from the edi- Operation Musketoon This month’s front cover is not The problem with YouTube is Then you start to think about tor. 56 a real photograph but a screen In September 1942 a group of that it sucks you in. While you’re other thinks that happened some The views stated in this mag- Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich grab from the PC game ARMA watching the video there is a list time ago. Yet they to us it felt like 10 British commandos and two azine do not necessary reflect Politician, Word War I Vet, SS 3, which we reviewed in the of other recommended videos. it wasn’t all that long ago. Take Norwegians carried out a raid the views of Hipe!, the editor, Commander in World War II, second edition of the . You spot another video that you Operation Savannah for instance. on a power plant in . the staff, or Hipe Media. ’s chauffeur and “just have to watch”. The next Can you believe that it was 44 bodyguard. While respected thing you know, you’ve lost three years ago? And can you believe Hipe! and admired by many, others hours of your life. that national service ended 26 Gaming P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 had a different opinion. One of the YouTube channels years ago. South . 70 that I came across, and that I’ve And here I am wondering been watching, is called “Teens where 2019 went. Hell, where email Blitzkrieg II Anthology React”. did the last 40 years ago. [email protected] Blitzkrieg is back again. This What they do is take a group Until next month then. time even better. of teens, aged 13 to 18, then play Back Issues them a song from the 70s, 80s or To view any back issues of Movie Review 90s. The teens then have to iden- Military Despatches, go to 72 tify the song, as well as the artist. www.militarydespatches.co.za They may, for example, play or click here. Flags of our Fathers them a song such as ‘Sweet Powerful World War II movie Dreams Are Made Of This’. Matt directed by Clint Eastwood. 4 5 Top Ten Top Ten in mid-air while flying over Ten times the US lost or accidentally the town of Goldsboro. In the process it dropped its nuclear dropped a nuclear device payload onto the unsuspecting Most of us have an awareness of the destruction and devastation a nuclear weapon can inflict. town of civilians. It would be natural to assume that security around nuclear weapons would be very tight. So how The pilot in command, Walter exactly did the United States manage to lose or accidentally drop at least 32 of them? Scott Tulloch, ordered the crew to eject at 2,700 metres. Five et’s be honest, at some 32 incidents where nuclear young liaison officer remarks, crewmen successfully ejected stage all of us have lost weapons have either been lost “I don’t know what’s scarier, or bailed out of the aircraft and or misplaced something. or dropped by accident. And losing nuclear weapons, or that landed safely, another ejected L but did not survive the landing, It could be your glasses, car these are just the ones that they it happens so often there’s actu- keys, or even your wallet. But are willing to admit to. ally a term for it.” and two died in the crash. how exactly do you go about Other countries, such as Rus- Here then are ten “Broken Ar- The first bomb that descend- losing a nuclear weapon? sia, China, India and Pakistan, row” incidents were the United ed by parachute was found in- On 6 August 1945 the world have not been so forthcoming. States has lost or accidentally BRITISH COLUMBIA CRASH: A Convair B-36 from the same tact and standing upright as a saw just how devastating a nu- The United States even has a dropped nukes. Bomber Wing as the one that jettisoned a Mark 4 nuclear result of its parachute being clear weapon could be when the code word for incidents where bomb. caught in a tree. The second United States dropped an atom- a nuke is lost or dropped by ac- 10. British Columbia crash bomb plunged into a muddy field at around 310 m/s and dis- ic bomb on the Japanese city of cident. It’s called “Broken Ar- On 14 February 1950, a Con- fornia and then San Francisco, over the Inside Passage. integrated without detonation Hiroshima. row”. vair B-36, Air Force Serial it would continue its non-stop The USAF later stated that of its conventional explosives. Three days later, on 9 August Broken Arrow refers to an Number 44-92075 assigned to flight to Fort Worth, Texas. The the fake practice core on board At the time everyone was as- 1945, the US dropped anoth- accidental event that involves the 7th Bomb Wing at Carswell flight plan did not include any the aircraft was inserted into the sured that there was never any er atomic bomb on the city of nuclear weapons, warheads or Air Force Base (AFB), crashed penetration of Canadian air- weapon before it was dropped. danger of the bombs detonat- Nagasaki. The two bombings components that does not cre- in northern British Columbia on space. The plane had been in con- ing. killed between 129,000 and ate a risk of nuclear war. These Mount Kologet after jettisoning The plane carried a Mark 4 stant radio contact with Strate- Information newly declassi- 226,000 people. These remain include: a Mark 4 nuclear bomb. atomic bomb, containing a sub- gic Air Command headquarters fied in 2013 showed that one of the only use of nuclear weapons • Accidental or unexplained This was the first such nucle- stantial quantity of natural ura- at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and the bombs came very close to in armed conflict. nuclear detonation ar weapon loss in history. The nium and 2,300 kg of conven- within minutes of the bailout detonating. Modern nuclear weapons • Non-nuclear detonation or B-36 had been en route from tional explosives. According the Royal Canadian Air Force make the atomic bombs that burning of a nuclear weapon Eielson Air Force Base near to the USAF, the bomb did not launched Operation Brix to find were dropped in 1945 look like • Radioactive contamination Fairbanks, Alaska to Carswell contain the core nec- the missing men. Poor weather 8. B-47 disappearance firecrackers. • Loss in transit of nuclear as- AFB in Fort Worth, Texas, more essary for a nuclear detonation. hampered search efforts; never- On 10 March 1956 Boeing No fewer than ten countries set with or without its carry- than 4.800 kilometres south- Seven hours into the flight, theless 12 of the 17 men were B-47 Stratojet took off from are known to have, or had, nu- ing vehicle east, on a mission that included three of the six engines began eventually found alive. MacDill Air Force Base, Flor- clear weapons. • Jettisoning of a nuclear a simulated nuclear attack on shooting flames and were shut Canadian authorities were ida, in the United States for a produced six nuclear weapons weapon or nuclear compo- San Francisco. down, and the other three en- never told that the aircraft was non-stop flight to Ben Guerir in the 1980s, but dismantled nent The plan for the 24-hour gines proved incapable of de- carrying a nuclear weapon. Air Base, Morocco. them in the early 1990s. • Public hazard, actual or im- flight was to fly over the North livering full power. Because of the distance the Knowing how destructive a plied Pacific, due west of the Alas- The crew decided to abandon 9. Goldsboro B-52 crash Stratojet would have to refuel nuclear device can be, it would I remember watching a mov- ka panhandle and British Co- the aircraft because it could not The Goldsboro B-52 crash twice from airborne tankers. be natural to assume that secu- ie, titled Broken Arrow, where lumbia, then head inland over stay aloft with three engines out was an accident that occurred After descending through rity around such devices would a US Air Force pilot, played by Washington state and Montana. of commission while carrying near Goldsboro, North Caroli- solid cloud cover to begin the be extremely tight. Well that’s John Travolta, steals two nu- Here the B-36 would climb a heavy payload. The atomic na, on 24 January 1961. second refuelling, at 4,300 me- not always the case. clear bombs. Upon discovering to 12,000 metres for a simulat- bomb was jettisoned and det- A B-52 Stratofortress, car- tres, suddenly lost radio contact The US Department of De- that the US Military actually has ed bomb run to southern Cali- onated in mid-air, resulting in rying two 3–4-megaton Mark with its tanker. They were never fence has officially recognized a code word for the incident, a a large conventional explosion 39 nuclear bombs, broke up heard from again. 6 7 Top Ten Top Ten

Despite an extensive search, no debris or bodies were ever THULE INCIDENT: A B-52G Stratofortress, similar to the one found, and the crash site has that crashed at Thule Air Base. never been located. It’s last known location was “some- where over the Mediterranean Sea”. The plane was carrying Mk 15 thermonuclear bombs which would have added up to a com- bined 3.4 megatons. To this day the location of the aircraft, crew and the nukes re- mains unknown.

7. Tybee Island mid-air col- BIG BANG: A Mk 15 nuclear bomb. These could cause an ex- lision plosion similar to those at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 5 February 1958 a B-47 bomber was on a simulated aged to land the B-47 safely particles four times naturally combat mission from Home- at the nearest base, Hunter Air occurring levels were detected stead Air Force Base in Florida. Force Base. and mapped, and the site of ra- It was carrying a single 3,400 Starting on 6 February 1958, diation origination triangulat- kg Mk 15 nuclear bomb. the Air Force 2700th Explo- ed. Subsequent investigations At about 02h00 the B-47 col- sive Ordnance Disposal Squad- found the source of the radi- lied with an F-86 fighter jet that ron and 100 Navy personnel ation was natural, originating deterrent. reached a way-point at 75°0′N while trying to bail out. The had just taken off from a nearby equipped with hand-held sonar from monazite deposits. Beginning in 1961, B-52 67°30′W in Baffin Bay and en- bomber crashed onto sea ice air base. The F-86 pilot ejected and galvanic drag and cable To date this nuclear bomb is bombers also secretly flew as tered a figure-eight holding pat- in North Star Bay, Greenland, and his plane crashed. sweeps mounted a search. still missing. part of the “Hard Head” mis- tern above the air base at an al- causing the conventional explo- The damaged B-47 remained On 16 April the military an- sion over Thule Air Base. The titude of 11,000 metres. sives aboard to detonate and the airborne, plummeting 5,500 nounced the search had been 6. Thule accident objective of “Hard Head” was On 21 January 1968 a United nuclear payload to rupture and metres from 12,000 metres unsuccessful. Based on a hy- In 1960, the USAF Strate- to maintain constant visual States Air Force (USAF) B-52 disperse, which resulted in ra- when Richardson re- drological survey, the bomb gic Air Command (SAC) be- surveillance of the base’s stra- bomber was patrolling near dioactive contamination. gained flight control. was thought by the Department gan Operation Chrome Dome, tegically important Ballistic Thule Air Base in the Danish The United States and Den- The crew requested permis- of Energy to lie buried under a Cold War airborne alert Missile Early Warning System territory of Greenland. mark launched an intensive sion to jettison the bomb, in two to five metres of silt at the program devised by General (BMEWS), which provided The aircraft was carrying four clean-up and recovery opera- order to reduce weight and pre- bottom of Wassaw Sound. Thomas S. Power to fly nucle- early warning of Soviet missile B28FI thermonuclear bombs on tion, but the secondary stage vent the bomb from exploding In 2004, retired Air Force Lt. ar-armed Boeing B-52 Strato- launches. a Cold War “Chrome Dome” of one of the nuclear weapons during an emergency landing. Colonel Derek Duke claimed fortress bombers to the borders If the communication link alert mission over Baffin Bay could not be accounted for after Permission was granted, and the to have narrowed the possible of the Soviet Union. between North American Aer- when a cabin fire forced the the operation was completed. bomb was jettisoned at 2,200 resting spot of the bomb down The flights were scheduled ospace Defence Command and crew to abandon the aircraft USAF Strategic Air Com- metres while the bomber was to a small area approximately to ensure that twelve bombers the base was severed, the air- before they could carry out an mand “Chrome Dome” opera- traveling at about 370 km/h. the size of a football field. were aloft at all times. These craft crew could determine if emergency landing at Thule Air tions were discontinued imme- The crew did not see an ex- He and his partner located bombers gave SAC offensive the interruption resulted from Base. diately after the accident, which plosion when the bomb struck the area by trawling in their capability in the event of a So- an attack or a technical failure. Six crew members eject- highlighted the safety and polit- the sea off Tybee Island near boat with a Geiger counter in viet first strike, and provided The monitoring mission start- ed safely, but one who did not ical risks of the missions. Savannah, Georgia. They man- tow. Secondary radioactive a significant Cold War nuclear ed when the designated aircraft have an ejection seat was killed Safety procedures were re-

8 9 Top Ten Top Ten viewed and more stable explo- Near Meyersdale, Pennsylva- sives were developed for use in nia, on a path east of Salisbury, nuclear weapons. Pennsylvania the pilot had to In 1995, a political scandal make altitude changes to evade resulted in Denmark after a re- severe turbulence. port revealed the government The vertical stabilizer broke had given tacit permission for off and the aircraft was left un- nuclear weapons to be located controllable as a result. The pi- in Greenland, in contravention lot ordered the crew to bail out, of Denmark’s 1957 nuclear-free and the aircraft crashed. The zone policy. wreckage of the aircraft was Workers involved in the found on the Stonewall Green clean-up program have been farm. campaigning for compensation The two nuclear bombs be- for radiation-related illnesses JUST CRUISING: A AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile. ing ferried were found “rela- they experienced in the years tively intact in the middle of after the accident. IT HAPPENED HERE: A sign in Mars Bluff, South Carolina, the wreckage”, and after Fort gives information about the incident which took place in 1958. idea of what to do with. Council and they realised just When nuclear bombs be- how bad security checks were, Meade’s 28th Ordnance De- 5. The Mars Bluff incident mistakenly grabbed the emer- ter, his wife Effie and son Wal- come out of date they’re kept even after all these years. tachment secured them, the On 11 March 1958, a U.S. gency release pin. ter, Jr. Seven nearby buildings in a bunker called a ‘Weapon’s This incident was not a ‘Bro- bombs were removed two days Air Force Boeing B-47E-LM The Mk 6 nuclear bomb were damaged. Graveyard’. ken Arrow’ one, but rather one later to the Cumberland Munic- Stratojet from Hunter Air Force dropped to the bomb bay doors The United States Air Force On 29 August 2007 a group referred to as a ‘Bent Spear’ in- ipal Airport. Base operated by the 375th of the B-47 and the weight (USAF) was sued by the fami- of men at the Minot Air Force cident. What was meant by “relative- Bombardment Squadron of the forced the doors open, sending ly of the victims, who received Base in North Dakota were Bent Spear refers to inci- ly intact” is anyone’s guess, but 308th Bombardment Wing near the bomb 4,600 metres down to US$54,000, equivalent to gathering 12 supposedly dead dents involving nuclear weap- it certainly doesn’t sound very Savannah, Georgia, took off at the ground below. $468,934 in 2018. The incident AGM-129A missiles to deliv- ons, warheads, components or reassuring. approximately 16h34 and was Two sisters, six year old Hel- made domestic and internation- er them to a weapon’s grave- vehicles transporting nuclear scheduled to fly to the United en and nine year old Frances al headlines. yard on a B-52 bomber. From material that are of significant 2. Philippine Sea incident Kingdom and then to North Af- Gregg, along with their nine The crater is still present to- the outside, all of the weapons interest but are not categorized In November 1965 the air- rica as part of Operation Snow year old cousin Ella Davies, day, although overgrown by looked the same. as Broken Arrow. Bent Spear craft carrier USS Ticonderoga Flurry. were playing 180 metres from vegetation, and is marked by The men had no idea that half incidents include violations or departed from the US Naval The aircraft was carrying nu- a playhouse in the woods that a historical marker; however, of the missiles were in fact nu- breaches of handling and secu- Base Subic Bay in the Philip- clear weapons on board in the had been built for them by their access to the site is limited be- clear warheads, because they rity regulations. pines. event of war with the Soviet father Walter Gregg, who had cause it is located on had never been labelled proper- What makes this incident On 5 December, 31 days lat- Union breaking out. Air Force served as a paratrooper during property with no public access ly. Collectively, those missiles scary is that there are still so er, they were carrying out exer- Captain Bruce Kulka, who was World War II. The playhouse road. had the power of ten Hiroshima many nuclear weapons lying cises when a US Navy Douglas the navigator and bombardier, was struck by the bomb. bombs. around that the government has A-4E Skyhawk attack aircraft was summoned to the bomb Its conventional high explo- 4. Bent Spear at Minot Those warheads flew for no idea where many of them of Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) bay area after the captain of the sives detonated, destroying the During the Cold War, the about 36 hours before anyone are. was lost at sea. The aircraft was aircraft, Captain Earl Koehler, playhouse, and leaving a crater United States was stockpiling had any idea that they were nu- carrying a B43 nuclear bomb. had encountered a fault light in about 21 metres wide and 11 nuclear weapons, just in case clear. During this period, the 3. Savage Mountain crash While being rolled from the the cockpit indicating that the metres deep. Fortunately, the they were caught in a conflict warheads were not protected by On 13 January 1964 a B-52D number two hangar bay to the bomb harness locking pin did fissile nuclear core was stored with the Soviet Union. After the various mandatory security bomber was returning to Geor- number two elevator the attack not engage. elsewhere on the aircraft. World War III never happened, precautions for nuclear weap- gia from Massachusetts after an jet fell over the side. As Kulka reached around the All three girls were injured the government was left with a ons. The incident caught the at- earlier Chrome Dome airborne The pilot, (junior bomb to pull himself up, he by the explosion, as were Wal- surplus of weapons they had no tention of the National Security alert to Europe. grade) Douglas M. Webster; the

10 11 Top Ten aircraft, Douglas A-4E BuNo 151022 of VA-56; and the B43 nuclear bomb were never re- covered from the water which was said to be 4,900 metres in depth. The accident was said to oc- cur 109 kilometres from Kikai Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It was not until 1989, 24 years later, that the Pentagon revealed the loss of the one-megaton bomb. The revelation inspired a dip- lomatic inquiry from Japan re- questing details. Understanda- bly, Japan are rather wary when it comes to nuclear weapons. RECOVERED: The B28RI nuclear bomb, recovered from 870 metres of water, on the deck of the USS Petrel. 1. Palomares B-52 crash Bush War Books has probably one of the finest On 17 January 1966 a B-52G and we started to overrun him fishing village of Palomares,, in collections of military titles available. Especially bomber left from Seymour a little bit. There is a procedure the Almeria province of Anda- Johnson Air Force Base, North they have in refueling where lucía, Spain. on the . Carolina, carrying four type if the boom operator feels that Three of the weapons were B28RI hydrogen bombs on a you’re getting too close and it’s located on land within 24 hours Cold War airborne alert mis- a dangerous situation, he will of the accident - the conven- sion named Operation Chrome call, “Break away, break away, tional explosives in two had ex- Click here to visit their website. Dome. break away.” There was no call ploded on impact, spreading ra- The flight plan took the- air for a break away, so we didn’t dioactive contamination, while craft east across the Atlantic see anything dangerous about a third was found relatively in- Ocean and Mediterranean Sea the situation. But all of a sud- tact in a riverbed. towards the European borders den, all hell seemed to break The fourth weapon could not of the Soviet Union before re- loose.” be found despite an intensive turning home. The lengthy The planes collided, with the search of the area - the only flight required two mid-air re- nozzle of the refueling boom part that was recovered was fuellings over Spain. striking the top of the B-52 the parachute tail plate, lead- At about 10h30, while flying fuselage, breaking a longeron ing searchers to postulate that at 9,450 metres, the bomber and snapping off the left wing, the weapon’s parachute had de- commenced its second aerial which resulted in an explosion ployed, and that the wind had refuelling with a KC-135 out that was witnessed by a second carried it out to sea. of Morón Air Base in southern B-52 about a two kilometres All A total of 2.6 square kilo- Spain. The B-52 pilot, Major four men on the KC-135 and metres was contaminated with Larry G. Messinger, later re- three of the seven men on the radioactive material. This in- called: bomber were killed. cluded residential areas, farm- “We came in behind the tank- The aircraft and hydrogen land (especially tomato farms) “War does not determine who is right - only who is left” er, and we were a little bit fast, bombs fell to earth near the and woods. 12 00 were capable as operating as tion for its raiding techniques. During the Greek Civil War commandos against the occu- The unit was renamed the Sa- (1945-50), many ex-members Special Forces - Greece pying German and Italian forc- cred , a title that had of the Sacred Company fought Part Eight of a series that takes a look at Special Forces units around the world. This month es. One of these units was the been used on four prior occa- as a raiding force in a very sim- we look at Greece. Company of the Chosen Im- sions within the Greek . ilar manner to the British SAS mortals, which was established Following their success in and SBS. In 1946 a new Moun- he Greek Special Forces mounting land, sea and air op- forced the Hellenic Govern- in 1942, under the command of North Africa the Sacred Com- tain Raiding Warfare Company Directorate lives by the erations on an impressive scale. ment to flee Greece and reform Major Sephanakis. pany redeployed to and the was formed to deal with armed Tmotto “Those who dare, The Hellenic Special Forc- in the Middle East. Although only 200 strong Dodecanese where they fought communist companies that win”. It’s special forces are es Organisation was formed In order to retake Crete, the when formed, this unit operated many successful actions until were active in the mountain ar- amongst the most modern in the in Egypt following the Battle formed a num- in North Africa with the British their disbandment at the end of eas. world, and they are capable of of Crete in May 1941, which ber of new military units that SAS and soon gained a reputa- World War II.

14 15 Eventually its operational ized, being expanded into the 1st Raider/Paratrooper The 1st Raider/Paratrooper strength grew to 40 companies, brigade-level 13th Special Op- Brigade Brigade is structured as fol- which remained active right erations Command and receiv- The nucleus of the Raider lows: up until the end of the war in ing the honorary title “Sacred units was the Sacred Squadron 1. 480th Signal Battalion 1950. After the civil war ended, Band” after the World War II- (Ieros ), a Free Greek 2. 1st Raider Regiment the Greeks decided to retain a era Greek special forces unit. unit of commandos attached • Beta Raider Squadron special forces capability and, In 2002, the 13th Communi- to the Allied 1st Special Air • Delta Raider Squadron with American help, set about cations Company and the 13th Service (1 SAS) Brigade dur- • Epsilon Raider Squadron creating a parachute school at Engineering Company were ing the Second World War. Its • 14th Signal Company Aspropyrgros of Attica, near added as specialized support members consisted of mainly 3. 2nd Paratrooper Regiment . units. officers and NCOs who had fled • 1st Paratrooper Squadron In addition to , The unit forms part of the 1st to North Africa after the fall of • 2nd Paratrooper Squadron the Greeks also set up specialist Infantry , which groups Greece to Axis forces. • 18th Signal Company maritime units that operate un- together the Army’s special and After its formation in 1942, 4. 13th Special Operations der the command of the Special rapid reaction forces. the Sacred Squadron, along with Command “Sacred Company” Forces Directorate in Thessa- a unit of Free French troops and 5. Special Paratrooper Unit loniki. British commandos, formed the RAIDERS: Members of the 1st Raider/Paratrooper Brigade on 6. Zeta Amphibious Raider basis of L Detachment, a com- a training exercise. Squadron 13th Special Operations ponent of the SAS which spe- formed at Vouliagmeni, Athens ing and arming the Lokatzides. Members of ETA (the HALO/ Command cialised in hit-and-run raids on in August 1947 and took part in A tool of the KYP and CIA, a HAHO-qualified Long Range The 13th SOC traces its de- Axis airfields, ports and fuel Civil War operations in Thessa- LOK detachment played a part Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) scent to the 13th Infantry Reg- dumps throughout North Africa. ly, Central Greece, Epirus, West in the 1967 Greek coup d’état by unit) and Ζ΄ ΜΑΚ, the Amphib- iment, formed in November– The Sacred Squadron was lat- Macedonia and Euboea. storming and securing the Army ious reconnaissance formation, December 1913 as part of the er transferred to the Greek thea- Delta Raider Squadron was General Staff buildings at Chol- are all professional NCOs and enlargement and re-organiza- tre of operations, where they re- established at the port city of argos, Athens. Officers. tion of the Hellenic Army after captured several eastern Aegean Volos, Thessaly in December After the fall of the Papado- They are the Brigade’s con- the Balkan Wars. islands from Axis forces. 1947 and operated in all regions poulos regime, and the estab- tribution to the Defence Min- On 22 May 1988 the 13th After the liberation of Greece of Greece during the Civil War. lishment of a democratic re- istry’s DESAA (Diakladiko Amphibious Raider Regiment from German occupation, a pro- Epsilon Raider Squadron was public in 1975, the LOK were Epiheirisiako Stratigeio Amesis was formed, assuming the 13th Special posal was made for the reforma- formed in April 1949 and took dismantled and re-formed as the Antidrasis), the Multi-Branch overall command of the vari- Operations Command tion of the Hellenic Armed Forc- part in Civil War operations un- Raider Forces, and placed under Operational Rapid Response ous hitherto independent am- es under British guidance. This til December 1949. the command of the Hellenic Ar- Command, along with the Hel- phibious raider units, i.e. the A The 13th Special Operations proposal included the establish- By 1949, the LOK squadrons my’s Special Forces Command. lenic Navy’s DYK, and the Amphibious Raider Squadron Command “Sacred Company” ment of a small, highly trained, were so successful against the A further restructuring of the ’s 31 MEE. at Rhodes, the C Amphibious is structured as follows: special warfare unit. communist insurgents that the Greek Army in 1996 saw the The formation is also known as Raider Squadron at Chios, and • Alpha Amphibious Raider When the Greek Civil War Raider Forces Command was ex- amalgamation of all Raider Force Delta (Dynami Delta). the various Special National Squadron broke out in 1946, the Greek panded to two brigades. Gamma Forces into the cur- Guard Detachments on other • Gamma Amphibious Raider Government decided to form a Raider Squadron, also formed in rent Brigade formation. 1st Infantry Division Aegean islands. Squadron special warfare unit, primarily 1949, was re-designated as an The 1st Infantry Division is a Following the Imia crisis of • Eta Amphibious Raider to help Greek royalist capture amphibious-capable unit in 1963, historic and elite division of the 1996, the newly formed elite Z Squadron territory which was still in the while Alpha Raider Squadron, Hellenic Army. It was founded Amphibious Raider Squadron • Theta Amphibious Raider hands of communist-inspired disbanded at the end of the Civil in 1897 as an infantry division was added to the Regiment, and Squadron guerrillas. War, was reactivated in 1968, and and has fought in all major con- in 1998 the Army’s oldest fully • Iota Amphibious Raider The Mountain Raider Com- later re-formed as an amphibious flicts in which Greece has been professional and most elite for- Squadron panies or LOK (Lochoi Oreinōn unit in 1974, after the Turkish in- involved. During the Balkan mation, the Special Paratroop- • 13th Signal Company Katadromōn), were formed on vasion of Cyprus. Wars, it acquired the sobriquet ers Detachment, came under its 20 January 1947 and began op- In the late 1960s, the Greek “Iron Division” (Sidirá Mer- command. erations almost immediately in Central Intelligence Service archía). In 2001, the 13th Amphibious 1st Raider/Paratrooper It is currently headquartered Greece’s mountainous terrain. (KYP), and the CIA became Brigade Raider Regiment was re-organ- Beta Raider Squadron was secretly involved with train- in Veroia, Macedonia. Despite 16 17 its title, it is no longer a con- Squadron • 4th Army Aviation Helicop- ventional infantry division, but 32nd Marines Brigade, based ter Battalion Straight Shooting a formation comprising the var- at Volos, Thessaly ious special forces of the Hel- • HQ Company Underwater Demolition lenic Army - a role similar to • 32nd Engineer Company Command that once held by the now dis- • 32nd Light Air Defence Bat- The Underwater Demolition Straight Shooting banded 3rd Special Forces Di- tery Command, abbreviated as DYK Every month we will feature two or three modern firearms that are used by the world’s vision. • 32nd Signal Company and known until 2001 as the Un- counter-terrorist units. This month we feature the Steyr GB, Browning HP, and Glock 17. The emblem depicts a tsa- • 32nd Armoured Squadron - derwater Demolition Unit, is the roúhi, the traditional footwear with a total of 17 Leopard Greek Navy’s elite special war- ventional safety. Instead, it has a of the Evzones, and a bayonet. 1A5 tanks fare unit. lever on the slide that lowers the The motto of the I Infantry • 505th Marine Infantry Bat- Several diver teams (OYK) of hammer on a loaded chamber. Division is “(Like The) Wind”, talion MYK have been deployed on nu- With the hammer lowered, the the traditional battle cry of • 521st Marine Infantry Bat- merous occasions. firing pin is locked in place and Greek infantrymen when at- talion They were deployed during the will not move until the hammer tacking the enemy. • 575th Marine Infantry Bat- first Gulf War in 1991, providing Steyr GB is cocked either by pulling the talion assistance for the naval embargo , double- mode, or • 32nd Field Battal- against Saddam Hussein, board- manually with the thumb, sin- ion - with a total of 12 M109 ing 217 suspect vessels. gle-action mode. howitzer In 1996, the OYK were in- The Steyr GB is a very strong • 32nd Support Battalion volved in the Imia crisis when The GB was designed as a re- and reliable weapon with excel- 71st Airmobile Brigade, based Turkish commandos infiltrated placement pistol for the Austrian lent ergonomically features in- at Nea Santa, Macedonia the Greek rocky island of Imia. military, a competition it lost to corporated into its design. This • HQ Company Small OYK teams dispersed in the Glock 17, and as such was in- allows for it to be accurate and • 71st Engineer Company on a neighbouring islet to acquire tended for a very rugged environ- comfortable to shoot. The safe- • 71st Light Air Defence Bat- Turkish targets with the order to • Designer: Hannes Kep- ment where overall size was not ty system prevents there being tery eliminate them if the pending po- plinger and Hermann a major consideration. any catches to be released before • 71st Signal Company litical solution to the crisis and Schweighofer The gas-delayed firing. Simply point the weapon • 71st Support Battalion withdrawal of Turkish forces • Designed: 1968 feature of the GB was developed and pull the trigger. • 595th Airmobile Infantry would fail. • Manufacturer: LES, Inc., from a World War II German de- The gas system of the GB al- 1st Infantry Division Battalion The DYK is organized into sec- Steyr Mannlicher sign for a simple semi-automatic lows for any type of 9x19 mm • 596th Airmobile Infantry The 1st Raider/Paratrooper tions called Underwater Demoli- • Weight unloaded: 845 g , the VG-1. ammunition to be used. It also Battalion Brigade is structured as fol- tion Teams, commonly known in • Weight unloaded: 1,285 g The gas-delay system of the cushions the recoil, adding to the • 601st Airmobile Infantry lows: their abbreviated form as OYK, • Length: 216 mm GB uses the barrel as a stationary weapon’s firing comfort and in- Battalion 1st Infantry Division, based that specialize in a particular area. • Barrel length: 136 mm piston with the slide acting as a creasing its accuracy in rapid fire. • 116th Airmobile Artillery at Veroia, Macedonia • : 9×19 mm Para- moving cylinder through bleed The sight system includes lumi- Battalion • 1st Signal Battalion bellum holes in the barrel, and while nous dots that are simply aligned 1st Army Aviation Brigade, • Division HQ Company • Action: Gas-delayed the gas pressure is high, prevent in a row to allow for aiming in based at Stefanovikio, Thessaly 1st Raider/Paratrooper Bri- blowback the slide from opening until the low light conditions. The squared • HQ Company gade, based at Rentina, Mac- • Rate of fire: 40 rounds per bullet has left the barrel and pres- off and checkered front of the • 307th Aviation Technical edonia minute sures have reached a safe level. trigger guard add to the comfort Group • 1st Raider Regiment • Muzzle velocity: 336 m/s The advantages of this type of of a two handed grip. • 17th Signal Company • 2nd Paratrooper Regiment • Type of fire: Semi-auto- system are its mechanical sim- One of the drawbacks of the • 1st Army Air Battalion • 13th Special Operations matic, double action plicity and a self-regulating fea- GB is that it is relatively large, • 2nd Army Air Battalion Command - based in and • Feed system: 18 round de- ture. The system uses only the which makes it somewhat dif- • 3rd Army Air Battalion around Athens, Attica tachable box magazine pressures generated by the firing ficult to shoot for people with • 1st Attack Helicopter Battal- • 480th Signal Battalion • Sights: Open, non-adjust- round and automatically varies small hands and limits its con- ion • Special Paratrooper Unit able with luminous inserts itself to match them, regardless cealment. Several Austrian and • 2nd Attack Helicopter Bat- • Zeta Amphibious Raider • Sight radius: 16.4 cm of bullet weight or velocity. US police agencies issue or use talion 1st Infantry Division The GB does not have a con- the Steyr GB. 18 19 Straight Shooting Straight Shooting Browning Hi-Power Glock 17

The Browning Hi-Power base of the barrel then interacts was the last design of John M. with a tapered locking block in- Browning and contained all the tegrated into the frame, forcing improvements he had devel- the barrel down and unlocking it oped from his earlier work. from the slide. The barrel is locked into the This camming action termi- slid of the Browning by ribs nates the barrel’s movement on the top of the barrel engag- while the slide continues back ing slots in the slide. When the under recoil, extracting and eject- slide moves to the rear, the bar- ing the spent cartridge casing. rel is cammed downward by a The Glock 17 is a poly- Glock pistols lack a tradition- slot in the underside of the bar- this is generally done when a mer-framed, short recoil-oper- al on-off safety lever, which rel engaging a cam in the frame. loaded magazine is inserted and ated, locked-breech semi-auto- Glock markets as an advantage, This cam-slot arrangement the slide cycled by hand. matic pistol that entered Austrian especially to police departments, allows the Browning to be sim- In common with the M1911, military and police service by as the user is able to fire imme- ple and rigid in design. There is the Hi-Power is therefore typi- 1982 after it was the top perform- diately without separately ma- normally a magazine safety in cally carried with the hammer er in reliability and safety tests. nipulating a safety. Instead, the the Browning that prevents the cocked, a round in the chamber Despite initial resistance from pistols are designed with three hammer from being released by and the safety catch on (a car- the market to accept a perceived independent safety mechanisms • Designer: John Browning, “plastic gun” due to both un- to prevent accidental discharge. the sear if the magazine is not ry mode often called cocked Dieudonné Saive • Designer: Gaston Glock founded durability and reliability The system, designated “Safe fully seated in the weapon. and locked in the United States • Designed: 1914–1935 • Designed: 1982–present concerns, as well as fears that its Action” by Glock, consists of an The double-column design or “made ready” in the UK, • Manufacturer: Fabrique • Manufacturer: Glock use of a polymer frame might cir- external integrated trigger safety on the Browning’s magazine al- or sometimes called condition Nationale (FN); John Ing- Ges.m.b.H. cumvent metal detectors in air- and two automatic internal safe- lows the weapon to have a large one). lis & Co.; Browning Arms • Weight unloaded: 620 g ports, Glock pistols have become ties: a firing pin safety and a drop number of rounds available The pistol has a small number • Weight unloaded: 810 g • Weight unloaded: 865 g the company’s most profitable safety. while still being manageable in of design issues. The standard • Weight unloaded: 1 kg • Length: 188 mm line of products as well as sup- Glock pistols incorporate a size. trigger pull is heavy, especially • Length: 197 mm • Barrel length: 114 mm plying national armed forces, se- number of features intended to Standard Hi-Powers are for a single-action pistol. This • Barrel length: 119 mm • Cartridge: 9×19 mm Para- curity agencies, and police forces enhance reliability in adverse based on a single-action de- disadvantage is a consequence • Cartridge: 9×19 mm Para- bellum in at least 48 countries. conditions, such as utilizing ad- sign. Unlike modern double-ac- of the Hi-Power’s magazine bellum • Action: Short recoil The Glock 17 uses a modi- vanced metal coatings, “stub” tion semi-automatic pistols, the disconnect safety, which was • Action: Short recoil • Rate of fire: 40 rounds per fied Browning cam-lock system slide guides instead of true frame Hi-Power’s trigger is not con- initially added to the model to • Rate of fire: 40 rounds per minute adapted from the Hi-Power pis- rails, and an unusual cocking nected to the hammer. meet the requirements of the minute • Muzzle velocity: 350 m/s tol. The firearm’s locking mech- mechanism wherein the trigger is If a double-action pistol is French military in 1935. The • Muzzle velocity: 335 m/s • Type of fire: Semi-auto- anism uses a linkless, vertically partially responsible for cocking carried with the hammer down standard Hi-Power magazine • Type of fire: Semi-auto- matic, double action only tilting barrel with a rectangular the striker. with a round in the chamber and safety is connected to the trig- matic • Feed system: 17 round de- breech that locks into the ejection By relying partially on force a loaded magazine installed, the ger and is released by a plunger • Feed system: 13 or 15 tachable box magazine port cut-out in the slide. from the shooter’s trigger finger shooter may fire the pistol either pressing on the surface of the round detachable box • Sights: Open, non-adjust- During the recoil stroke, the to cock the striker, a Glock ef- by simply squeezing the trigger magazine. This action of the magazine able barrel moves rearward initially fectively reduces the load on the or by pulling the hammer back plunger on the magazine adds • Sights: Open, non-adjust- to the cocked position and then tension to the trigger pull, and • Sight radius: 16.5 cm locked together with the slide recoil spring as the slide moves able about 3 mm until the bullet leaves forward into battery, whereas al- squeezing the trigger. the required force to operate • Sight radius: 15.9 cm In contrast, a single-action this feature adds resistance as the barrel and chamber pressure most all other striker-fired pistols pistol can only be fired with the well. drops to a safe level. on the market rely fully on the re- hammer in the cocked position; A ramped lug extension at the coil spring to cock the striker. 20 21 The German half dozen While about 334,000 South Africans fought in World War II, with many of them paying the ultimate sacrifice, not all of them fought on the side of the Allies.

ermany invaded Axis. of Poland (being awarded the on 1 September 1939. About 334,000 men volun- Iron Cross 2nd Class in Octo- GTwo days later, on 3 teered for full-time service in ber 1939), and in the Battle of September, Great Britain de- the dur- France. clared war on . ing the war - including some He then served on the East- On the eve of World War 211,000 white, 77,000 black ern Front, partaking in Oper- II, the and 46,000 coloured and Indian taion “Barbarossa”, and was found itself in a unique political servicemen. awarded the Knight’s Cross of CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: and military quandary. Yet not every South African the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Georg Grüner, Wilhelm South African Prime Minister that fought in World War II did in November 1941, while serv- Joswig, Robey Leibbrandt, J.B.M. Hertzog wanted to re- so on the side of the Allies. ing with 1/ Panzer Regiment 33 Wolfgang Schenck, and Rob- main neutral. Hertzhog was the Here are six South Afri- “Prinz Eugen”. ert Menge. leader of the pro-Afrikaner and can-born men that actually Grüner was killed during the anti-British National Party. fought on the side of the Ger- Battle of the Korsun-Cherkasy The National Party had joined mans. In essence, they fought Pocket on the 11 March 1944, in a unity government with the against the country of their while commanding I/ Panzer pro-British South African Par- birth. Regiment 2. ty of in 1934 as the After his death he was post- United Party. Panzer ace humously promoted to Major Hertzog’s problem was that Georg Grüner was born on 9 and awarded the Oak Leaves to as the Union of South Africa August 1915 in what was then his Knight’s Cross of the Iron was part of the British Com- German Cross. He was wounded on at least ries. He died on 7 July 1989 at Germans”. monwealth, it was constitution- (now ). His other awards include three occasions and was shot the age of 77. In the late 1920’s Robey Leib- ally obligated to support Great In 1936 he joined the German the Iron Cross 1st Class (July down on the 15 July 1941, a few brandt established himself as Britain against . Army and would go on to be- 1941), the Wound Badge, East- days after the commencement The boxing paratrooper an accomplished pugilist. Leib- A short but furious debate come a highly decorated Major ern Front Medal and the Ger- of Operation “Barbarossa”. Sidney Robey Leibbrandt brandt represented South Afri- unfolded in South Africa, espe- in the Wehrmacht during World man Cross in Gold (October His Stuka was hit by flak and was born on 25 January 1913 ca at the 1934 Empire Games cially in the halls of power in the War II. 1941). he had to make a forced landing in , in the Trans- and won the light heavyweight Parliament of South Africa. It The thing is that when he near Smolensk. He was cap- vaal. bronze medal. pitted those who sought to enter joined the German Army the The tank destroyer tured by the Russians but by a His father was of German de- He also represented South the war on Britain’s side, led by territory he was living in was Wilhelm Joswig was reputed stroke of good luck was liberat- scent and had fought with the Africa at the Olympics Smuts, against those who want- no longer called German South to have been born in Johannes- ed a few days later by advanc- Afrikaner forces in the Second in 1936, competing in the light ed to keep South Africa neutral, West Africa. burg on 2 February 1912. ing German forces. Boer War. He went on to be- heavyweight class. He was not led by Hertzog. After World War I the terri- He apparently held both Ger- Joswig was the fourth highest come a sergeant major in the able to fight the bronze medal On 4 September 1939, the tory came under the control of man and South African citi- Luftwaffe tank destroyer ace of South African Army. bout to Francisco Risiglione United Party caucus refused to Britain and then was made a zenship but in World War II he World War II, and was awarded In 1914 on the outbreak of and finished fourth. accept Hertzog’s stance of neu- South African League of Na- chose to fight on the side of the the Knight’s Cross of the Iron World War 1, he had objected He became South African trality in World War II and de- tions mandate. Germans. Cross in February 1944. to an order to invade German heavyweight champion on 31 posed him in favour of Smuts. So technically Grüner was He joined the Luftwaffe and During his career he flew 820 South-West Africa in a military July 1937 in , Upon becoming Prime Minis- living in South Africa in 1936 served with the Sturzkampf- missions in which he is cred- campaign against the imperial beating Jim Pentz. ter, on 6 September Smuts de- and was a de-facto South Afri- geschwader 2 “Immelman” on ited with the destruction of 88 German forces there, stating Following his stay in Germa- clared South Africa officially can. the Eastern Front against the tanks, a submarine, 13 bridges that it was his belief that “Ger- ny for the 1936 Berlin Olym- at war with Germany and the He took part in the Invasion Soviet Union. two trains and two aerial victo- mans should not war against pics, during which he had been

22 23 deeply impressed with Adolf 3./JG 26 on 5 December 1940. it was with 1. Staffel that Schenck Schmidt, by his own admis- Hitler, Leibbrandt returned to He flew asRotenflieger (Wing - took part in the Polish campaign sion, was surprised that General Berlin in 1938 to study at the man) to the respected Luftwaffe during September 1939, and in Rommel took him on as his ad- Reich Academy for Gymnas- ace Oberstleutnant Adolf Gal- the Norwegian campaign during visor as he really did not have tics, and remained when World land. On 5 December, Ober- spring 1940. a depth knowledge of Africa, War 2 began in 1939. feldwebel Menge was badly He flew Bf 100 Ds (which he however been the only officer in He subsequently volun- wounded in aerial combat Spit- led in the early invasion of the Rommel’s inner circle of officers teered with the Wehrmacht, fires over Folkestone but was able Soviet Union), and served as with a smattering of African her- with which he became the first to return to his base in France. Gruppenkommandeur of Zer- itage he found himself the only South African to be trained as He was back in action on 4 storer Geschwader 1 from March man for the job, and he happily a Fallschirmjäger, and a glider April when he shot down a Spit- - August 1942. took it on. He became Rommel’s pilot. fire over the English coast ona Schenk was awarded the aide-de-camp. Leibbrand was subsequently freie jagd with Galland. Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross He was present during a num- seconded to the Brandenburg- On 14 June 1941, 3./JG 26 with Oak Leaves and was to ber of battles in Egypt and later ers sabotage training course took off from Audembert to in- command SG2 and Kampf- Tunisia and, at one point in the for irregular warfare agents tercept the British Circus No. 12. geschwader 51(a bomber wing) war, he found himself in com- at Abwehr II (Abwehrschool LUFTWAFFE ACE: Adolf Galland was one of the Luftwaffe’s As they were climbing they were from December 1944 - February mand of Wehrmacht units direct- top aces. Robert Menge often flew as Galland’s wingman. “Quenzgut”) near Brandenburg bounced by RAF Spitfire fight- 1945, flying the ME262 jet fight- ly engaging South African Army an der Havel, west of Berlin. ers. Newly commissioned Lieu- er-bomber. units. In fact Schmidt played a After Leibbrandt had com- Leibbrandt’s group launched Galland’s wingman tenant Menge was shot down He was credited with 18 victo- key role in overrunning the South pleted his irregular warfare a series of small-scale guerrilla Robert Menge was born on 29 and killed while flying a Bf 109 ries, having flown over 400 mis- African positions on 23rd No- training he was assigned by the warfare operations against in- September 1913 in Windhoek in E-7 by Squadron Leader “Jamie” sions. vember 1941 during the Battle of Abwehr to take part in ‘Oper- frastructure targets, dynamiting the former German Southwest Rankin of 92 Squadron RAF. He passed away in March 2010 Sidi Rezegh. ation Weissdorn’ (Operation power lines and railway tracks, Africa. Robert Menge was credit- at Marburg, in Hessen, Germany Schmidt survived the war and Hawthorn), a plan for a coup and cutting telephone and tele- A former policeman Menge ed with 19 victories. He recorded at the age of 97. like many Wehrmacht officers d’état against the Government graph cables. joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. four victories during the Spanish sought sanctuary outside wore of South Africa led by Prime During an engagement with Menge served in the Spanish Civil War. All his World War II Rommel’s aide-de-camp torn Germany. Fortunately for Minister Jan Smuts, which had South African Army troops Civil War flying Bf 109 Ds with victories were recorded over the Heinz Werner Schmidt was Heinz the very Nazi sympathetic taken South Africa into the war in late 1942, Leibbrandt was 1./J88 mostly from the La Cenia. Western front. born in South Africa to German National Party came to power in as a part of the British Empire. recognised, and consequent- He is credited with four victories parents in 1916, and at a very South Africa in 1948, three short Leibbrandt left Germany on ly became a fugitive. He was during the campaign gaining his Luftwaffe ace young age he moved around Af- years after the end of World War 5 April 1941 under the agent captured in in late De- first over an I-16 Rata on the 23 Wolfgang ‘Bombo’ Schenck, rica with his family. II. code-name Walter Kempf. He cember 1942 after a tip-off giv- July 1938. was born on 7 February 1913 in He was a dual national with a He now chose to embrace his landed on the Namaqualand en to the authorities. Following his service in Spain Windhoek, German South West German citizenship in addition to South African citizenship and re- coast north of . On 11 March 1943 the court he was posted to 5./186(T). He Africa, the son of a farmer. his South African one. Leaving turn to his birthplace, South Afri- Once back in South Afri- sentenced him to death, but to joined 5./JG 77 on 1 September On the death of his mother in South Africa at the age of four ca to re-start his life. ca Leibbrandt made contact avoid making Leibbrandt a mar- 1939 and later served with this 1923, Wolfgang and his sister he regarded himself as German Schmidt moved to the suburb with what he hoped would be tyr and risk increasing pro-Nazi unit in Norway. He gained his moved back to Germany to live above all and was swept up with of New Germany, outside Dur- pro-Nazi elements among the sympathies among the Afrikan- first victories of World War 2 with family in Berlin. the rest of the country in the eu- ban. He started two companies Afrikaner populace known as ers, the sentence was commuted claiming two RAF Hampdens, In 1934 he returned to South phoria of . When war which are now household brands the , but its to life imprisonment by Prime on 12 April 1940 around Kris- West Africa to work on a coffee broke out he decided to join the in South Africa, Pineware and leader Johannes Van Rensburg Minister Jan Smuts. tiansand. plantation. German Army. Gedore tools. He also wrote a was found to be unsympathetic Following the coming to On 13 August 1940 he shot Already an ‘A’ certificate pi- As he was “South Afri- book on his experiences titled to his mission. power of the Afrikaans Nation- down four Blenheims raiding lot, he joined the Luftwaffe in can-born” he was therefore con- “With Rommel in the Desert.” He subsequently drummed alist Party in 1948, Liebbrandt Aalborg airfield in Denmark. December 1936 as an officer-ca- sidered, in line with military He died in 2007 at the age of up support with the use of fiery was granted amnesty. Leib- He emerged the top scorer of the det, and was posted to II./JG 132 logicality, an expert on Africa. 90. rhetoric and political cam- brandt died on 1 August 1966 at Norwegian campaign, his score ‘Richthofen’ in Jüterbog in 1938. Already a veteran of the Polish Editor’s Note: Thanks to Rev paigning, all the while train- from a heart attack. standing at 17 prior to his transfer This unit was renamed I Campaign, Schmidt joined Rom- Ralph Thornley for the infor- ing recruits in the black art of He was 53 years old. to the Channel Front. Menge was Gruppe, Zerstörergeschwader 1 mel’s staff in March 1941 from mation on Heiz Schmit. It was bomb-making. commissioned and transferred to (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) and Eritrea. the inspiration for this article. 24 25 in their hand. You think that it’s There are also Pepper Ball The T4E HDR .50 will set you a firearm, so you pull your own rounds that can be used. Pepper- back about R2,650. This may hurt... firearm from beneath the pillow ball Rounds are filled with pow- I purchased one of the revolv- According to South African law we can use force to defend ourselves and anyone else, as and shoot him. dered pepper spray that burst ers and my other half was de- long as the force is not excessive. Ryan Murphy looks at a possible solution. You then discover that what on impact, effectively immobi- lighted when I told her that I was he had in his hand was actual- lizing your attacker or target. going to allow her to shoot me. ly your cellphone that he was causing temporary blindness, We went outdoors and I was he last thing you want is relative to the circumstances of eration before using “reasonable intending on stealing. Accord- difficulty breathing and severe wearing a paintball face mask. to wake up in the early the attack, according to the Con- force”. This is what the police ing to the law you’ve just shot disorientation. To protect myself I wore five hours of the morning to stitutional Court. If an intruder is will want answers for once an T an unarmed defenceless man. Each round contains high tee-shirts. I took a piece of thick discover that there is an intrud- armed with a knife – and acting incident has concluded. You will probably end up being levels of capsaicin and other cardboard and folded it in half er in your home. Unfortunately, in a way where they look set to If you do subdue someone dur- charged with murder. enhancing agents that primari- to protect my chest. Then I put a South Africa is not Shangri La use it – you must use appropriate ing a home invasion, you aren’t The fact that he was in your ly affects the eyes, causing clo- thick jersey on over it. and it happens far more than we force. allowed to shoot them if you’ve bedroom doesn’t seem to enter sure and severe pain and loss of I had fitted a laser sight to would like. Unfortunately, this is a grey already restrained them. Like- into the matter. breath. the bottom of the revolver, so Now in cases like these you area we are still struggling to wise, if you see them running The law say I can use force, When an attacker is hit with my other half had no problem need to be able to defend your- clarify as a country. Opening fire out of the front door and away as long as it’s not excessive and, a pepperball, the body’s reac- with aim. I had loaded two sol- self and your family. But this is on someone armed with a knife from your property holding sto- ideally, not lethal. I decided to tion is immediate. The eyes shut id rounds and two pepperball where it gets tricky. could be argued as “excessive len goods, you cannot open fire. look at a few non-lethal options. automatically, causing tempo- rounds. I told her to go ahead At some stage most of our force”. However, with each case Even if they are armed. Pepper spray is often recom- rary blindness, and you will be and shoot. My mistake! readers served in the military. judged on merit, you may be It literally comes down to all mended as a solution. The prob- unable to see. The mucus mem- I’ve been shot with paintball Most of us known how to use a able use “the reasonable person” the previous factors: If they are lem that I have with this is that branes of the mouth, nose, eyes rounds before and they hurt. firearm. And many armed with firearms, and acting you need to get close enough to and respiratory airways react de- But nothing compared to this. It of us actually own a in an aggressive and life-threat- your attacker to use the pepper fensively to the capsicum burn, dropped me to my knees and by firearm. ening manner, you are allowed spray. producing tears, a running nose, the next day I had a bruise the So the logical thing to shoot. This can be hazardous to your saliva and coughing as the irri- size of a soup plate. to do if you wake up Most of the so-called “ex- health if the person is armed tated cells in the airways and Obviously enjoying herself, to find an intruder in perts” will tell you that with a knife or a club. You can lungs try to rid themselves of the my dearly beloved hit me with your bedroom is to during a home invasion bet money on it that the person chemicals. the second round in the chest. take your firearm and double tap you should remain is not going to stand there idle The actual revolver looks sim- When I finally got back to my him in the chest. defence. calm and co-operate while you spray pepper into his ilar to a .357 Magnum. At 675 feet and stopped calling my oth- Surely it’s your legal right to Courts apply with the intruders. face. grams, it has a nice weight to it. er half names that a sailor would do so? Well yes - and no. And this defence to ask if a This, of course, is far The same thing counts for a Six balls are loaded into a re- have paid money to learn, it was if that doesn’t make sense, I did “reasonable” person in the more difficult than it stun gun. Once again you need volving magazine. The CO2 time to test the pepperball round. say that it gets tricky. same position would have act- sounds. to get close enough to the attack- cartridge, which weighs 12 g, This didn’t hurt half as much According to South African ed in such a way. It considers: Ultimately, using er to use it. is inserted into the handle of the because the round burst on im- law, the defender has the right • Foreseeable risk of harm an armed force should be a last- I came upon a possible solu- revolver. The cartridge is not ac- pact. Then the pepper hit me. It to use force, but not excessive intruder’s actions creates ditch attempt to preserve your tion in the form of the T4E HDR tivated until you push the knob dropped me to the ground and force, to thwart an attack. Now versus the consequence of a family’s lives. However, giv- .50. The HDR stands for Home at the bottom of the handle. This for at least the next 15 minutes I I’m no legal expert, but I reck- your defensive actions. en the utterly nerve-shredding Defence Revolver. punctures the cartridge and acti- lost all interest in life. on that shooting someone in the • The extent of the risk created nature of these situations, it is As the name suggests, it is a re- vates it. Each cartridge will give I couldn’t see, my eyes were chest would be considered ex- by an intruder. easier said than done. Making a volver. Instead of firing bullets, you about 18 shots. on fire, I was battling to breath, cessive force. • Likelihood such risk will ac- judgement in the heat of the mo- it uses disposable CO2 cartridg- The textured frame surfaces and I was coughing and puking.. The law does say, however, tually cause harm to others. ment is a tough call. es to fire .50 calibre solid nylon give you a secure grip even in Would I recommend the HDR that if the intruder(s) are armed • Alternatives of lesser risk, Let’s say, for example, that balls known as Skull Breakers. stress situations, and a trigger .50 for home protection? Most and threatening to kill or seri- and the costs of those alter- you wake in the early hours of The rounds weigh 1.5 g each blade safety prevents accidental definitely. Just don’t listen to ously harm you or others then natives. the morning and there is an in- and are slightly smaller than firing if you should ever drop the my other half when she recom- you are within your rights to de- In a frightening case of a home truder standing in your bedroom. paintballs. Unlike normal paint- gun. It has Picatinny rails on the mends that your other half try it fend yourself. invasion, it can be argued you It’s fairly dark, but you can see balls these are solid balls and top and bottom, so you can fit a out on you. Trust me on this one. Self-defence action must be took all four points into consid- that the person has something will not break on impact. Red-Dot or laser sight. 26 27 Down and dirty Winchester Trench Gun When involved in hand-to-hand fighting in the trenches of World War I, troops needed an extra edge. The American M1897 pump-action hroughout World War I, assaults on enemy positions almost inevitably ended in hand-to-hand shotgun with its six-round magazine combat in the confined spaces of trenches and dugouts. In these circumstances the normal was useful for clearing trenches. Trifle was not ideal. Pistols and revolvers were the ideal weapon, but normally it was only officers that carried them. Trench shovel French trench knife Grenades were also useful and the design of early grenades, although not entirely satisfactory, soon improved dramatically. Individual soldiers had to improvise and they armed themselves with expedient weapons such as knives and axes, which were chosen for their ability to disable or kill at a single stroke. This was a simple stabbing and slashing weapon with a double-edged blade, a steel cross-guard, and an unadorned wooden grip. Luger P08 Trench axe

American “Knuckle-Duster” trench knife The 9mm Parabellum Issued to British troops as a general purpose tool, Pistole ‘08 was the trench axe was widely employed as a weapon in the German of- close-quarter fighting during raids and assaults on ficer’s of enemy positions. choice.

Nailed cosh Colt New Service This combination weapon’s conical pommel nut was designed to puncture the human skull. The spiked knuckle-duster made a punch potentially lethal, while the blade was used to slash or stab. American officers were The simplest trench-fighting weapons were issued with Colt clubs and truncheons, often with nails or spikes “automatics” but added to increase their lethality, and usually with some felt that they No. 36 Mills Bomb a retaining loop. were likely to jam. Grenades became more effective Most preferred the last re- Sharpened along the sides, when reliable time-fuses became volver produced for the US Army— this short-handle shovel available. The British Mills Bomb, the .45-caliber Colt New Service. German “Ersatz” knife bayonet could inflict serious wounds. Short, double It could even remove a per- with its “pineapple” casing filled -edged bayonet, son’s head from their shoul- with a TNT-based explosive called ders. Baratol, was the first of its type, and Webley & Scott Mk VI developed private- ly to fit the was widely copied. GeW’98 rifle.

British spiked club The Mk VI Stielhandgranate was prized by British Officers for its rugged re- liability. This club, hand-whittled from hardwood, incorporated both horseshoe The handle of the German stick grenade gave the thrower a significant nails and a stabbing spike in its enlarged head. It also had serrations to im- range advantage. It became one of the Stormtroopers’ iconic weapons. prove the grip, and a wrist strap for security. 28 29 of hypothermia.’ store men. the top row and then became “Inside the hall was a line • GT: Temporary deferment smaller as you went down the Stick out your tongue and of tables and each table was of national service due to rows. You stood on a line, used manned by a medic. You went medical conditions. your hand to cover one of your down the line, stopping at each • G5GP: Conscripts in this eyes, and read from the chart. say “Ah” table to get an injection. Jeez category were regarded as Everyone used the same chart Anyone that did National Service in the old SADF will surely remember their medical exami- bru they injected you against being of no use to the SADF and this guy got hold of a copy nation. everything known to man. and they were given a med- of it from his brother. Cholera, polio, VD, rabies, tet- ical discharge. “He studied it until he knew nyone that did Nation- dagga. This was a load of crap doctor. I’m sure that this oke anus, yellow fever, scarlet fe- Of course it was during the it off by heart. When it was al Service in the South because I had never surfed in did his degree through a cor- ver and a couple of other col- medical and psychological time to have his eyes tested he AAfrican Defence Force my life. respondence course and that ours thrown in as well. tests when a fair number of took his place on the line and must remember those hectic “Anyway, we had to go for half of his lessons got lost in “Because of the cold, the conscripts were deemed to be covered his left eye. We had an first few days. these medical exams. I think a the post. I stood in front of him injections hurt like hell. As if medically or psychologically army nurse who was a PF and Besides being put into com- bunch of retards could have or- while he poked and prodded all this wasn’t bad enough our unfit for military service. They held the rank of sergeant. panies and , getting is- ganised it better. We had to go away at me. Then he took his corporal took childish delight were then given a discharge “Okay,” she told him, “can sued with your kit, and getting from office to office where dif- freezing stethoscope and stuck that afternoon in punching us and released from all military you read the top letter for me.” to know your corporal, there ferent people checked us out. it all over me, just making me on the arm at every opportuni- commitments. Naturally many “He stood there and rattled was also the fun of the medical To speed up the process we all that little bit colder. ty. Only one thing stopped me of the conscripts tried their ut- off each row of letters and at examination. It wasn’t some- had to strip down to our under- “He took this form and asked from beating the crap out of my most to obtain a medical dis- the end he said, “and right at thing that you could really for- pants. Now this was really fun me some questions, ticking off corporal that day. The fact that charge. the bottom it says in very small get, was it? because this was Bethlehem in my answers. Then he asked me he was twice my size.” While many tried for a med- print ‘Printed by 1 Military The following are personal the middle of winter. if I suffered from any diseases The SADF used a medical ical discharge there were those Printing Unit, Pretoria.” recollections of some of those “Before being called up the or medical conditions. I told classification system to deter- rare individuals that although “He turned and smiled at the that do remember their medi- furthest I had ever been away him that I sometimes suffered mine the medical condition of suffering from a condition that sister, obviously proud of him- cals. They are taken from the from was a day trip from eczema. What does this a conscript. These were as fol- would have warranted a dis- self. book “Service Rendered”, to Port Shepstone. Back in idiot write down on the form? lows: charge, tried everything in their “My, my,” the sister shook which was written by Military Durban when the temperature He writes there that I suffer • G1K1: Medically fit. The power to pass the medical. her head, “you do have excep- Despatches’ editor Matt Tenny- reached 18 degrees I put on a from epilepsy. I pointed out conscript could be used in Derek was 19 and was a med- tional eyesight young man. The son. jersey. On the day we did our his mistake and told him that combat. ic attached to 8 South African part where it says ‘Printed by Mel was 18 when he report- medical it was minus three. I it was eczema and not epilepsy • G2K1: Medically fit but Infantry Battalion. He remem- 1 Military Printing Unit’ is ac- ed for national service and his was blue with cold. that I suffered from. I then had wore glasses or a hearing bers one youngster who was tually on the back of the chart. medical examinations is still “I remember going into this to explain what eczema was to aid. The conscript was con- determined to be classified as Now let me get another chart something he laughs about. one office and there was this him. What sort of a doctor was sidered fit for combat duties. at least G2K1. and we’ll try it again shall we.” “I was in the July intake old auntie in a nurse’s kit. She this oke? • G2K2: As above but with “We had this one guy who Of course faking a psycholog- and went to 2 Field Engineer- looked like she was about 80 “Finally we had to go and the exception that the con- suffered from bad eyesight. ical problem was a lot easier, or ing Regiment at a place called years old. I was hoping that she receive our ‘shots’. The best script was not considered fit When I say bad, I mean real so some conscripts thought. Yet ‘Lekkerdril’ in Bethlehem. I wasn’t going to try and give part of this was that this was for combat duties. bad. Even with his glasses he the SADF had seen it all before. wasn’t there an hour when I de- me the kiss of life or some- done in the hall. It was about • G3K3: This classification was as blind as a bat. Now he They could usually spot a fake cided that I didn’t think I was thing. Jeez bru, no problems to 600 metres away from the of- meant that the conscript suf- wanted to go into a combat unit from a mile off. If the medical going to like this national ser- this old goose. She sticks her fices where we had been doing fered from an intermittent and there was no ways that he staff at a unit were unsure of vice thing. hand down the front of my un- everything until then. Now you condition such as asthma, wanted to become a store man whether a person was faking it “My corporal was an Afri- derpants, grabs me by the nuts, must realise that we were still etc. and was not considered or a clerk. or not, said person was usual- kaans boy from some hick town and she tunes me “cough.” She dressed in only a pair of under- fit for combat duty. “He had an elder brother who ly sent through to One Military in the . He didn’t like could have at least warmed pants and we had to walk this • G4K4: These were con- was doing his national service Hospital in Pretoria for obser- English guys and, because I her hands first. Cough! It was distance exposed to the ele- scripts with serious medi- at One Military Hospital at the vation. was from Durban, he liked me so cold that I couldn’t even ments. Halfway to the hall and cal conditions. The SADF time. Back in those days we They had a special ward at even less. According to him breathe. I was numb. I still remember regarded them as ‘oxygen used a simple eye chart to test One Mil that handled the psychi- people from Durban could only “Then we went to another thinking ‘Great, my first day in thieves’ and they were usu- eyesight. There were rows of atric patients. If memory serves do two things. Surf and smoke office and there was this army the army and I’m going to die ally utilised as clerks and letters that were fairly large in me correctly it was Ward 22. 30 31 Of course there were the looking for, he would just say even if you asked him a direct odd few who managed to slip ‘the paper.’ We tried everything question. He would just stare at Quiz through the net and obtain a without success. you and smile. Not that he nev- discharge on psychological “It was decided to send him er spoke, mind you. At night grounds. through to One Military Hospi- he would sit on his bed for the Elite Forces Insignia I have my doubts as to the tal for further observation and whole night, talking to some- ere are 15 cap or beret badges from Special Forces and elite units from around the world. truth of the following story be- evaluation. He continued with one none of us could see. You tell us what the unit is, and from which country they’re from. You’ll find the answers cause I heard it from at least his escapades at One Mil. Even “Another charming think he Hto the quiz on page 94. 10 different people who swore when he went before the psy- used to do was to just drop his that it happened at their unit. chologist for his testing all he pants and relieve himself. No Personally I think it is one of did was pick up papers from matter where he was. Noth- 1 2 3 those urban legends, or should the desk, read them, and then ing out corporal did seemed that be military legends? put them back on the desk. All to have any effect on him. He Anyway, it’s quite a funny the psychologist could get out would just stare at the corporal story so I decided to include of him was the fact that he was and smile. one version of it. This particu- looking for the paper. “After only three days the lar version comes from a per- “They finally came to the doctor at our camp decided to son who was a basic training conclusion that this boy wasn’t send him to One Military Hos- instructor at Personnel Servic- playing with a full deck of pital. Our corporal and our 4 5 6 es School in Pretoria. cards and decided to give him company commander thought “When a new intake arrived a medical exemption from mil- that this guy was faking it just the first few days would be tak- itary service. to try and get a discharge. Even en up with admin. There was “When he was given his dis- the doctor thought that this guy a pile of forms that had to be charge papers he gave a broad was trying it on. completed. Then there were smile and said, “Now these are “I wasn’t convinced that he the medical and psychological the papers I was looking for.” was faking. There was just tests, and finally they would be As I said, an amusing story something about this guy that 7 8 9 issued with their kit. but I doubt whether it was true. gave me the creeps. My biggest “I remember that in this one Some of the conscripts did fear was that at some stage this particular intake there was this not have to fake psychological guy would be given a rifle. All guy who seemed to be on his problems. Many of them re- of us in our were really own mission. While the rest ceived discharges because they happy when this guy was sent of the recruits were standing really did have problems. away. in line he would be wandering Colin was 19 when he did his “Anyway, we later heard that around on his own. He seemed basic training at 5 South Afri- this spent some time at One 10 11 12 to have this obsession with pa- can Infantry Battalion in 1976. Military Hospital before he was per. He tells the following story. given a discharge. I often won- “He would pick up any piece “We had a guy in our section der what eventually happened of paper that he could see, that was a real nut case. From to him. Or what was wrong read it, and then throw it down the first day we could see that with him in the first place.” again. He would even scratch this guy was really different. in the dustbins for paper. “First of all he had this per- If you would like to receive “You could say or do what manent crazy look in his eyes. a free electronic copy of the 13 14 15 you liked to this guy, nothing And he would come right up to book “Service Rendered”, send seemed to work. When asked you and stare at your with big an e-mail with the heading Ser- what his problem was, he smile on his face. It wasn’t a vice Rendered to editor@hipe. would just give you this blank friendly smile though. It was a co.za and we will send you a look and tell you that he was scary smile and it always un- copy. ‘looking for the paper.’ If you nerved me. asked him what paper he was “He never spoke to any of us, 32 33 Rank Structure - Greece

Over the next few months we will be running a series of articles looking at the rank structure of various armed forces. This month we look at the (Greece).

he Hellenic Armed Forc- Under Greek law, all men es (Ellinikés Énoples over 18 years of age must serve TDynámis) are the com- in the Armed Forces for a peri- bined ground, naval and air od of nine months. Women can forces of Greece. They consist serve in the Greek military on Epilochias Archilochias Anthypaspistis of the Hellenic National De- a voluntary basis, but cannot be (Staff Sergeant) (Master Sergeant) (Warrant Officer) fence General Staff, the Hellen- conscripted. ic Army, the , and Military personnel was es- the Hellenic Air Force. timated at approximately Officers The civilian authority over- 105,000 in 2018. Greece is an seeing the Hellenic Armed EU and NATO member. Forces is the Ministry of Na- tional Defence. Hellenic Army

The Hellenic Army (Ellinikós Army is Eleútheron tò Eúpsy- Stratós), formed in 1828, is the chon (Freedom Stems from land force of Greece. Valour). The army is headed by the The Hellenic Army is also the Dokimos efedros aksio­matikos Anthypolochagos Ypolochagos chief of the Hellenic Army main contributor to, and “lead (Officer Designate) (Second Lieutenant) (Lieutenant) General Staff (HAGS), which nation” of, the Balkan Battle in turn is under the command Group, a combined-arms rap- of Hellenic National Defence id-response force under the EU General Staff (HNDGS). structure. The motto of the Hellenic NCO’s & Warrant Officer

Lochagos Antisyntagmatarchis (Captain) (Major) (Lieutenant Colonel)

Ypodekaneas Dekaneas Lochias (Lance Corporal) (Corporal) (Sergeant) 34 35 Hellenic Air Force

The Hellenic Air Force (Aero- Hellenic Armed Forces and its poría) is the air force of Greece. mission is to guard and protect During the period of monarchy Greek airspace, provide air as- between 1935–1973 the force sistance and support to the Hel- was known as the Royal Hel- lenic Army and the Hellenic lenic Air Force (Ellinikí Vasi- Navy, as well as the provision likí Aeroporía). of humanitarian aid in Greece The Hellenic Air Force is and around the world. Syntagmatarchis Taxiarchos Ypostratigos one of the three branches of the (Colonel) (Brigadier General) (Major General)

NCO’s & Warrant Officer

Antistratigos Stratigos (Lieutenant General) (General)

Sminitis Yposminias Sminias (Aircraftman) (Corporal) (Staff Sergeant)

Episminias Archisminias Anthypaspistis (Master Sergeant) (Chief Master Sergeant) (Warrant Officer)

36 37 Officers

Antipterarchos Pterarchos () () Anthyposminagos Yposminagos Sminagos (Pilot Officer) (Flying Officer) (Flight Lieutenant) Hellenic Navy

The Hellenic Navy (Pole- tons and it is the 22nd larg- mikó Naftikó) is the naval force est Navy in the world by total of Greece, part of the Hellen- number of vessels. The HN also ic Armed Forces. The modern operates a number of naval avi- Greek navy has its roots in the ation units. naval forces of various Aege- an Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. The total displacement of the fleet is approximately 150,000

Episminagos Antisminarchos Sminarchos NCO’s & Warrant Officer (Squadron Leader) (Wing Commander) (Group Captain)

Naftis Diopos Kelefstis (Seaman) (Leading Seaman) (Chief Petty Officer) Taxiarchos Ypopterarchoss (Air Commodore) (Air Vice Marshal) 38 39 Epikelefstis Archikelefstis Anthypaspistis Ploiarchos Archiploiarchos Yponavarchos (Senior Chief Petty Officer) (Master Chief Petty Officer) (Chief Petty Officer) (Captain) (Commodore) (Rear Admiral) Officers

Antinavarchos Navarchos (Vice Admiral) (Admiral)

Click on the photograph below to take a virtual tour of Warrior’s Gate Simaioforos Epikouros Simaioforos Anthypoploiarchos and find out more about the Memorable Order of Tin Hats. Axiomatikos (Ensign) (Sub Lieutenant) (Officer Designate)

Ypoploiarchos Plotarchis Antiploiarchos (Lieutenant) (Lieutenant Commander) (Commander)

40 41 A matter of survival - Hunting Pt III Over the next few months we will be running a series of articles looking at survival, something that has always been important for those in the military. This month we look at hunting.

Chicken is very versatile and water birds, such as geese and the river at night to feed. If you can be cooked in many ways. swans, can be ferocious in de- are on his path between his Most of us eat chicken and more fence of themselves. feeding place and the river then than a few of us don’t mind the you will find yourself in serious odd bit of fried chicken from Seagulls trouble. the local take-away franchise. Seagulls can be caught by While on the subject of rivers In a survival situation most wrapping food around a stone and the like, crocodiles should birds and fowls are edible. All and throwing it into the air. be given a wide berth unless you need to know is how to go The gull swallows the bait they are very small. Just bear about catching them. while still on the wing, swal- in mind that if there is a small lowing the stone with it. crocodile around, Mommy Running noose The change in weight causes Croc will probably not be far A noose attached to a long the bird to fall to the ground. away. And believe me, she will AND THE SEAGULL’S NAME WAS...: While they may not pole is an effective way of pull- Be ready to dispatch the birds not be too amused if she thinks taste as good as chicken, seagulls are edible. ing down roosting birds from as soon as it hits the ground. you are threatening her little lower branches. Obviously you should try this offspring. They make look slow often be encountered. Make no They like to lie in the sun, Make a not of roosting and technique when the bird is over and lethargic, but crocodiles mistake, while they may appear often on a trail, and because of nest sites, remembering that land. can move very quickly when cute, the have sharp teeth and their colour they are often well droppings will help guide you they need to. will become aggressive if they camouflaged. It’s easy not to to them. Animal dangers Any of the large horned an- feel threatened. see them and step on them by If the are within reach return Few animals are likely to at- imals is likely to be able to Larger apes such as baboons mistake and they will strike. stealthily on nights when there tack you unless it’s in self-de- wound you with its horns before can easily kill a man, but they Always check your clothing, is sufficient light to see them. fence. Most of them will be far you can reach it with a weapon. are rarely aggressive and will bedding and equipment for any Slip the noose over the bird more concerned about getting Some animals can deliv- usually give you plenty of warn- reptile or insect visitors. and pull, tightening the noose out of your way (after all, you er a powerful kick with their ing to back off. Like monkeys, Occasionally a snake or cen- and pulling down the bird at the are trying to eat them). hooves. But it’s not just hooved they can get aggressive if they tipede may slide into bed with same time. The good news is that there animals that can kick. Ostriches feel they are being threatened. you, attracted by your body is little chance of encountering can kill with a single kick. If you are bitten by any ani- warmth. Case have been known Stalking waterfowl really large animals such as el- Hyaenas tend to hunt in mals, make sure that the bite is of people waking to find an un- You can get up close by get- ephants, rhinos, hippopotamus packs. Although basically cow- thoroughly cleaned. All could welcome visitor nestling in an ting in the water and camou- or the larger big cats unless ardly, they are very powerful cause tetanus and some mam- armpit or even more intimate flaging yourself around the you’re really in the wilds or in a and, as scavengers, are attract- mals, including bats, can carry places. head with reeds and other vege- game reserve. ed to camp sites. They will rabies. Try to remember, and it’s not tation. Use caution to approach Nevertheless, avoid making probably turn tail and run, but While many people have a always that easy, that they are an area where fowls nest or are camp on a trail, or close to an drive them off rather than try to fear of snakes, they are rarely not attacking you. Move gen- regularly seen. animal watering place. tackle them. a threat unless you accidental- tly and calmly to free yourself Bear in mind that some larger Hippos, for example, leave Monkeys seem cute and can ly come into contact with them. from them. Most of them will try and avoid Lastly, be careful of follow- contact with you, but not all of ing any wounded animal into them. dense high grass or bush. They The puff adder, for instance, are hurt and confused and will is lazy and expects you to go often turn and attack. around it rather than the other Next month we’ll look at han- way around. dling and preparing the kill.

42 43 head to head head to head Heckler & Koch HK416 Military Strength Special forces only. HK416 A5 designated as ‘G38’. HK416 In the forth of a series of articles, we examine the assault rifles used by the ten stron- A7 designated as ‘G95’ gest current military forces. • Manufacturer: Heckler & ast month we looked at This month we are going to special units within these mili- Koch submachine guns used take a look at the assault rifles tary forces. • Weight: 2.950–3.850 kg by the ten strongest cur- that each of these forces use, in- • Action: Gas-operated short- • Feed system: 10, 20, 30 L • Length: 690–1,037 mm rent military forces. cluding some of those issued to stroke piston, rotating bolt round detachable STANAG stock extended • Rate of fire: 850 rpm magazine; 100-round de- • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Effective firing range: 300 tachable Beta C-Mag NATO metres 10. Germany Total military personnel – 210,305 Heckler & Koch G3 Was the standard rifle of the West German army; last active Heckler & Koch HK417 use was in the War in Afghan- The HK417 is intended for istan. Since then, all weapons use in roles where the penetra- are in reserve. tive power, stopping power, and range of the 7.62×51mm car- • Manufacturer: Heckler & NATO 400 metres tridge are required. It has been Koch • Action: Roller-delayed • Feed system: 20, 30, or 40 adopted for service by a number • Weight: 4.38 kg blowback round detachable box; 50 of armed forces, special forces, • Length: 1,025 mm tended; 965 mm stock col- • Rate of fire: 600 rpm • Rate of fire: 500–600 rpm round and 100 round drum and police organizations. • Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm lapsed • Effective firing range: 600 • Effective firing range: 3200– magazine • Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm metres • Manufacturer: Heckler & NATO • Feed system: 10 or 20 round Koch • Action: Gas-operated short- detachable box magazine • Weight: 5.8 kg stroke piston, rotating bolt • Length: 1,082 mm stock ex- 9. Turkey Total military personnel – 891,300

Heckler & Koch G36 The Turkish make use of a wide variety of assault rifles. No fewer than 15 to be precise. These include everything from the AK-47 and AKM to the M16 and M4A1. Standard assault rifle of the German Army since 1997, re- placing the old G3. The G36 Steyr AUG will be replaced by a new AUG A2 variant in use by standard service rifle, possibly Special Forces Command. the HK433. • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm tres • Manufacturer: Steyr Mann- • Manufacturer: Heckler & NATO • Feed system: 30 round de- licher Koch • Action: Short-stroke piston, tachable box magazine or • Weight: 3.6 kg • Weight: 3.63 kg • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- metres rotating bolt 100 round C-Mag drum • Length: 790 mm • Length: 999 mm stock ex- ing bolt • Feed system: 30 or 42 round • Rate of fire: 750 rpm magazine • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm tended; 758 mm stock fold- • Rate of fire: 680–750 rpm detachable box magazine • Max firing range: 2,860 me- NATO ed • Effective firing range: 300 44 45 head to head head to head Tavor TAR-21 This Israeli-designed rifle is 8. in use by Special Forces Com- Total military personnel – 157,500 mand in the VIP protection role.

• Manufacturer: Israel Mili- tary Industries SA80 • Weight: 3.27 kg Standard issue assault rifle. A • Action: Long-stroke gas-op- metres • Length: 720 mm shortened carbine, the L22A2, erated, rotating bolt • Feed system: 30 round de- • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm is used primarily by vehicle and • Rate of fire: 750 rpm tachable box STANAG NATO helicopter crews for self-de- • Effective firing range: 550 Magazine fence.

• Manufacturer: RSAF En- NATO 400 metres field • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- • Feed system: 30 round de- • Weight: 4.98 kg ing bolt tachable box STANAG • Length: 785 mm Heckler & Koch G3 • Rate of fire: 610–775 rpm Magazine • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm Primary service/battle rifle. • Effective firing range: 300- G3A7 and G3A7A1 variants still widely in use. Produced L119A2 under license by MKEK. Being Used by the pathfinder group replaced by MPT-76. of the Parachute Regiment, UKSF, the Royal Military Po- • Manufacturer: MKEK • Action: Roller-delayed • Feed system: 20, 30, or 40 lice Close Protection Unit and • Weight: 4.38 kg blowback round detachable box; 50 43 Commando . • Length: 1,025 mm • Rate of fire: 500–600 rpm round and 100 round drum • Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm • Effective firing range: 3200– magazine • Manufacturer: Colt Cana- NATO 400 metres da • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Effective firing range: 400 • Weight: 3.9 kg NATO metres • Length: 1,006 mm stock ex- • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- • Feed system: 30 round de- tended; 929.8 mm stock col- ing bolt tachable box STANAG lapsed • Rate of fire: 700–900 rpm Magazine

MPT-76 LWRC M6 This is set to replace the G3 The M6A2 UCIW (Ultra and AKM as the standard as- Compact Individual Weapon) sault rifle. It is a copy of the model of the LWRC M6 has Heckler & Koch HK417. recently been adopted in limit- ed numbers by the UK Special • Manufacturer: MKEK Forces. • Weight: 5.8 kg NATO known • Length: 1,082 mm stock ex- • Manufacturer: LWRC NATO • Effective firing range: 600 • Action: Rotating bolt, selec- • Feed system: 30 round tended; 965 mm stock col- • Weight: 3.31kg • Action: Gas-operated short- metres tive fire STANAG-compliant maga- lapsed • Length: Not known stroke piston, rotating bolt • Feed system: 20 round de- • Rate of fire: 700–900 rpm zine • Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 600 rpm tachable box magazine • Effective firing range: Not 46 47 head to head head to head Howa Type 64 Used by second line troops, 7. Republic of Korea but is being replaced by the Total military personnel – 3,699,000 Type 89.

K2 • Manufacturer: Howa Standard-issue assault ri- • Weight: 4.4 kg fle. Partially being replaced by • Length: 990 mm bolt metres K2C1. • Cartridge: 7.62×51 mm NATO • Rate of fire: 500 rpm • Feed system: 20 round de- • Effective firing range: 400 tachable box magazine • Manufacturer: S&T Motiv • Action: Gas-operated tilting • Weight: 3.26 kg • Length: 980 mm stock ex- NATO • Effective firing range: 600 tended; 730 mm stock col- • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- metres 5. France lapsed ing bolt • Feed system: Various Total military personnel – 426,265 • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 750 rpm STANAG Magazines Heckler & Koch HK416 FAMAS Used by Special Forces. The FAMAS remains the standard-issue service rifle of • Manufacturer: Heckler & the French military. Scheduled Koch to be phased out of service in • Weight: 2.950–3.850 kg the mid 2020s. • Length: 690–1,037 mm stock extended • Rate of fire: 850 rpm magazine; 100-round de- • Manufacturer: GIAT In- • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm NATO • Effective firing range: 300 • Effective firing range: 300 tachable Beta C-Mag dustries NATO • Action: Lever-delayed metres metres • Weight: 3.61 kg • Action: Gas-operated short- blowback • Feed system: 25 round de- • Feed system: 10, 20, 30 • Length: 757 mm stroke piston, rotating bolt • Rate of fire: 900–1,000 rpm tachable box magazine round detachable STANAG • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm

6. Japan Total military personnel – 310,457 Heckler & Koch HK416 The HK416F will replace the FAMAS as the standard-issue Howa Type 89 assault rifle beginning in 2017. Standard issue to front line 102,000 weapons have been or- units. dered.

• Manufacturer: Howa • Manufacturer: Heckler & • Weight: 3.5 kg Koch NATO metres • Length: 916 mm • Weight: 2.950–3.850 kg • Action: Gas-operated short- • Feed system: 10, 20, 30 • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Length: 690–1,037 mm stroke piston, rotating bolt round detachable STANAG • Effective firing range: 500 detachable STANAG maga- NATO stock extended • Rate of fire: 850 rpm magazine; 100-round de- metres zine • Action: Gas-operated • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Effective firing range: 300 tachable Beta C-Mag • Rate of fire: 750 rpm • Feed system: 20 or 30 round 48 49 head to head head to head FN SCAR SIG SG 550 Used by French Army’s spe- Standard assault rifle of NSG. cial forces. • Manufacturer: Swiss Arms • Manufacturer: FN Herstal AG • Weight: 3.29 kg • Weight: 4.05 kg • Length: 787 mm stock ex- • Length: 998 mm stock ex- tended, 533 mm stock fold- tended, 772 mm stock fold- ed • Rate of fire: 625 rpm magazine ed ing bolt • Feed system: 5, 20, or 30 • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Effective firing range: 300 • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 700 rpm round detachable box maga- NATO metres NATO • Effective firing range: 100- zine • Action: Gas-operated long- • Feed system: 20 round de- • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- 400 metres stroke piston, rotating bolt tachable STANAG box M16A2 Used by French Army’s spe- cial forces. Tavor TAR-21 Standard Special Forces as- • Manufacturer: Colt’s Man- sault rifle. ufacturing Company • Weight: 3.40 kg • Manufacturer: Israel Mili- • Length: 1,003 mm tary Industries • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 700-950 rpm tachable STANAG box • Weight: 3.27 kg NATO • Effective firing range: 550 magazine • Length: 720 mm erated, rotating bolt • Feed system: 30 round de- • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- metres • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 750 rpm tachable box STANAG ing bolt • Feed system: 20 round de- NATO • Effective firing range: 550 Magazine • Action: Long-stroke gas-op- metres 4. India Total military personnel – 2,598,921

The Indians make use of 12 different assault rifles from a variety of countries. FN SCAR Used by special forces in- cluding NSG, Para SF, MAR- FN F2000 COS and SFF. Standard assault rifle of SPG. • Manufacturer: FN Herstal • Manufacturer: FN Herstal • Weight: 3.29 kg • Weight: 3.6 kg • Length: 787 mm stock ex- • Length: 688 mm tended, 533 mm stock fold- stroke piston, rotating bolt tachable STANAG box • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm ed • Rate of fire: 625 rpm magazine NATO • Rate of fire: 850 rpm • Feed system: 30 round de- • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Effective firing range: 300 • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- • Effective firing range: 5000 tachable STANAG box NATO metres ing bolt metres magazine • Action: Gas-operated long- • Feed system: 20 round de- 50 51 head to head head to head

3. China 2. Russia Total military personnel – 2,545,000 Total military personnel – 3,586,128

QBZ-95 AK-74M Standard service rifle used by Main service rifle of Russian the PLA. Ground Forces. It is an im- proved AK-74 with a synthetic • Manufacturer: Norinco folding stock • Weight: 3.25 kg • Length: 745 mm • Manufacturer: Tula Arms • Cartridge: 5.8×42 mm Plant DBP87 • Rate of fire: 650 rpm • Feed system: 30 round de- • Weight: 2.7 kg • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- • Feed system: 20 or 30 round • Action: Short-stroke piston, • Effective firing range: 400 tachable box magazine; 75 • Length: 950 mm with stock ing bolt AK-74 or 45 round RPK-74 rotating bolt metres round detachable drum extended, 725 mm with • Rate of fire: 700-735 rpm detachable box magazine or stock folded • Effective firing range: 300- 60 round casket magazine • Cartridge: 5.45×39 mm 400 metres QBZ-03 AK-12 In service with second line It has been adopted by the PLAGF units. Russian Ground Forces in Jan- uary 2018 under the Ratnik • Manufacturer: Norinco program. • Weight: 3.5 kg • Length: 950 mm with stock • Manufacturer: Kalashnikov extended, 725 mm with Concern stock folded • Weight: 3.3 kg ing bolt metres • Action: Gas-operated, long 600 metres • Cartridge: 5.8×42 mm • Length: 945 mm with stock • Rate of fire: 700-750 rpm • Feed system: 30 round de- stroke gas piston, rotating • Feed system: 30 round de- DBP87 extended, 725 mm with • Effective firing range: 500 tachable box magazine bolt tachable box magazine, 60 • Action: Gas operated, rotat- stock folded • Rate of fire: 600-700 rpm round casket magazine, 96 • Cartridge: 5.45×39 mm • Effective firing range: 500- round drum magazine

AK-15 QBZ-95B It has been adopted by the Short version of the QBZ-95, Russian Ground Forces in Jan- used by Special Forces. uary 2018 under the Ratnik program. • Manufacturer: Norinco • Weight: 2.9 kg • Manufacturer: Kalashnikov • Length: 609 mm Concern • Cartridge: 5.8×42 mm • Weight: 3.3 kg • Action: Gas-operated, long 600 metres DBP87 • Effective firing range: 400 round detachable drum • Length: 945 mm with stock stroke gas piston, rotating • Feed system: 30 round de- • Action: Short-stroke piston, metres extended, 725 mm with bolt tachable box magazine, 60 rotating bolt • Feed system: 30 round de- stock folded • Rate of fire: 600-700 rpm round casket magazine, 96 • Rate of fire: 800 rpm tachable box magazine; 75 • Cartridge: 7.62×39 mm • Effective firing range: 500- round drum magazine 52 53 head to head head to head

AN-94 Heckler & Koch HK416 Limited usage by special Used by Delta Force. forces units and the 51st Air- borne Regiment. • Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch • Manufacturer: Izhmash • Weight: 2.950–3.850 kg • Weight: 3.85 kg • Length: 690–1,037 mm • Length: 943 mm with stock stock extended extended, 728 mm with • Rate of fire: 600 rpm AK-74 compatible box • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 850 rpm round detachable STANAG stock folded • Effective firing range: 700 magazines; 60 round casket NATO • Effective firing range: 300 magazine; 100-round de- • Cartridge: 5.45×39 mm metres magazines • Action: Gas-operated short- metres tachable Beta C-Mag • Action: Gas-operated • Feed system: 30 or 45 round stroke piston, rotating bolt • Feed system: 10, 20, 30 SIG MCX Used by Joint Special Opera- 1. United States tions Command. Total military personnel – 4,397,128 • Manufacturer: SIG Sauer • Weight: 2.61 kg M16 • Length: 730 mm stock fold- Standard service rifle. ed, 908 mm stock unfolded • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 900 rpm tachable STANAG box • Manufacturer: Colt’s Man- NATO • Effective firing range: 503 magazine ufacturing Company • Action: Short-stroke gas-op- metres • Weight: 3.4 kg erated piston, rotating bolt • Feed system: 30 round de- • Length: 1,003 mm • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm The Heckler & Koch HK416 is gaining popularity with NATO • Effective firing range: 550 ble box magazine; 30 round many armed forces around the world. • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- metres detachable box magazine; ing bolt • Feed system: STANAG Beta C-Mag 100 • Rate of fire: 700-950 rpm magazine 20 round detacha-

M4 Standard service rifle, replac- ing the M16.

• Manufacturer: Colt’s Man- ufacturing Company • Weight: 3.01 kg • Length: 838 mm • Cartridge: 5.56×45 mm • Rate of fire: 700-950 rpm magazine or other STANAG NATO • Effective firing range: 500 magazines • Action: Gas-operated, rotat- metres ing bolt • Feed system: 30 round box 54 55 Famous figures in military history Famous figures in military history

himself in politics, soldiering volving younger officers such 1943, for his unit’s distin- Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich was Dietrich’s goal, and he as Max Wünsche and Rudolf guished role in the Kharkov Veteran of World War I, SS Commander in World War II, Adolf Hitler’s chauffeur and body- was able to attain a semi-mil- Lehmann, proved highly suc- campaign. guard, and German politician. While respected and admired by many, others had a different itary status by heading Hitler’s cessful. While Dietrich served After this, during the late opinion. This was Sepp Dietrich bodyguard detachment from as a public figure, and often spring of 1943, Dietrich left 1929 onward. personally intervened in com- his division to begin form- Josef “Sepp” Dietrich was cipients to fight in the Second He gained additional military With the National Socialist bat at crisis spots, his staff of- ing the headquarters of the I born on 28 May 1892 in Ha- World War. experience by simultaneously ascension to power on 30 Jan- ficers quietly directed the mili- SS-Panzer Corps Leibstan- wangen, near Memmingen in He was promoted to Gef- joining the Freikorps “Ober- uary 1933, this force was reor- tary operations of the unit. darte, which was to include the Kingdom of Bavaria, Ger- reiter (corporal) in 1917 and land.” He took leave from his ganized on 17 March, with 117 Dietrich, seemingly a flawed the SS-LAH and its new sister man Empire. awarded the Iron Cross 2nd police duties at various times carefully selected volunteers leader from an outside point division, SS Hitlerjugend. There is not much informa- class. In 1918 he was promot- to join the Freikorps on cam- forming the SS-Staff Guard of view, always received the Heer (Army) staff officer tion on his early life but it is ed to Unteroffizier (sergeant). paigns, including fighting the “Berlin.” highest admiration and respect Fritz Kraemer transferred to known that he left primary Last Bavarian army record Poles in Upper Silesia. This was the origin of the from the men of the SS-LAH, the Waffen-SS to become the school to become a butcher’s lists Dietrich as recipient of Dietrich was with the Freiko- unit which expanded through- with many of his subordinate corps chief of staff, and he apprentice. Iron Cross 1st class. rps when it participated in the out 1933, and on 13 April commanders having served in and Dietrich developed a fine In 1911 he joined the Bavar- 9 November 1923, “Beer Hall 1934, received the title “Leib- the unit since 1933. working relationship. ian Army with the 4. Bayer- Interwar period Putsch” in Munich, and this standarte Adolf Hitler” (LAN). They recognized his limita- The corps fought in Nor- ische Feldartillerie-Regiment After the war, in 1919, Diet- doesn’t seem to have damaged Later that year, the force was tions but never questioned his mandy from June 1944, and “König” (4th Bavarian Field rich joined the Bavarian Police his civil career, as he was pro- ordered to take part in the mur- personal courage, demonstrat- Dietrich was awarded the Di- Artillery Regiment) in Augs- and rose rapidly in rank due to moted to police captain the der of SA leaders during the ed in both wars, and appreci- amonds to his Knight’s Cross burg. his experience as an NCO dur- next year. “Night of the Long Knives. ated the constant concern he with Swords and Oakleaves on ing the war. From this early start, Diet- Dietrich had gained first-hand showed for the welfare of his 6 August 1944. This was the World War I rich became acquainted with experience of the darker side men. second and final such decora- At some stage Dietrich left many leading Nazi party per- of Nazi politics. His admirers were quick to tion within the Waffen-SS. the Bavarian Army but re- sonalities, although he didn’t point out that Dietrich was Days earlier, on 1 August, turned to service in August join the NSDAP until 1 May World War II the living embodiment of the he had joined Hausser as the 1914, fighting with several 1928, becoming an SS member The SS-LAH developed into traditional Prussian system in second Waffen-SS man to artillery units. four days later. a motorized infantry regiment, which a revered commander attain the rank of SS-(Four- During the spring of He had left the police dur- but it was soon apparent that such as Blücher or Hindenburg Star) General (SS-Oberstgrup- 1918, he served in one ing 1927, and forged a new Dietrich’s leadership qualities owed his success to his chief of penführer). In recognition of of the only German career as an SS leader and far exceeded his tactical abil- staff. his lengthy experience in ar- units equipped with National Socialist politi- ities. Dietrich commanded the SS- moured warfare, his military German-made A7V cian (gaining a seat in He was a proud man, and it LAH as a reinforced regiment SS rank was honorarily listed tanks, before fin- the Reichstag from took until 1938 before he ac- in Poland and France. It was as “Panzer-Generaloberst der ishing the war as 1932-1945). cepted the outside influence small division by the time it Waffen-SS.” a crewman with In his free time, of Hausser to bring the pa- fought in Greece and then the Dietrich took command of captured British he indulged his rade-perfect SS-LAH to a state Soviet Union during 1941. the Heer 5th Panzer Army in tanks. passions of of combat competence. He won the Knight’s Cross Normandy on 9 August 1944. Dietrich hunting and Highly-experienced profes- on 5 July 1940, and the Oak- A month later, on 14 Septem- earned the rare auto racing, sional officers were assigned leaves to it on the last day of ber, he was ordered to form the First World earning a to assist Dietrich for the re- 1941. During 1942, SSLAH 6th Panzer Army, based around War Tank reputation as mainder of the war, beginning expanded into a full armoured the I and II SS-Panzer Corps. Combat a sportsman. with Willi Bittrich and Wil- division, and Dietrich won the Kraemer joined him again as Badge, and Even as he helm Keilhaus. Swords to his Knight’s Cross chief of staff for the rest of the was one of immersed This arrangement, later in- with Oakleaves on 16 March war, as the army, retitled the the few re- 56 57 Famous figures in military history Military 6th SS-Panzer Army, fought in victory”. of war. the Ardennes and then in Hun- Once Dietrich was promoted Due to testimony in his de- gary. to a Corps command he was fence by other German officers, Despatches In March 1945 Dietrich’s 6th at least assisted by competent his sentence was shortened to Panzer Army and the LSSAH staff officers transferred from 25 years. He was imprisoned spearheaded Operation Spring the army; still, the army com- at the Landsberg Prison in Ba- Website Awakening, an offensive in mand had to take some pains to varia. Dietrich served only ten Hungary near Lake Balaton keep him in line. years and was released on pa- aimed at securing the last oil By 1944 there were clear role on 22 October 1955. reserves still available to Ger- signs that he had been elevat- He was re-arrested in Lud- “Things don’t have to many. ed above his military compe- wigsburg in August 1956. He change the world to be Despite early gains, the of- tence. He reportedly had never was charged by the Landgeri- important.” fensive was too ambitious in been taught how to read a mil- cht München I and tried from 6 scope and failed. After that itary map. Field Marshal Gerd to 14 May 1957 for his role in Steve Jobs failure, the 6th SS Panzer von Rundstedt considered him the killing of SA leaders during Army (and LSSAH) retreated to be “decent but stupid” and the Night of the Long Knives to the Vienna area. was especially critical of Di- in 1934. As a mark of disgrace, the etrich’s handling of the 6th He was sentenced to 19 Waffen-SS units involved in Panzer Army in the Ardennes. months for his part in that the battle were ordered by Hit- Even Dietrich’s principal staff purge and returned to the U.S. ler to remove their treasured officer conceded that he was military prison at Landsberg. cuff titles. Dietrich did not re- “no strategic genius”. He was released due to a lay the order to his troops. Dietrich’s long, personal ac- heart condition and circulation Shortly thereafter, Dietrich’s quaintance with Hitler allowed problems in his legs on 2 Feb- troops were forced to retreat him to be more frank than oth- ruary 1958. By then he had al- Our aim is to make the Military Despatches website easy to use. Even more important to us, we from Vienna by Soviet Army er senior officers in his inter- ready served almost his entire want to make the website informative and interesting. The latest edition of the magazine will be forces. Dietrich, accompanied actions with Hitler. He was 19 month sentence. available, as will all the previous editions. More over, there will be links to videos, websites, and by his wife, surrendered on 9 reported by a fellow general to articles that our readers may find interesting. So check out the website, bookmark it, and pass the May 1945 to the U.S. 36th In- have “railed against the Führ- Later life URL on to everyone that you think may be interested. fantry Division in Austria. er and [his] entourage” with Upon his release from prison promises to let Hitler know he took an active part in the ac- Assessment that he was “leading us all to tivities of HIAG, an organiza- Have you checked out the bookshelf on Dietrich had the complete destruction”. tion and lobby group of former the website? Here you can open and read confidence of the Führer be- Waffen-SS members. Found- individual articles on screen with no need cause of his plain-speaking War Crimes ed by former high-ranking to download anything. loyalty; the old political fighter Dietrich was tried as Defend- Waffen-SS personnel, it cam- was one of Hitler’s favourites. ant No. 11 by the U.S. Military paigned for the legal, econom- He therefore enjoyed much Tribunal at Dachau (“United ic and historical rehabilitation You will find articles on numerous differ- lavish publicity, numerous States of America vs. Valentin of the Waffen-SS, with limited ent topics that have been published over decorations and a rapid series Bersin et al.”, Case No. 6-24), success. the past two years as well as video clips of promotions. from 16 May 1946 until 16 On 21 April 1966 Dietrich and documentaries. Dietrich often took gam- July 1946. died of a heart attack. He was bles, much to the dislike of the On that day he was sen- 74 years old. Six thousand peo- OKW, such as when he sent the tenced to life imprisonment ple, including many former SS Leibstandarte division “charg- in the Malmedy massacre trial men, attended his funeral. ing into Rostov” without or- for his involvement in ordering ders “purely to gain a prestige the execution of U.S. prisoners 58 00 Forged in hen the Germans tank generation, already being M3 was being rushed into pro- invaded France in produced in prototype form, duction, a new design of medi- battle WMay 1940 the conse- was armed with only a 37 mm um tank with a turret-mounted quent tank actions were closely gun of the type already seen to 75 mm main gun was being observed by various US Army be obsolete. pushed through the drawing M4 Sherman Tank agencies. The new design became the board stages. From their observations the Medium Tank M3, and was To save time this was to use Americans learned that the rushed into mass production in the same basic hull and suspen- Although nicknamed the ‘Tom- next generation of medium a factory meant for the earlier sion as the M3, but the upper mycooker’, ‘Ronson’ and ‘The tanks had to have at least a 75 M2. hull was revised to ac- Burning Grave’, the M4 Sher- mm gun as their main arma- While the Medi- man was the most widely used commodate the gun tur- medium tank by the United ment, but this presented them um Tank ret. States and Western Allies in with problems as their next The first example of World War II. It proved to be the new tank was rolled out in reliable, relatively cheap to September 1941 as the Medi- produce, and available in great um Tank T6 and proved to be a numbers. very good design. The upper hull was cast, and this not only provided added protection but sped up produc- tion, at that time a definite as- set. The new weapon was rushed into production as the Medi- um Tank M4, with a 75 mm main gun and co-ax- ial 7.62 mm ma-

60 61 chine-gun, 7.62 mm bow gun known of these was the 1944 gained several nicknames. The Germans fielded up to and 12.7 mm gun for anti-air- Sherman Firefly, which had a The Germans nicknamed the M4 Sherman Tank 1,835 Tiger and King Tiger craft defence. 17-pdr main gun. M4 the ‘Tommycooker”. Tom- tanks. The problem for them This baseline model had The first Shermans went into my was the German nickname was that they were up against minimum and maximum ar- action with the British at El for a British soldier. some 40,000 Allied Shermans. mour thickness’s of 15 mm and Alamein in October 1942. The British nicknamed it the It also helped that the Al- 76 mm respectively. Thereafter the Sherman was ‘Ronson”. The Ronson was a lied air forces enjoyed a huge It proved to be an excellent the most numerous tank in Brit- popular cigarette lighter than, aerial superiority over the vir- fighting platform and went on ish army service for the rest of in their ads, guaranteed to tually beaten German Luft- to be one of the war-winning World War II. “light up the first time, every waffe. Working in tandem with weapons of the Allies, being time.” well-coordinated Allied infan- constructed in thousands. Drawbacks Even the Free Poles had a try, artillery, and air forces, the By the time the production The M4 had many draw- nickname for the M4. They plentiful and trusty Shermans lines stopped rolling in 1945 backs and was far from being called it “The Burning Grave”. • Designer: U.S. Army Ord- • Secondary armament: .50 were able to vanquish most well over 40,000 had been the ideal battle tank. It was It was in the summer of nance Department calibre Browning M2HB German armoured formations made, and the type was built in often left behind in firepower 1944, in the fields and hedge- • Designed: 1940 (300–600 simply by ganging up on them a bewildering array of marks, as the German tank guns in- rows of Normandy, that the M4 • Manufacturer: Ameri- rounds), 2×.30 calibre in overwhelming numbers sub-marks and variants of all creased in power and calibre, Sherman would face its biggest can Locomotive Compa- Browning M1919A4 ma- when all else failed. kinds. and the armour thickness’s and challenge against far superior ny, Baldwin Locomotive chine guns (6,000–6,750 It would take a magazine on arrangement were frequently German armour. Works, Detroit Tank Arse- rounds) Post World War II its own to even attempt a com- found wanting. First up was the German Pan- nal, and various others • Engine: Continental R975 While the U.S. Army re- plete listing of all the numerous Indeed many field improvi- zer V, also known as the Pan- • Weight: , 30.3–38.1 tonnes -C1 or -C4 9 cylinder radi- placed the M4 in 1957, it still versions, but suffice to say that sations had to be used to beef ther. It is considered one of the • Length: 5.84 metres al gasoline engine, 350 or remained in service with a once in service the M4 series up the armour, these including best tanks of World War II for • Width: 2.62 metres 400 hp (261 or 298 kW) at number of other countries. In was fitted with different, more the simple expedient of using its excellent firepower and pro- • Height: 2.74 metres 2,400 rpm fact 42 other countries used the powerful engines, up-gunned stacked sandbags. tection, although its reliability • Crew: 5 (commander, gun- • Transmission: Spicer man- M4. to even more powerful 75 mm, The silhouette was too high was less impressive. ner, loader, driver, assis- ual synchromesh transmis- Post World War II the M4 76 mm, and even 105mm main for comfort and the interior ar- It used the 7.5 cm KwK 42 tant driver/bow gunner) sion, 5 forward and 1 re- saw action in Korea, the Mid- weapons, and developed into rangements far from perfect. L/70 main gun and its armour • Armour: 12.7 mm mini- verse gears dle East, Greece, India-Paki- numerous ‘specials’ such as Another problem frequent- was up to 100 mm thick. With mum, up to a maximum of • Suspension: Vertical volute stan, South America and Afri- engineer tanks, assault tanks, ly encountered was that with a speed of 55 km/h it was also 177.8 mm spring suspension (VVSS) ca. The last time the M4 was tank destroyers, flamethrow- so many variants in use spares much faster than the Sherman. • Main armament: 75 mm or horizontal volute spring used in action was during the ers, bridging tanks, recovery were often not available and The Germans has as many as gun M3 (90–104 rounds), suspension (HVSS) Iran–Iraq War from 1980 to vehicles, rocket launchers, engine interchangeability was 4.800 Panthers deployed. or 76 mm gun M1A1, • Fuel capacity: 522 litres 1983. self-propelled artillery carriag- frequently impossible, causing Even more impressive was M1A1C, or M1A2 (71 • Operational range: 161 While it may never have been es, anti-mine vehicles and so considerable logistical trou- the Panzerkampfwagen VI Ti- rounds), or 105 mm how- kilometres on road the best tank of the war, the M4 on, which were produced from bles. ger Ausf. E often shortened to itzer M4 (66 rounds) • Speed: 35 km/h on road Sherman was the most widely scratch or improvised in the One of the main problems Tiger. used medium tank by the Unit- field. with the M4 was that it made The Tiger I gave the German ed States and Western Allies. It Gradually the M4 series be- use of gasoline engines. Pet- Army its first armoured fight- proved to be reliable, relatively came the T-34 of the Western rol is far more flammable than ing vehicle that mounted the vanquish the Shermans with tion of the Tiger I was phased cheap to produce, and availa- Allies. The pur- diesel, which most other tanks 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (not to impunity from greater distanc- out in favour of the Tiger II. ble in great numbers. chased large numbers of M4s used. be confused with the 8.8 cm es. Named the Panzerkampfwa- It was, for the Western Al- or took them over as part of the This meant that the M4 Flak 36), a main gun that could Another drawback was that, gen Tiger Ausf. B, it was also lies, the tank that helped defeat Lend-Lease programme. would often ignite and burst knock out any armoured target. unlike the German tanks and known as the Königstiger or Germany. Besides that, it was a To the British the M4 was the into flames went it received a The Sherman’s 75mm and the Soviet-built T-34 medium King Tiger. weapon that was forged in bat- General Sherman (or simply direct hit, offering the crew lit- 76mm guns just could not tank, the Sherman made a far Armed with the 8.8 cm KwK tle. Sherman) and they too added tle chance to bail out. pierce the mighty Tiger tank’s more visible target in combat 43 L/71 and up to 185 mm of their variations to the long list Because of its propensity to frontal armour even at short because of its height. armour, it was a formidable of M4 specials. ne of the best catch fire, the Sherman soon range while the latter could After August 1944, produc- weapon. 62 63 M4 Sherman Tank 1 2 3 4 5 6

7

30 8

9

29 10 11 12 13 14 28

27

26

25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15

1. Lifting ring 9. Turret 17. Radiator 25. Main drive sprocket 2. Ventilator 10. Air cleaner 18. Generator 26. M1919A4 machine gun 3. Turret hatch 11. Radiator filler cover 19. Rear propeller shaft 27. Driver’s seat 4. Periscope 12. Air cleaner manifold 20. Turret basket 28. Machine gunner’s seat 5. Turret hatch race 13. Power unit 21. Slip ring 29. Drivers hatch 6. Turret seat 14. Exhaust pipe 22. Front propeller shaft 30. 75 mm gun 7. Gunner’s seat 15. Track idler 23. Suspension bogie 8. Turret seat 16. Single water pump 24. Transmission 64 65 In September 1942 a group of 10 British commandos Makeham and Fred Trigg. The boat was trailing them. The Resting in their hideout for and two Norwegians carried out a raid on a power plant two Norwegian corporals were boat crash-dived but this sight- the following day, the com- in Norway. While the mission was a success, only four of Erling Djupdraet and Sverre ing does not appear to have mandos went over their plan of battlefield the raiders would ever make it back home. Granlund. compromised the operation. attack and withdrawal from the Before leaving for Norway, The commander of the raid, area. They left their encamp- the team trained for a fortnight Captain Black, had decided ment at 20h00 on 17 Septem- on a large country estate in against a frontal assault since ber, to begin the attack. fter the British Expeditionary Force plant, south of Narvik, which Scotland. During the planning he suspected any German de- On their approach they de- had been evacuated from Dunkirk in supplied an aluminium plant in the commandos were supposed fences would expect one. The tected a small craft on the fjord. Operation Dynamo in 1940, the Prime the area. A to be picked up after the raid by submarine entered the Bja- Fearing they would be spotted, Minister Winston Churchill called for a force Glomfjord power station O a Short Sunderland flying boat erangsfjord just south of Glom- they decided to postpone the to be assembled and equipped to inflict casu- was built at the end of Glom- but this was cancelled before fjord on 15 September. action and return to camp. alties on the Germans and bolster British mo- fjord in 1918 on a plateau p the mission, due to the risk to By dawn they had not been rale. dropping straight down to the the aircraft and the party was The Raid able to reach their hideout; Churchill told the joint Chiefs of Staff to sea. The plant comprised three e to head for neutral in- The submarine settled on the while they were in an exposed propose measures for an offensive against buildings, the longest was the stead. bottom of the fjord until dark- location they still decided it German-occupied Europe, “They must be machinery hall, the middle r Each man was issued with ness and surfaced at 21h15 to would be best to stay put until prepared with specially trained troops of the building housed the control special equipment, including a put the commandos ashore by nightfall. hunter class who can develop a reign of terror room and offices and the last a silk map of Norway and Swe- dinghy. Reaching their hideout again down the enemy coast”. building was three-storeys and den, a rice paper map of Russia Reaching the shore, they hid on the night of the 18th. At this A staff officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley known as the apparatus house. t and Norwegian Kroner notes. their dinghy under some stones point however, the commandos Clarke, had submitted a proposal to General It was a hydroelectric power They also carried two compass- and moss, then set out across were running short on supplies Sir John Dill, the Chief of the Imperial Gener- station supplied by two water i es (one sewn into each collar the mountains to Glomfjord, and Black ordered the attack al Staff, who approved Clarke’s proposal. pipes coming down the moun- tab) a hacksaw blade, a fighting reaching the Black Glacier un- to proceed the following night, Three weeks later, the first commando raid tain from inland lakes. Apart o knife and a Colt . detected. 19/20 September, no matter took place. The raiders failed to gather any in- from the aluminium factory, The only other small arm tak- Houghton and Granlund, a what. telligence or damage any German equipment the station supplied power to n en was a suppressed Sten gun, Norwegian, went ahead to rec- The commandos were di- but killed two German sentries. local villages. carried by Captain Houghton. onnoitre the area before the vided into two groups for the No. 2 Commando was a commando unit of party began to climb the moun- attack. One group consisting the British Army. The original No. 2 Com- The Mission Travelling to the target tain. of Lance Sergeant O’Brien, mando, unlike the other commando units, was Two officers and eight men To transport the raiders across At one stage they had to trav- Lance Bombardier Chudley formed from British volunteers and was al- from No. 2 Commando and the North Sea, a Minerve-class erse a near vertical rock face and Private Curtis were to at- ways intended to be a parachute unit. two Norwegian corporals from M submarine, Junon, belonging before reaching the summit. tack two high-pressure water On 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando was the Norwegian Independent to the Free French Navy was The commandos did not know pipes 2.1 metres in diameter, turned over to parachute duties and on 21 No- Company 1, part of the Special u used, under the command of that their presence was sus- leading from the top of the vember, was renamed the 11th Special Air Operations Executive were se- Commander Querville. pected. mountain into the plant. Service Battalion and eventually 1st Parachute lected for Operation Muske- s Junon was selected because A German topographical Reaching their objective, Battalion. toon. in silhouette it had the ap- party was in the area and its they planted plastic explosives After its renaming as the 11th Special Air The raid was commanded by k pearance of a German U-boat, commander, Leutnant Wilhelm in a round pattern to blow a Service Battalion, a second No. 2 Commando Captain Graeme Black, from which could be advantageous Dehne, had spotted some un- 0.91 metre hole in the pipes. was formed. This new No. 2 Commando was Ontario in Canada and the e if sighted on the surface. identified figures above the Attaching a 30-minute de- under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Au- second in command, Captain The submarine left the Ork- Glomfjord. Later he discov- layed fuse, they waited to hear gustus Charles Newman. Joseph Houghton. The other t ney Islands at 11h40 on 11 ered some Player’s cigarette the sound of explosives going Their first action was when two Troops sup- men from No. 2 Commando September 1942, under escort packs and the remains of a off inside the plant, which was ported No. 3 Commando in the Vaagso Raid were Company Sergeant Major o in British waters by HMS Stur- camp. the signal to activate their fuse. (Operation Archery) in , fol- Miller Smith, Lance Sergeant geon, Tigris and Thunderbolt. Fortunately for the comman- The other nine commandos lowed by the St Nazaire Raid in March 1942. Richard O’Brien, Lance Bom- o Junon crossed the North Sea dos, his route back to Glom- had set out for the rear of the The next action involving men of No. 2 bardier William Chudley and undetected and near Glom- fjord took him away from their power plant; seven entered the Commando was Operation Musketoon. The privates John Fairclough, Cyr- n fjord, rose to periscope depth new camp overlooking the machinery hall, leaving two objective was to destroy the Glomfjord power il Abram, Eric Curtis, Reginald and discovered that a fishing power station. commandos on guard. 66 67 The commandos in the pow- By this time the commandos in the dark at the same time as awarded Military Medals. er station discovered that the in the station had set their plas- Houghton and the other Nor- Granlund was killed in Feb- Germans had left the control tic explosives with 10-minute wegian, Djupdraet. ruary 1943, along with one room and only a Norwegian delay fuses on both turbines Unknowingly while Gran- British and four Norwegian engineer was on duty. and generators. lund had been away two Ger- commandos as part of Opera- Sergeant Smith and Private mans had arrived at the hut tion Seagull, when the Norwe- Fairclough were detailed to Capture and were busy questioning gian submarine HNoMS Uredd plant their explosives amongst Upon hearing the explosions the occupants. In the ensuing sank off the Norwegian coast. the machinery in the power at the power plant, O’Brien’s fight, one of the Germans was Trigg was killed in Italy and house and the other comman- group detonated their explo- killed and the other wounded. is buried at the Cassino memo- dos located the area where the sives and both groups withdrew Djupdraet was also wounded, rial; O’Brien and Fairclough Norwegian work force worked to the hills, just as German re- stabbed in the stomach with a survived the war. and slept. inforcements were arriving at bayonet. On 15 November 1945, Black The workers were gathered the plant. The remaining commandos was awarded the Distinguished up and ordered to leave the sta- The Germans were unwill- arrived at the scene and admin- COMMANDOES: A group of British commandos after returning Service Order and Houghton tion via an access tunnel over ing to enter the tunnel, fearing istered first aid to Djupdraet. from a raid. the backdated 1.6 kilometres long, which was it might be booby trapped and His wound was so severe ley, Curtis, Abram and Make- headquarters in Berlin, where to 22 November 1942. the only land route between the used boats belonging to the vil- that they decided to leave him ham, took the southern route. they were interrogated one Black and Houghton and the station and the villages in the lagers to bypass the tunnel and behind to get treatment. The second group were dis- by one by Obergruppenführer other five men of Operation fjord. reach the station. The remaining commandos covered by the Germans who Heinrich Müller. Musketoon are commemorated On their approach to the tun- Granlund had pressed on now split into two groups to opened fire, wounding Hought- They remained in Berlin un- on the Sachsenhausen Concen- nel, a German guard was killed ahead of the main group trying evade German search parties on in the right arm. Surround- til 22 October, when they were tration Camp memorial plaque by Granlund and another man- to find a foot bridge to aid their and made their way further up ed, they were forced to surren- taken to the Sachsenhausen and the Brookwood Memorial. aged to run off down the tunnel escape. He found a mountain the mountain. der. concentration camp. The Brookwood memorial to raise the alarm. hut occupied by three Norwe- One group, consisting of The O’Brien group split up, On the following day, 23 is for men and women of the As to delay German gians whom he asked for di- O’Brien, Granlund, Fairclough Granlund setting off by him- October, they were shot in the British and Commonwealth ar- reinforcements, the rections; the best they could do and Trigg, went north around self; they eventually reached back of the neck and their bod- mies who died during the Sec- commandos left was draw him a map. the mountains. The second Sweden without further in- ies cremated. ond World War and have no smoke bombs Granlund left to look again group of Black, Houghton, cident and all four were re- These commandos were the known grave. inside the tun- but returned to the hut soon Smith, Chud- patriated by aircraft to RAF first to die under the Comman- The German command- nel. after, being unable to find it Leuchars. do Order issued on 18 October er in Norway, Generaloberst Djupdraet died of his wounds 1942 by Adolf Hitler, which Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, was in hospital, three days after the called for the execution of all captured after the war and tried raid. The other seven prisoners captured commandos. by a British military court, for of war were sent to Germany. The official German story his part in carrying out the The unwounded prisoners given to the Red Cross was that . were sent to and the seven men had escaped and Found guilty on all eight put into the solitary confine- not been recaptured. charges of urging the forces ment, where Black managed to under his command to kill men make contact with Flight Lieu- Aftermath captured in commando raids tenant Dominic Bruce RAF The raid was considered a or handing prisoners of war (known as The Medium Sized great success as it seemed like- over to the Sicherheitsdienst Man) giving him and others ly that the power station would (SD) for execution, he was their names which were passed be closed for the duration of sentenced to death, which was on to MI5 in London. Bruce the war. later commuted to life impris- was the last British person to After returning to the Unit- onment. speak to Black; ed Kingdom and a debriefing, He was released in 1953 and died in 1968. The Glomfjord power station at the end of Glomfjord in Norway. On 13 October 1942 they O’Brien was awarded the Dis- were taken to the SS-Reichs- tinguished Conduct Medal and sicherheitshauptamt (RHSA) Trigg and Fairclough were 68 69 Gaming

The last timeAdmiral-General Supreme Commander O’Brien tried his hand at Blitzkrieg he lost badly. This time he manages to lose the entire war.

ast month I reviewed viet Union, during Case Blue. will be given a briefing as to Blitzkrieg Anthology, a And finally, the fourth chapter your objective or objectives. Lgame that was released is staged in the Ardennes during These are varied and can in- back in 2003. This month it’s the Battle of the Bulge, 1944. clude both offensive and defen- more of the same. The American campaign has sive missions. Two years after Blitzkrieg its first three chapters in the For example with an offen- was launched, Blitzkrieg II saw Pacific theatre, where you lead sive mission you may have to the light of day. It was the fol- your forces against the IJA (Im- break through an enemy strong low-up to the original game, perial Japanese Army) and IJN point, capture a bridge, and then and what a follow-up it was. (Imperial Japanese Navy) in a hold the bridge until reinforce- The graphics were improved number of missions beginning ments arrive. of reinforcements will be deter- by armour and infantry. I had Besides the original game, and many of the small bugs of shortly after the attack on Pearl A defensive mission may see mined by the mission. And you armour, infantry and anti-tanks Blitzkrieg II Anthology comes the original were ironed out. Harbour. The final chapter of you having to hold key points only get a certain amount of guns, all entrenched and dug in, with two add-ons - Fall Of The The game features many new the American campaign is set in and stop them falling into ene- reinforcements. Once those are to repel any attack. Reich and Liberation. features and units over its pre- the German Ruhr in 1945, dur- my hands. used that’s it. The enemy used long-range For the price, Blitzkrieg II is decessor. ing the invasion of Germany. In the American campaign You will have to plan your artillery to soften me up. Then a game well worth buying and Look, don’t expect the same The Soviet Campaign begins there is one mission where you missions carefully. If you’re us- used bombers and dive bomb- it will run on almost any com- graphic quality the you will get shortly after Operation Bar- have to capture Japanese coast- ing tracked armour, choose you ers to attack me from the air. I puter. from any of the modern games. barossa, going through the five al guns and then destroy patrol route carefully. Unsuitable ter- had not selected any anti-air- That being said, Blitzkrieg II is years of the war against Germa- boats sitting in the bay. The rain means that they could be- craft guns among my reinforce- still a great game to play. ny eventually ending with the problem is that you start with come bogged down or throw a ments. So I was unable to touch As in the original game you Soviet victory at the Battle of only a few elite airborne units track. This makes them sitting his aircraft which bombed me get to play three different cam- Berlin. At the end of each cam- that are parachuted into the targets. back into the stone age. paigns as either the Americans, paign, a short cinematic plays. map. It makes good sense to have The game can be played on Germans, or Soviet Union. Line of sight has been im- It’s basically a stealth mis- engineers close enough to as- various levels of difficulty. Each campaign is divided up proved in Blitzkrieg II. In other sion and if you are discovered sist. They can dig a vehicle There is also a versatile map into four chapters which, in to- words you can only see enemy you find yourself facing a supe- our if it becomes bogged down editor with which you can cre- tal, give you 68 different mis- that your units on the map can rior force that is heavily armed. and can replace thrown tracks. ate your own maps and individ- sions. see. If, for example, enemy in- In other words, if you are dis- Engineers can also clear mine ual battles. The German campaign be- fantry are hiding inside a build- covered it’s mission over - try fields. An added bonus is the mod gins in France, 1940, where the ing you will not be see them un- again. Another problem is that your editor. With this you can mod- player is put in command of til they open fire on you. At the start of each mission armour, artillery or even infan- ify units and vehicles, or even German offensive forces in an Likewise if enemy tanks or ar- you are given certain units to try units can run out of ammu- create your own. You can even effort to conquer France. Here, tillery is behind a building or on begin with. These could be ar- nition. So it’s not a bad idea to create your own missions and you may use the signature the other side of a hill you will mour, artillery, infantry or air- have some ammo trucks nearby campaigns, extending the play- Blitzkrieg strategy. The second only be able to see them when craft. You normally have the to resupply them. ability of the game. The good Publisher - Nival. chapter is set in the North Afri- your units can. This is where option of calling in reinforce- Choose your reinforcements news is that there are still a Genre - RTT ca Campaign, which ends with scouts and reconnaissance air- ments. But you can’t just call carefully. In one mission that I number of on-line websites Score - 8/10 played I had to defend two fac- where you can download quite the capture of by Axis craft can be invaluable. up whatever type of reinforce- Price - R55 (on Steam) forces. The third is in the So- At the start of a mission you ments you would like. The type tories. I was expecting an attack a number of mods. 70 71 Book Review Movie Flags of our Fathers Review Released: 2006 Running time: 132 minutes Directed by: Clint Eastwood Against All Odds n 4 August 1991 a rescue uation to the on-board entertain- ship is talking to a per- ers. lags of Our Fathers is a attack Mount Suribachi under Ira as the sixth man, even after Oson on the bridge of the Women and children clam- 2006 American war film a rain of Japanese artillery and Ira threatens to kill him for do- fast sinking Oceanos. bered aboard lifeboats which directed, co-produced, machine gun fire, as the Navy ing so. They are trying to establish the were launched into terrifying F position of the ship, but the per- seas, leaving their husbands be- and scored by Clint Eastwood bombards the mountain. Doc Doc, Ira, and Rene are sent and written by William Broyles saves the lives of several Ma- home as part of the seventh son has no idea. hind, unsure if they would see Jr. and Paul Haggis. rines under fire, which later bond tour. When they arrive to a “What is your rank,” the rescue each other again. After all the It is based on the 2000 book earns him the Navy Cross. The hero’s welcome in Washington, ship asks operational lifeboats had been of the same name written by mountain is eventually secured. DC, Doc notices that Hank’s “I’m the guitarist” utilised, 221 passengers and jun- James Bradley and Ron Pow- On February 23, the mother is on the list of mothers In August 1991, excited holi- ior crew were left stranded on the ers about the 1945 Battle of under command of Sergeant of the dead flag raisers. Ira an- day-makers boarded the Oceanos rapidly sinking ship. Iwo Jima, the five Marines and Hank Hansen reaches the top grily denounces the bond drive at East London for the trip of a During this catastrophe the one Navy corpsman who were of Mount Suribachi and hoists as a farce. The men are repri- lifetime. Despite treacherous em- involved in raising the flag on the United States flag to cheers manded and the three agree not weather, the captain ordered the barked on their biggest air rescue Iwo Jima, and the after effects from the beaches and the ships. to tell anyone that Hank was ship to set sail for Durban. And ever, with helicopter crews and of that event on their lives. Secretary of the Navy James not in the photograph. so began the ill-fated voyage. Navy divers risking everything As three US servicemen – Forrestal, who witnesses the After the war, the three survi- Hurricane force winds and gi- to evacuate the remaining pas- itime rescue in history. Marine Private First Class Ira flag raising as he lands on the vors return to their homes, each ant rogue waves aggravated the sengers. Five members of the SA Navy Hayes, Private First Class Rene beach, requests the flag for him- battling with their own personal hostile storm. Soon the ship start- In Against all Odds, maritime were decorated for their part in Gagnon, and Navy Corpsman self. Colonel Chandler Johnson demons. ed taking water. Panicked senior lawyer Andrew Pike recreates the the rescue. John “Doc” Bradley – are feted decides his 2nd Battalion de- A good movie, well worth crew members scrambled into compelling drama and extraordi- Paperback: 242 pages as heroes in a war bond drive, serves the flag more. Rene is watching. lifeboats leaving the ship’s evac- nary heroism of the greatest mar- Cost: R250 they reflect on their experiences sent up with Second Platoon to via flashback. replace the first flag with a sec- After training at Camp Tara- ond one for Forrestal to take. wa in Hawaii, the 28th Marine Mike, Doc, Ira, Rene, and two Regiment 5th Marine Division other Marines (Corporal Harlon sails to invade Iwo Jima. The Block and Private First Class Navy bombards suspected Jap- Franklin Sousley) are photo- anese positions for three days. graphed by Joe Rosenthal as The next day, February 19, they raise the second flag. Of 1945, the Marines land in Hig- the eight men in the squad, only gins boats and LVTs. The beach- three survive the battle: Doc, es are silent and Private First Ira, and Rene. Class Ralph “Iggy” Ignatowski After the battle, the press wonders if the defenders are all gets hold of Rosenthal’s pho- dead before Japanese heavy ar- tograph. It is a huge morale tillery and machine guns open booster and becomes famous. fire on the advancing Marines Rene is asked to name the six and the Navy ships. Casualties men in the photo; he identifies Border-line Insanity Bat out of Hell Total Onslaught are heavy, but the beaches are himself, Mike, Doc, and Frank- R300 R360 R600 secured. lin, but misidentifies Harlon as Click on the poster to watch a Two days later, the Marines Hank. Rene eventually names trailer of the film. All books are available from Bush War Books 72 73 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October Some of the significant military events that happened in October. Highlighted in blue are the lasting until 1941. con 5) crashed during an air • 1955 - Soviet battleship names of those members of the South African Defence Force (SADF) that lost their lives during the • 1941 - Operation Typhoon: show display at Lanseria. ‘Novorossiisk’ (ex-Italian month of October. Germans initiate an offen- He was 34. ‘Giulio Cesare’) mined in sive to take Moscow. • 1995 - Muziwendoda Mdluli the Baltic, many die. 1 October serves until 1993. in a military vehicle acci- • 1942 - Rabaul: U.S. air raid of the National Intelligence • 1977 - Rifleman Michiel • 1756 - Battle of Lobositz: • 1957 - B-52 bombers begin dent in Northern Owambo- damages Japanese light Agency is found shot dead Daniel Johannes Mentz from Prussians defeat the Austri- full-time flying alert in case land. He was 19. cruiser ‘Yubari’ and other in his car in Silverton, Pre- the 2nd Battalion Regiment ans. of USSR attack, which con- • 1983 - Rifleman Samuel shipping. toria. He was investigating Bloemspruit was Killed in • 1880- John Philip Sousa be- tinues until the early 1990s. Wilhelm van Rooyen from • 1943 - Japanese sub ‘Ro- the possible involvement of Action during a contact with comes director of the Ma- • 1958 - Captain A.P. Bar- Infantry School was critical- 103’ sinks USS ‘Henley’ fellow-agents in the failed SWAPO/PLAN insurgents rine Corps Band. nard from 1 Locating Bat- ly injured in a private motor (DD-391) off Finschhafen, Islands coup. near the Cut-line in North- • 1918 - British and Arab tery, South African Artillery vehicle accident near Cape New Guinea. • ern Owamboland. He was forces liberate Damascus was killed in a private mo- Town on the 29 September • 1944 - Polish “Warsaw Up- 31. from the Turks. tor vehicle accident between 1983 and succumbed to his rising” suppressed by the 3 October • 1977 - Signaler Michael Da- • 1936 - Francisco Franco Johannesburg and Potchef- injuries in the Tygerberg Nazis. • 1882 - German field mar- vid Bosch from the South named leader of Spanish stroom. He had been autho- Hospital on 1 October 1983. • 1984 - Rifleman M. Kam- shal Gunther von Kluge is African Corps of Signals Nationalists. rised to travel to Potchef- He was 18. wanga from 202 Battalion born on this day. was killed in a military ve- • 1938 - Hitler’s troops occu- stroom using his private • 1987 - Transkei Defense SWATF was Killed in Ac- • 1899 – During the Second hicle accident near Pretoria. pied the Sudetenland portion transport to attend an official Force topples Transkei tion during a contact with Anglo-Boer War the Brit- He was 18. of Czechoslovakia. In an ef- training course. He was 29. Bantustan leader George SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. ish War Office informs the • 1977 - Rifleman Gary John fort to avoid war, the leaders • 1974 - Staff Sergeant Wil- Matanzima, but denies coup. He was 22. White colonies that they can Fisher from the Army Ord- of Britain and France had lem Jacobus Burger from D • 1992 - The USS ‘Saratoga’ • 1988 - Large Turkish force contribute volunteers, pref- nance Corps died from an agreed to cede the German- Squadron, 2 Special Service (CV-60) accidentally fires raids Kurdish areas of Iraq. erably infantry. accidental gunshot wound speaking area to Hitler, who Battalion was accidentally missiles at a Turkish de- • 1990 - James Elvin Nicholas • 1904 - Indigenous races in to the head, apparently self- later broke the agreement shot dead by own forces in stroyer in the Aegean. Five Cruise was killed instantly German South-West Africa inflicted while he was sta- and occupied all of Czecho- an ambush 7 miles East of people are killed. and two others injured when rise against German troops. tioned at Messina. He was slovakia. Katima Mulilo at Hippo Is- he opened a parcel bomb • 1904 - France and Spain sign 21. • 1941 - The Royal New Zea- land, Eastern Caprivi. He 2 October that had been delivered to a treaty to divide Morocco. • 1979 - Captain (Navigator) land Navy is established. was 29. • 1187 - Saladin captures Je- the computer company in • 1910 - Adolph Gysbert Johannes Jacobus Strydom • 1942 - Maiden flight of the • 1976 - France confirms that rusalem, ending 88 years of Durban where he worked. (Sailor) Malan, SA fighter from 24 Squadron SAAF, Bell P-59 Airacomet, the it is selling two new combat Christian rule. It was known that the com- pilot during WWII and lat- attached to 5 Squadron Rho- first US jet fighter. submarines to South Africa, • 1851 - Marechel de France, pany worked with Trade er national president of the desian Air Force, was Killed • 1943 - Allied forces liberate to help SA to protect the oil Ferdinand Foch, is born. Unions and other anti-apart- Torch Commando, is born in Action together with his Naples. route round the Cape in the • 1895 - Colonel Ruth Cheney heid organisations. in Wellington. • 1946 - Twelve Nazi lead- face of Soviet naval escala- Streeter, USMC, first direc- • 1992 - Gunner Marlon Pat- • 1921 - The Unknown Sol- ers were sentenced to death tion in the Indian Ocean. tor of the USMC Women’s rick Dammert from 14 Ar- dier sails from France aboard at the International War • 1982 - Lance Corporal Ed- Reserve is born. tillery Regiment was killed USS ‘Olympia’. Crimes Tribunal in Nurem- mond Jaime Leon Guillau- • 1912 - Captain Eric Charles when his Troop Car- • 1928 - Accidental sinking of berg, Germany. me from the South African Twelves Wilson, Somalil- rier overturned at Nietver- the French submarine ‘On- • 1952 - The British colonial Medical Corps Headquar- and Camel Corps, is born diend after one of the tyres dine’, 42 die. government in Kenya en- ters Unit died after taking an on this day. He was awarded burst, causing the driver to • 1952 - Britain explodes its act emergency measures to overdose of pills while sta- a VC “Posthumously” but lose control. He was 20. first atom bomb on the Mon- combat the growing threat tioned in Grootfontein. He was later discovered to be a • 1993 - Captain Charles Ser- tebello Islands, Australia. from the Mau Mau. was 20. prisoner of war. gei Keith Rudnick from • 1955 - The USS ‘Forrestal’ • 1983 - Rifleman Quinton • 1935 - Mussolini’s Italian 85 Combat Flying School (CVA-59), the first super- Clive Oosthuizen from 203 troops invaded Abyssinia, was killed when his Atlas Sailor Malan carrier, is commissioned. It Battalion SWATF was killed beginning an occupation MB326M Impala Mk I (Fal- 74 75 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October

Rhodesian Air Force Pi- of Germany. • 1977 - Lieutenant John Mel- the greatest American Indi- moured Car overturned dur- watershed of Castiglione dei lot, Air Lieutenant Kevin • 1993 - At least twelve US ville Purdon from 11 Squad- ans, he was a powerful ora- ing military training exer- Pepoli in Italy, pushes for- Peinke when their Rhode- army soldiers are killed in ron was Reported Missing tor who defended his people cises at the General De Wet ward to take Monte Vigese sian Air Force Canberra was Mogadishu, the Somali cap- after his Cessna 185A failed against white settlement. Training Range. He was 18. and Monte Sanco during shot down by enemy Anti- ital, in a fifteen-hour battle to return from a routine low When the War of 1812 broke • 1976 - Corporal Marius Pi- World War II. Aircraft Fire while attacking with supporters of Somali level cross-country training out, he joined the British as eter De Swardt from the 1st • 1944 - Soviet troops enter enemy targets near Chimoio warlord General Moham- flight. The aircraft wreck a brigadier general and was Battalion Regiment De La Hungary and Czechoslova- in Mocambique during Op- med Farah Aidid. The in- was later located at Rys- killed at the Battle of the Rey was accidentally killed kia. eration Miracle. He was 28. cident becomes known as miersbult near Potchefst- Thames in Ontario. after being struck by a bullet • 1949 - “Tokyo Rose” (Iva • 1984 - Trooper I. Unkongo ‘Black Hawk Down’ after room and his body was suc- • 1863 - Torpedoboat CSS during a shooting incident at Toguri d’Aquino) was sen- from 202 Battalion SWATF two US Black Hawk heli- cessfully recovered. He was ‘David’ damages USS ‘New Grootfontein. He was 26. tenced in San Francisco to was killed in Action dur- copters were shot down. 22. Ironsides’ with a spar torpe- • 1977 - Rifleman Brian Alan 10 years imprisonment and ing a contact with SWAPO/ • 1983 - Rifleman Jan Igna- do off Charleston. Ross from the Rand Light fined $10,000 for treason. PLAN insurgents in South- 4 October tius Rigaard from Infantry • 1899 – During the Second Infantry was Killed in Ac- She had broadcast music ern . He was 20. • 1836 - Pieter Arnoldus (Piet) School was killed in a pri- Anglo-Boer War Western tion in a landmine explosion and Japanese propaganda to • 1985 - 21st Space Shuttle Cronjé, politician, military vate motor vehicle accident Australia offers military as- at a waterhole near Etale American troops in the Pa- Mission: ‘Atlantis’ makes leader and general during approximately 50km from sistance to Britain. Base in Northern Owambo- cific during World War II. the first all-military space Second Anglo-Boer War, is Murraysburg while travel- • 1943 - US aircraft & ships land. He was 21. She was pardoned by Presi- flight. born in Colesberg. ling on the Richmond to raid Japanese positions on • 1986 - Former U.S. Marine dent Gerald Ford in 1977. • 1986 - Soviet Yankee-class • 1903 - Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Beaufort West road. He was Wake Is, leading to the exe- Eugene Hasenfus was cap- • 1951 - Stalin announces sub sinks off North Caroli- Nazi criminal, who was ex- 20. cution of American civilians tured by Nicaraguan Sand- Russia has the atom bomb. na, three die. ecuted 1946, was born on • 1992 - The Mozambique held prisoner. inistas after a plane carrying • 1973 - The Egyptians and • 1987 - Sub Lieutenant this day. government and RENAMO • 1966 - The South African arms for the Nicaraguan reb- Syrians launch surprise at- Gavin John Sholto Douglas • 1939 - Last Polish troops rebel leaders sign an historic Military History Society is els (Contras) was shot down tacks on Israel on Yom Kip- from the Strikecraft SAS surrender to the Germans. peace accord, and a cease- formed. over Nicaragua. pur day, catching Israel al- P.W. Botha was killed dur- • 1940 - Adolf Hitler and fire to end the sixteen-year • 1969 - Cuban defector flies • 1986 - The London Times most totally by surprise. ing the 1987 floods in . Benito Mussolini meet at civil war in the southeast an MiG-17 undetected to reports Israel is stocking nu- • 1978 - Rifleman Anton He was 22. Brenner Pass in the Alps, African state. Homestead Air Force Base clear arms. Wicht Cloete from 11 Com- • 1987 - Lieutenant Adriaan where the Nazi leader seeks • 1993 - Russian tank-soldiers in America. mando Regiment was killed Hodgson Hind from “C” Italy’s help in fighting the loyal to President Boris • 1971 - The Prime Minister, 6 October when his Buffel Troop Car- Squadron 61 Mechanised British. Yeltsin shelled the Russian B.J. Vorster, announces at • 1935 - Italian troops capture rier overturned at Etale Battalion Group was Killed • 1943 - The Island of Corsica White House, crushing a the National Party Congress Adua, Abyssinia. Base. He was 18. in Action during Ops Mod- became the first French ter- hard-line Communist rebel- incidences on the border • 1939 - Hitler announces he ular when his Ratel 90 was ritory in Europe freed from lion. Yeltsin then fired Vice- of Zambia and the Caprivi had no intention of making hit by a 100mm round fired Nazi control as Free French president Alexander Rutskoi Strip. He reminds the Con- war on Britain and France. from a Russian T-55 tank. troops liberated the city of and jailed other opposition gress of his previous warn- • 1940 - During World War II He was 19. Bastia. leaders. ings that South Africa will in Europe, German troops • 1987 - General Magnus Ma- • 1944 - Aircraft off USS • 2013 – Vietnamese general not tolerate the incursion of invaded Romania to take lan acknowledges that South ‘Ranger’ (CV-4) raid Ger- and politician Võ Nguyên communist trained terrorists seize strategic oil fields. Africa has troops in Angola. man bases in Norway, sink Giáp died on this day at the into South African territory • 1943 - Himmler demands • 1989 - Panamanian De- or damage eight ships. age of 102. and that they will be pursued acceleration of the “Final fense Force attempts a coup • 1950 - The UN consents to to the land from where they Solution”. against Manuel Noriega. a US-backed invasion of 5 October came. • 1944 - The 6th SA Armoured • 1990 - After 45 years of North Korea. A squadron • 1816 - Shawnee Indian • 1973 - Trooper Daniel Pe- Division, having reached the Cold War division, East and of the SA Air Force formed Chief Tecumseh was defeat- trus Boshoff from 1 Spe- Boris Yeltsin West Germany were reunit- part of the ed and killed during the War cial Service Battalion was ed as the Federal Republic forces. of 1812. Regarded as one of killed when his Eland 90 Ar- 76 77 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October

• 1981 - Egyptian President • 1916 - Gefreiter Adolf Hit- • 1990 - Gulf War: Israel be- Guevara, 39, professional while on duty at a night road alry Division, cross the 38th Anwar Sadat is shot to death ler is wounded on the inner gins handing out gas masks revolutionary, is executed. block. He was 25. parallel in South Korea and by extremists while review- left thigh by a shell frag- to its citizens. • 1980 - Rifleman Gert Jo- • 1998 - Taliban forces from begin attacking northward ing a military parade, eleven ment during the Battle of the • 2001 - US invades Afghani- hannes Alwyn Barnard from Afghanistan raid Iranian towards the North Korean years and one day after his Somme. stan. 4 SAI attached to 37 Bat- border posts. capital of Pyongyang. A di- inauguration. At least eight • 1923 - Irma Grese, the • 2003 - At least one-fifth of talion suffered severe heat vision of the SA Air Force other people are also killed ´Witch of Belsen’, was born South Africa’s military is exhaustion and was to be 9 October participated in this war. in the attack. on this day. infected with the virus that medically evacuated at night • 1899 - Francis William Re- • 1962 - Algerian-Moroccan • 1982 - Lance Corporal Pe- • 1935 - causes AIDS, and Defence from Ruacana. He was load- itz, former president of the border fighting, 130 die. trus Johannes Jakobus De declares Italy the aggressor Minister Mosiuoa Lekota ed aboard a Kudu aircraft OFS and now Secretary of • 1963 - French air force gets Wee from the South Afri- in . states that ‘the South Afri- flown by Lieutenant Mel State in the ZAR, hands the nuclear weapons. can accidental- • 1940 - During World War II can National Defence Force Pienaar after the aircraft ultimatum, which result in • 1968 - Defence Minister PW ly drowned. His body was in Europe, German troops is no longer accepting HIV had been refueled. Shortly the outbreak of the Second Botha announces that a mis- eventually located and re- invaded Romania to take positive people into their after take-off, the aircraft Anglo-Boer War, to Sir Wil- sile base for experimental covered on 8 October 1982. seize strategic oil fields. ranks’. suffered total engine failure liam Conyngham Greene, tests and launchings is to be He was 20. • 1943 - U.S. carriers and and crashed. He was fatally the British Agent in Pretoria. established on the Zululand • 1986 - Major Benjamin cruisers raid Wake Island. 8 October injured and died 30 minutes • 1899 - Sir George White, coast about 150 miles north Terblanche from 51 Battal- • 1956 - Israeli foreign minis- • 1890 - American fighter pi- later. He was 20. who arrived in Cape Town of Durban. ion was critically wounded ter Golda Meir says the UN lot Ace Eddie Rickenbacker • 1982 - Captain William on 3 October and in Durban • 1974 - Oskar Schindler dies by shrapnel in a friendly failure to resolve the Suez was born in Columbus, Ohio Robert McIntosh from 4 Re- on 7 October, proceeds to at the age of 66. fire Mortar Bomb incident Crisis means they must take on this day. He commanded connaissance Regiment was Ladysmith, where he takes • 1978 - Sub-Lieutenant at Ruacana on 05 October military action. the first U.S. aero unit to accidentally killed when command over the British Christo Bosman from the 1986. He was evacuated to • 1971 - SWAPO claims it take part in World War I and his parachute failed to open forces in Natal. Mine- 1 Military Hospital in Pre- was not responsible for plac- was credited with 26 victo- during a practice jump at • 1914 - General Salomon sweeper SAS Walvisbaai toria but succumbed to his ing landmines in the Caprivi ries, becoming America’s Langebaan. He was 30. Gerhardus (Manie) Mar- was Reported Missing ap- wounds on 06 October 1986. Strip and that the guerril- leading Ace. He was award- • 1983 - Rifeman Klaas itz rebels against Gener- proximately 7 nautical miles He was 30. las were not operating from ed the Medal of Honour. Hausiku from 202 Battalion al Smuts’ order to invade West of while • 1994 – South African Na- Zambia, but from inside Na- • 1895 - Argentine soldier, SWATF was Killed in Ac- German South-West Afri- the vessel was carrying out tional Defence Force sol- mibia. putschist, president Juan tion during a contact with ca, goes over to enemy side minesweeping operations diers go on strike. • 1976 - Candidate Officer Peron was born on this day. SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. and hands over as prisoners up the West Coast. It ap- Charles Robert Dickens • 1912 - Montenegro declares He was 21. to the Germans those of his pears that his foot became 7 October from the School of Armour war on Turkey, initiating the • 1987 - Gunner Anthony men who remained loyal to entangled in a cable that was • 1854 - Gen. Christiaan Ru- was killed when his Eland First Balkan War. Wayne de Villiers of 4 SAI the SA government. holding a marker buoy and dolph de Wet, chief com- 90 Armoured Car overturned • 1916 - The German ‘U-53’ attached “Q” Battery was • 1914 - Germans capture mandant of the Free State while travelling on the road sinks five ships off Nantuck- accidentally killed during Antwerp, as Belgians & forces during Second An- between the De Brug Train- et. Ops Modular in Southern British withdraw. glo-Boer War, is born on the ing Area and . • 1918 - During World War Angola. He was 20. • 1915 - Belgrade surrenders farm Leeuwkop, near Smith- He was 18. I in the Argonne Forest in • 1987 - Trooper Frederick de to Austro-German forces. field, . • 1985 - Palestinian terrorists France, U.S. Sergeant Alvin Jager from 61 Mechanised • 1942 - Guadalcanal: Ma- • 1899 - Tension continues seized the Italian passenger C. York single-handed- Battalion Group was Killed rines encircle Japanese 4th between the British and the ship Achille Lauro carrying ly took out a German ma- in Action during Ops Modu- Inf Regt. in South Africa, and about 440 persons, threaten- chine-gun battalion, killing lar. He was 19. • 1950 - United Nations (UN) the British Army is ordered ing to blow it up if Israel did over a dozen and capturing • 1988 - Rifleman Moleko forces, led by the First Cav- to mobilise. not free 50 Palestinian pris- 132. He was later awarded Ivan Khumoeng from 21 • 1899 - Sir Redvers Buller is oners. Leon Klinghoffer, an the Medal of Honour and the Battalion was killed after Irma Grese appointed Commander-in- elderly wheelchair-bound French Croix de Guerre. being accidentally struck Chief in South Africa. American, was murdered. • 1967 - Ernesto “Che” by a Buffel Troop Carrier 78 79 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October he was dragged overboard. 10 October Hayton from the Infantry own bomb. This resulted in the tary vehicle accident on 25 Sep- • 1943 - Fifth Air Force be- He has no known grave and • 1896 - An attack by Rhode- School was killed in a pri- top secret “Manhattan Project.” tember 1989 16km outside Jan gins a series of air raids on remains unaccounted for. sian Colonial forces on the vate motor vehicle acci- 1944 - Japan announces it will Kempdorp while carrying out Rabaul. He was 24. major stronghold during the dent on the National Road “fight to the last man, woman, Military Police duties. He died • 1944 - German army with- • 1978 - Gunner Andre Johan Mashona Rebellion, Mash- approximately 20km from child, weapon, and piece of from his injuries at the Univer- draws from Athens. van der Bergh from 14 Ar- ayombe’s kraal, ends incon- Durban. He was 18. equipment.” sitas Hospital in Bloemfontein • 1963 - Air Corporal Her- tillery Regiment died in the clusive. Though the kraal • 1985 - US jet fighters force 1945 - Chinese civil war be- on 11 October 1989. He was 20. manus Pieter Bodenstein Katima Mulilo Sickbay after was destroyed and the rebels an Egyptian airliner carry- gins: Chiang Kai-Shek vs. Mao 1991 - Lance Corporal David from the School of Techni- contracting pneumonia. He scattered, they came togeth- ing hijackers of cruise ship Tse-Tung. John Boyd from Group 36 was cal Training died from head was 20. er again later. Achille Lauro to land in It- 1971 - Lewis “Chesty” Pull- killed in a military vehicle acci- injuries sustained in a pri- • 1982 - Applications for pa- • 1918 - British Gen. Sir Ed- aly, where the hijackers are er, iconic US Marine with five dent at Ladybrand. He was 19 vate motor vehicle accident role by the thirty-four mer- mund Allenby enters Jerusa- arrested. awards of the Navy Cross, plus 8km from Middelburg on cenaries involved in the lem, on foot. • 1988 - Rifleman Maphakela a DSC, dies on this day at the 12 October the Hendrina Road. He was Seychelles attempted coup • 1926 - Opening of SA War George Molokomme from age of 73. • 1851 - The Irish 69th Reg- 25. are refused. Most are due to Memorial at Delville Wood. 116 Battalion was killed in- 1982 - At the 1 SAI Mechanised iment is accepted into the • 1972 - Race riot aboard the be released in January 1983. • 1954 - Ho Chi Minh en- stantly at the 116 Battalion Leadership Wing at Oshivello, New York State . USS ‘Kitty Hawk’ (CV 63), • 1985 - General Constand tered Hanoi, Vietnam, after Training area at Messina af- soldiers were undergoing fa- • 1860 - British & French results in 46 injured. Viljoen, Chief of South Af- the withdrawal of French ter being struck by lightning miliarisation training on foreign troops capture Peking. • 1975 - Trooper David rica’s Armed Forces admits troops, in accordance with while sheltering under a tree weapons used by insurgents. • 1870 – American Civil War Barand Le Roux from 1 SSB on television that the mil- armistice terms ending the during a thunderstorm. He During one of these lectures, a General Robert E Lee dies at was Killed in Action when itary, without government seven-year struggle between was 27. soldier accidentally detonated the age of 63. his Eland 90 Armoured Car authority, has flaunted the Communist Vietnamese and • 1998 - Rebels use a missile a Soviet hand grenade killing • 1899 - The first shots of the detonated a landmine near Nkomati Accord by support- the French. to shoot down a jetliner car- five members. They were: Can- Second Anglo-Boer War are Luiana in Southern Angola ing RENAMO. • 1976 - Rifleman Richard rying forty civilians in east- didate Officer Casper Willem fired at Kraaipan, about 50 during Operation Karen 2 • 1985 - The hijackers of the Charles Palmer from the Na- ern Congo, claiming it was Johannes Geustyn (20). Can- kilometres south of Mafe- that was launched to clear Achille Lauro cruise liner tal Carbineers was acciden- ferrying government troops didate Officer Paul Stephanus king, where General De la SWAPO/PLAN bases in surrender after the ship ar- tally killed after suffering to the besieged town of Kin- Venter (19). Lance Corporal Rey attacks the armoured South-Eastern Angola prior rives in Port Said, Egypt. multiple shrapnel wounds du. Alan Rodger Jones (18). Lance train, Mosquito. Lieuten- to the launch of Operation • 1987 - Two members of 53 when a rifle grenade explod- • 2012 - Basil L. Plumley, Corporal Jacobus Theodorus ant Nesbit and thirty-four Savannah. He was 20. Battalion, one of them an ed prematurely after being Command Sgt Maj, US Meyer (19). Lance Corporal soldiers surrender the next • 1984 - Unsuccessful IRA Ops Medic attached to the fired. He was 25. Army, veteran of three wars Edgar Sydney Wessels (19). morning. attempt to assassinate PM Unit, were killed when their • 1976 - Corporal Jan Hendrik and five combat jumps, hero 1983 - Private Werner Eugene • 1914 - First Battle of Ypres Margaret Thatcher. Five Buffel Troop Carrier over- van Brandis from 2 SAI ac- of the Ia Drang Valley, dies Kriel from SAMS attached to begins. people are killed. turned North of Ogongo. cidentally drowned during a at the age of 92. No.1 Military Hospital was • 1914 - Off Easter Island, • 2000 - Islamist suicide boat They were: Rifleman John river crossing while on pa- killed in a military vehicle ac- Graf von Spee concentrates attack on the USS ‘Cole’ Ferreira (19). Rifleman Jo- trol near Rundu. He was 19. 11 October cident at Potgietersrus. He was the largest German naval hannes Andries Le Roux • 1980 - Lieutenant Steven 1899 – The Anglo-Boer War, 20. squadron ever seen outside (18). Volkersz from 2 Squadron the war between the British Em- 1988 - Former United States the North or Baltic Seas; • 1990 - Saddam Hussein was reported missing when pire and the two Boer republics, army analyst Thomas Dolce two armoured cruisers, sev- threatens to hit Israel with a his Atlas MB326KM Impa- the and Orange Free pleads guilty before a US court en protected cruisers, and new missile. la Mk II was shot down by State, breaks out. to supplying a wide range of three colliers. • 1993 - Somali warlord Gen- a shoulder-launched Soviet 1939 - Albert Einstein warned defence secrets to South Africa • 1942 - US aircraft sink two eral Mohammed Farah Aid- SA-7 Grail Surface-to-Air President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1979 and 1983. Japanese destroyers near id offers a cease-fire with US Missile some 20km South that his theories could lead to 1989 - Lance Corporal Her- Guadalcanal. and UN forces in Somalia. manus Swanepoel van der Mer- West of Mupa. He has no Nazi Germany’s development known grave. He was 23. of an atomic bomb. Einstein we from 93 Ammunition Depot • 1980 - Rifleman Anthony suggested the U.S. develop its was critically injured in a mili- 80 81 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October (DDG-67) at Aden. 17 peo- ficer Immanuel Hendjala • 1992 - Minister of Foreign shal Erwin Rommel, famous Mata Hari was executed van Niekerk (19). ple are killed and 40 wound- from the South West Africa Affairs Pik Botha warns German commander of Ger- by a French firing squad at • 1981 - Three members from ed. Police Counter-Insurgen- Unita leader Jonas Savimbi man forces in North Afri- Vincennes Barracks, outside 5 Reconnaissance Regiment cy Wing: Ops-K Division in Angola that South Africa ca, suspected of complicity Paris. were Reported Missing 13 October (Koevoet) was Killed in Ac- will withdraw support for in the 20 July plot against • 1917 - USS ‘Cassin’ (DD- while carrying out an opera- • 1307 - Simultaneous arrest tion during a contact with Unita if he decides to re- Hitler, is visited at home by 43) torpedoed by German tion against the Harare-Bei- of all Knights Templar in SWAPO/PLAN insurgents sume the Angolan civil war. two of Hitler’s staff and giv- ‘U-61’ off Ireland. ra railway line near Doeroi France - the original “Friday in Northern Owamboland. en the choice of public tri- • 1942 - Japanese aircraft in Mocambique, some 300 the Thirteenth”. He was 36. 14 October al or suicide by poison. He off ‘Zuikaku’ sink the USS miles from the South African • 1775 - The United States • 1983 - Private Johannes • 1066 - The Norman Con- chooses suicide and dies on ‘Meredith’ (DD 434) off San border. It would appear that Navy was born after the Sec- Mattheus Strauss from the quest began with the Battle this day. Cristobal. there was a premature deto- ond Continental Congress Technical Service Corps was of Hastings in which King • 1947 - U.S. Air Force Cap- • 1943 - British Admiral Sir nation while they were lay- authorized the acquisition of found dead. It is suspected Harold II of , the tain Chuck Yeager became Andrew Cunningham is ap- ing their demolition charges a fleet of ships. that he may have taken his last of the Saxon kings, was the first man to break the pointed First Sea Lord of the that killed them instantly. • 1914 - Pro-German Boer in- own life. No foul play was defeated and killed by Wil- sound barrier, flying in a Admiralty and Chief of the The casualties were: Lieu- surrection in South Africa. suspected as at the time of liam of Normandy’s troops. rocket-powered research Naval Staff. tenant Alan Gingles (28). • 1918 - Gefreiter Adolf Hit- his death, nobody had been • 1882 - Irish revolutionary aircraft. • 1945 - Pierre Laval, the Rifleman B. Michael (24). ler is temporarily blinded in the area where his body Eamon De Valera was born • 1970 - Jo- former premier of Vichy Rifleman F. Tombo (25). in a mustard gas attack near was found. He was 18. on this day. hannes Frederick “Doons” France, was executed for • 1982 - Rifleman Piet Bhaya- Ypres. • 1985 - Corporal Johan • 1890 - Dwight D. Eisen- van Heerden from 24 Squad- collaborating with Nazi Ger- na from acci- • 1943 - Italy declared war on Schoeman from 5 SAI was hower, US Army Five-star ron was killed when his many during World War II. dentally drowned during a its former Axis partner Ger- Killed in Action after he was general and Supreme Com- Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer • 1946 - Nazi leader Hermann river crossing while on pa- many after the downfall of ambushed and stabbed to mander of the Allied Forc- S-50 crashed on the weap- Goering committed suicide trol in the Kruger National Mussolini and collapse of death by persons unknown es in Europe during World ons range West of Bloem- by swallowing poison in his Park. He was 21. his Fascist government. while on foot patrol in Kwa- War II, was born on this day. fontein while carrying out a Nuremberg prison cell just • 1982 - Corporal Servaas • 1944 - Red Army liberates zakele Township during un- He would go on to become low level “retarded bomb” hours before his scheduled de Kock from 1 Parachute Riga from the Germans. rest in the area. He was 19. President of America. sortie. He was 34. hanging for war crimes. Battalion was accidental- • 1973 - Rifleman Michael • 1987 - First operational use • 1899 - Start of the siege of • 1977 - Lieutenant Phillipus • 1978 - Corporal James Bar- ly killed while on weekend Wulfsohn from the Cape of dolphins by the US Navy, Mafeking under Col. Robert Lodewyk Le Roux from nard Phillander from the pass when his private vehi- Town Highlanders was ac- in the Persian Gulf. Baden-Powell by the Boer the Delmas Commando South African Cape Corps cle was involved in a colli- cidentally killed when he • 1988 - Rifleman John Rex forces. was Killed in Action dur- was Killed in Action dur- sion with an extra heavy ar- fell off the back of a moving from the 2nd Battalion South • 1933 - Nazi Germany an- ing a contact with SWAPO/ ing a contact with SWAPO/ ticulate vehicle. He was 20. Bedford Troop Carrier just African Cape Corps died at nounced its withdrawal PLAN insurgents near the PLAN insurgents in North- • 1981 - Two US surveillance north of Ondangwa. He was the Rooiberg Training Area from the League of Nations Cut-Line. He was 48. ern Owamboland. He was planes arrive over Egyp- 19. when he accidentally stepped and stated it would take no 22. tian airspace to demonstrate • 1982 - Private D.S. Bed- on an unexploded 40mm further part in the Geneva 15 October • 1981 - Two members from increased US support for enhann from the Technical “Snotneus” High Explosive Disarmament Conference. • 1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte 4 SAI were killed in an ac- Egyptian and Sudanese se- Service Corps died from an Grenade. He was 20. • 1941 – US Navy Admiral arrived on the Island of St. cidental hand grenade ex- R1 Rifle gunshot wound ap- • 1988 - Special Constable Husband Kimmel warns of Helena beginning a Brit- plosion in Northern Owam- parently self-inflicted while Thomas Kastodiu from the possible surprise attack on ish-imposed exile following boland. They were: Rifleman he was on weekend pass. It South West Africa Police Pearl Harbour. his defeat at the Battle of Thomas Johannes Ferreira is believed he was suffer- Counter-Insurgency Wing: • 1943 - Attempted mass es- Waterloo. (20). Rifleman Martin Jo- ing serious depression at the Ops-K Division (Koevoet) cape from Sobibor Concen- • 1899 - The siege of Kimber- hannes Lodewyk Kruger time of the incident and no was Killed in Action dur- tration Camp. ley starts. foul play was suspected. He ing a contact with SWAPO/ • 1943 - US Army Air Force • 1914 - Montenegro declares was 19. PLAN insurgents in Northern bombs Schweinfurt. war on Bulgaria. Chuck Yeager • 1983 - Special Warrant Of- Owamboland. He was 27. • 1944 - German Field Mar- • 1917 - World War I spy 82 83 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October curity against any hostile in Tennyson’s poem, The min Oliver Davis, Sr. Moshe Dayan died at the Accident while on leave. He Battleship Musashi, one of moves by Libya. Charge of the Light Bri- • 1940 - Nazis establish the age of 66. was 19. the largest ever built. • 1987 - Thomas Sankara, gade. Amid poor sanitary Warsaw Ghetto. • 1982 - Rifleman Barend • 1990 - US forces in the Per- • 1948 - Thirty-one SA pilots head of the Military Council conditions, disease killed • 1946 - Ten former Nazi Jacobus Christoffel Stry- sian Gulf reach 200,000. participates in the air-lift of the Revolution in Burki- many wounded French and leaders were hanged by the dom from 7 SAI accidental- • 1992 - The Goldstone Com- to provide food and fuel to na Faso, is assassinated in a British troops. British nurse Allies following their con- ly drowned at . mission reports the finding West Berlin. The operation military coup and replaced Florence Nightingale then viction for war crimes at He was 19. of a secret operational centre continued for seven months. by Captain Blaise Com- pioneered modern-style Nuremberg, Germany. • 1986 - Captain Fred Turner run by Military Intelligence • 1973 - Egyptian and Israeli paoré. sanitation methods, saving • 1962 - Missile Crisis: JFK from 32 Battalion was killed and seizes plans to destabi- forces clash in the Sinai de- • 1989 - Lance Corporal Jo- many lives. learns of Soviet missiles in in private motor vehicle ac- lise the ANC. sert in fierce fights. seph Montslo Moletsane • 1899 - Boer Gen. P.A. Cron- Cuba. cident at Paternoster. He • 2005 - William Allan, last • 1977 - West German com- from was ac- je shells Mafeking, causing • 1963 - Lieutenant Hen- was 25. Australian combat veteran mandos storm a hijacked cidentally killed when his only one casualty. After the ry Andre’ Botha from 17 • 1986 - Two members from of WW I, dies at the age of Lufthansa jetliner in Mog- Buffel Troop Carrier over- bombardment, Silas Mo- Squadron was killed when the Sasolburg Commando 106. adishu, Somalia, freeing all turned during a patrol in lemo, a spokesman for the his Alouette III Helicopter were killed in a military ve- 86 hostages. Three Palestin- Mamelodi. He was 25. Barolong tribe, visits mag- crashed near Dullstroom in hicle accident at Deneysville 17 October ian hijackers are killed. • 1997 - Rebels, backed by istrate Bell, informing him: heavy fog while on a flight while returning from a mil- • 1777 - During the American • 1977 - Corporal Karel foreign troops, enter Brazza- “Never mind this, we will from Pilgrimsrest to Preto- itary funeral. They were: Revolutionary War, British Christiaan Strydom from ville in the Republic of Con- stick with you and see it ria. He was 20. Commandant Wallace General John Burgoyne and the Klein Karoo Commando go, ending President Pas- through.” • 1964 - China detonated its Goosen (56). Captain Chris- his entire army of 5,700 men was accidentally killed in a cal Lissouba’s four-month • 1900 - Republican forces first nuclear bomb at the Lop tiaan Johannes Cloete (34). surrendered to American shooting incident at Nkuren- struggle to remain in power. under Gen. J.B.M. Hertz- Nor test site in Sinkiang. • 1987 - Three members from General Horatio Gates after kuru near Rundu. He was • 2002 - The Sudanese gov- og attack Jagersfontein and • 1969 - Two members from 4 Artillery Regiment were the Battle of Saratoga, the 33. ernment signs a temporary release all prisoners in the 24 Squadron were Reported killed when their Buffel first big American victory. • 1977 - Sapper Johannes cease-fire with ’s main gaol before they retire. Missing when their Hawk- Troop Carrier overturned • 1781 - British General Lord Hercules Viljoen from 2 rebel group, the Sudanese • 1916 - T. E. Lawrence er Siddeley Buccaneer S-51 at Mariental while trying to Cornwallis surrenders at Field Engineer Regiment People’s Liberation Army (Lawrence of Arabia) ar- disappeared over the sea avoid a head-on collision Yorktown. was killed after being struck (SPLA), so that peace talks rives in Cairo with a British 30km east of the Tugela with a civilian delivery ve- • 1917 - First British air raid by a bullet resulting from could resume. The agree- fact-finding mission whose River Mouth while carry- hicle. The casualties were: over Germany. the accidental discharge of ment calls for both sides to purpose is to recommend ing out night exercises. The 2nd Lieutenant George Mi- • 1933 - Albert Einstein ar- a fellow soldiers rifle near avoid impeding internation- ways of supporting the Arab crew were: Major Stephanus chael Howard (20). Lance rives in the United States as Kwando. He was 19. al relief efforts for civilians revolt against the Ottoman Sebastiaan Odendaal (31). Bombardier Peter Mansfield a refugee from Nazi Germa- • 1981 - Lieutenant F.T. affected by the nineteen- Empire. Major Peter Webb (28). (19). Gunner Sean Rene ny. Edeling from 102 Battal- year-old civil war. • 1916 - Oswald Boelcke, • 1973 - Rifleman Raymond Biet (20). • 1944 - The Battle of Leyte ion SWATF accidentally German air ace with 40 vic- Fourie from 4 SAI was • 1988 - Rifleman Nicolaas Gulf, the largest naval battle 16 October tories, is killed in action at killed in a military vehicle Johannes Wolmarans from in history, took place off the • 1853 - The Crimean War the age of 25. accident on the Ventersdorp the Bethal Commando was Philippine Islands, during began after the Turkish Ot- • 1926 - Chinese troop ship to Randfontein Road. He killed when he was struck World War II in the Pacific. toman Empire declared war sinks in the Yangtze. 1,200 was 19. down by a civilian vehi- The battle involved 216 U.S. on Russia, Britain, France die. • 1981 - Rifleman Alfredo cle while carrying out road warships and 64 Japanese and portions of Italy al- • 1939 - First German air raid Samba from 32 Battalion block duty on the Delmas / ships and resulted in the lied with the Turks against on the British Isles in WW was Killed in Action during Kriel Road. He was 32. destruction of the Japanese Russia. It became the first II, against naval installa- a contact with enemy forces • 1988 - 2nd Lieutenant Riaan Navy including the Japanese war observed up close by tions at Rosyth, as the RAF in Southern Angola. He was Frans Janse van Vuuren newspaper reporters and downs one attacker. 32. from Sector 20 Headquar- photographers. One of the • 1940 - First black American • 1981 – Israeli general and ters Unit SWATF was killed Moshe Dayan battles was immortalized promoted to general: Benja- former Minister of Defence in a Private Motor Vehicle 84 85 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October drowned at Epupa Falls dur- • 1985 - Attempted military launch a raid against ZIPRA • 1952 - Airman Caspar Wil- • 1977 - Three crew members Battalion were killed when ing operations in Southern coup in Guinea-Bissau. guerrillas in a wide area lem Petrus Nel from Air of 15 Squadron “A” Flight their Buffel Troop Carrier Angola. He was 23. • 1992 - In Angola’s first mul- around Chimoio, Mozam- Force Station Congella suf- and one passenger from the overturned at Buffalo. They • 1982 - Corporal Adam Jo- ti-party election, the MPLA bique. fered fractured vertebrae SAAF 250 Air Defence Ar- were: Lance Corporal Al- hannes Barends from the wins 53.74% of the vote for • 1980 - Sergeant Jonathan when he was dumped by a tillery Group (250 ADAG) fred Jose Mindo (34). Rifle- South African Cape Corps the 233-seat parliament, and Sykes from the Infantry large wave while playing in were killed when their Su- man Jaquin Francisco (24). was killed in a private motor Unita 34.10%. Unita accus- School was killed in a pri- the sea during March 1952. per Frelon Helicopter 303 • 1981 - Corporal Peter An- vehicle accident on the Gra- es the MPLA of rigging the vate motor vehicle accident He was re-admitted to the crashed in the mountains drew Chapman from 8 SAI bouw to Botrivier road. He election results, withdraws on the National Road near Sanitarium Hospital in Dur- on the farm “Leyden” at was Killed in Action when was 24. its troops from the joint Ladysmith. He was 30. ban on 15 Oct 1952 after Sheepmoor near the border his Buffel Troop Carrier det- • 1983 - Rifleman Tian van army and threatens to return • 1984 - Rifleman Domingos complications had set in but of Mocambique and Swazi- onated a boosted landmine Jaarsveld from 8 SAI was a to civil war. Antonio from 32 Battalion he unfortunately died fol- land while flying in dense in Northern Owamboland. member of a patrol that was was killed when his Buffel lowing surgery. He was 20. fog and mist. The casualties He was 20. in the process of checking 18 October Troop Carrier overturned • 1954 - Britain and Egypt were: Commandant Gert • 1983 - Rifleman Joao Au- their kit just outside the base • 1912 - Italo-Turkish War near Buffalo. He was 24. sign Suez Canal agreement. Hermanus Jacobus Strydom gusto from 32 Battalion was at Okalongo prior to heading ends. • 1986 - Special Consta- British will withdraw troops van Rooyen (35). Captain killed in a military vehicle out on a patrol. It was dur- • 1941 - Russian spy Richard ble Simon Daniel from the over next twenty months. Don Bezuidenhout (31). 2nd accident at Linus Shashipa- ing this process that a RPG- Sorge arrested in Tokyo. South West Africa Police • 1986 - President Samora Lieutenant Dawid Petrus po. He was 19. 7 anti-tank rocket carried • 1945 - The Nuremberg War Counter-Insurgency Wing: Machel of Mozambique is Burger (21). Sergeant Wil- • 1983 - Private Johan Bey- by another soldier was acci- Crimes Trial began with Ops-K Division (Koevoet) killed in an air crash in east- lem Adriaan Jacobus van ers Human from the South dentally discharged and he indictments against 24 for- was Killed in Action dur- ern South Africa shortly af- der Merwe (33). African Medical Corps was was critically wounded. He mer Nazi leaders including ing a contact with SWAPO/ ter 21:00. Thirty-four people • 1979 - Rifleman Deon Botha killed instantly when his was evacuated to 1 Military Hermann Göring and Albert PLAN insurgents in North- die in the disaster. from 1 Reconnaissance private motor vehicle over- Hospital in Pretoria where Speer. The trial lasted 10 ern Owamboland. He was • 1987 - British Prime Minis- Regiment was killed in a turned near Bloemhof. He he sadly succumbed to his months, with delivery of the 29. ter Margaret Thatcher criti- military vehicle accident at was attached to the Army wounds later in the day. He judgment completed on Oc- • 2001 - Four Osama bin Lad- cises the ANC, calling it “a Mariental. He was 20. Battle School at the time and was 19. tober 1, 1946. Twelve Nazis en followers convicted in terrorist organisation”. • 1979 - Sapper Gerhardt was travelling from Lohat- • 1983 - SA forces attack an were sentenced to death by the 1998 bombings of two • 1987 - US warships destroy Wagener from the South Af- la to Pretoria on leave pass apartment block in Mapu- hanging, three to life impris- US embassies in Africa are Iranian oil platforms in Per- rican Engineer Corps was when the accident occurred. to, Mozambique, close to onment, four to lesser prison sentenced in New York to sian Gulf. killed after being acciden- He was 20. President Samora Machel’s terms, and three were ac- life without parole. tally run over by a military • 1986 - Rifleman Christiaan suburban residence, injuring quitted. 20 October vehicle at Bossiespruit. He five people. The SA Defence • 1946 - The Special Service 19 October • 1899 - British forces dis- was 19. Force says the building Battalion of the Defence • 1812 - Napoleon begins his lodge the Boers at Talana • 1980 - Major John Kendrick housed offices from which Force of the Union of South retreat from Moscow. Hill in Natal. Murphy from 1 Reconnais- the ANC was planning a se- Africa is dissolved, and • 1915 - Russia and Italy de- • 1944 - During World War sance Regiment (former ries of attacks in South Af- gymnasiums for the army, clare war on Bulgaria. II in the Pacific, General member of the Rhodesian rica. air force and navy estab- • 1925 - The War of the Dog: Douglas MacArthur set foot SAS and Selous Scouts) was • 1984 - Special Constable lished. A stray dog initiates a ten on Philippine soil for the killed when his parachute Elifas Ipinge from the South • 1968 - Lieutenant John An- day border incident between first time since his escape in failed during a practice West Africa Police Coun- drew Zimmerman from Greece & Bulgaria. 1942, fulfilling his promise, training jump at Westonaria. ter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Central Flying School Dun- • 1950 - UN forces enter “I shall return.” He was 37. Division (Koevoet) was nottar was killed when his Pyongyang, capital of North • 1944 - US First Army se- • 1980 - Two members of 32 Killed in Action during a AT-6 Harvard crashed near Korea. cures Aachen. contact with SWAPO/PLAN Devon while on a routine • 1951 - British troops seize • 1952 - Emergency pro- insurgents in Northern training flight. He was 21. Suez canal zone in a swift claimed in Kenya due to Samora Machel Owamboland. He was 28. • 1978 – Rhodesian forces dawn raid. Mau Mau rebellion. 86 87 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October Marthinus Arnoldus Adam Mau. known as ‘The Lion of West- • 1942 - The Second Battle of • 1983 - Rifleman N. Riem Ranch near Phalaborwa. He Venter from Regiment Oos • 1960 - HMS ‘Dreadnought’is ern Transvaal’ because of his El Alamein, in which many from 201 Battalion SWATF was 20. Rand was killed when his launched, Britain’s 1st nucle- brave leadership during the SA soldiers took part, com- was Killed in Action in a • 1986 - Sergeant Gerhardus Buffel Troop Carrier over- ar submarine. Anglo-Boer War, is born on mences with a thousand-gun landmine explosion. He was Hendrik van der Westhuizen turned at Ellisras. He was 20. • 1967 - The Egyptian navy the farm Doornfontein in the barrage. The opening attack 22. from the South African Corps • 1987 - Trooper Herman sinks the Israeli destroyer Ei- Winburg district, Orange Free by the British Eighth Army • 1983 - Terrorists drove a truck of Military Police was killed Ziemkendorf from 2 Special lat off Sinai, killing forty peo- State. starts at 9:30pm. Montgomery loaded with TNT into the U.S. when his military motorcycle Service Battalion was killed ple. • 1859 - Spain declares war on eventually defeated Rommel. and French headquarters in was struck by a truck while when his Eland 90 armoured • 1982 - Corporal Donald Craig the Moors in Morocco. On 4 November 1942, the Beirut, Lebanon, exploding it overtaking about 8km from car overturned at Siftersnek Clerk from 1 Special Service • 1944 - Japanese naval forces British finally broke through and killing 241 U.S. Marines Lindley. He fell under the near during training Battalion Died from a gunshot converge on Leyte. the German defences. and 58 French paratroopers. wheels of the truck. He was exercises in the area. He was wound resulting from an acci- • 1954 - West Germany joins • 1942 - Guadalcanal: Battle of 35. 19. dental discharge of the fellow NATO. Edson’s Ridge - Japanese as- 24 October • 1994 - For the first time in 25 • 1989 - Lance Corporal Pieter soldiers rifle while based at • 1962 - President John F. Ken- sault broken. • 1899 - The Battle of Riet- years, British troops were ab- Johannes Klue from 1 Para- Oshakati. He was 20. nedy appeared on television • 1970 - Five members from fontein, near Dundee, Natal, sent from the streets of Lon- chute Battalion was killed in • 1983 - Four members of 5 to inform Americans of the Quartermaster General takes place, with the British donderry, Northern Ireland, a private motor vehicle acci- Reconnaissance Regiment existence of Russian mis- (QMG) in Voortrekkerhoogte falling back to Ladysmith. following cease-fires by Irish dent on the old Warmbaths were Reported Missing af- siles in Cuba. The President were accidentally killed in a • 1943 - Japanese destroyer Republican Army (IRA) and Road near the Wonderboom ter being captured during the demanded their removal and private station wagon vehi- ‘Mochizuki’ is sunk by Ma- pro-British forces. Military Base. He was 19. night of 20/21 October 1983 announced a naval quaran- cle when it was involved in a rine aircraft southwest of Ra- • 1998 - A gas explosion devas- while carrying out pseudo op- tine” of Cuba. Six days later, head-on collision with a truck baul. tates the officers’ club of the 21 October erations against enemy forces the Russians announced they between Sasolburg and Par- • 1945 - Vidkun Quisling, 58, SA National Defence Force, • 1805 - The Battle of Trafal- during Operation Slyk. It is would remove the weapons. ys while they were travelling Norwegian politician, execut- a national monument, in gar took place between the presumed that they were sub- In return, the U.S. later re- home to the on ed, leaving us a new word for Wynberg, Cape Town. British and the sequently executed by their moved missiles from Turkey. a Weekend Pass. The casual- “traitor”. combined French and Span- captors. They have no known • 1968 - SA signs treaty with ties were: Rifleman Frieder- • 1973 - Yom Kippur War ends 25 October ish fleets. The victorious Brit- grave and remain unaccount- Greece concerning the graves ich David Warren Bloomberg with Israeli troops 100 km • 1854 - During the Crimean ish ended the threat of Napo- ed for. The four casualties of members of the armed (18). Rifleman John Merwyn from Cairo and 40 km from War, the Charge of the Light leon’s invasion of England. were: Corporal D. Dula (27). forces of the Commonwealth Albert Payne (18). Rifleman Damascus. Several other Brigade occurred as Lord British naval hero Admiral Corporal R. Mhlinga (29). in Greek territory. Andrew John Hough (19). dates are given for this event, Cardigan led the British Horatio Nelson was mortally Rifleman Frans Mkoshi (26). • 1986 - Corporal Pieter Jo- Rifleman Leonardus Hendrik e.g. 22, 26 or 28 October, de- cavalry against the Russians wounded aboard his ship Vic- Rifleman Manuel Shikondau hannes Jacobus Meisenheim- Botha (19). Rifleman Roder- pending which phase of the at Balaclava. Of 673 British tory. (33). er from the Army Gymnasium ick George Duncan (18). peace process is considered • 1899 - The Boer forces are • 1996 - The UN reports that was killed when the Bedford • 1978 - Private Coenraad Hen- most decisive. defeated by the British at the over 200,000 Hutu refugees Water Tanker he was driving, drik Basson from 6 Ordnance • 1976 - Rifleman Ignatius Phil- Battle of Elandslaagte. are fleeing into the hills to es- overturned at Heidelberg. He Base Depot died in the Tyger- lippus Coetzee, acting as the • 1914 - Battle of Warsaw: Ger- cape the conflict between the was 20. berg Hospital from injuries Patrol medic for an Infantry mans defeat the Russians. Zaire military and Tutsi . received in a military vehicle Patrol was Killed in Action • 1942 - Eight American and • 2003 - Veteran French war 23 October accident at SAS Wingfield. near Eenhana. He was 18. British officers land from a journalist Jean Helene is shot • 1642 - Edgehill, first battle of He was 20 • 1983 - Corporal Pedro Gio- submarine on an Algerian dead in cold blood in Abidjan the English Civil War. • 1981 - Corporal Werner Ober- vanni Torre from 7 SAI was beach to take measure of Vi- in the by a police • 1901 - General Redvers Bull- holzer from 2 Special Ser- killed when his Buffel Troop chy French to the Operation officer. er is dismissed as officer in vice Battalion was acciden- Carrier overturned at Lataba Torch landings. command of the British forc- tally killed when his Eland • 1952 - Jomo Kenyatta is ar- 22 October es, probably because of his Armoured Car overturned rested in Kenya when the • 1847 - Gen. Jacobus Her- defeat in the Battle of Spioen- during a training exercise at John F. Kennedy British forces defeat the Mau- cules (Koos) de la Rey, also kop in 1900. Zeerust. He was 20. 88 89 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October cavalrymen taking part in the was 20. resulting from a blood clot in red flag of revolution. The casualties were: Warrant Of- ters died after suffering a fa- charge, 272 were killed. The • 1983 - Operation Just Cause: the lung. He was 29. uprising spread to Hamburg, ficer Class II Francois Carl tal heart attack at his home. Charge was later immortal- US and West Indian forces • 1990 - Private Dirk Cor- and Lubeck, result- van Zyl PMM MMM (34). He was 46. ized in the poem by Alfred invade Greneda. nelius Pieterse from 31 Field ing in a general strike in Ber- Sergeant Michiel Labus- • 1987 - Rifleman Aaron Alfred Lord Tennyson. Workshop Squadron died in lin which brought the gov- chagne Kruger MMM (26). Khumalo from 111 Battalion • 1943 - Japanese open the 26 October 1 Military Hospital after be- ernment of Kaiser Wilhelm Sergeant Wentzel Christoffel was Killed in Action during a Burma railroad (“The Bridge • 1922 - Lt Cdr Godfrey Chev- ing critically injured in a mil- to a halt. Marx (29). Sergeant Neville contact with MK operatives on the River Kwai”). alier makes first underway itary vehicle accident 35km • 1933 - General Constand Grant Clack (30). Corporal after they had crossed into • 1955 - Austria reassumed its US carrier landing, on ‘Lang- from Vryburg. He was 25. Laubscher Viljoen, former Antonie Badenhorst (25). South Africa from Swaziland sovereignty with the depar- ley’ (CV-1). • 1997 - Angola promises to head of the SADF and leader Lance Corporal Gary Wil- approximately 57km east of ture of the last Allied forces. • 1973 - Signaler Petrus Jo- withdraw its troops from of the Vryheidsfront, is born liam John Walker (20). Vryheid. He was 25. The country had been occu- hannes Pienaar from 2 Signal Brazzaville, capital of the in Standerton, Eastern Trans- • 1977 - Sergeant Bernado • 1991 - President Sese Seko pied by the Nazis from 1938- Regiment collapsed and died Republic of Congo, where vaal. Andre Mwonambunga from Mobutu orders to 45. After World War II, it was from heat exhaustion during they helped rebels oust elect- • 1940 - Greece rejects an ul- 32 Battalion was Killed in withdraw all its troops from divided into four occupation Basic Training. He was 18. ed President Pascal Lissou- timatum, and Italy declares Action after suffering mul- Zaire. zones by the U.S., Russia, • 1977 - Two members of Reg- ba. war and invades from Alba- tiple shrapnel wounds in an • 1992 - Lance Corporal Ja- Britain and France. iment De Wet were killed nia. enemy mortar bomb explo- cob Johannes le Roux from • 1956 - Egypt, Jordan and when they accidentally deto- 27 October • 1940 - ‘U-32’ sinks RMS sion during a contact with Group 36 was killed in a mil- Syria form a united military nated a Claymore Direction- • 1941 - Nazis establish a gyp- ‘Empress of Britain’, killing SWAPO/PLAN forces near itary vehicle accident at Tha- command. al Fragmentation Anti-Per- sy ghetto in Belgrade. hundreds of children being Onalumona in Southern An- ba N’Chu. He was 18. • 1975 - Rifleman Christian sonnel Mine near Elundu. • 1942 - Battle of the Santa evacuated to Canada; Goeb- gola during Operation Krop- • 1997 - Forces loyal to Zam- Lambert Kruger from Infan- The casualties were: Rifle- Cruz Is: USS ‘Hornet’ (CV- bles claims the British did it. duif. He was 34. bian president Frederick try School was accidentally man Antonie Michael Jacobz 8) sinks. • 1956 - Israeli troops invade • 1978 - Three young Ops Chiluba quash a coup by killed when his private mo- (27). Rifleman Lodewicus • 1948 - Negev: Israel recap- Sinai Peninsula, later to be Medics attached to 52 Bat- disgruntled military officers, tor vehicle was involved in a Johannes Oberholzer (22). tures Nizzanim from the joined by British and French talion at Ogongo in North- arresting nine men including head on collision with anoth- • 1983 - Airman Wernich Egyptians. forces, following Egypt’s ern Owamboland died when the captain who said an angel er motor vehicle near Kroon- Haupt from 250 Air Defence • 1973 - UN seizure of the Suez Canal they unselfishly put their told him to overthrow the stad while traveling home on Artillery Group, South Afri- forces arrive in Cairo to at- from European control. lives on the line to ensure the government. a weekend pass. He was 19. can Air Force suffered crit- tempt to set up a lasting • 1962 - The Cuban Mis- safety of others. These three • 1976 - Rifleman Jan Hendrik ical head injuries when he cease-fire between Israeli sile Crisis ended with the young heroes were posthu- 29 October Malan from 11 Commando accidentally fell off the back and Arab forces. announcement by Sovi- mously awarded the Honoris • 1618 - Sir Walter Raleigh, Regiment was Killed in Ac- of a moving Land Rover. • 1977 - Rifleman Joao Victor et Russia’s leader Nikita Crux for their unselfish act of English admiral and explor- tion during a contact with He died from his injuries in from 32 Battalion was Killed Khrushchev that his Soviet self-sacrifice in an attempt to er, is beheaded, allegedly for SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents 1 Military Hospital later the in Action during a contact government was halting con- save others in circumstanc- near Eenhana in Northern same day. He was 18. with enemy forces near Nu- struction of missile bases in es of extreme danger. They Owamboland. He was 19. • 1985 - Rifleman David Bow- muidi in Southern Angola Cuba and would remove the were: Private Burgert van • 1980 - Rifleman Paulo ers from the South African during Operation Kropduif. offensive missiles. President Dyk van Papendorp HC (P) Almeido from 32 Battalion Cape Corps was killed when He was 28. Kennedy immediately ac- (19). Private Johannes Cor- died from injuries acciden- struck by a bullet result- • 1978 - Ugandan troops in- cepted the offer then lifted nelius Jooste HC (P) (19). tally sustained in a military ing from an accidental dis- vade , occupying the U.S. naval blockade of Private Frederick Johannes vehicle accident at Buffalo.. charge of a fellow soldier’s the Kagera salient. Cuba. Smith HC (P) (18). He was 23. rifle while at the Touwsrivier • 1977 - Six members of 1 and • 1986 - Major Daniel Kotze • 1980 - Corporal Christopher Training Area. He was 20. 28 October 2 Reconnaissance Regiment from the Financial Service Bruce Catto from 5 SAI was • 1987 - Private Charles Mat- • 1918 - In the waning days of were Killed in Action at On- Corps at Defence Headquar- accidentally shot dead when thew Dirkse from 5 Mainte- alomono in Southern Angola World War I, mutiny broke Mobutu Sese Seko he and his Section set up an nance Unit died in Oshakati out in the German fleet at while attacking Eheke dur- ambush near Etale Base. He Hospital from heart failure Kiel. Ships in port ran up the ing Operation Kropduif. The 90 91 This month in military history ... October This month in military history ... October treason, at the age of 66. from AFB Pietersburg. He • 1899 - “Mournful Monday”: • 1992 - Heavy fighting breaks the Army Gymnasium in tus Steyn (19). Rifleman W. • 1897 - Nazi propaganda was 21. the British lose 106 killed, out in Luanda, Angola, be- Heidelberg were Reported Abraham. Rifleman P. Epa- minister Paul Joseph Goe- • 1975 - Four members from 374 wounded and 1 284 cap- tween the government and Missing when their Civilian fu. Rifleman V.Petrus. Ri- bbels was born in Rheydt, the SADF, one pilot and tured in two battles. Unita. The conflict rages for Piper Cherokee PA28-180, fleman T. Sheepo. Rifleman near Dusseldorf, Germany. three passengers, were ac- • 1899 - General Christiaan three days, claiming at least Registration ZS-VVK, dis- M. Uusshona. All from 101 • 1914 - Russia declares war cidentally killed when their de Wet and 300 Boers cap- 1,000 lives. appeared while on a flight Battalion Romeo Mike. on Turkey. UNITA supplied Beechcraft ture Nicholson’s Nek and from Wonderboom Airport • 1992 - More than 300 peo- • 1914 - Ottoman Empire en- Baron known as “Dinky take 800 British soldiers 31 October to Graskop. They were: ple are killed in renewed ters the war with a naval at Toy”, crashed 6km north of prisoner. • 1917 - Third Battle of Beer- Lance Corporal Gunther fighting as Angola slides tack on Russian Black Sea Norton de Matos in Central • 1899 - In the Battle of Mod- sheba: Australian, New Zea- Jurgen Dreyer (19). Lance back into civil war. ports. Angola while carrying out derspruit, Commandant land, & British mounted Corporal Andre’ Coetzee • 2006 - The Star reports • 1914 - Serbia declares war aerial observations for Bat- General Piet Joubert caus- troops capture the city from (19). that poor management of on the Ottoman Empire. tle Group Foxbat in the Silva es the British to fall back. the Turks. • 1987 - A 101 Battalion Battle SANDF equipment and the • 1941 - Germans massacre Porta area during Operation He is urged to order a pur- • 1940 - The Battle of Brit- Group, supported by mem- theft of weapons that ended 10,000 Jews in Kaunas, Savannah. The casualties suit, but refuses on religious ain concluded. Beginning bers of 5 Reconnaissance up in rebels’ hands are fuel- Lithuania. were: Colonel Desmond grounds, one of the fatal on July 10, 1940, German Regiment together with D ling the conflict in • 1942 - Nazis murder 16,000 Brian Harmse (46). Major mistakes during the war. bombers and fighters had Company, 1 Parachute Bat- where SA troops had been Jews, Pinsk, USSR. Pieter Benjamin Uys (34). • 1952 - Troops round up 500 attacked coastal targets, air- talion, attacked SWAPO/ sent to keep the peace. It • 1956 - Israel invades the Major Nicholas Jacobus Mau Mau suspects in Ken- fields, London and other cit- PLAN positions at Nindan- says sources confirmed that Sinai Peninsula and troops Visser (37). Corporal Nev- ya. ies, as a prelude to a Nazi go in Southern Angola. The millions of rands worth of push on towards the Suez ille Roland Beechey (19). • 1956 - Israel captures the invasion of England. British Operation was known as Ops vehicles, guns, ammunition Canal, just 32 km away. Is- • 1977 - Rifleman Johannes Egyptian military post at pilots in Spitfires and Hurri- Firewood. The Battle Group and bombs vanished from raeli paratroopers drop into Ferdinand Baum from the El-Thamad. canes shot down over 1,700 suffered 15 casualties with the SANDF army base in the Sinai to open the Straits East Park Commando ac- • 1956 - France and Britain German aircraft while losing approximately 67 wounded Burundi over the last four of Tiran. cidentally drowned in the instruct Egypt and Israel to 915 fighters. “Never in the before contact was finally years. The South African de- • 1962 - Three members from Chobe River near Mpalela withdraw from the Suez Ca- field of human conflict was broken off at nightfall. The partment of defence indicat- Central Flying School Dun- Island. He was 20. nal. so much owed by so many Battle Group casualties for ed it would be able to com- nottar were killed when an • 1984 - Rifleman J. Paulus • 1961 - Congolese army be- to so few,” declared Prime this engagement were: Ri- ment only later this week AT-6 Harvard that was exe- from 101 Battalion SWATF gins an offensive against Minister Winston Churchill. fleman Hughes Norbert De “after conducting the proper cuting a spin recovery in the was Killed in Action dur- Katangan rebels. • 1952 - The U.S. detonat- Rose (21). Rifleman Wayne research,” report says. General Flying area, was in- ing a contact with SWAPO/ • 1961 - Soviet Union tests a ed its first hydrogen bomb Valentine Ewels (21). Lance • 2006 – Former South Afri- volved in a mid-air collision PLAN insurgents near the 58 megaton hydrogen bomb. at the Elugelab Atoll in the Corporal Raymond Mark can Minister of Defence and with another AT-6 Harvard. Cut-Line. He was 23. • 1963 - Morocco and Algeria Eniwetok Proving Grounds Light (21). Corporal Nico President PW Botha dies at The casualties were: Air • 1987 - Private Erwin Be- sign a ceasefire. in the Pacific Marshall Is- Smith Olivier (19). Rifle- the age of 90. Mechanic Hendrik Jacobus nade from the Headquarters • 1978 - Reports of fighting lands. man Dirk Willem van Rooy- Burger (18). Air Mechanic Unit, Logistics Base Groot- between Ugandan and Tan- • 1956 - Following a twelve- en (20). All from D Compa- Jakobus Schabort Bischoff fontein, died from a gunshot zanian troops in Uganda. hour ultimatum to Egypt and ny, . (22). Lieutenant Jan Jacob wound apparently self-in- • 1979 - Rifleman Dirk -Cor Israel, British and French 2nd Lieutenant Dylan Chev- Christiaan van Zyl (23). flicted. He was 21. nelius Odendaal from the forces bombard military air- alier Cobbold (20) from 5 • 1968 - 2nd Lieutenant SADF Dog Training Centre fields near Cairo in the Suez Reconnaissance Regiment. Charles Frederick Du Toit 30 October attached to 16 Maintenance Canal Zone. Captain Andries Hercules from 1 Squadron was killed • 1270 - The Eighth Crusade Unit was killed at Grootfon- • 1968 - During the Viet- Du Bruyn Rademeyer (27). when his Canadair C13L begins, and accomplishes tein after being struck by a nam War, President Lyndon 2nd Lieutenant Deon Botes Sabre crashed into rising nothing. bullet resulting from the ac- Johnson ordered a halt of (20). Sapper Erasmus Alber- ground near Bandolierkop • 1799 - William Balch be- cidental discharge of a fel- American bombing of North while on a routine low lev- comes the US Navy’s first low soldiers rifle while in Vietnam. PW Botha el navigation training flight commissioned Chaplain. the barracks. He was 18. • 1980 - Two members from 92 93 quiz Military Elite Forces Insignia Despatches 1. Indian Army Parachute Reg- 12. Shayetet 13 Navy Comman- iment - India. 12 do - Israel. 2. Royal Irish Rangers - Unit- 13. PLA Army Red Star Special Website ed Kingdom. Forces Brigade - China. 3. Reconnaissance Regiment - 14. Special Forces Division - SADF (South Africa) Iran. 4. US Navy SEAL - United 15. 45th Guards Spetznaz Bri- States. gade - Russia. “Things don’t have to 5. Canadian Special Opera- 6. Kommando Spezialkräfte - change the world to be tions Forces Command - Germany. important.” Canada. 7. 1 Parachute Regiment - Steve Jobs Zimbabwe. 1 8. Green Berets - United States. 3 9. 101 Special Operations Command - Spain. 10. Special Air Service - United Kingdom. 11. Para-Jaeger School - Swe- den.

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