Military Despatches Vol 26 August 2019 Technicals The vehicular equivalent of the AK-47 What if... Cancelled operations that could have changed history Monte Cassino Some lesser known facts Otto Skorzeny Dubbed “the most dangerous man in Europe” For the military enthusiast CONTENTS August 2019 Page 14 Page 22 Click on any video below to view How much do you know about movie theme songs? Take our quiz and find out. Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African Goede interviews former Defence Force used 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, A South African on D-Day Williams. Afrikaans, slang and German OnSpecial 6th June 1944 Forces a number of South Afri- techno-speak that few cans took part in D-Day. outside the military could hope to under- stand. Some of the terms Features were humorous, some were clever, while others 6 were downright crude. Top Ten cancelled operations In the quest to end a war or con- 34 flict as quickly as possible, in- Rank Structure Part of Hipe’s “On the genious battle plans are drawn This month we look at the Ger- couch” series, this is an up all the time. We look at ten man Armed Forces. interview with one of cancelled military operations that could have changed histo- author Herman Charles 44 Bosman’s most famous ry. 26 A matter of survival characters, Oom Schalk 14 This month we’re looking at Technical Tactics A taxi driver was shot Lourens. Hipe spent time in the second part of an article on Special Forces - Germany Dubbed the vehicular equiva- dead in an ongoing Hanover Park, an area Part Six of a series that takes hunting. plagued with gang lent of the AK-47, the ‘techni- war between rival taxi a look at Special Forces units cal’ has become ubiquitous to violence, to view first- around the world. organisations. insurgent warfare. Quiz hand how Project 20 Ceasefire is dealing with For Valour 30 19 the situation. To win a Victoria Cross is no Keeping pace World War II Insignia Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- mean feat. So what does it take The pace stick is more than just This month our quiz is all about thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. to win it more than once? And a symbol of authority. It is also World War II insignia. How just how many people have a valuable tool for drill instruc- many do you know? Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. managed to do it? tors. By Paul Els. 00 3 CONTENTS Page 76 Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media EDITOR Matt Tennyson DEPUTY EDITOR must confess that I enjoy interested in. Others I merely John Verster getting e-mails from our skim through, and some I ig- PHOTO EDITOR readers. And I get quite a nore completely because they August in military history I Regine Lord few of them. do not interest me. Most of these e-mails are So, dear reader, you’ve don’t CONTRIBUTORS Head-to-Head Forged in Battle Book Review complimentary and most are have to read every single word Janine Cassidy, Paul Els, Ray- from readers telling me how in the magazine (although I ap- mond Fletcher, Ryan Murphy, 48 62 75 much they enjoy the magazine. preciate it when you do). Matt O’Brien, Matt Tennyson, The Fighting Doc Thank you. It makes me feel as Being August that means Strongest military forces Bell UH-1 Iroquois Karen Theunissen. The diaries of John Coey dur- if all the work I put into this is we’re officially in the last This month we take a look at The Huey helicopter. ing the Rhodesian War. at least appreciated. month of winter. I must say I’m Military Despatches is pub- side arms of the ten strongest From time to time I get an looking forward to spring and lished on-line every month. military forces in the world. e-mail from a reader letting me summer. I far prefer the heat to Battlefield The articles used in Military Front Cover know that I have made a mis- the cold, but that’s just me. Despatches are copyrighted Famous Figures 68 take somewhere. Believe it or I found the article on the Vic- and may not be used without Monte Cassino Nicknamed ‘technicals’ the not, I really do appreciate these. toria Cross interesting. I always prior permission from the edi- 58 Toyota Hilux is the favourite We examine some of the less- While I am passionate about believed that all the medals tor. Otto Skorzeny vehicle among insurgents. They military history, I am by no were made from cannons cap- er-known aspects of the Battle The views stated in this mag- Obersturmbannführer in the are armed with heavy weapons means an expert on the subject. tured during the Crimean War. of Monte Cassino, such as how azine do not necessary reflect Waffen-SS, war criminal, mil- and are a constant threat. Therefore I appreciate com- It seems that this is not the case. priceless Catholic history was the views of Hipe!, the editor, itary advisory, and possibly a ments from people that know a Oh well, you live and learn. saved by German officers. the staff, or Hipe Media. member of Mossad. Otto Sko- lot more than I do. Please take a look at the arti- rzeny was all this and more. I did, however, receive a com- cle ‘Veterans Online’. If you’re Hipe! Gaming plaint from a reader. According one of our readers that lives P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 72 to them; “It’s too big. There’s outside of South Africa, read South Africa. too much in it to read.” the article and consider joined U-Boat I found it a bit of a strange the MOTH Cyber Shellhole. email Are you ready to take charge of complaint to be honest. And We would love to have you. [email protected] a German U-Boat? there is a very simple solution to the complaint. Back Issues Movie Review When I buy a newspaper or Until next month. To view any back issues of 74 magazine, or even when I read Military Despatches, go to an online magazine, I don’t www.militarydespatches.co.za American Sniper read it from cover to cover. I or click here. Based on a true story of a US only read the articles that I am Matt Navy SEAL. 4 5 Top Ten Top Ten Why it didn’t happen Top Ten cancelled military operations The plan was never put into operation. Mainly because Bra- In the quest to end a war or conflict as quickly as possible, ingenious battle plans are drawn up zil, who had been sitting on the all the time. Sometimes, these plans fall by the wayside for one reason or another. Here are ten fence, finally decided to side cancelled military operations that could have changed history. with the Allies and even signed a defence pact with the US and he object of any war or In this article we will look fighting house to house warfare allowed them access to air bas- conflict should be to win at ten such military operations against a far superior force. es. Tit as quickly as possible that were cancelled. We will But Hitler never gave the op- If it had taken place with the least amount of casual- look at what the plan was, why eration the green light and the The US had a right to be afraid ties and damage. it was never carried out, and operation, codenamed Oper- of Brazil’s Nazi sympathies. Some wars and conflicts, what could have possibly hap- ation Tannebaum (Christmas Particularly as Brazil’s neigh- however, last a long time. Take pened if it had been. Tree), never happened. UNDER SIEGE: The French garrison at Dien Bien Phu in Indo- bours, Argentina was very fond the war between England and The Allies had just invaded china was surrounded by the Viet Minh and cut off. They want- of the Nazis. There was a good France that was fought between 10. Operation Tannenbaum North Africa and the Soviets ed the United Sates to come and rescue them. chance that an American inva- 1337 and 1453. It was named Besides being well known for were proving to be a handful. sion of Brazil would have been the 100 Year War (it actually their chocolates, banking and Another problem was that defeated. And, since the ruler of lasted 116 years). cuckoo clocks, the Swiss are basically every house in Swit- An invasion of Switzerland out west against Brazil. Brazil didn’t know which side Now I’m fairly certain that also famous for their neutrality. zerland contained at least one could have easily led to huge After Pearl Harbour the to choose, an attack on Brazil when they began this war nei- But in 1941 their neutrality firearm. internal criticism and even civil US thought this plan credible could have easily pushed them ther side was thinking, “Let’s was under serious threat. Swit- Not many people realise that disobedience in Germany. enough for them to draw up to go running to the Nazis for start a war that both our unborn zerland was expecting to be in- peaceful Switzerland is the So much so that, according plans to invade Brazil. While help. Especially with all the sons and grandsons will get a vaded at any time by Germany.