Military Despatches Vol 8 February 2018 Ten rather strange wars Ten wars that history forgot about Future Wars A few hot spots that could soon turn ugly Head-to-Head The ten Smallest armed forces Battlefield Rorke’s Drift Old School Would the youth of today cope with national service? For the military enthusiast Military Despatches January 2018 What’s in this month’s edition Feature Articles 6 Top Ten Strange Wars that history forgot Click on any video below to view Ten rather bizarre wars that history seems a bit fuzzy about. How much do you know about movie theme 11 A shared destiny songs? Take our quiz By Dr Elina Komarova-Tagar. and find out. 14 Future Wars While there are more than enough conflicts currently Page 6 underway, there is a strong possibility that more may Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African break out in the near future. We look at a few possible Page 14 Goede interviews former Defence Force used scenarios. 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, Williams. Afrikaans, slang and 18 Rank Structure - SADF Over the next few months we will be running a se- techno-speak that few ries of articles looking at the rank structure of various outside the military armed forces. could hope to under- stand. Some of the terms 22 SA Vets parade Down Under were humorous, some Every year Australians pay tribute to the reserve force were clever, while others with parades held around the country. And the South were downright crude. African Military Veteran’s Organisation Australia is there alongside them. By Tony Macquet. Part of Hipe’s “On the 24 Sea Cadets awarded bursaries couch” series, this is an TS Woltemade Sea Cadets to study at Lawhill Mar- interview with one of time Centre of Simon’s Town School. author Herman Charles Bosman’s most famous 26 South African Legion of Military Veterans characters, Oom Schalk Over the next few months we will be running a se- ries of articles looking at the rank structure of various Page 27 A taxi driver was shot Lourens. Hipe spent time in armed forces. dead in an ongoing Hanover Park, an area war between rival taxi plagued with gang Quiz organisations. violence, to view first- 27 SADF Shoulder Flashes hand how Project We show you a shoulder flash – you tell us the unit. Ceasefire is dealing with the situation. Cover Photograph Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- Troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo prepare thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. to move to the front lines during the Second Congo War. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. 00 3 28 Thank you for flying Air America Air transport company Air America flew to some strange destinations, often carrying even stranger cargo. 30 Sea Cadets learn the ‘Navy Way of Life’ By Sea (Sea Cadet Corps) Ernie Nel. Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media Head-to-Head 32 Smallest Military Forces in the World Page 28 EDITOR We look at some of the smallest, and often weakest, Matt Tennyson military forces. Page 32 CONTRIBUTORS Raymond Fletcher, Daniella Famous Figures ell that’s January This month we looking at ten Grootboom, Ryan Murphy, Er- 40 Bernard Montgomery done and dusted. It wars that history completely nie Nel, Matt O’Brien, Dr Elina seems that I no soon- forgot. Even I was unaware of W Komarova-Tagar, Matt Tenny- er get one magazine done and some of these wars. Forged in Battle son, Lt Cdr Glenn von Zeil. 46 it’s time for the next edition. In Head-to-Head we compare WWII Anti-tank Weapons This month I did an article on some of the smallest armed Military Despatches is pub- the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. It’s forces in the world. Some of lished on-line every month. hard to believe that last month them are so small that I’m con- Battlefield The articles used in Military 52 Rorke’s Drift saw the 139th anniversary of vinced that the dart’s team at Despatches are copyrighted Page 40 On 22 January 1879, just over 150 British and colo- that battle. Come to think of it, my local pub could take them and may not be used without nial troops defended the mission station at Rorke’s later this year will see the 100th on. prior permission from the edi- Drift against odds of more than 20-1. anniversary of the end of World Last year I started a Patreon tor. War I. Some of the members of account, making it possible for The views stated in this mag- my Moth Shellhole not only re- people to become patrons of azine do not necessary reflect member the Battle of Rorke’s the magazine. So far we have, Reviews the views of Hipe!, the editor, 56 Game Review - Jagged Alliance: Back in Action Drift, I think they actually give or take a few dozen, ex- the staff, or Hipe Media. fought in it. actly zero patrons. It seems as Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Although in You may, or may not, notice if all the naysayers that told me Hipe! this case Matt O’Brien is more a mangy mutt. a small change in this months it would never work may have P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 edition of the magazine. Up un- been right. South Africa. 58 Movie Review - Zulu Page 52 til now every issue has started Yet I am not disheartened. The 1964 film about the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. with an article dealing with The magazine is still young and email facts, figures and trivia. I’m sure people will eventual- [email protected] 59 In the past we’ve looked ly respond. I have faith in our Book Reivew - Beyond No Mean Soldier at World War I and II, the US readers. The explosive recollections of a former special forces Civil War, the Vietnam War, the Trust that it will be a good operator – Peter Mcaleese. Korean War, D-Day, and some month and I hope to see you naval trivia. at the Border Boys Parade at The thing is I’ve run out of Dawn Patrol Shellhole on Sun- The Lighter Side ideas for this series. So we’ve day 4 February. 60 Old School started a new monthly series Imagine if the South African youth of today were called “Top Ten”. Every month Until next month. conscripted and they had to do national service. How we will look at the Top Ten of would they cope. something to do with the mili- tary. Matt 4 5 Top Ten Van Zandt vs America After the American Civil War ended in 1865 the people of 10 Strange Wars history America got together to form the United States. Well, nearly completely forgot everyone. The people of the small coun- Ten rather bizarre wars that history seems a bit fuzzy about. ty of Van Zandt in Texas were sick of both sides. So in 1867 they decided to secede from the United States and form their ost of us are fairly That is until you put them in an might just be that Canada was own country. They even went well versed in the ice-hockey rink. Then you will too polite to boast about it. as far as drawing up their own Mhistory of the major see just how aggressive they Declaration of Independence, wars such as the two World can become. Anglo-Zanzibar War based on the American Decla- Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and our If you really wanted to see Most readers will know about ration of Independence. own Border War. an effective fighting force, take the Six-Day War. This took Not surprisingly the United ALL OVER BEFORE TEA: The entrance to the Palace in Stone Yet there are some wars that the Canadian’s guns away, give place in 1967 when Israel took States was not happy with this Town, Zanzibar. This was the scene for the shortest war ever. history hasn’t paid much at- them an ice-hockey stick, and on seven countries and defeated upstart country embarrassing tention to. Wars that we either tell them the enemy has the them in only six days. ered obtaining said permission. ships. them, and sent a cavalry unit to know nothing about, or our in- puck. Let’s be honest, six days is a The British considered this At 09h02 the British opened deal with them. Not to be out- formation is sketchy at best. The Croatians made the mis- pretty short war. Yet how about a casus belli (Latin expression fire. The palace was set on fire done, the Van Zandt gathered Let’s take a closer look at ten take of thinking that the Cana- a war that lasted a mere 38 min- meaning “an act or event that and the artillery was disabled. their own troops and declared of those wars. dians would be a push-over and utes. This made it the shortest provokes or is used to justify At the same time HMS Glasgow war on America. attacked them with a force of recorded war in history. war”). and the two small ships were The US Cavalry rode in as- Canada vs Croatia 2,500 soldiers. It was a costly The year was 1896, back at They sent an ultimatum to sunk. sured of a quick victory. There Do you remember that time error.