Military Despatches Vol 19 January 2019

Unusual military units Strange units, regiments and armies Insane, effective, deadly IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) Army Speak 101 Military slang from around the world Heinz Guderian The father of modern tank warfare

Forged in Battle The French Foreign Legion

For the military enthusiast CONTENTS January 2019 Page 16 Click on any video below to view

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Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African Improvised Goede interviews former Defence Force used 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, Explosive Williams. Afrikaans, slang and techno-speak that few Devices outside the military could hope to under- 31 stand. Some of the terms Features were humorous, some A matter of survival 6 This month we look at animals were clever, while others as a source of food. were downright crude. The Most Unusual Military Units Ten military units, regiments, or armies that were unusual or Quiz Part of Hipe’s “On the downright strange. 21 couch” series, this is an 12 22 If the helmet fits... interview with one of Disobedient heroes Army Speak 101 Putting your thinking helmet on author Herman Charles In the military it is expected The military has always had because this month our quiz is Bosman’s most famous that you obey orders. Yet there their own way of doing things. about exactly that - helmets. We characters, Oom Schalk are cases where there is a good And this includes have a rich show you 15 helmets, you tell Lourens. Hipe spent time in reason to disobey those orders. A taxi driver was shot vocabulary of slang terms. us what they are. dead in an ongoing Hanover Park, an area war between rival taxi plagued with gang 16 organisations. violence, to view first- 26 hand how Project IED - Insane, Effective, Deadly Ceasefire is dealing with In modern wars and conflicts Rank structure the enemy could be anyone. This month we look at the the situation. And they will use any weapon French Foreign Legion. Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- and tactic to inflict casualties thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. and damage. One of the most common weapons is the IED. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. 00 3 CONTENTS

Page 44 Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media EDITOR Matt Tennyson

DEPUTY EDITOR et me start off by wish- remain free, as it has been since John Verster ing each and every one it was started. of you a happy and pros- While researching for the PHOTOGRAPHER Forged in battle - French Foreign Legion L Regine Lord perous New Year. January in Military History ar- I trust that you all had a good ticle, I was amazed to discover CONTRIBUTORS Head-to-Head Battlefield Christmas, and those that don’t the story of Tsutomo Yamagu- Janine, Cassidy, Raymond This month in history celebrate Christmas I hope that chi. Fletcher, Regine Lord, Ryan 50 you at least had a bit of a break. On 6 August 1945 the 28 year 34 58 Murphy, Matt O’Brien, Matt Little Bighorn I was lucky enough to take old Yamaguchi was at home in Tennyson. Wheeled Artillery Systems January two weeks off and believe me, Hiroshima. At 08h15 an Amer- This month ten of the best Some facts about Custer’s Last Some of the events of military I needed it. ican B-29 bomber, the Enola Military Despatches is pub- wheeled artillery systems go Stand. importance that happened in One thing I noticed this year Gay, dropped ‘Little Boy’. The lished on-line every month. head-to-head. Gaming January. was how quiet the shops were. I atomic bomb detonated over the The articles used in Military went and did my grocery shop- city wiping out 90% of the city Despatches are copyrighted Famous Figures 54 Front Cover ping on the Thursday before and immediately killing about and may not be used without Thrones of Britania Christmas and had prepared 80,000 people. 40 A member of the French For- prior permission from the edi- Sharpen the swords, polish the myself for long queues. I went Yamaguchi survived and set eign Legion on a training exer- tor. Heinz Guderian armour, and beat the bodhrán. to two shops, one in a shopping off for his cousin’s house. Three cise. The views stated in this mag- Regarded by many as the father mall, and both were a breeze. days later, on 9 August 1945, he Matt O’ Brien is off on his azine do not necessary reflect of modern tank warfare, Heinz On the Friday I went to buy arrived at his cousin’s house in quest to become King of Ire- the views of Hipe!, the editor, Guderian redefined the concept some gifts, again at a large Nagasaki. land. the staff, or Hipe Media. of mobile warfare. shopping mall. Yet again there Shortly after he had arrived, Movie Review were not that many people in ‘Fat Boy’, a plutonium bomb Hipe! the shop. Even the roads were even more powerful than the P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 56 much quieter than they normal- one dropped on Hiroshima, was South Africa. Restrepo ly are for this time of the year. dropped on the city at 11h02. Documentary featuring real-life I think that the economy was Not only did Yamaguchi sur- email footage of the year an American having an effect on consumer vive both explosions, he lived [email protected] platoons spent in Afghanistan. habits this year and that many until the age of 93, passing people could not celebrate the away in 2010. Back Issues festive season as they have Until next month. To view any back issues of Book Review done in the past. Military Despatches, go to 57 The good news is that we will www.militarydespatches.co.za not be putting up the price of or click here. North of the Red Line Military Despatches. It will still Matt Memories of those that served. 4 5 Top Ten Top Ten aircraft of the 440th Troop Car- Nevertheless, McNiece fin- 1,100 men, the unit was given rier Group of the United States ished the war as an acting first a unique mission within the Al- The most unusual military Army Air Forces. They were sergeant and with four combat lied Army: to impersonate oth- ordered to secure or destroy the jumps, a very rare feat for an er Allied Army units to deceive units bridges over the Douve River. American paratrooper. the enemy. Ten military units, regiments, or armies that were unusual or downright strange. Half were either killed, His combat jumps included From a few months after wounded or captured on the Normandy, the Netherlands as D-Day, when they landed in jump, but the rest led by Jake part of Operation Market Gar- France, until the end of the war, hroughout the history ment decided to combine all would be right. McNiece accomplished their den, the pathfinder jump in to they put on a “traveling road of warfare there have of their cavalry units into one But the US Army’s 1st Dem- mission. Bastogne, Belgium, during the show” utilizing inflatable tanks, Talways been units that huge regiment. olition Section of the Regimen- Most of the 3rd Battalion Battle of the Bulge, and as an sound trucks, fake radio trans- were elite or even notorious. While primarily employed on tal Headquarters Company of leadership had been killed on observer with the 17th Airborne missions, scripts and pretence. Yet there have also been ceremonial occasions, the 61st the 506th Parachute Infantry the initial jump so without any Division during Operation Var- They staged more than 20 units, regiments or even armies Cavalry Regiment can be de- Regiment, 101st Airborne Di- contact with the 3rd Battalion, sity. battlefield deceptions, often op- that were different. Some were ployed for internal security or vision was no ordinary band of senior officers assumed the bat- Of the activities of the Filthy erating very close to the front unusual, strange, or just plain police roles if required. misfits. talion had failed its mission and Thirteen, Jack Agnew, a mem- lines. Their story was kept se- weird. The last publicized occasion There job was to carry out ordered the Air Force to bomb ber of the unit, once said, “We cret for more than 40 years af- This month we will be look- on which the regiment saw ac- demolitions behind enemy the bridges. weren’t murderers or anything, ter the war, and elements of it ing at ten such groups in no par- tive military service was when lines, a job that was extremely The Filthy Thirteen also we just didn’t do everything we remain classified. ticular order. it undertook mounted patrol dangerous to say the least. participated in the capture of were supposed to do in some They used tactics that work during the Indo-Pakistani Their unorthodox behaviour Carentan. ways and did a whole lot more wouldn’t have been out of place 10. 61st Cavalry Unit War of 1971. made them the bane of their su- During Operation Market than they wanted us to do in on a Hollywood movie set. It should come as no great On Republic Day each year perior officer’s existence. They Garden, the Demolition Pla- other ways. We were always in To complement existing tech- surprise that horses have be- the 61st Cavalry and the Pres- had no respect for rank, nor toon was assigned to defend the trouble.” niques, the unit often employed come largely outdated in mod- ident’s Body Guard parade in rules and regulations. three bridges over the Dommel theatrical effects to supplement ern warfare. full dress uniform in New Del- They were given the nick- River in Eindhoven, the Nether- 8. The Ghost Army the other deceptions. Collec- During World War I cavalry hi, in what is probably the larg- name ‘The Filthy Thirteen’ lands. German bombing of the While this may sound like tively called “atmosphere” units found that the horse and est assemblage of traditional when they stopped washing city killed or wounded half the the name of a cool video game, these included simulating ac- lance was no match for a well cavalry still to be seen in the and shaving and used their wa- demolitions men in the platoon, this unit had nothing to do with tual units deployed elsewhere placed machine gun. world. ter rations meant for ablutions and McNiece was then promot- ghosts. by the application of their divi- These days most cavalry units The regiment has a strong to cook game poached from a ed to platoon sergeant of what But there were given the name sional insignia, painting appro- have been converted to motor- polo playing tradition, produc- nearby manor. was left. for a good reason. The Ghost priate unit insignia on vehicles ised and mechanised units and ing some of India’s best polo They also sported Indian-style McNiece considered that Army was the nickname for the and having the individual com- their steeds have been replaced players. Members of the reg- Mohawk haircuts and covered any activities not directly con- US Army’s 23rd Headquarters panies deployed as if they were with APCs (Armoured Person- iment have won the Arjuna themselves with war paint be- cerned with his mission were Special Troops, an Allied de- regimental headquarters units. nel Carriers) of IFVs (Infantry award – India’s highest award fore going into battle. This was irrelevant, an attitude that ception units in Trucks/Lorries would be Fighting Vehicles). for outstanding sportsmen – in respect of their leader, Jake got him in constant World War II. driven in looping convoys with There really is no reason for four times for polo and five McNiece, who was part Choc- trouble with the Made just two troops in the seats near horses to be used in the mod- times for equestrian events. taw Indian. military author- up of just the rear, to simulate a truck full ern military. However, the 61st While they were an unruly ities. Cavalry Regiment would beg to 9. The Filthy Thirteen bunch, their skills were impres- differ. You would think that a group sive. This regiment is the largest of ruffian soldiers that refused During the Normandy Inva- NOT SUPERMEN: Members mounted cavalry force still in to adhere to military discipline sion of Europe in June 1944, of the Ghost Army lift an inflat- existence. would never be sent into com- the group was air dropped with able tank into position. They were created after the bat, much less survive World the 3rd Battalion, 506th Par- newly formed Indian govern- War II. In most cases, you achute Infantry Regiment by 6 7 Top Ten Top Ten of infantry under the canvas and young adults with autism vancement in their lives as aims to utilize skills people on historians, archivists, educators much unusual as it is tragic. cover. “MPs” (military police) a job with an elite intelligence military service is a significant the autism spectrum exhibit, as and artists who had a single – to North Korea is faced with a would be deployed at cross unit known simply as Unit step in Israeli society for young well as end stigma surrounding save as much art as they could low birth rate, a high child mor- roads wearing appropriate di- 9900. men, both symbolically as well autism. from being destroyed at the tality rate and high fatality rates visional insignia and some of- The programme is known as professionally. hands of the Nazi regime. all over the country. ficers would simulate divisional as Ro’im Rachok (Looking Now, the military increas- 6. Jessie Scouts While other armies in World Their solution - force the generals and staff officers visit- Ahead). ingly looks at individuals with The strange exploits of this War II fought for their country, women to do compulsory mili- ing towns where enemy agents This is because people on the High-functioning autism as American Civil War unit have this unit fought to preserve sev- tary conscription. Traditionally were likely to see them. autism spectrum tend to have potentially useful. Rather than the makings of a great televi- eral countries art, culture and women only served in the mil- A few actual tanks and artil- high perceptual skills, includ- forcing individuals to remain sion sitcom. history before the Nazis were itary on a volunteer basis. But lery pieces were occasionally ing extraordinary attention to enlisted for the standard three The Jessie Scouts were a able to destroy it all. that has all changed. assigned to the unit to make the visual detail to compensate for years, Ro’im Rachok gives in- small group of about 60 Union After all, history is written by Women between the ages of “dummies” in the distance ap- their slow social development. dividuals the option to enlist soldiers who went undercover the victors and this unit would 17 and 20 are now forced to un- pear more realistic. They analyse complex im- in one-year increments once as Confederates to collect val- not stand to have history writ- dergo seven years of military Of course it really helped that ages from military satellites to their three-month training is uable information from enemy ten by such a heinous regime. conscription. Men have to do the soldiers of this unit were pick out the tiniest detail that complete. When enlisted, the forces. They braved the front lines 11 years compulsory military also actors, artists, sound engi- could help the Israeli Army. soldiers are accompanied by a This put them under constant just as much as any other sol- service. neers, illustrators, radio experts This skill has helped the Israeli therapist as well as a psycholo- risk of enemy capture as well as dier would, all while recovering Deserters state that the North and even illusionists. Army save countless soldiers’ gist for their own benefit as well friendly fire. But this unit had important pieces of culture that Korean Women’s Army faces The Ghost Army is credited lives as well as uncovered hid- as to accommodate for some so- an oddly fun time with their would otherwise be lost. constant malnutrition, poor liv- with saving anywhere between den weapons caches. cial barriers their commanders dangerous spy work. After the war was over they ing conditions and sexual har- 15,000 and 30,000 lives due to Ro’im Rachok was founded and colleagues may encounter. A Jessie Scout named Hen- returned these priceless arte- assment from male officers on a their strange, but effective tac- in 2013 by two Mossad veter- The program also helps to ry Hale thought it would be facts and cultural objects back daily basis. tics. ans who realized that certain prepare young adults with au- funny to steal a horse from an to their respective countries so individuals on the autism spec- tism for their futures with train- old cessationist at gun point. It that they may be able to share 3. Paradogs of D-Day 7. Israel’s Autistic trum could be unusually skilled ing on how to deal with chal- didn’t take long for the cessa- their histories for years to come. A dog parachuting out of a Intelligence Unit at spending long hours analyz- lenging situations related to tionist to catch up, take both his plane may sound like the begin- People on the autism spec- ing aerial reconnaissance pho- their civilian life such as pub- horse and Hale’s, and force him 4. North Korean Women’s ning of a joke. trum often get looked down tographs and picking out tiny lic transportation. The program to walk back to town naked as Army Something like, “How does upon. They are either treated is details. also helps to prepare people for punishment. Not much is known about a blind person go skydiving? though they are perpetual chil- In addition to its military ben- future careers in technological The Jessie Scout captain, this army apart from what the Jump with your guide dog on a dren or shunned because the efits, there are social benefits to fields and ca- Charles Carpenter, recalled the few lucky deserters have had to long leash. When the leash goes majority of typical people do the program. Military service is reers. Roim time he had to dress up and pre- say about it. This army isn’t so slack, pull your ripcord.” not understand why they act mandatory in Israel for almost Rachok tend to be a woman to deliver a the way they do. It can be quite all citizens, but teenagers on the letter to a Rebel officer. frustrating to deal with. autism spectrum are exempt. But Israel is offering teens This poses a barrier to ad- 5. The Monuments Men The Monuments Men were made up of 345 men and wom- en from 14 different countries, all of whom were accomplished museum directors, curators, art SPECIAL TALENT: A mem- ber of Unit 9900 studies a TRAGIC TROOPS: Young satellite image. girls undergoing their seven years of compulsory military service.

8 9 Top Ten But this is no joke. Back in 2. Russian Northern Fleet 1. Scallywags World War II the British Army Motorised Rifle Brigade Europe wasn’t the most fun trained dogs to do just that. Imagine a man riding on a place to live during World War These days military forces sleigh pulled by reindeer. It’s II. around the world make use of got to be Santa, right. Countries were either under dogs for a wide variety of tasks. Now let’s add machine guns Nazi control or under siege by But back in the 1940s it was a to the sleigh and you’ll quick- them. And it seemed as if the relatively new concept. ly see that it’s not Santa, it’s the Germans would soon control The British Army even sent Russian Northern Fleet Motor- the whole continent. out notices requesting that peo- ised Rifle Brigade. Enter the United Kingdom’s ple volunteer their dogs for this It was formed in early 2016 Auxiliary Units, better known very special honour. So many to protect what they believe to as the Scallywags. people sent dogs in that the be an extension of Russian ter- These were specially training small military training school ritory out in the Arctic Ocean, secret units ordered to ‘scally- quickly became a shelter. close to the North Pole. wag’ or carry out dangerous Dogs were taught how to Other countries have also covert night missions and guer- identify the smell of explosives tried to stake their claim on this rilla warfare in order to combat and gunpowder, how to track land but none seem to want to against the invasion forces. down enemies and how to be- fight against the imposing bri- These missions were so dan- have when under fire. gade to get to it. gerous that the life expectancy The dogs actually seemed to This isn’t the first time that for this unit was a mere 12 days enjoy their parachuting lessons, Russia has used reindeer in their in the field. Bush War Books has probably one of the finest probably because they were army. Back in World War II the This unit was made up collections of military titles available. Especially given tons of treats afterwards. Soviets used reindeer to help of teams of people that you Three dogs, Bing, Monty and move supplies, wounded men wouldn’t think would be qual- on the South African Border War. Ranee, were eventually chosen and a quick method of getting ified to serve in such a skilled to parachute from planes on from battlefield to battlefield. unit – dentists, farmers, game- D-Day to assist with operations. And of course the Russians keepers, and even priests all So the answer to the age-old learnt this little trick from the served together in this almost Click here to visit their website. questions is, “Yes you can teach Finns during the Winter War. slapped together army. a dog new tricks.” They were tasked to carry out assassinations, demolition work SCALLYWAGS: Members of and sabotage of enemy plans. an Auxiliary Unit on a training exercise in England.

“War does not determine who is right - only who is left”

10 11 corporal. He was awarded the Desmond Doss the rank of corporal. Disobedient Heroes Distinguished Conduct Med- This was a man that wanted to al at El Alamein for knocking serve his country during World In the military it is expected that you obey orders. Yet there are cases where there is a good out three German machine gun War II. As long as he didn’t reason to disobey those orders. posts, destroying two tanks, have to kill anyone. and capturing one hundred pris- He was a pacifist and refused he military has a very settlement” (liquidation) action Battel’s stand against the SS oners. every order to carry a weapon strict code of conduct. against the Jews of Przemyśl came to be recognised only a During the Battle of Sattel- or fire one. He was given a court When a soldier is given on 26 July 1942, Battel, in con- long time after his death; most T berg in the Pacific nation of martial and the court eventual an order he/she is expected to cert with his superior, ordered notably, through the tenacious New Guinea, Derrick was now decided that he did not have to carry it out immediately. the bridge over the River San, efforts of the Israeli researcher a lieutenant. carry a firearm and would be al- Commanding officers can the only access into the Jewish and lawyer Dr. Zeev Goshen. On November 24, 1943, Lt. lowed to serve as a medic. order troops into a suicide mis- ghetto, to be blocked. On 22 January 1981, almost Derrick was ordered to with- As his unit climbed a vertical sion if it serves the greater pur- As the SS commando attempt- 30 years after his death, Yad draw his platoon because the cliffside at Okinawa, the Japa- pose. When obeying orders, it’s ed to cross to the other side, the Vashem recognised Albert Bat- CO didn’t think he could cap- nese opened up with artillery, necessary for those troops to sergeant-major in charge of the tel as Righteous among the Na- ture the heights around Sattel- mortars, and machine guns, believe a commander wouldn’t bridge threatened to open fire tions. berg. turning his unit back and killing order them into harm’s way un- unless they withdrew. All this Major Max Liedtke was also Derrick’s response: “Bugger or wounding 75 men. Doss re- less it was necessary, that the happened in broad daylight, to recognised as Righteous among Desmond Doss the CO. Just give me twenty trieved them one by one, load- order serves a greater good, and the amazement of the local in- the Nations. more minutes and we’ll have ing them onto a litter and down it’s not an illegal order. habitants. Daniel Hellings this place.” the cliff. The military takes a dim view Still later that same afternoon, Derrick climbed a vertical A few days later, in the mouth Hellings was serving with the on anyone that fails or refuses an army detachment under the cliff by himself, holding on with of a cave, he braved a shower British Army in Afghanistan. to obey an order. Those that re- command of Oberleutnant Bat- one hand and throwing gre- of grenades thrown from eight On 7 September 2010 he wsa fuse to carry out an order can be tel broke into the cordoned-off nades with the other, stopping yards away, dressed wounds, on a joint patrol with Afghan court martialled and, in some area of the ghetto and used only to fire his rifle. He cleared and made four trips to pull his allies in the Helmand Province. cases, even sentenced to death army trucks to evacuate up to out 10 machine gun nests that soldiers out. He treated his own An IED (Improvised Explosive if found guilty. 100 Jews and their families to night and forced the Japanese to wounds and waited five hours Device) was detonated in an al- Yet there are cases where there the barracks of the local mili- withdraw. The Aussies captured for a litter to carry him off. leyway. is a valid reason for disobeying tary command. Sattelberg and Derrick was On the way back, the three Two troops were injured in the an order. Such as when they be- These Jews were placed un- awarded the Victoria Cross. men carrying him had to take initial blast, one blinded and the lieve that the order is putting der the protection of the Wehr- cover from a tank attack. While second with severe leg wounds, the lives of friendly troops or macht and were thus sheltered waiting, Doss crawled off his and a third was wounded when innocent people at stake. from deportation to Belzec. litter, treated a more injured he triggered another bomb just The following people not only The remaining ghetto inmates, man, and told the litter bearers metres away from Private Hell- disobeyed orders, they even be- including the head of the Jud- to take the other man. ings. came heroes because of it. enrat, Dr. Duldig, underwent While waiting for them to Private Hellings was ordered “resettlement” in the following Albert Battel come back, he was hit in the to withdraw from the alley by days. Albert Battel arm by a sniper and crawled his commander but the young After this incident, the SS Thomas Currie Derrick As a fifty-one-year-old re- more than 250 metres to an aid soldier realised there was no authorities began a secret in- Tom Derrick was an Austral- serve officer and a lawyer by station. time to find an alternative route vestigation into the conduct of ian who went by the nickname profession, Oberleutnant Battel He was twice awarded the to recover the casualties and the army officer who had dared of ‘Diver’. was stationed in Przemyśl in Bronze Star Medal for actions volunteered to return to the task. defy them under such embar- During World War II he southern Poland as the adjutant in Guam and the Philippines. With his metal detector ren- rassing circumstances. joined the 2/48th Battalion of to the local military command- For his exploits at Okinawa, dered all but useless because so Heinrich Himmler, Reichs- the Second Australian Imperial er, Major Max Liedtke. Battel Doss was awarded the Medal of much metallic debris lay on the führer-SS, vowed to have the Force. had been a member of the Nazi Honour. ground, he carried out an hour- lawyer expelled from the Nazi At the Siege of Tobruk, he Party since 1933. He was the first conscientious long fingertip search for further party and arrested immediately was recommended for the Mil- Thomas Derrick When the SS prepared to objector to earn the Medal of IEDs. after the war. itary Medal and promoted to launch their first large-scale “re- Honour and was promoted to One hidden bomb he found 12 13 had wires stretching the width He knocked out three balloons manned the gun while the other Daniel Sickles David Teich of the alley, which would nor- that day before his aircraft was drove the vehicle. Major General Sickles’ slight During the Korean War, US mally have prevented him go- hit by machine gun fire and he They drove right into the fire- disobedience to orders during Army Lieutenant David Teich ing any further. But Private was forced down behind enemy storm, loading the beleaguered the Battle of Gettysburg changed was in a tank company near the Hellings knew that his injured lines. Afghans, mostly wounded, the momentum of the war and 38th parallel in 1951 when a ra- comrades would almost certain- He managed to land, climbed onto their Humvee. As weapons may have changed the entire dio distress call came in from ly die if he waited for a bomb out of his aircraft and, using his jammed, Meyer would grab an- history of the United States. In a the Eighth Ranger Company. disposal team. sidearm, opened fire on the Ger- other, and another. They drove move historians haven’t stopped Wounded, outnumbered, and He disregarded the danger to mans that we heading to take into the melee five times, un- talking about for 150 years, under heavy fire, the Rangers himself and continued clearing him prisoner. He was killed in til they came across Meyer’s Sickles moved his men to Peach were near Teich’s tanks, and the ground around the IEDs so the one-sided fight. friends, now fallen, and pulled Orchard instead of Little Round facing 300,000 Communist he could reach the three casu- He was later awarded the them out too. Top, as Gen. George G. Meade troops, moving steadily toward alties, giving them life-saving Medal of Honour, becoming the For his actions Meyer was ordered him. This move prompt- their position. first aid and helping to evacuate first pilot to receive the award. awarded the Medal of Honour. ed Confederate Gen. James Teich wanted to help, but was them. He is the second-youngest liv- Stanislav Petrov Longstreet to attack the Union ordered to withdraw instead, For his bravery and quick ing Medal of Honour recipient. Benaya Rein troops in the orchard and the his captain saying “We’ve got thinking, he was awarded the wheat field, nearly destroying orders to move out. Screw Queen’s Gallantry Medal. During the Second Lebanon War several Israeli soldiers, the Union forces there. Which, them. Let them fight their own lacking accurate maps, became admittedly, sounds terrible. battles.” lost in 2006 while in Southern The Confederate move al- Teich went anyway. He led Lebanon. As they attempted lowed Union troops to flank four tanks over to the Rangers’ to get their bearings, about 20 them in a counter-offensive and position and took out so many men appeared in the distance, completely rout the Confederate Rangers on each tank, they cov- and the commander, convinced forces, winning Gettysburg for ered up the tank’s turrets. He the Union and ending Robert still gets letters from the troops Dakota Meyer they were Hezbollah fighters, ordered Benaya Rein to open E. Lee’s invasion of the North. he saved that day, thanking Stanislav Petrov fire. Sickles himself lost a leg in the him for disobeying his order to fighting, but received the Medal move out. On 26 September 1983, three Rein wasn’t so sure. Instead, of Honour. Frank Luke Jr. weeks after the Soviet military he took a tank out to the loca- Dakota Meyer had shot down Korean Air Lines tion to investigate. When he ar- Meyer was a member of the Flight 007, Lt Colonel Petrov rived, he found 20 of his fellow was the duty officer at the com- IDF soldiers. Daniel Hellings United States Marine Corps and it 2009 was at the Battle of mand center for the Oko nucle- Rein would later be killed af- Frank Luke Jr Ganjgal in Afghanistan. ar early-warning system when ter the tank he was commanding the system reported that a mis- was hit by a Hezbollah missile. Frank Luke Jr was an U.S. His commander ordered him sile had been launched from the He was one of the last Israelis Army Air Service during World to disregard a distress call from United States, followed by up killed during the war. War I. He held the rank of 2nd ambushed Afghan and Ameri- to five more Lieutenant. can troops, four of them friends, Standing orders were clear He was an ace with 18 con- pinned down by possibly hun- - report it immediately to his firmed kills, second only to dreds of enemy fighters. commanding officers, who Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. He repeatedly asked permis- would have likely launched a Luke’s nickname was the ‘Ar- sion to drive his truck to help counter-strike with their nucle- izona Balloon Buster’. relieve his outnumbered and ar arsenal.. On 29 September 1918 he had surrounded friends and allies. Suspecting that it was a false been grounded by his squad- Each time the request was de- alarm he disobeyed the standing ron’s commanding officer, Cap- nied. orders and, in doing so, averted tain Alfred A. Grant, and told Taking matter into his own World War III and mutually as- that if he took off he would be hands he and another Marine sured destruction. considered AWOL. hopped in a Humvee. Meyer Benaya Rein Daniel Sickles David Teich 14 15 have large resources that they assistance from external sourc- to destroy or incapacitate per- can call upon. es. This assistance can take the sonnel or vehicles. In some cas- IED - Insane, Effective, Deadly But they also have disadvan- form of providing training and es, IEDs are used to distract, In modern wars and conflicts the enemy could be anyone. And they will use any weapon tages. They are normally easily weapons, financial assistance, disrupt, or delay an opposing and tactic to inflict casualties and damage. One of the most common weapons is the IED. identified by their uniform and or even offering sanctuary. force, facilitating another type equipment, their conduct and One of the most common and of attack. he battlefield has al- And it is often not that easy that could cause harm or dam- tactics are usually governed popular weapons used by insur- IEDs may incorporate mili- ways been a harsh envi- to distinguish who the enemy age. This often makes a war ex- by “rules of engagement”, and gents and militia is the impro- tary or commercially sourced Tronment. After all, they are. In many cases they do not tremely difficult to fight. they are normally fighting in an vised explosive device (IED). explosives, and often combine have been places where people wear a uniform of any sort. The The majority of modern con- unfamiliar and hostile environ- both types, or they may other- are trying very hard to kill each enemy could be anyone - the flicts consist of asymmetric un- ment. IED wise be made with homemade other. man dressed in jeans and a tee- conventional warfare. This is The insurgents or militia are An improvised explosive de- explosives. Yet there was a time when shirt that looks as if he could be war between belligerents whose also at an obvious disadvan- vice (IED) is a bomb construct- An IED has five components: war was far more simple. No a soldier, the harmless looking relative military power differs tage - they are usually not well ed and deployed in ways other a switch (activator), an initiator less dangerous or horrific, but old man sitting on the street significantly, or whose strategy trained, often have inferior than in conventional military (fuse), container (body), charge more simple. You could identi- corner, or even the 10 year old or tactics differ significantly. equipment, and their tactics are action. It may be constructed (explosive), and a power source fy your enemy by the uniform schoolgirl with pigtails and a This is typically a war be- often not well co-ordinated. of conventional military explo- (battery). they were wearing. There were smile. tween a standing, profession- On the other hand, the have sives, such as an artillery shell, An IED designed for use certain protocols that governed And the enemy will make al army and an insurgency or some strong advantages. They attached to a detonating mech- against armoured targets such the way the war was fought. use of any weapon or tactic resistance movement militias are often highly motivated and anism. as personnel carriers or tanks These days, however, things who often have status of unlaw- dedicated to their cause, they An IED is a bomb fabricated will be designed for armour are not that simple. The battle- ful combatants. are fighting on ‘home ground’, in an improvised manner in- penetration, by using a shaped field could be anywhere - an The professional army has and they will use anyone and corporating destructive, lethal, charge that creates an explo- open field, an urban area, certain advantages. For in- anything to achieve their objec- noxious, pyrotechnic, or incen- sively formed penetrator. IEDs the local shopping mall, stance they are usually better tives. diary chemicals and designed or your back yard. trained, better equipped, and In many cases they receive

16 17 are extremely diverse in design old child and seven other peo- and may contain many types of ple were killed by explosives initiators, detonators, penetra- strapped to a horse in the town tors, and explosive loads. of Chita in Colombia. IEDs are triggered by various The carcasses of certain ani- methods, including remote con- mals were also used to conceal trol, infrared or magnetic trig- explosive devices by the Iraqi gers, pressure-sensitive bars or insurgency. trip wires (victim-operated). War pigs are reported to have In some cases, multiple IEDs been used in ancient warfare as are wired together in a daisy military animals, mostly as a chain to attack a convoy of ve- countermeasure against war el- hicles spread out along a road- BOOBY TRAP: While they may look visually attractive, they ephants. way. could easily be explosive-filled implants. Pliny the Elder reported that IEDs have been used in no “elephants are scared by the fewer than 17 countries. In the could be carried by a truck. ISIS Marine Corps since the Battle smallest squeal of the hog”. The VBIED: Explosives packed in the boot of a car. These devices second Iraq War, IEDs were has used truck bombs with dev- of Iwo Jima in World War II, Romans exploited squealing are known as VBIED (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosve De- astating effects. the deadliest single-day death used extensively against US- vices). pigs (and rams) to repel the war led invasion forces and by the On 23 October 1983, at toll for the United States Armed elephants of Pyrrhus in 275 BC. end of 2007 they had become the systematic use of IEDs and wait for the target to come to 06:22, a 19-ton Mercedes-Benz Forces since the first day of the Historical accounts of incen- responsible for approximately booby traps to cover the retreat them. Rather, they are delivered flat-bed truck drove through Tet Offensive in the Vietnam diary pigs or flaming pigs were 63% of coalition deaths in Iraq. of German troops at the Somme to the intended target. an open vehicle gate of the 1st War and the deadliest terror- recorded by the military writer IEDs are commonly used region during World War I. Vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIED) Battalion, 8th Marine stationed ist attack on American citizens Polyaenus and by Aelian. as roadside bombs. They vary Another early example of are vehicles laden with explo- at Beirut International Airport. overseas. Both writers reported that in both sophistication and coordinated large-scale use of sives that are then driven to the The truck drove through a Boats laden with explosives Antigonus II Gonatas’ siege of strength, with some being very IEDs was the Belarusian Rail target. guard hut in front of the build- can be used against ships and ar- Megara in 266 BC was broken simple devices while others are War launched by Belarusian The explosive can then be ing and smashed into the lobby eas connected to water. An ear- when the Megarians doused far more complex. guerrillas against the Germans detonated by remote control of the building serving as the ly example of this type was the some pigs with combustible during World War II. Both or by the driver or passenger. barracks for the 24th Marine Japanese Shinyo suicide boats pitch, crude oil or resin, set IED delivery mechanism command-detonated and de- These are commonly known as Amphibious Unit. during World War II. The boats them alight, and drove them to- Most IEDs are static weap- layed-fuse IEDs were used to car bombs. The truck, which had been hi- were laden with explosives and wards the enemy’s massed war ons. They are placed in vari- derail thousands of German On occasion the driver of the jacked earlier, was packed with attempted to ram Allied ships, elephants. ous locations and are detonated trains during 1943–1944. car bomb may have been co- explosives. And these were no sometimes successfully, having The elephants bolted in ter- when the target is within range. Throughout ‘The Troubles’ erced into delivery of the ve- ordinary explosives. sunk or severely damaged sev- ror from the flaming, squealing The device could be con- in Ireland, the Provisional IRA hicle under duress, a situation The bed of the truck was sur- eral American ships by war’s pigs, often killing great num- tained in a vehicle parked next made extensive use of IEDs in known as a proxy bomb. rounded by 20 kg compressed end. bers of their own soldiers by to the side of the road, placed their 1969–97 campaign. They In most cases, however, the butane canisters employed Suicide bombers used a boat- trampling them to death. in a dustbin or under some rub- used barrack buster mortars and driver or passenger that deto- with pentaerythritol tetrani- borne IED to attack the USS One of the most difficult ble, or even disguised in a case remote controlled IEDs. Mem- nates the bomb is a more than trate (PETN). These canisters Cole, US and UK troops have IEDs to deal with is the suicide of beer, in a child’s toy, or in a bers of the IRA developed and willing participant and consid- surrounded 9,525 kilograms of also been killed by boat-borne bomber wearing explosives and piece of ‘abandoned’ military counter-developed devices and ers it a great honour to become TNT. IEDs in Iraq. detonating them in order to kill equipment. tactics. a martyr for the cause. Once in the lobby of the Using animals as a method of others including themselves. These are excellent weapons IRA bombs became highly so- Car bombs can carry thou- building the driver, an Iranian delivering IEDs or as incendi- The bomber will conceal ex- for slowing down advancing phisticated, featuring anti-han- sands of kilograms of explo- national named Ismail Ascari, ary devices has been around for plosives on and around their troops, as nearly every object dling devices such as a mercu- sives and may be augmented detonated his explosives. a long time. person, commonly using a vest is regarded with suspicion and ry tilt switch or microswitches. with shrapnel to increase frag- The resulting explosion killed Do a bit of research on the (or possibly a prosthetic and needs to be checked before the These devices would detonate mentation. 220 Marines, 18 sailors and ‘anti-tank dog’ and the ‘bat will use a timer or some other troops can advance. the bomb if it was moved in any Now if a car can carry a large three soldiers, making this in- bomb’ that were developed dur- trigger to detonate the explo- Ernst Jünger mentions in his way. amount of explosives, just think cident the deadliest single-day ing World War II. sives. war memoir, Storm of Steel, Many IED, however, do not of the amount of explosives that death toll for the United States In recent times, a two-year- In addition, there is the psy- 18 19 chological impact of fighters prepared to deliberately sacri- Quiz fice themselves for their cause. The Americans have made great use of drones, both for ob- The Tin Hat serving and attacking potential utting your thinking helmet on because this month our quiz is about exactly that - helmets. We targets. show you 15 helmets, you tell us what they are. You’ll find the answers to the quiz on page 73. It was only a matter of time P before insurgents reasoned that what was “sauce for the goose, was sauce for the gander.” 1 2 3 Small commercial drones, operated via a cellphone or tab- let and equipped with a camera, can be purchased for as little as R2,000. FLYING BOMB: Cheap commercial drones are now being The camera transmits live used as a method of delivering IEDs. video footage to the opera- tor who is then able to control can counter-terrorism officials control over the device right up 4 5 6 the height and direction of the leaked their acquisition of doc- until the moment of initiation. drone. uments describing the prepara- The trigger for a radio-con- The camera can then record tion and use of surgically im- trolled improvised explosive still images or video footage planted improvised explosive device (RCIED) is controlled than can be used for intelligence devices. by radio link. A signal from the purposes. They can also be used The devices were designed transmitter causes the receiver as IED, as a report from early to evade detection. The devic- to trigger a firing pulse that op- this year on an attack on Rus- es were described as containing erates the switch. 7 8 9 sian forces in Syria earlier this no metal, so they could not be One of the most common year by 13 homemade drones detected by X-rays. methods these days is to use a points out. Security officials referred mobile phone to trigger the det- According to the report, “Ten to bombs being surgically im- onation. This uses a radio-con- drones attacked a Russian air- planted into suicide bombers’ trolled IED (RCIED) incorpo- base at Khmeimim. The other “love handles”. rating a mobile phone that is three went for a nearby naval According to the UK security modified and connected to an base at Tartus. officials at MI-6, female bomb- electrical firing circuit. 10 11 12 “Rather than being quadcop- ers could travel undetected car- The easiest method is the vic- ters (the most popular design rying the explosive chemicals tim-operated improvised ex- for commercial drones), the in otherwise standard breast im- plosive devices (VOIED), also craft involved in these attacks plants. The bomber would blow known as booby traps. They are resembled hobbyists’ model up the implanted explosives by operated by means of move- aircraft. Their wingspans were injecting a chemical trigger. ment. Switching methods in- about 13 feet, and they were clude tripwire, pressure mats, crudely constructed of wood IED triggering methods spring-loaded release, push, 13 14 15 and plastic and powered by For an IED to be successful pull or tilt. lawnmower engines. it has to explode. Various meth- IEDs have become a huge “Each carried 10 home-made ods are used to detonate an IED. problem and will continue to shrapnel grenades under its Command-wire improvised, be so in the future. As quick as wings.” explosive devices (CWIED) solutions to combat them are I have saved the best for last. use an electrical firing cable found, counter-methods are in- As early as May 2012 Ameri- that affords the user complete vented. 20 21 the Vietnam War. Shortened Paratrooper. from the phonetic alphabet • Dirty Gertie of Bizerte Army speak 101 Victor Charles for VC. (Allied Forces WWII) - A The military has always had their own way of doing things. And this includes having a rich • Cherry (US) - New recruit promiscuous woman. vocabulary of slang terms. still in basic training. • Doss bag (British) - Sleep- • Chibuli (Rhodesian Army) ing bag. he military world-wide I to describe an anti-aircraft tion. - Beer. • Egyptian PT (British) - has always had their own gun. • Blister Mechanic (Allied • Chicken Parade (SADF) Sleeping, particularly dur- way of doing things. And T • Armoured cow (Australia) Forces WWII) - Medic. - Basically a clean up of ing the day. Probably dates this includes having their very - Tinned milk. • Blou Gat (SADF) - Expres- an area, picking up papers, from WW2 or before. own language. • Army Banjo (Allied Forc- sion used to describe a na- cigarette butts, and general • Elephant Virgin (SADF) - The South African Defence es WWII) - Shovel. tional serviceman who had refuse. In the navy this was Slang term given to slices of Force (SADF) used a strange • Army Strawberries (Allied reached the halfway point of Bokkop known as ‘skirmishing’. polony. mixture of Afrikaans, English, Forces WWII) - Prunes. his initial national service. It • Civvie sitrep (Rhodesian • Engine Mountings (SADF) slang and techno-speak that few nickname given by the SAS • Army’s Lawn Dart (US) is an Afrikaans word literal- Army) - News on the com- - Slang term given to tinned outside of the military could to MI5. Their official ad- - UH-60 Black Hawk he- ly meaning ‘blue arse’. mercial radio. braised Steak. hope to understand. dress is PO Box 500, Lon- licopter. Named for its in- • Bokkop (SADF) - Slang • Clutch Plate (SADF) - • Flat dog (Rhodesian Some of the terms were hu- don. ability to stay in the air. Also term for infantry soldier. Slang term given to ham- Army) - Crocodile. morous, some were clever, • Brake Shoes (SADF) - Known as a “Crash Hawk”. It is derived from the Afri- burger patties. • Fish and Chips (British) while others were downright Slang term used to describe • Asino morto (Italian) - kaans word ‘Buck Head’. • Craphat (British) - Used - Slang term for urban war- crude. Provita Biscuits. “Dead donkey”, term for The emblem of the infantry by members of the para- fare (Fighting in someone’s Other armed forces around • Brass (Worldwide) - Top canned ham. was a Springbok’s head. chute regiment to denote house, causing havoc in the world also have their own ranking officers. • Axle Grease (Allied Forces • Bohica (US Navy) - Bend what they class as lesser reg- people’s streets). slang terms. • Bravo Zulu (Worldwide WWII) - Butter. over, here it comes again. iments. Taken from the fact • Fitter and turner (SADF) This article looks at just a few navies) - Well done. • Bagger (Ireland) - Deroga- • Blanket-stacker (British) that they wear the coveted - Nickname for a chef, be- of these slang names and terms. • Brown Navy (SADF) - A tory term referring to an - Any storeman (even if he Maroon beret that no-one cause he fits food into a pot Obviously we had to leave out term used to describe the Irish reservist Soldier, com- doesn’t deal with blankets). else wears. and turns it into sh*t. some of the more crude and South African Navy’s Ma- paring him/her to a sandbag, • Bleu (France) - A recruit. • Culling (Rhodesian Army) • Flossie (SADF) - Slang offensive terms. But I’m sure rines. They wore the normal i.e.; useless. Derived from the French - Killing the enemy. term for the Hercules C-130 most of our readers will re- brown uniform of the SADF, • Bait layer (Australian) - term for barely-cooked • Dad (Allied Forces WWII) transport aircraft. member them. as opposed to the ‘blue navy’ An Army cook. Refers to steak, symbolizing a “raw” - The oldest member of a • Freds (Rhodesian Army) Here is but a small sample of who were the seafaring ele- a person who drops poison recruit. group. – Frelimo. Mozambique military slang. ment of the navy. meat to kill dingos. The are • Blue on blue contact (UK • Dart thrower (Australian) Army. • Bundu (Rhodesian Army) also known as a Ration As- and US) - A friendly fire in- - A member of the Austral- • Gimpy (British) - The • Admin vortex (British) - A - The bush, the countryside. sassin. cident. ian Intelligence Corps. Re- L7A2 GPMG 7.62x61mm disorganised Soldier. • Bungalow Bill (SADF) - • Battery Acid (SADF) - • Body Snatcher (Allied fers to the perceived method belt-fed general purpose • Admiral of the Swiss Navy When troops lived in a bun- Slang term given to concen- Forces WWII) - Stretcher of identifying compounds/ (Allied Forces WWII) - A galow or dormitory one of trated cold drink that was bearer. areas of interest for future self-important person. them would often be put in mixed with water. • Boomer (US Navy) - A nu- operations, usually conduct- • Agitate the gravel (Rho- charge. Although this troop • Bayonet Course (Allied clear ballistic missile sub- ed eyes-shut with non-mas- desian Army) - Lets go. usually had no rank he was Forces WWII) - Hospital marine, or personnel serving ter hand to ensure statistical- Leave the place. known as the Bungalow treatment for venereal dis- aboard same. ly random results. • Air-dale (UK and US) - Bill. eases. “Bayonet” refers to • Boozer (Australian) - Pub • Devil Dodger, Siel Tiffie Derogatory term for a pilot • Canned Morale (Allied the male member. or Bar on an Army Base. (SADF) - Slang term for a or aircrew. Forces WWII) - A movie. • Beasting (British) - Punish- • Bottled Sunshine (Allied padre, chaplain or priest. • Amen wallah (British • Canteen medals (Australi- ment drill or PT. Forces WWII) - Beer. • Dicker (British) - A look Army) - Used during World an) - Beer or food stains on • Become a Gold Star in • Bowl us the ages ek se out, usually used to describe War I to describe a Chaplain. the breast of a shirt or jacket. Mom’s Window (Allied (Rhodesian Army) - What an enemy. A friendly look • Archie (British) - Expres- • Charles (US) - Nickname Forces WWII) - A gentle is the time? out is a stag. sion used during World War for the Viet Cong during Staaldak way of saying killed in ac- • Box 500 (British) - The • Dirt dart (Australian) - 22 23 machine gun. tude’. that was issued to SADF It is an Afrikaans word • Glasshouse, the (British) - • Interflora (SADF) - Derog- troops. It was hardly ever meaning ‘pig pan’. Military prison. atory term for a member of referred to as a steel helmet • Vasbyt (SADF) - Afrikaans • Go Kart (SADF) - Slang the Signals Corp. Their em- though. Even the English term meaning ‘bite fast’. It term used for a twenty-man blem of the winged figure of speaking people would refer was used to encourage each toilet. These were fibreglass Mercury was also used by to it as a staaldak. other. toilet shells which were the national florists, Interflo- • Stay frosty (US) - Regular • Vleisbom (SADF) - Derog- placed over a hole dug in the ra. term among Soldiers to both atory term used to describe ground. They were mounted • Jimmy (SADF) - Slang stay calm and stay alert. parabats (paratroopers), on wheels for easy move- term for signaller. Tommy cooker Varkpan • Suurstof dief (SADF) - De- usually by non-parabats. Af- ment. • Jol (SADF) - An Afrikaans • Mujiba (Rhodesian Army) • Retread (Allied Forces rogatory term for those in rikaans term meaning ‘meat • God (British) - The Regi- slang expression for a party. – Young insurgent supporter, WWII) - A veteran of World non-combatant roles. Afri- bomb’. mental Sergeant Major. • Jollie patrollie (SADF) - their ‘eyes and ears’(Shona). War I fighting in World War kaans expression meaning • Vindaloos (British) - Fire- • Gomos (Rhodesian Army) Used to denote any excur- • Muti - (Rhodesian Army) - II. ‘oxygen thief’. proof underwear used by the - Hills. sion or activity regarded Medicine of any description. • Rofie (SADF) - Term used • Tab (British) - To march SAS. • Gong (British) - A cam- as fun. Literal translation • Mushi (Rhodesian Army) - for a new recruit. It comes quickly with full pack and • Vorster Orrel (SADF) paign medal. means ‘jolly patrol’. Really nice / good. from the Afrikaans word rifle. Used by the British - Nickname for the Valki- • Green slime (British) - • K-Car (Rhodesian Army) - • Noddy Car (SADF) - Slang meaning ‘scab’. Army. ri 127 mm multiple rocket Army intelligence person- Nickname given to an Alou- expression for an Eland-60 • Santa Maria (SADF) - • Tampax Tiffy (SADF) - launcher. It refers to the late nel. ette III helicopter armed armoured car. SADF issued underpants. Slang term for a medic. President John Vorster. The • GV (SADF) - A term used with twin FN-MAG light • Numpty (Australian) - An Hardly ever worn by the • Taxi’s (SADF) - Cloths or feared Soviet equivalent for someone who was very machine guns. The K stood individual who just doesn’t troops but rather used to pol- strips of blankets which was nicknamed the ‘Stalin enthusiastic. It was short for for ‘kill’. get it ish floors or boots. were wrapped around your Organ’. the Afrikaans Grens Vegter • Katunda (Rhodesian • Olifant Skilfers (SADF) - • Screw (Australian) - Cor- boots so as not to dirty the • White Gold (SADF) - Slang or ‘border fighter’. Army) - Personal kit. Slang term for Cornflakes poral. floor. expression for toilet paper. • Gypo (SADF) - Used as a • Kettenhunde (German (breakfast cereal). It is an • Shrapnel (SADF) - Slang • Throw some sky into my • Wombles (Rhodesian term for avoiding work. A WW II) - Military Police, Afrikaans expression mean- term for tinned mixed Veg- rounds (Rhodesian Army) Army) - Police Special Re- person that was lazy was named for the chain and ing ‘elephant dandruff’. etables. - Put air in the tyres of a ve- serve. Middle aged volun- known as a gypo gat. badge they wore as a symbol • Ou Man (SADF) - Term • Shumba (Rhodesian hicle. teers who patrolled the ur- • Gypo Guts (SADF) - Slang of their duties. used for a troop who only Army) - Lion Lager. From • Tiffy (SADF) - Mechanic ban areas. term for diarrhoea. • Lemon (Rhodesian Army) had a short time left of his the Shona word for Lion. or member of the Technical • Yomp (British) - To march • Hondo (Rhodesian Army) - Nothing there. Normally national service. It is Afri- • Skrapnel hoender (SADF) Services Corps. quickly with full pack and – War, conflict (Shona). used to describe an oper- kaans for ‘old man’. - Term used to describe a • Tit’s up (British) - To be rifle. Used by the Royal Ma- • Houding (SADF) - An Af- ation or patrol which pro- • PB’s (SADF) - Term for meal consisting of shredded dead, lying on your back rines. rikaans word meaning ‘atti- duced nothing. local population. From the chicken. It is an Afrikaans with your chest facing sky- • Long (Rhodesian Army) - Afrikaans ‘plaaslike bevolk- expression meaning shrap- ward, hence Tits-Up. Trust you enjoyed these. Many / much / a lot. ing’. nel chicken. • Tommy (German WW II) • Min Dae (SADF) - Afri- • Pineapple (Allied Forces • Sleeve trash (Australian) - - British soldier. kaans expression meaning WWII) - A hand grenade. NCOs. They wear their rank • Tommy cooker (German ‘few days’. This was used • Pongo (SADF) - Slang for on their sleeve as opposed to WW II) - German nickname by troops who had only a members of the army. Refers officers who wear theirs on for the American Sherman short time before they com- to the often unavailability of their shoulder. tank. pleted their military service. washing facilities. The ex- • Slot (Rhodesian Army)- To • TTL (Rhodesian Army) – • Min Dae Chips (SADF) - pression; “Everywhere the kill. Tribal Trust Land. Slang term for Cornflakes army goes, the pong goes,” • Sniffel tiffy (SADF) - • Tubbin (Australian) - (breakfast cereal). was the origin of this. Member of the Intelligence Thumb Up Bum, Brain In • MMWC (Rhodesian • Put your slayer onto sing Corps. From the Afrikaans Neutral. Army) - The leader / person (Rhodesian Army) - Put ‘sniffing mechanic’. • Varkpan (SADF) - Slang in charge. (Main man what your LMG/rifle on automat- • Staaldak (SADF) - Afri- term for the tray on which Jimmy counts). ic. kaans term for the helmet food was sometimes served. White Gold 24 25 Caporal Rank Structure Corporal In the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), a Corporal is called Briga- French Foreign Legion dier (a Cavalry tradition). Legionnaire de 1re classe receive the rank at the end of the successful com- 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 French Foreign Legion. pletion of a Stage Caporal (Corporal’s course), a practical one to two-month- long course for future Corporals. he ranks within the Before receiving his Képi French Foreign Legion blanc (White Kepi) and the He is addressed as Caporal. T(Légion étrangère) are right to called himself as the based on the French Army rank- Legionnaire, an enlisted vol- Caporal-chef ing system. unteer/recruit is addressed as a Senior Corporal However, there are some dis- simply Engagé Volontaire (En- tinctions that make the Legion’s listed Volunteer) and authorized In 1er REC, Senior Corporal is called Brigadier-chef (a Cavalry tradition). ranking system unique. to wear a green beret only. A caporal is promoted after a minimum of six years of service, if he does not want (or is not allowed) to continue as a Sous-Officier (a Non-Commissioned Legionnaire de 2e classe Officer, NCO). Second Class Legionnaire He is addressed as Caporal-chef. Recruits receive this designation (it is not a rank officially) after the first four weeks of the basic training at La ferme (The Farm), if he has also finished his Marche Képi blanc (White Kepi March) successfully.

The rank is equivalent to a private. Non-Commissioned Officers (Sous-Officiers)

He is addressed as Legionnaire. Sergent Sergeant

In 1er REC, a Sergeant is called Maréchal des logis (a Cavalry tradition). Legionnaire de 1re classe Caporal that successfully complete a Stage Sergent (Advanced Leader First Class Legionnaire Course), a practical eight month-long course for future Legion’s Sergeants, are promoted to this rank. Legionnaire de 2e classe receive this rank after a minimum of 10 months of his service. He is addressed as Sergent. The rank is equivalent to a lance corporal.

He is addressed as 1re classe. Sergent-chef Staff Sergeant

In 1er REC, a Staff Sergeant is called Maréchal des logis-chef (a Cavalry tradition).

A Sergent is allowed to receive that rank after a minimum of three years of service as a Sergent. A Sergent-chef is able to command a platoon.

He is addressed as Chef.

26 27 Adjudant Sous-Lieutenant Warrant Officer 2nd Class Second Lieutenant

A Sergent-chef is allowed to obtain that rank after a minimum of three years Once an aspirant is commissioned, they will normally be promoted to the of service as a Sergent-chef. An adjudant is able to command a platoon. rank of sous-lieutenant. They are able to command a platoon.

You have to address him as Mon Adjudant or Mon Lieutenant for Cavalry. He is addressed as Mon Lieutenant.

Adjudant-chef Lieutenant Warrant Officer 1st Class Lieutenant

An Adjudant is allowed to obtain that rank after a minimum of four years of A Lieutenant is able to command a platoon. If there is a lack of officers, he service as an Adjudant. An Adjudant-chef is able to command a platoon. may be allowed to command a company.

You have to address him: “Mon Adjudant-chef. He is addressed as Mon Lieutenant.

Major Capitaine Regimental Sergeant Major Captain An Adjudant-chef can obtain this most senior NCO rank if he is unwilling to A capitaine is able to command a company (or squadron for cavalry). It there continue his career as an officer. Usually, he has to serve more than 25 years to is a lack of officers, he could be allowed to command a battalion. be able to obtain it. He is addressed as Mon Capitaine. He has to pass an audition/examination successfully or, if he has been serving for a sufficient time, he can apply for the position. Major is an uncommon rank within the Legion. Usually, there are no more than two majors in a regiment.

He is addressed as major. Commissioned Officers (Officiers) Aspirant Commandant Officer Cadet Major

An Aspirant is able to command a platoon. A Commandant is officially referred to as Chef de bataillon (or Chef d’es- cadrons for Cavalry). He is able to command a battalion or a half-brigade. He He is addressed as Mon Lieutenant. might act as a deputy for a regiment commander.

He is addressed as Mon Commandant.

28 29 Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel A matter of survival - Finding Food III Over the next few months we will be running a series of articles looking at survival, something A Lieutenant Colonel will usually command a regiment. that has always been important for those in the military. This month we look at finding animals for food. You have to address him as Mon Colonel. he good news is that all larger and more powerful ven- tering spots and homes. Look animals can be a source ture out during the day. out for signs of these trails. Tof nourishment in a sur- Larger herbivores need to Tracks will be more obvious vival situation. The bad news graze for almost the entire day on wet ground and in damp is that not all of them are that to satisfy their appetites. Some sand, while others are more no- keen on becoming part of the very small ones have to eat so ticeable in heavy vegetation. Colonel food chain. frequently that they are inter- The size of the impression Colonel A few worms and insects can mittently active the entire day. left is in proportion to that of be collected with little skill, Most small animals, such as the animal. A Colonel will normally be given command of a regiment. but most animals need to be rabbits, eat mainly at night and The age of the track can be trapped or hunted. This will re- will only change their habits accurately judged by its sharp- You have to address him as Mon Colonel. quire both knowledge and skill. when the weather is bad. ness and moisture content. Has We need to go back to the water seeped into it or has rain very first article in this series fallen into it? Has it become which ran in May 2018. One of smudged? The clearer the track, the first lessons that we learnt the more likely it is to be recent. was “do your homework”. In the early morning tracks The more you know of an- can be checked by observing Général de Brigade imals that can be found in the them at ground level. If dew area where you are operating, and spider webs have been dis- Brigadier the better. turbed it’s a good indication You must study each spe- that the tracks are only a few A Général de Brigade is able to be the commander of the whole French For- cies habits, find out where they hours old at most. eign Legion. sleep, what they eat, and where Some animals make tunnels they water. You must learn how through the dense undergrowth You have to address him as Mon Général. best to make a kill, what traps and these tunnels will give a to set, and what to use as bait. good indication of the size of the animal that made them. Finding game Animals that feed on other The height of broken twigs There are very few places on animals will hunt at the times along a track will also suggest earth where there are no wild when their prey is active. Use an animal’s size. Check to see animals. Sometimes, however, this as a guide and do the same. how fresh they are. Général de Division the signs of their presence are The more you know about Have trampled leaves wilt- far from obvious. You need to the animal that you are after, ed? Are broken twigs still green Major General know what to look for. the easier it will be to set traps and supple? Marks on trees and If you can recognise and read and catch them when they are logs, feeding signs and discard- A Général de Division is able to be the commander of the whole French For- the signs that animals leave, and about. ed food are other useful indica- eign Legion. identify the animal, you will tions. know what methods to adopt in Tracks and signs Droppings indicate the type You have to address him as Mon Général. hunting and trapping your prey, Something that works to your of animal that left them. what bait to use, and what type advantage is the fact that most of traps to set. animals are creatures of habit. Feeding signs Mammals will most move They will use regular routes be- The way in which bark has at first and last light. Only the tween their feeding places, wa- been stripped from trees, the 30 31 gnawed shells of nuts, partially the breath of large animals eaten fruit, bitten off shoots and forms a cloud of condensation. the remains of prey animals are This can be seen from some all indications of species living distance if you are in a good or hunting in the area. vantage point. When food is plentiful you will often find discarded fruits Burrows and dens or nuts lying around. Many animals make their An animal will take a bit, find homes in burrows, usually on it’s not to its liking, and will high ground. Some, such as rab- drop it to try another. This not bits and ground squirrels, take only reveals an animal’s pres- little trouble to try and conceal ence, but also suggests bait for them. traps. Predatory animals normal- A trained eye can often iden- ly hide their holes, which are tify the species by the pattern WHO SHOT ROGER RABBIT? If I was hungry enough, then it generally in wooded country or left by tooth or beak marks on a would probably be me that shoots Roger Rabbit. thicker bush. nut, or the way in which a pine Tracks or droppings nearby A GOOD SIGN: Droppings are not only a sign that their are cone has been stripped to get at animals around, they can also tell you how long ago the animal Scent and smell be prey. my give their location away, its seeds. and are an indication that a hole was in the area. If you can identify what type of animal made Listen to the noises around Many people neglect their Bark, twigs and buds, espe- is in use. the droppings - even better. you, register the smells. They sense of smell. You need to re- cially of young trees and bush- are a good sign on the presence develop it. es, form an important part of Next month we will be look- Mammals: Many mammal Loose are an indication that of wildlife. Some animal smells are very the diet of many animals. This ing at birds, insects and reptiles droppings have a strong scent. there is water nearby. Small Where one kind of animal strong and, with a bit of train- includes several species of deer as a source of food. This plays an important role in birds need to be close to water. exists, there will be others. If ing, easy to identify. Keep your and goats, hares, squirrels and marking territory and giving Birds of prey, however, do not there are predators in the area eyes open as well. numerous other small rodents. sexual signs. You can use this need to be close to water. you can be sure that there will In cold weather, for instance, In most cases the marks made to your advantage when baiting Roosts and nesting sites will by an animal’s teeth will show traps. often be indicated by copious clearly in the bark. Meat eaters produce long ta- amounts of droppings on the Click on the photograph below to take a virtual tour of Warrior’s Gate Many deer will bite off shoots pering droppings. Those that boughs of trees or the ground and find out more about the MOTH Order. leaving a torn and frayed edge. live on vegetation will produce underneath. Deer also scrape their horns roundish and strawy droppings. Birds generally feed in older against trees to mark their ter- Some animals have mixed di- tress where there is some decay ritory, leaving frayed bark and ets. Break open a dropping too and plenty of grubs. wood with long scratches. see if there are any clues as to what the animal has been eat- Rootings Droppings ing, then bait your trap accord- Some animals root up the Droppings are one of the best ingly. ground in search of insects and indications of an animal type. Birds: Birds fall into two tubers. Pigs, for example, turn An animal’s size can be judged basic groups: flesh eaters and over large areas of earth. from the size and amount of seed/fruit eaters. Both groups If the earth is still crumbly droppings. You can also get a can be distinguished by their and fresh, an animal is likely to good idea of how long ago the droppings. have been active in the spot re- droppings were made. Smaller seed-eating birds’ cently. Old droppings will be hard droppings are small and mostly A big muddy wallow is usual- and odourless while fresh drop- liquid, whereas owl, hawks and ly a sign of pigs. Small scratch- pings will be wet and will smell. eagles produce pellets which es may be where a squirrel has Flies will also draw attention to may contain indigestible parts been digging for shoots. droppings. of the meal taken. 32 33 head to head head to head Wheeled Artillery Systems 9. EVA (Slovakia) This month ten of the best wheeled artillery systems go head-to-head. This analysis is based on firepower, rate of fire, ammunition load, deployment and redeployment EVA is a Slovak self-pro- time, protection, and some other factors. pelled howitzer, developed by Konstrukta Defence and pub- ecently there is a trend are also far more mobile than In modern combat these artil- licly revealed in 2015. The to obtain truck mount- towed howitzers. lery systems often exploit their EVA is based on a Tatra T810 ed howitzers opposed to These artillery systems (self mobility for shoot-and-scoot R 6x6 truck, but the system can traditional tracked artillery sys- propelled howitzers) are used type attacks in order to avoid be also mounted on a 8x8 truck tems. as combat support weapons. counter-battery fire. chassis. Not a lot has been pub- Typically truck mounted Normally they provide indirect So which is the best lished about the EVA. howitzers are, less expensive to fire, however, if needed, they truck-mounted howitzer in the produce and to maintain, but as also have direct-fire capability. world? Which is the most ad- capable as tracked artillery sys- Some modern self propelled vanced, capable and effective Specifications tems. Truck-mounted howitzers howitzers have armoured cabs. self propelled howitzer? • Weight: 29.250 t • Length: 11.5 m • Traverse: ±60° mm howitzer • Width: 2.7 m • Effective firing range: 41.4 • Engine: Tatra T3C-928.90 • Height: 3.28 m km turbo-charged 300 kW 10. DANA M1 CZ • Crew: 3 • Maximum firing range: 20 (Czech Republic) • Shell: HE ER-BB km • Elevation: -3.5° to +75° • Main armament: 155/52 The DANA (the name being derived from “dělo automobil- ní nabíjené automaticky”) is a 8. MKE YAVUZ wheeled self-propelled artil- (Turkey) lery piece. It was designed by Konštrukta Trenčín and built by ZTS Dubnica nad Váhom in the Electronics specialist Asel- former Czechoslovakia (now san teamed with the country’s Slovakia). • Height: 3.63 m (with • Main armament: 152 mm General Directorate of Military Produced in 1977, it was the AAMG howitzer (60 rounds) Factories (AFGM) to integrate first wheeled 152 mm self-pro- • Crew: 5 • Secondary armament: the Turkish ‘Panter’ 155mm pelled artillery gun to enter ser- • Shell: HE, HEAT 12.7 mm DShKM (2,000 52 cal gun – a towed system – vice. • Shell weight: 43.5 kg (HE), rounds) onto the chassis of a 6×6 10 ton It is based on a modified 8x8 27.4 kg (HEAT) • Engine: Tatra T2-930-34 truck. Tatra 813 chassis with excellent • Barrel: 5,580 mm 253.7 kW cross-country mobility. Cur- • Breech: Semi-automatic, • Ground clearance: 0.41 m Specifications rently it is in service with the vertical sliding-wedge • Operational range: 600 km • Weight: 18,000 kg Czech Republic, Libya, Poland, • Elevation: -4° to +70° • Speed: 80 km/h • Length: 11.60 m • Rate of fire: 6 rpm 12.7 mm Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Slo- • Traverse: ±220° • Crew: 6 • Effective firing range: 40 • Operational range: 600 km vakia. • Rate of fire: 4 rpm (semi-au- • Shell: ERFB/BB km • Speed: 90 km/h tomatic), 2 rpm (manual) • Breech: Semi-automatic • Maximum firing range: 40 Specifications • Effective firing range: 18.7 Interrupted screw with elec- km • Weight: 28 t km tronic rammer • Main armament: 152 mm • Length: 11.156 m • Maximum firing range: 20 • Elevation: -3° to +65° howitzer (60 rounds) • Width: 3 m km • Traverse: ±40° • Secondary armament: 34 35 head to head head to head 7. CAESAR 5. NORA B-52 (France) (Serbia)

The CAESAR (CAmion The Nora B-52 is a 155 mm Equipé d’un Système d’ARtill- self-propelled howitzer weapon erie) is a French self-propelled system developed by Military 155 mm/52-calibre gun-how- Technical Institute Belgrade itzer, installed on a 6X6 truck for export and domestic use. chassis. The CAESAR platform The first self-propelled Nora was developed by the former B (developed on the basis of GIAT Industries (now known as Nora C) was designed by MTI Nexter) and is operated by the in 1984 with a modified 152 French, Indonesian, Saudi Ara- mm gun-howitzer M84 NORA bian, and Thai military. mounted on an FAP 8x8 truck • Crew: 3-5 km bed and was a third generation • Shell: HE ERFB/RA-BB • Main armament: 155 Specifications • Shell: HE, Ogre • Main armament: 155 of artillery weapons. VLAP mm/52 howitzer • Weight: 17.7 t • Rate of fire: 6-8 rpm mm/52 howitzer • Elevation: -3° to +65° • Secondary armament: • Length: 10 m • Effective firing range: 40 • Engine: Six-cylinder diesel Specifications • Traverse: ±60° 7.62 mm machine gun • Width: 2.55 m km 240 hp • Weight: 34 t • Rate of fire: 6-12 rpm • Engine: 410 hp turbo diesel • Height: 3.7 m • Maximum firing range: 42 • Operational range: 600 km • Length: 11 m • Effective firing range: 42 • Operational range: 1,000 • Crew: 5-6 km • Speed: 100 km/h • Width: 2.95 m km km • Height: 3.45 m • Maximum firing range: 46 • Speed: 90 km/h 6. ATMOS 2000 (Israel) 4. Zuzana 2 (Slovakia) ATMOS 2000 (Autonomous Truck Mounted howitzer Sys- Zuzana is a Slovak artil- tem) is a 155 mm/52 calibre lery system with a 45-caliber self-propelled gun system man- gun and automatic loader for ufactured by Israeli military loading of both projectile and manufacturer Soltam Systems. charge. It is an evolution of the 152mm SpGH DANA self-pro- Specifications pelled howitzer. • Weight: 22 t • Length: 9.5 m Specifications • Width: 2.65 m • Weight: 28,45 t • Height: 3.24 m • Length: 12.97 m • Crew: 4-6 • Width: 3 m • Shell: HE • Traverse: 360° • Engine: Tatra T3C-928.90 km km • Height: 3.3 m • Elevation: +70° • Crew: 3 • Rate of fire: 6 rpm turbo-charged 300 kW • Traverse: ±50° • Main armament: 155 • Speed: 80 km/h • Effective firing range: 39.6 • Operational range: 750 km mm/52 howitzer (32 rounds) • Shell: HE ER-BB • Rate of fire: 4-9 rpm • Shell weight: 43.5 kg (HE), km • Speed: 80 km/h • Effective firing range: 30 • Engine: 315 hp diesel • Main armament: 155 • Ground clearance: 0.41 m 27.4 kg (HEAT) km • Elevation: -3.5° to +70° mm/52 howitzer (40 rounds) • Maximum firing range: 41 • Operational range: 1,000 36 37 head to head head to head 3. CAESAR 8x8 1. G6-52 (France) (South Africa)

In 2015 Nexter unveiled the Caesar 8x8 at DSEI 2015 with high level of mobility ensured by a modified Tatra T-815 8x8 chassis. The 8x8 Caesar is fit- ted with a standard unarmoured forward control four-person cab, but one of the options is a fully armour protected cab. Specifications • Weight: 17.7 t • Length: 10 m • Effective firing range: 40 • Engine: Six-cylinder diesel • Width: 2.55 m km 240 hp • Height: 3.7 m • Maximum firing range: 42 • Operational range: 600 km • Crew: 5-6 km • Speed: 100 km/h • Shell: HE, Ogre • Main armament: 155 • Rate of fire: 6-8 rpm mm/52 howitzer The G6, sometimes denoted as the best artillery system in the • Effective firing range: 30 the G6 Rhino, is a South African world. km mine-protected self-propelled • Maximum firing range: 58 2. Archer howitzer. It was developed as Specifications km (Sweden) a turreted, self-propelled var- • Weight: 46 t • Main armament: 155mm iant of the G5 howitzer series, • Length: 9.20 m G5 howitzer (47 rounds) The Archer Artillery System, mating the gun to a six-wheeled • Width: 3.40 m • Secondary armament: or Archer - FH77BW L52, or armoured chassis. • Height: 3.20 m 12.7mm M2 Browning ma- Artillerisystem 08 is an interna- Design work on the G6 began • Crew: 6 chine gun (900 rounds) tional project aimed at develop- in the late 1970s to replace the • Shell: HE, HE BB, HE • Engine: Magirus Deutz ing a next-generation self-pro- obsolescent Sexton being re- V-LAP Model FL 413 F/FR air- pelled gun system for Sweden tired from service with the ar- • Breech: Semi-automatic in- cooled diesel 391 kW and Norway. tillery regiments of the South terrupted screw • Ground clearance: 0.45 m The crew and engine com- African Army. • Elevation: -3° to +75° • Operational range: 700 km partment is armoured and the Although it was designed • Traverse: 360° • Speed: 90 km/h cab is fitted with bullet and in 1981 it is still regarded as • Rate of fire: 4 rpm fragmentation- resistant win- dows. • Shell: NATO HE L52 howitzer (21 rounds) Specifications • Rate of fire: 8-9 rpm • Engine: 250 kW diesel • Weight: 30 t • Effective firing range: 30 • Operational range: 500 km • Length: 14.1 m km • Speed: 65 km/h • Width: 3 m • Maximum firing range: 40 • Height: 3.9 m km • Crew: 2-4 • Main armament: 155 mm/

38 39 Famous figures in military history Famous figures in military history

empathize with the Iron Divi- ture on the use of armour, and Mobile warfare Heinz Guderian sion’s efforts to defend Prussia war gaming done with dummy The German army developed Regarded by many as the father of modern tank warfare, Heinz Guderian redefined against the Soviet threat. tanks and later with early ar- infiltration tactics towards the The Iron Division waged a moured vehicles. Some of these the concept of mobile warfare. end of World War I. ruthless campaign in Lithuania trial manoeuvres were conduct- Special combat teams of and pushed into Latvia; how- ed in the Soviet Union. sturmtruppen (storm troopers) icknamed Schneller overseeing the establishment of 1918 Guderian was appointed ever, traditional German an- Britain at this time was ex- would advance in dispersed or- Heinz (Hurrying Heinz) the military in West Germany. to the General Staff Corps. He ti-Slavic attitudes prevented the perimenting with tanks under der rather than in massed rush- Nand a veteran of World Yet who exactly was he? was 29 years old at the time. division’s full cooperation with General Hobart, and Guderian es. They would bypass strong War I and World War II, Heinz Like many Germans, Guderi- the White Russian and Baltic kept abreast of Hobart’s writ- points, attacking rear areas and Guderian is regarded by many Early life an was not happy when Germa- forces opposing the Bolsheviks. ings using, at his own expense, causing their collapse. to be the father of modern tank Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was ny signed the armistice in 1918. Guderian was assigned as a someone to translate all the arti- This method was used in the warfare. born in Kulm, West Prussia He believed that the German company commander for the cles being published in Britain. 1918 German Spring Offensive, Not only did he survive the (now Poland) on 17 June 1888. Empire should have continued 10th Jäger-Battalion. Later he In October 1935 he was made but the German forces lacked war, he lat- In 1907, at the age 19, he the fight. joined the Truppenamt (“Troop commander of the newly cre- the mobility to exploit break- er served as joined the army. of On 1 Office”), which was a clandes- ated 2nd Panzer Division (one throughs and achieve deep pen- an advisor October 1913 he mar- Between the wars tine form of the Army’s General of three). On 1 August 1936 he etrations of the enemy defenc- ried Margarete Go- Early in 1919, Guderian was Staff which had been officially was promoted to Generalmajor, es. They were unable to sustain erne, with whom he selected as one of the four thou- forbidden by the Treaty of Ver- and on 4 February 1938 he was the impetus of the initial attack, had two sons, Heinz sand officers to continue on in sailles. promoted to Generalleutnant and ultimately they failed to Günther and Kurt. military service for the reduced In 1927 Guderian was pro- and given command of the XVI gain decisive results. At the start of size German army, the Re- moted to major and transferred Army Corps. The key to sustaining a break- World War I he ichswehr. to the command of Army trans- In 1936, General Lutz asked through was motorized troops. served as a signals He was assigned to serve on port and motorized tactics in Guderian to write a book on the Once the sturmtruppen had officer in the 5th the staff of the central com- Berlin. This placed Guderian at developing panzer arm and the taken an area, reserve troops Cavalry Division. mand of the Eastern Frontier the centre of German develop- theories that had been devel- should have been brought up to On 28 February Guard Service. This Guard Ser- ment of armoured forces. oped on its use in war. The re- hold the area. Yet up until the vice was intended to control Guderian, who was fluent in sulting volume, Achtung - Pan- 1920s the extent of motoriza- and coordinate the independent both English and French, stud- zer!, was his most important tion necessary was not possible. Freikorps units in the defence ied the works of British maneu- work. Soviet marshal Mikhail of Germany’s eastern frontiers ver warfare theorists J. F. C. It reviewed the state of ar- Tukhachevsky pursued the idea, against Polish and Soviet forc- Fuller, Giffard Martel and B.H. moured development in the Eu- but he was executed in 1937 in es engaged in the Russian Civil Liddell Hart. In 1931, he was ropean nations and Soviet Rus- Stalin’s “Great Purge” of Sovi- War. promoted to Oberstleutnant sia, and presented Guderian’s et military leaders. So we will In June 1919, Guderian (Lieutenant-Colonel) and be- theories on the effective use of never know just how far he may joined the Iron Brigade (later came chief of staff to the In- armoured formations and com- have taken the idea. known as the Iron Division) as spectorate of Motorized Troops bined-arms warfare ideas of Guderian was the leading ad- its second General Staff officer. under Oswald Lutz. In 1933 other general staff officers. The vocate in Germany of motori- The commanders’ of the regu- he was promoted to Oberst or book included the importance zation and tanks, and of using lar German army had intended Colonel. of airpower in support of the armoured forces in deep pene- that this move would allow the Guderian wrote many papers panzer units for future ground tration operations. He is regard- army to reassert its control over on mechanized warfare during combat. ed as the chief architect of Ger- the Iron Division; however, this period. These papers were Germany’s panzer forces many’s panzer divisions. their hopes were disappointed. based on extensive study of were created largely along the Guderian developed and ad- Rather than restrain the the lessons of the First World lines laid down by Guderian in vocated the strategy of con- Freikorps, Guderian’s an- War, research on foreign litera- his book. centrating panzer (“armoured”) ti-communism caused him to 40 41 Famous figures in military history Famous figures in military history formations at the point of attack ed for success was for com- signals troops to allow the com- Polish bunkers at Wizna. After returning to his com- of Staff of the Army (Chef des (the Schwerpunkt) and deep manders of mobile forces to mander to direct the division During the invasion of France mand, Guderian carried out a Generalstabs des Heeres) suc- penetration. be able to communicate with from any unit. and the Low Countries, Gude- series of withdrawals anyway, ceeding Kurt Zeitzler who had In Achtung Panzer, he de- each other and their sub-units. This allowed forward control rain’s panzer group led the “race directly disobeying his orders. departed on 1 July after multi- scribed what he believed were Guderian insisted in 1933 that of the division, which was criti- to the sea” that split the Allied A heated series of disputes with ple conflicts with Adolf Hitler. essential elements for a suc- German tanks be equipped with cal to mobile warfare. The Ger- armies in two, depriving the Field Marshal Günther von Guderian and his staff surren- cessful panzer attack: surprise, radios and intercoms (throat man victories from 1939 through French armies and the BEF in Kluge, the commander of Army dered to U.S. forces on 10 May deployment in mass, and suita- microphones) to enable each 1941 were not due to superior Northern France and Belgium of Group Centre, then followed. 1945. He remained as a prison- ble terrain. tank commander to commu- equipment, but to superior tac- their fuel, food, spare parts and Guderian was relieved of er of war in U.S. custody until He proposed armoured divi- nicate with his crew and with tics in the use of that equipment, ammunition. Faced with orders command on 26 December his release on 17 June 1948. His sions in which motorized in- other tanks in his platoon and and superior command and con- from nervous superiors to halt 1941, along with 40 other gen- conduct was investigated and fantry and artillery would op- company. trol which allowed the German on one occasion, he managed to erals. He was transferred to the no charges were brought. erate in conjunction with tanks In each individual German panzer forces to operate at a continue his advance by stating reserve pool. Guderian was bit- After the war he was often to achieve a decisive success. tank, the tank crew worked as a much faster pace. he was performing a “reconnais- ter towards Kluge, who he felt invited to attend meetings of In his memoir Panzer Leader, team, and the tank commander sance in force”, but the German had failed to support him. British veterans’ groups, where he wrote that as early as 1929, could communicate with each World War II High Command ultimately de- he analysed past battles with he “became convinced that [...] crew member. Moreover, Ger- Guderian led the XIX Corps nied him the authority to attack The final chapter his old foes. During the early it would be wrong to include man tanks worked collectively during the invasion of Poland. the Allied forces encircled in the After the German defeat at 1950s Guderian was among the tanks in infantry divisions: what as teams, providing mutual pro- This corps comprised a panzer pocket at Dunkirk. Stalingrad, Hitler realized he military advisors who helped in were needed were armoured di- tection and increased effective division and two motorized in- needed Guderian’s expertise. the establishment of West Ger- visions which would include all firepower. fantry divisions. Guderian led Invasion of the Soviet Union He personally requested Gu- many’s military defence force, the supporting arms needed to Of Guderian’s contributions, his corps in the Battle of Wizna In 1941 Guderian command- derian to take a new position the Bundeswehr, which has fight with full effect.” Hermann Balck (highly decorat- and the Battle of Kobryn. ed the 2nd Panzer Group, also as “Inspector General of Ar- gone on to be the military de- After Hitler came to power ed tank commander) considered In each of these, he abandoned known as Panzergruppe Guder- moured Troops”. Guderian fence force of Germany today. and Germany began re-arming, some of the most important to his theories of rapid manoeuvre ian, during Operation Barbaros- made a number of stipulations Guderian died on 14 May Guderian was empowered to be the five man tank crew, with and was highly successful us- sa, the German invasion of the to ensure that he would have 1954 at the age of 65, in put his ideas into practice. a dedicated radio operator in the ing tanks to deliver offensive Soviet Union. The unit later was the requisite authority to per- Schwangau near Füssen in Guderian believed that among hull of the tank, and the organ- sapper companies that success- redesignated 2nd Panzer Army. form his duties. Hitler agreed Southern Bavaria. those things need- ization of divisional fully blew up the Following the completion of to these conditions, and on 1 majority of the the encirclement in the Battle March 1943 he was appointed Awards and Decorations of Kiev, Guderian was ordered to the newly created position. • Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class to make a drive for Moscow in His responsibilities were to & 1st Class mid-September 1941. In No- oversee the rebuilding of the • Knight 2nd class of the Frie- vember, the attack by the 2nd greatly weakened panzer arm, drich Order with Swords Panzer Group on Tula and to oversee tank design and • Saxe-Ernestine House Or- Kashira, 125 km south of Mos- production, and the training of der Commander 2nd Class cow, achieved only fleeting and Germany’s panzer forces, and with SwordsRoyal Hungar- precarious success. he was to advise Hitler on their ian War Memorial Medal In the face of the Soviet coun- use. His new position allowed with Swords ter-offensive, Guderian was him to bypass much of the Nazi • War Memorial Medal with not allowed to pull his forces bureaucracy and report to Hit- Swords back but instead was ordered to ler directly. • Order of St. Sava 1st Class “stand fast”, keeping them all in On 21 July 1944, after the fail- • Clasp to the Iron Cross their current positions. He dis- ure of the 20 July Plot to assas- (1939) 2nd Class & 1st Class puted that order, going person- sinate Hitler, in which Guderi- • Knight’s Cross of the Iron ally to Adolf Hitler’s headquar- an had no direct involvement, Cross with Oak Leaves ters, but it was not changed. Guderian was appointed Chief 42 43 Forged in but it also fought in almost all does not swear allegiance to Since 1831, the Legion has French wars including the Fran- France, but to the Foreign Le- suffered the loss of nearly battle co-Prussian War, World War I gion itself. 40,000 men on active service and World War II. After serving three years in in France, Algeria, Morocco, The Foreign Legion has re- the Legion, foreigners may ap- Tunisia, Madagascar, West Af- mained an important part of the ply for French citizenship. rica, Mexico, Italy, the Crimea, Légion étrangère French Army and sea transport Any soldier who becomes in- Spain, Indo-China, Norway, protected by the French Navy, jured during a battle for France Loyada, Syria, Chad, Zaïre, French Foreign Legion surviving three Republics, the can immediately apply to be a Lebanon, Central Africa, Ga- Second French Empire, two French citizen under a provi- bon, Kuwait, Rwanda, Djibou- While they may be part of the French Army, the French Foreign Legion swear allegiance to the World Wars, the rise and fall of sion known as “Français par le ti, former Yugoslavia, Soma- Legion mass conscript armies, the dis- sang versé” (French by spilled lia, Republic of Congo, Ivory mantling of the French colonial blood). Coast, Afghanistan, Mali, Sahel n 10 March 1831, The Royal Ordinance for the accordingly transferred by sea empire, and the loss of the For- Members of the Legion come and others. King Louis Philippe establishment of the new regi- in detachments from Toulon to eign Legion’s base, Algeria. from 140 countries. The French Foreign Legion Oof France created the ment specified that the foreign- Algeria. The Foreign Legion is a was primarily used to French Foreign Legion. ers recruited could only serve The Foreign Legion was military service branch of the protect and expand It was made up from the for- outside France. primarily used, as part of the French Army and is unique in the French colonial eign regiments of the Kingdom The French expeditionary Armée d’Afrique, to protect that it was, and continues to be, empire during the of France, including soldiers force that had occupied Algiers and expand the French coloni- open to foreign recruits 19th century. The from the recently disbanded in 1830 was in need of rein- al empire during the willing to serve in the Foreign Legion Swiss and German foreign reg- forcements and the Legion was 19th century, French Armed Forces. was initially sta- iments of the Bourbon monar- Commanded by tioned only in chy. French officers, the Le- Algeria, where gion is open to French it took part in citizens who make up the pacification about 25% of the re- cruits. The Legion is the only part of the French military that

44 45 and development of the colony. march in full kit. During the first Subsequently, the Foreign two days the recruits march 25 Legion was deployed in a num- kilometres per day. On the third ber of conflicts, including the day a ceremony is held and they First Carlist War in 1835, the are presented with their Képi Crimean War in 1854, the Sec- Blanc. Up until then the recruits ond Italian War of Independ- are only allowed to wear their ence in 1859, the French inter- green berets. vention in Mexico in 1863, the Recruits then recite Le Code Franco-Prussian War in 1870, d’honneur du légionnaire (The the Tonkin Campaign and Si- Legionnaire’s Code of Hon- no-French War in 1883, sup- our). It is made up of seven porting growth of the French parts, which are: colonial empire in Sub-Saharan 1. Legionnaire, you are a vol- Africa and pacifying Algeria, unteer serving France with the Second Franco-Dahomean honour and fidelity. War in 1892, the Second Mad- 2. Each legionnaire is your agascar expedition in 1895, and brother in arms whatever his POLE PT: Foreign Legion recruits undergoing basic training at Képi Blanc: After completing the Marche Képi Blanc recruits the Mandingo Wars in 1894. The Farm. are presented with their white kepi. nationality, his race or his In World War I, the Foreign religion might be. You show Legion fought in many critical deployment force to preserve deployed in Cambodia, Soma- tween the ages of 17.5 and to pass certain tests that include him the same close solidari- battles on the Western Front. It French interests – in its former lia, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Her- 39.5 years. IQ tests, personality tests, fit- ty that links the members of played a smaller role in World African colonies and in other zegovina. • You need a verified copy of ness tests, and medical tests. the same family. War II than in World War I, nations as well; it also returned In the mid- to late-1990s, the your birth certificate. They will also run a back- 3. Respect for traditions, de- though having a part in the Nor- to its roots of being a unit al- Foreign Legion was deployed • You must not be wanted by ground security check. votion to your leaders, dis- wegian, Syrian and North Afri- ways ready to be sent to conflict in the Central African Repub- Interpol for criminal activi- Take into consideration that cipline and comradeship are can campaigns. zones around the world. Some lic, Congo-Brazzaville and in ties. for every 100 people that apply your strengths, courage and During the First Indochina notable operations include: the Kosovo. • You need to be physically fit to join the French Foreign Le- loyalty your virtues. War (1946–1954), the Foreign Chadian–Libyan conflict in The Foreign Legion also took to serve at all times and in gion, only 10 to 15 are selected. 4. Proud of your status as le- Legion saw its numbers swell. 1969–1972 (the first time that part in operations in Rwanda all places around the world. If you are selected you will gionnaire, you display this The FFL lost a large number of the Legion was sent in opera- in 1990–1994; and the Ivory • You need to have a BMI be- have to sign an initial contract in your always impeccable men in the catastrophic Battle tions after the Algerian War), Coast in 2002 to the present. In tween 20 and 30. for five years. You will be en- uniform, your always digni- of Dien Bien Phu. 1978–1979, and 1983–1987; the 2000s, the Foreign Legion • You must meet the height listed as a single man, even if fied but modest behaviour, During the Algerian War of Kolwezi in what is now the was deployed in Operation En- and weight requirements for you are married. and your clean living quar- Independence (1954–1962), the Democratic Republic of the during Freedom in Afghanistan, joining the French Foreign ters. Foreign Legion came close to Congo in May 1978. In 1981, Operation Licorne in Ivory Legion. Basic training 5. An elite soldier, you train being disbanded after some of- the 1st Foreign Regiment and Coast, the EUFOR Tchad/RCA • You must be able to write Basic training for the For- rigorously, you maintain ficers, men, and the highly dec- Foreign Legion regiments par- in Chad, and Operation Serval and read in your native lan- eign Legion is conducted in your weapon as your most orated 1st Foreign Parachute took to the Multinational Force in the Northern Mali conflict guage. the 4th Foreign Regiment. This precious possession, and Regiment (1er REP) took part in Lebanon. The entire recruiting and se- is an operational combat regi- you take constant care of in the Generals’ putsch. Opera- In 1990, Foreign Legion reg- Recruitment and selection lection process takes between ment which provides a training your physical form. tions during this period includ- iments were sent to the Persian There is only one way of join- two and five weeks. course of 15–17 weeks, before 6. The mission is sacred, you ed the Suez Crisis, the Battle of Gulf and took part in Opération ing the French Foreign Legion. The process ends when you recruits are assigned to their op- carry it out until the end and, Algiers and various offensives Daguet, part of Division Da- You have to go to mainland are officially accepted or re- erational units. if necessary in the field, at launched by General Maurice guet. Following the Gulf War in France and knock on the door jected. During the whole period Initial training lasts for four the risk of your life. Challe including Operations the 1990s, the Foreign Legion of one of the Foreign Legion re- free accommodation, food and to six weeks at La Ferme (The 7. In combat, you act without Oranie and Jumelles. helped with the evacuation of cruiting centres. clothing are provided by the Farm). passion and without hate, In the 1960s and 1970s, Le- French citizens and foreigners The entry requirements are Legion. This is followed by the three you respect defeated ene- gion regiments had additional in Rwanda, Gabon and Zaire. pretty straightforward: If you meet the above re- day Marche Képi Blanc (March mies, and you never aban- roles in sending units as a rapid The Foreign Legion was also • You need to be a male be- quirements you will then have White Kepi), a 50 kilometre don your dead, your wound- 46 47 ed, or your arms. 13th Demi-Brigade of the around 2,000 Mexicans. Cap- form including leather aprons The recruits then do three Foreign Legion. It is stationed tain Danjou and his men had and axes. The sappers had been weeks of technical and practi- near Abou Dabi, United Arab refused to surrender and were very common in the French cal training. This is followed by Emirates. From 1962 to the fighting until their ammunition Army during the Napoleonic a week of mountain training in end of 2011, 13e DBLE was ran out. At the end of the battle, Era, but disappeared between the French Pyrenees. stationed at Quartier général only three legionnaires were 1870-1940, excluding the pio- They then undergo another Monclarin in Djibouti, Africa. combat-ready. neers of the Foreign Legion. three weeks of technical and Détachement de Légion To commemorate this funda- Some regiments of the For- practical training. Étrangère de Mayotte, mental event, a celebration has eign Legion have its own group This is followed by a week (DLEM) been held by the Legion an- of pioneers (mostly one NCO of examinations where they Foreign Legion Detachment nually, since the early 1900’s, and nine legionnaires). The 1er are expected to obtain the El- in Mayotte. The smallest in- called Camerone Day. During RE is the Legion’s only regi- ementary Technical Certificate dependent operational unit of this event, the wooden hand of ment with its own traditional (CTE). the French Foreign Legion. It Captain Danjou (he lost his left pioneer platoon, composed of The next challenge is the Raid has been stationed at Quartier hand in Algeria in the 1850’s) at least three NCOs and 36 or- Marche, a 120 kilometre final Cabaribère of Dzaoudzi, May- is paraded in public, usually dinary legionnaires. Foreign Legion pioneers with their march that must be completed PIONEERS ON PARADE: otte (Indian Ocean) since 1976. carrying by a selected officer The parades of the Foreign distinctive leather aprons, axes, and beards. in three days. Commandement de la Légion or legionnaire. This honour is Legion are led by this unit. Recruits then do light vehicle Quartier Labouche in Orange, fanterie (2e REI) Etrangère (COMLE) seen as the highlight of a le- Marche de la Légion drivers education and obtain a France, since it moved from 2nd Foreign Infantry Reg- Foreign Legion Command. gionnaires career. Étrangère (March of the Foreign military drivers licence. Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria in Octo- iment. The longest-serving The headquarters of the French Legion), is the official march Finally they return to Auba- ber 1967. and the largest regiment of Foreign Legion. It has been sta- of the French Foreign Legion. gne before being assigned to an 1er Régiment Étranger de the French Foreign Legion. It tioned at Quartier Viénot in Au- The song is better known as Le operational regiment. Génie (1er REG) has been stationed at Quartier bagne, France, since 1984. Boudin, a reference to boudin, a Education in the French lan- 1st Foreign Engineer Regi- Colonel de Chabrières in Ni- Groupement de Recrute- type of blood sausage or black guage (reading, writing and ment. One of two combat en- mes, France, since November ment de la Légion Etrangère pudding. Le boudin colloquial- pronunciation), is taught on a gineer regiments in the French 1983. (GRLE) ly meant the gear (rolled up in a daily basis, throughout all of Foreign Legion. It has been 3e Régiment Étranger Foreign Legion Recruiting blanket) that used to be carried basic training. stationed at Quartier Gener- d’Infanterie (3e REI) Group. The recruiting unit of atop the backpacks of Legion- al Rollet in Laudun-l’Ardoise, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regi- the French Foreign Legion. It naires. Current units France, since 1984. ment. The most decorated regi- has been stationed at Fort de Another popular marching Once recruits have success- 2e Régiment Étranger de ment of the French Foreign Nogent of Fontenay-sous-Bois, Legio Patria Nostra (The Le- song of the Foreign Legion is fully completed basic training Génie (2e REG) Legion. It has been stationed Paris since 2007. gion is our Fatherland) is the Képi Blanc. they are then sent to a regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Reg- at Quartier Commandant For- most frequent motto in the cur- Click on the underlined links or unit. iment. The youngest regiment get in Kourou, French Guiana Foreign Legion traditions rent Legion. The Legio Patria below to listen to these songs. 1er Régiment Étranger (1er of the French Foreign Legion, (South America), since Sep- The Legion has many unique Nostra motto has an unknown Le Boudin. RE) “the mountain regiment”. It tember 1973. traditions. origin. Initially, it was used by Képi Blanc. 1st Foreign Regiment. The has been stationed at Quarti- 4e Régiment Étranger (4e Bataille de Camerone et la legionnaires within the 3rd For- oldest regiment of the French er Maréchal Koenig in Saint RE) main du capitaine Danjou. The eign Infantry Regiment. At a Since 1831 the French For- Foreign Legion. It has been Christol, France, since 1999. 4th Foreign Regiment. The Battle of Camerone is the most later date, it became the main eign Legion has fought in no stationed at Quartier Viénot 2e Régiment Étranger de Par- training regiment of the French significant event in the French motto of the whole Legion. fewer than 30 wars or conflicts, in Aubagne, France, since it achutistes (2e REP) Foreign Legion. It has a re- Foreign Legion’s history. It oc- Nowadays, the motto Legio more than earning the title moved from Sidi-bel-Abbès 2nd Foreign Parachute Reg- sponsibility of training French curred in Mexico on 30 April Patria Nostra is the best known ‘Forged in battle’. (Algeria) in 1962. iment. The only airborne reg- Foreign Legion personnel. The 1863. motto of the Foreign Legion. 1er Régiment Étranger de iment of the French Foreign 4e RE has been stationed at The battle became a symbol Les Pionniers de la Légion Cavalerie (1er REC) Legion. It has been stationed at Quatier Capitaine Danjou in of bravery and determination of étrangère. The Pioneers (or 1st Foreign Cavalry Regi- Camp Raffalli near the town of Castelnaudary, France, since fighting to the death. A Legion Sappers) are a traditional unit of ment. The only cavalry reg- Calvi on the island of Corsica May 1986. company, consisting of three the Foreign Legion. They wear iment in the French Foreign since June 1967. 13e Demi-Brigade de Légion officers and 62 legionnaires led large beards and the traditional Legion. It has been stationed at 2e Régiment Étranger d’In- Étrangère (13e DBLE) by Captain Jean Danjou, faced Foreign Legion Pioneers uni- 48 49 In June 1876 near the Little Bighorn River, Lieutenant take things from the soldier’s Colonel George Armstrong Custer made his last stand. bodies that intrigued them. In this article we look at some facts from the Battle of Watches, for example, were battlefield Little Bighorn. seen only as objects that ticked. Once the ticking stopped the watches were mostly discarded. nown to the Lakota and other Plains In- Defensive wall They also took compasses, as these really fascinated them. dians as the Battle of the Grease Grass, Some accounts of the battle it is more commonly known as the Bat- They saw that the needle float- K claim that Custer ordered hors- ed and moved when the com- tle of Little Bighorn, or as Custer’s Last Stand. es killed to form a defensive pass case was turned. It was an armed engagement between com- wall. L bined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, Because of their position to By most accounts, many of the bodies of the dead soldiers, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th Cavalry Regi- the men ran away from the car- ment of the United States Army. the compass happened to point nage to make defence farther at the bodies. They concluded i The battle, which resulted in the defeat of US up, and it was on Custer Hill LAST STAND: An artists impression of George Custer making his last stand. that these devices were some- forces, was the most significant action of the that Lt. Edward Godfrey and Great Sioux War of 1876. It took place on 25– how attuned to the soldiers, and General Edward McClerand armed with not only spears and Crow nation. t 26, 1876, along the Little Bighorn River in the that’s how white men found (and later confirmed by archae- bows and arrows. About 450 of For decades, nearly a cen- Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Mon- each other. ologists) found the bodies of them carried firearms. tury, before the formation of tana Territory. They reasoned that if you used t Cavalry men surrounded by a This included 100 that were the Crow reservation and the The battle was an overwhelming victory for one of these devices it would circle of dead horses. armed with Winchester Mod Crow’s alliance with the U.S., the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, point out where the white sol- “On top of Custer Hill was 1866 repeating rifles. While the Cheyenne, and Sioux had who were led by several major war leaders, in- diers could be found. l a circle of dead horses with a these may have had a short- been stealing Crow horses and cluding Crazy Horse and Chief Gall, and had Paper money was of no use to 30-foot diameter, which was not er range than the Springfield warring with the less armed na- been inspired by the visions of none other than them. It was given to the chil- badly formed. Around Custer rifles, they had a much higher tion on a regular basis. e Sitting Bull. dren to play with, or just thrown some 30 or 40 men had fallen, rate of fire. The Crow did not have enough The US 7th Cavalry, a force of 700 men, away. What they did take was some of whom had evidently The Cavalry soldiers were numbers to defend themselves suffered a major defeat while under the com- the wallets because they felt used their horses as breast- possibly not all well trained. and neither did the Army, but mand of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong that these were of some value. works.” - General McClerand. There were several minors that together they were more formi- Custer (formerly a brevetted major general dur- The warriors also found “Numerous dead horses were were not yet of military age dable. Sioux made numerous ing the American Civil War). Five of the 7th flasks. They assumed that the B lying along the south-western among them, and several of the raids on the Crow and Army Cavalry’s twelve companies were annihilated strong, burning liquid inside slope of Custer Hill. On the men found in archaeological outposts, and the Crow would and Custer was killed. was some type of ‘holy water’. very top were found four or five excavations were not in mili- often sacrifice their warriors in In this article we’re not going to look at a i dead horses that were swollen, tary uniform. Indian accounts attempts to recover stolen hors- blow-by-blow account of the battle, nor the It’s all over putrid, and offensive, their stiff- of the battle describe the men es and goods. reasons for it and the consequences there after. Some battles can drag on for ened legs sticking straight out as scared and in a panic. ages. Little Bighorn was not g Rather we’re going to look at a few interesting from their bodies. Close under Looting the bodies facts about the battle. one of them. the brow of the hill several hors- Defence of the homeland Many believe that the Sioux By all accounts, the battle es are lying together, and by the h Family affair Many believe that in the Bat- and Cheyenne would loot the with Custer’s Battalion lasted side of one of these Custer was tle of Little Bighorn the Sioux bodies of enemies that had fall- The total US casualty count included 268 less than an hour. In fact, some found.” - Colonel John Gibbon. and Cheyenne were merely de- en in battle. This was sort of dead and 55 severely wounded (six died later evidence shows that it was less o fending their homeland. This is true. from their wounds), including four Crow Indi- than half an hour. Fire power not true. The land actually be- Sioux warriors would take the an scouts and at least two Arikara Indian scouts. Which makes sense, consid- The Cavalry was armed with longed to the Crow nation. scalps of their enemy. This was It was a grim day for the Custer family. Be- ering that the 7th Cavalry was r breech-loading, single-shot The Crow territory included to prove how many men they sides the fact that George Custer was killed, so really outnumbered. No exact Springfield Model 1873 - car Little Big Horn and, in 1851, had killed in battle and to show were two of his brothers, a nephew and a broth- numbers have ever been deter- bines, and the 1873 Colt sin- that land was included in the what a great and brave warrior n er-in-law. mined, but it could have been as gle-action revolver. reservation boundaries set by they were. high as 9:1. The Indians, however, were the U.S. government for the They would, however, also 50 51 What’s in a name were getting off their hors- The legendary legend Something George Arm- es, preferring to hide or crawl There are many legends sur- strong Custer was never short along the ground . . . As hun- rounding George Armstrong of was nicknames. dreds of Indians surrounded Custer. When he was young his fam- this ridge, I saw one of the sol- Custer’s life is a mishmash of ily called him Armstrong. An- diers point his pistol at his head failure, brazen luck, and some other nickname was Autie. This and pull the trigger. Others im- success, but he wasn’t the hero came about because Custer itated his example, sometimes or anti-hero so often portrayed. could not pronounce his middle shooting themselves, sometimes When he studied at West Point name. each other. When Chief Lame Academy he was known to be Later on his troops would call White Man reached the sol- a bit of a joker and a prankster. him Curley or Jack. The last diers, all of them were already In fact he graduated last in his nickname was because his ini- dead. Indians then attacked class. tials, which were emblazoned the first ridge, and again, most Many people believe that on his satchel, were G.A.C. of the white men were already Custer was a general. Well he The Plains Indians gave him dead. The only thing remaining was, but only for a very short the nicknames Yellow Hair or for the Indians to do was pick time. During the American Civ- Son of the Morning Star. up the abandoned guns and am- YELLOW HAIR: One of the MARKED WHERE THEY FELL: Marble markers indicate the il War he was given the rank of munition.” – Kate Bighead. nicknames given to Custer by exact spot where Custer’s men died. Brevet Major General. Little Big Horn Armoury the Plains Indians was Yellow After the war, however, he After the battle all of the Cav- Lone survivor Hair. They also called him Son reverted to the rank of captain, Bighorn River. To this day it alry’s weapons were collected Soldiers under Custer’s direct of the Morning Star. Marked where they fell and remained so for the rest of has never been recovered. up by the Indians. command were annihilated on If you visit the Little Bighorn his career. the first day of the battle (ex- ly involved in Custer’s part of Battlefield National Monument Black Elk, a famous Sioux Battlefield detectives While Custer was known Medicine Man, said he acquired cept for three Crow scouts and the battle) was Captain Keogh’s in Montana, you get a real- for his strict discipline, he was It’s amazing what can be his first gun at the Battle of the several troopers that had left horse, Comanche. The wound- ly good idea of how the battle court martialed twice. Once for achieved with modern equip- Little Bighorn when he took it that column before the battle; ed horse was discovered on went down. going AWOL to visit his wife. ment and technology. from a dead trooper. Black Elk one Crow scout, Curly, was the the battlefield by General - Ter Marble markers indicate the Many of Custer’s troops Studies underway at Little was one of Crazy Horse’s cous- only survivor to leave after the ry’s troops, and although other spot where each soldier fell. thought of him as a “vain dan- Big Horn Battlefield National ins and took the name Nicholas battle had begun), although for cavalry mounts survived they Originally, they were buried dy”. Custer was known for his Monument are so advanced that Black Elk later in life when he years rumours persisted of oth- had been taken by the Indians. where they died, but the bodies appreciation of his hair and his researchers can find a bullet on and his family converted to Ca- er survivors. Comanche eventually was re- were moved later. The markers attention to it with cinnamon oil the ground and track where it tholicism. Over 120 men and wom- turned to the fort and became remain. for scent and other treatments. was shot from, who shot it, and en would come forward over the regimental mascot. Most of the legend surround- how adept at fighting the sol- Panic and chaos the course of the next 70 years The missing treasure ing Custer was embellished or dier was. After Custer himself fell, the claiming they were “the lone Civilian deaths Captain Grant Marsh of the even made up by Custer’s wife They conduct their research remaining soldiers fled in a dis- survivor” of Custer’s Last There were three civilians Far West Steamboat was the during speeches throughout her with metal detectors and micro- organized panic toward a stand Stand. that were killed at the Battle of first to deliver the news of life after he was killed, and by scopes and match firing pins to of cottonwood. The stampede The phenomenon became so Little Big Horn. what happened at Custer’s Last the shows put on by a friend rifle cartridges. They are also was such that an Indian warri- widespread that one historian Boston Custer was a forager Stand. His mission had been to and fellow soldier, Buffalo Bill. working with new translations or compared it with a “hunting remarked, “Had Custer had all for the 7th Cavalry. He was the take supplies to Custer, but in- It is interesting to note that of Native American accounts of buffalo”. of those who claimed to be ‘the brother of George and Thomas stead, he ferried 51 wounded Chief Sitting Bull, one of those the battle. “The white men went cra- lone survivor’ of his two battal- Custer. soldiers away from the massa- that had fought Custer at Little So at some stage in the future zy. Instead of shooting us, they ions he would have had at least Henry Armstrong Reed was a cre. Big Horn, travelled with Buffa- the history of the Battle of Lit- turned their guns upon them- a brigade behind him when he herder for the 7th Cavalry. He To do this, he had to drop lo Bill’s Wild West Show for a tle Big Horn and Custer’s Last selves. Almost before we could crossed the Wolf Mountains was Custer’s nephew. some weight. Rather than drop few months in 1885. Stand may be rewritten with get to them, every one of them and rode to the attack.” Mark Kellogg was a newspa- the fuel needed for steam, or a few new twists. Watch this was dead. They killed them- The only documented and per reporter. supplies needed for the men, he space. selves.” – Wooden Leg. verified survivor of Custer’s All three were armed and em- chose to drop $375,000 worth “More and more soldiers command (having been actual- bedded with the Army. of gold bars on the shores of the 52 53 Gaming Sharpen the swords, polish the armour, and beat the bodhrán. Matt O’ Brien is off on his quest to become King of Ire- land. We all know how this is going to end.

orget about fighter jets, Once you’ve chosen a faction lock new buildings, grant public assault rifles and main you begin in a province in your order bonuses, raise the starting Fbattle tanks. This month area. capacity of units, and upgrades we’re heading back to the days Provinces have been made to later game regiments. when combat was face to face. more influential, with key set- The Character system has This month we’re looking at tlements within your regions been reworked for Thrones of Thrones of Britannia, a game that cannot defend themselves. Britannia, allowing you to pro- that is part of the Total War If an enemy army invades gress with your characters in a franchise. your lands, they can take key way that makes sense to you. I’ve always been a big fan of strategic settlements such as, Let’s say you play as Flann the Total War games and over farms that supply your armies Sinna, leader of the Gaelic the past 18 months I’ve actual- with food, when that is lost, Kingdom of Mire. You get to course, this means you’ll have loyal and ready to fight for your of fun. You can play a short ly reviewed three of the games and you do not have enough re- decide what sort of a leader he to be very choosy about where cause. campaign, a long campaign, or in Military Despatches. We serves, your men will begin to will be. to point your cavalry – either at Likewise, your citizens even just set up your own bat- looked at Shogun 2: Total War, starve. He could be a leader who unshielded targets, or manoeu- should also be kept smiling. tles. Rome: Total War, and Empire: Mines supply you with coin makes your men formidable vring them into positions where Make sure they have enough to If you enjoy real time strate- Total War. to pay your armies. If the ene- fighters, that only a fool would they can play hammer to your eat, keep taxes at a reasonable gy games, give this one a try. Thrones of Britannia focuses my take them you cannot pay meet in battle. Or he could be shield-wall’s anvil. rate (while still remembering on a pivotal flashpoint in Brit- your troops and then watch how one who can range far and fast, Cavalry versus cavalry is a that you have to bring in mon- ish history. The land is fractured fast they pack up and go home. striking enemy settlements and different ball-game. The devel- ey) and the locals will be on following the Viking invasion The good thing is that you sacking them for all their worth. opers actually increased caval- your side. and ambitious leaders are fight- can do the same to your ene- You decide. ry spacing in Thrones of Bri- Naturally you can’t have a ing for control. mies and take their settlements. Combat has been revamped tannia, which promotes more war without a bit of religion, Choose from one of ten play- Recruiting your army is not in Thrones of Britannia. This realistic cavalry combat, as politics and intrigue thrown into able factions to expand settle- so simple. When recruiting a is the era of the shield wall. It’s horses pass through gaps in the the mix. There are enhanced ments, raise armies and embark unit, you can select the army the tactic with which Alfred opposing unit and cycle round diplomatic options available on a mission to take the British you want it in, and recruit it. beat the Great Viking Army at to clash again. to you in Thrones of Britan- Isles for yourself. However, it will not give you the battle of Edington, and re- Of course the game is not just nia. Learn how to manage your There are two English fac- an entire unit, only a small band mained predominant across all about combat. As in real life, disloyal subjects with force or tions (West Seaxe and Mierce), of men, which will replenish to battlefields of the era. other factors come into play. bribery, arrange marriages for two Welsh factions (Gwined a full unit over time. You can To complement this, all units One of these is loyalty. With your heirs and allies and per- and Strat Clut), two Great Vi- improve this by building grana- with shields now have the all the characters under you form underhanded actions. king Army factions (Northym- ries, souterrains, and arenas, all Charge Reflect attribute, which command, some are going to With some factions, the Gael- re and East Engle), two Viking of which have replenishment means that if they’re stationary like you more than others. You ic for example, the church Sea King factions (Dyflin and multipliers. and braced when charged by need to keep your armies happy plays an important role. Get the Sudreyar), and two Gaelic fac- To improve your faction you cavalry, the horses will refuse as well as your citizens. church on your side and it will Publisher - Sega Keep your soldiers well fed, swell your coffers as well as tions (Mide and Circenn). need to research and unlock the charge. You’ll see them rear Genre - RTS Now you just need to look new technology. This is split up before slowly advancing into pay them on time, and don’t get keep the population happy. at my surname to know which into military and civic tech. close-quarters combat, negating them slaughtered in needless Thrones of Britannia is a de- Score - 8/10 factions I prefer to play as. These technologies will un- any bonuses from impact. Of battles and they should remain cent game that will offer hours Price - R409 (on Steam) 54 55 Movie Restrepo Book Review Review Released: 2010 Running time: 93 minutes Directed by: Tim Hetherington & Sebastian Junger North of the Red Line

ver the years, much has force officers, aviators, aircrew, eleased in 2010 and flows north to the Pech, which Restrepo is a film not just been written about in- medics, submariners and pa- directed by American then flows east to the Kunar about the events of combat, Odividuals and the forc- dres. Erstwhile antagonists also journalist Sebastian River valley on the porous bor- but also about “brotherhood,” es and their operations in what stepped up to the plate, placing R became commonly known as their own personal first-hand Junger and British photojour- der with Pakistan. As an exam- according to Junger. The film nalist Tim Hetherington, Re- ple of the ever-present dangers, shows the dedication to their South Africa’s Border War, or experiences amongst those of strepo is a documentary film. the first scenes cover a fire-fight duty as a soldier and their Grensoorlog, but never before their enemies of yesterday: The film begins with back- after a military Hummer is disa- commitment to one another has the human spirit of this Russians, Cubans, Angolans ground that reads: “In May bled on a narrow mountain road as brothers. The film is narrat- 23-year-old conflict been so and SWAPO. The story is fur- 2007, the men of Second Pla- by an IED. ed by several men who fought graphically and unashamedly ther enriched by the inclusion toon, Battle Company began The soldiers are ferried in by with PFC Juan S. Restrepo. The captured and chronicled as in of a rich plethora of hitherto a 15-month deployment in the Chinook and begin their de- men discuss loss such as dead this book. unseen ‘unofficial’ photographs Korengal Valley of eastern Af- ployment at Combat Outpost civilians and soldiers, as well Equally unique, was the ex- of stolen memories, in a war sit- ghanistan. It was considered (OP) Korengal, or “KOP”, and as the emotional distress that clusive use of social media to uation where the taking of any one of the most dangerous post- early in the campaign PFC Juan the soldiers are left with in its invite and encourage individu- such photographs was strictly ings in the U.S. Military.” S. Restrepo is killed, as well as aftermath. als to tell their personal stories, prohibited. Veterans unabash- The film explores the year another team member, PFC Vi- The film ends with a coda that without apology or recrimina- edly wear their hearts on their relieve the pressures of war; of that Junger and Hetherington moto. The film portrays nego- reads: “In April 2010, the Unit- tion, and so provide an indelible sleeves, speaking of the psycho- miracles and fate; and of cama- spent in Afghanistan on assign- tiations with the local people, ed States Army withdrew from oral history of the war. logical impact of untold trage- raderie. ment for Vanity Fair, embed- construction of an advanced the Korengal Valley. Nearly 50 Over a period of three years, dy and grief; of bravery and un- ded with the Second Platoon, B outpost called “OP Restrepo”, American soldiers died fighting 21,000 of them spoke: nation- mitigated fear; of shenanigans Softcover, 540 pages Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd as well as the challenges and in- there.” al service troopies, permanent and mischievous escapades to Cost: R400 Infantry Regiment, 173rd Air- termittent fire-fights they face. borne Brigade Combat Team of In the latter part of the film, the U.S. Army in the Korangal the dangerous mission Opera- Valley. tion Rock Avalanche is shown The 2nd Platoon is depict- along with some of its tragic ed defending the outpost (OP) consequences. One event was named after a platoon medic the loss of Army Sgt. Larry who was killed earlier in the Rougle. It was there, in 2007, campaign, PFC Juan Sebastián when Army Sgt. Rougle, who Restrepo, a Colombian-born served two tours in Iraq and naturalized U.S. citizen. three in Afghanistan, was am- The film chronicles the lives bushed by a large number of of the men from their deploy- Taliban. ment to the time of their return It was learned that Rougle, home, and begins with video at point, took the brunt of the footage of PFC Restrepo on a attack, allowing his soldiers train one week prior. The goal to secure a position and fight. of the deployment was to clear Army Sgt. Larry Rougle, who is Smokeshell Anglo Boer War The Bleed the Korengal Valley of insur- a recipient of the Purple Heart, R375 R460 R395 gency and gain the trust of the is buried in Arlington National Click on the box cover to local populace. The Korengal Cemetery. watch a trailer of the film. All books are available from Bush War Books 56 57 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January Some of the significant military events that happened in December. 12,000 Japanese troops. killing at least twenty-two • 1993 - President George • 1945 - US Navy convoys de- people and injuring seven- Bush and Russian Presi- 1 January day. stones of the castle (Kasteel part Leyte to invade Luzon, ty-one. dent Boris Yeltsin signed the • 1776 - During the American • 1942 - Twenty six countries de Goede Hoop) at the Cape while beating off Kamikaze. • 2001 - Richard Winters, who Start-II (Strategic Arms Re- Revolution, George Wash- signed the Declaration of the are laid by Zacharias Wa- • 1945 - Admiral Sir Bertram led “The Band of Brothers”, duction Talks) Treaty, elim- ington unveiled the Grand United Nations, in Washing- genaer, Johan van Arckel, Home Ramsay, mastermind Company E, 506th Para- inating about two-thirds of Union Flag, the first nation- ton, D.C., reaffirming their Gabbema and Lacus. of Dunkirk, dies at the age chute Infantry, 19 days short each country’s long range al flag in America. opposition to the Axis pow- • 1837 - Voortrekker leaders of 61. of his 93rd birthday. nuclear weapons. • 1776 - Britsh seaborne raid- ers and confirming that no Andries Hendrik Potgiet- • 1967 - Operation Bolo: In ers torch Norfolk, Virginia. single nation would make a er and Gerrit (Gert) Mar- the largest air combat action 3 January 4 January • 1887 - Wilhelm Canaris, separate peace. itz, each with his own men, of the Vietnam War, 28 F-4C • 1926 - Mussolini assumes • 1943 - Japanese GHQ or- German admiral and spy- • 1950 - Indo-China: Viet leave for Western Transvaal Phantoms engage 9 MiG- the Ministries of War, Navy, ders the evacuation of Gua- master, who was executed Minh open a major offensive to punish Mzilikazi for the 21s; US aircraft down 7-9 & Air. dalcanal. by Hitler, 1945, was born on against the French. Ndebele attack on the Voor- MiGs with no loss. • 1931 - Joseph “Papa” Jof- • 1944 - Operation Carpet- this day. • 1951 - Massive Chinese/ trekkers at Vechtkop (Veg- • 1984 - Major-General Mu- fre, Marshal of France, dies bagger begins, the Allied • 1915 - During World War I, North Korean assault on UN- kop). hammadu Buhari is declared aged 78. campaign to airdrop arms the British Battleship For- lines. • 1883 - Battle of Boschberg Head of State in Nigeria, • 1935 - Ethiopia asks League and supplies to the Resist- midable was hit by a torpe- • 1959 - Fidel Castro seized during the Mapoch War following a military coup. of Nations to guarantee ance in Europe. do in the English Channel, power in Cuba after leading takes place. • 1988 - Major General Ban- peace with Italy. • 1945 - Luzon: 3rd Fleet killing 547 crewmen. a revolution that drove out • 1896 - Sir Leander Starr tu Holomisa, who became • 1941 - World War 2: North hit by kamikaze, USS ‘Om- • 1915 - The first known act Dictator Fulgencio Batis- Jameson and about 500 head of a military state in Africa. Australian troops maney Bay’ (CVE-79) is of German sabotage in the ta. Castro then established a Rhodesian police surrender Transkei after a coup in De- take 5,000 prisoners during lost. U.S.: The John A. Roebling Communist dictatorship. at Doornkop, near Krugers- cember 1987, lifts martial a major assault on Italian • 1951 - Chinese and North Munitions Plant in Trenton • 1962 - The US Navy SEALs dorp, after the failure of the law and reinstates part of the forces at Bardia. Korean forces capture Seoul. is destroyed by fire. were established on this day. Jameson Raid. constitution. • 1946 - An Englishman • 1966 - Lieutenant-Colonel • 1920 - Basil L. Plumley, Sgt • 1969 - Ian Fleming, former • 1904 - Draft dodger and rad- • 1988 - Right-wing guerril- known during World War II Sangoulé Lamizana deposes Maj, US, veteran of three Royal Navy Commander and ical socialist Benito Musso- las ambush a train near Mo- as “Lord Haw Haw” (Wil- President Maurice Yaméogo wars and five combat jumps, creator of James Bond, died lini reports for conscription zambique’s western border, liam Joyce) was hanged for of Burkina Faso in a military hero of the Ia Drang Valley at the age of 56. into the Italian Army under treason in London. Joyce coup. in Vietnam, was born on this • 1990 - General Johan van der an amnesty. had broadcast Nazi propa- • 1989 - Second Gulf of Sidra Merwe is appointed as new • 1905 - The Russians sur- ganda via radio from Ger- Incident: two US Navy commissioner of police. rendered to the Japanese af- many to Britain during the F-14s down two Libyan • 1991 - The Defence Special ter the Battle of Port Arthur war. MiG-23s. Tribunal Act, 1998, provid- during the Russian-Japanese • 1990 - Manuel Noriega, the • 2010 - Tsutomo Yamaguchi, Ian ing for the expeditious ad- War. Flemming deposed leader of Panama, who survived both the Hiro- judication of disputes con- • 1933 - US Marines with- surrendered to American au- shima and Nagasaki bomb- cerning military institutions draw from Nicaragua after a thorities on charges of drug ings, dies at the age of 93. and the rationalisation pro- 20 year occupation. trafficking after spending 10 cess of the Department of • 1942 - During World War II days hiding in the Vatican 5 January Defence, becomes effective. in the Pacific, the Japanese embassy following the U.S. • 1919 - The German Work- • 2008 - The last German vet- captured the Philippines invasion of Panama. ers’ Party (Deutsche Arbe- eran of WWI, Erich Kaest- capital of Manila and the iterpartei) was founded by ner, dies at the age of 107. nearby air base at Cavite. Anton Drexler in Munich. • 1942 - German troops in Adolf Hitler became mem- 2 January Bardia surrender. Lord ber No. 7 and changed the • 1776 - The four corner • 1944 - New Guinea: Allies name in April of 1920 to the land on Saidor, isolating Haw Haw 58 59 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January National Socialist German to the rebel Angolan UNI- 7 January 8 January • 1973 - Two South African • 1936 - Garand M-1 semi-au- Workers’ Party (Nationalso- TA movement, the Angolan • 1903 - The Boer generals re- • 794 - First Viking raid on policemen are killed and tomatic rifle adopted by the zialistische Deutsche Arbe- president, Jose Eduardo dos port back in Pretoria after a Britain, Lindisfarne Abbey five policemen (two South US Army. iterpartei) commonly short- Santos says in an interview. campaign in Europe to pro- is destroyed. African and three Rhode- • 1941 - 6,000 Jews slaugh- ened to Nazi or Nazi Party. cure aid for the reconstruc- • 1806 - The Battle of Blaau- sian) injured in an explo- tered in Bucharest, Roma- • 1968 - Lt Clarence W. 6 January tion of the country after the wberg takes place, and part sion near the Zambezi River nia. Cote becomes the first male • 1412 - Joan of Arc is born in Second Anglo-Boer War. of the defending force capit- in north-western Rhodesia • 1970 - France agrees to sell officer in the Navy Nurse France on this day. • 1941 - Admiral I s o - ulates two days later. Cape (Zimbabwe). Mirage military jets to rev- Corps. • 1900 - The Battle of Wag- ruku Yamamoto proposes a Governor Janssens and the • 1973 - Secret peace talks be- olutionary regime in Libya. • 1982 - The forty-five mer- on Hill (Platrand), south of surprise attack on Pearl Har- rest of the force capitulated tween US & North Vietnam • 1973 - Rhodesia closes its cenaries alleged to have Ladysmith, takes place, in bour. on 18 January, after which resume near Paris. borders with Zambia to try commandeered an Air India which the Boer forces make • 1943 - Guadalcanal: US the second British occupa- • 1984 - South African secu- to cut off Black liberation Boeing and forced it to fly an unsuccessful attempt to strength reaches 50,000, tion of the Cape started. rity forces begin withdrawal forces. to Durban, after attempting bring about the fall of La- Japanese less than 25,000. • 1815 - The Battle of New from southern Angola. • 1993 - Angolan government a coup in the Seychelles in dysmith. • 1945 - British Field Marshal Orleans occurred as Gen- • 1989 - The ANC announces troops capture the headquar- November 1981, appear in • 1842 - Afghanistan: An- Bernard Law Montgom- eral Andrew Jackson and it will dismantle its guerrilla ters of UNITA rebel lead- magistrates’ courts in five glo-Indian forces begin a ery tells a press conference American troops defended camps in Angola in support er Jonas Savimbi in central South African cities. They disastrous retreat from Ka- that he won the Battle of the themselves against a British of peace. Angola. Savimbi, however, are all to go on trial in South bul; all but one of 4,500 Bulge. attack, inflicting over 2,000 • 1989 - Soviet Union promis- escapes. Africa. troops & 12,000 camp fol- • 1953 - US President Truman casualties. Both sides in this es to eliminate stockpiles of • 1996 - The National Crime • 1989 - The ANC agrees to lowers will be lost or cap- announces development of battle were unaware that chemical weapons. Information Management close its military training tured. the hydrogen bomb. peace had been declared two • 2007 - A United States mil- Centre releases figures base in Angola and in return • 1940 - Germans massacre • 1979 - Vietnamese forces weeks earlier with the sign- itary gunship launches air confirming South Africa’s South Africa must stop aid Poles in Poznan. capture Phnom Penh from ing of the Treaty of Ghent raids against hideouts of designation as the most vi- • 1943 - Papua: US and Aus- the Khmer Rouge. ending the War of 1812. prominent members of the olent country in the world tralian troops mass for a fi- • 1986 - The ANC in exile in • 1918 - Amid the ongoing al-Qaeda network in south- outside a war zone. nal assault on Sanananda. Lusaka calls on its support- World War in Europe, Pres- ern Somalia. • 1961 - Nikita Khruschev ers to take the struggle into ident Woodrow Wilson pro- declares that the Soviet Un- White areas. posed his Fourteen Points, 9 January ion will back Third World • 1987 - The British army calling for a reduction of • 1805 - Lord Nelson is en- “wars of national libera- suggests that 600 troops re- arms, self determination for tombed in the crypt of St. tion”. turning from a tour in Kenya governments, and the crea- Paul’s, London. • 1988 - General Bantu Holo- should take an AIDS test. tion of a League of Nations, • 1861 - First Shot of the misa, who ousted Stella • 1989 - Emperor Hirohito of all intended to serve as a ba- American Civil War: US Sigcau in a coup, appoints Japan, who ruled Japan dur- sis for resolving the conflict steamer ‘Star of the West’ himself as the Transkei’s ing World War II died after and establishing a lasting is fired on by South- Car military and government a long illness. He had ruled peace in Europe. olina militia batteries off chief. for 62 years and was suc- • 1941 - Lord Robert Charleston. ceeded by his son, Crown Baden-Powell, British gen- • 1916 - Gallipoli Cam- Prince Akihito. eral during the siege of Ma- paign ends as the last • 2015 - Islamist terrorists at- feking during the Second allied troops evacuate tack the office of the maga- Anglo-Boer War and found- the peninsula. zine ‘Charlie Hebdo’ in Par- er of the Boy Scouts, dies in Emperor is, killing 12 and wounding Nyeri, Kenya. several others. Hirohito • 1943 - British turn control of Madagascar over to the Free Lord Robert French. Baden-Powell 60 61 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January • 2005 - After nearly three tary Academy and joined the taken as an assault on both. signs from the Royal Ma- in the Congo. ments on the public. years of negotiations, Su- British forces, was killed in rines. • 1963 - Sgt Gnassingbe • 1969 - Fire aboard USS dan’s government and main the Anglo-Zulu War. 11 January • 1992 - Algerian government Eyadema murders West Af- ‘Enterprise’ (CVN-65), off rebel group sign the final • 1900 - Lord Frederick S. • 1904 - The Herero of Ger- cancels second round of vot- rican Republic of Togo’s Vietnam, 28 die, 344 in- agreement to the Naivasha, Roberts arrives at the Cape, man Southwest Africa revolt ing in parliamentary elec- President Sylvanus Olympio jured. Kenya, peace accord to end replacing Sir Redvers Bull- against colonial domination. tions that an Islamic party in a military coup. • 1971 - Britain proposes the more than twenty-one years er as commander-in-chief of • 1944 - Krakow-Plaszow looks set to win. The Isla- • 1968 - Beginning of the Tet sale of arms to South Africa. of civil war. the British forces in South Concentration Camp estab- mists take to arms, and ten Offensive in Vietnam. Africa. Herbert H. Kitchen- lished. thousands of Algerians die • 1972 - A group of junior of- 15 January 10 January er as his chief-of -staff ac- • 1970 - The 32-month-old in the next few years. ficers overthrows civilian • 1926 - John Harling, the • 1806 - Signing of the sec- companies him. secessionist Biafran regime • 2008 - Bill Stone, Royal government of Ghana in last known veteran of the ond and final surrender of • 1942 - Heinz Hitler (19), collapses under onslaughts Navy veteran, last surviv- West Africa. “Charge of the Light Bri- the Cape to the British under nephew of Adolf Hitler, by Nigerian military. ing Briton to have served in • 1979 - A clash between po- gade”, dies aged 93. Gen. David Baird at Papen- is captured on the Eastern • 1976 - Military coup in Ec- both world wars, dies at 108. lice and suspected guerrillas • 1942 - Japanese Southern dorp (presently Woodstock) Front while serving as an uador ousts Dictator/Presi- is reported near the Botswa- Army invades Burma from after the defeat of Gen. J.W. NCO in the 23rd Artillery; dent Guillermo Rodriguez 13 January na border. Botswana denies Thailand. Janssens. dies in a Soviet POW camp. Lara. • 1915 - South African troops that it is being used as a • 1945 - Red Army liberates • 1879 - British troops enter • 1943 - Guadalcanal: U.S. • 1989 - 140 nations agree to occupy Swakopmund, Ger- springboard for attacks on the Krakow-Plaszow con- Zululand and the Anglo-Zu- forces begin a general offen- ban chemical weapons. man South-West Africa. his neighbours. centration camp. lu war starts. sive to eliminate Japanese. • 1991 - US Congress author- • 1935 - The population of • 1986 - Bloody coup over- • 1949 - Mao’s Red army cap- • 1879 - The 22-year-old • 1946 - The League of Na- izes President G.H.W. Bush the Saar region bordering throws government of South tures Tientsin. Prince Imperial of France, tions dissolves after twen- to undertake offensive oper- France and Germany voted Yemen. • 1966 - Prime Minister Sir Eugene Louis Jean Joseph ty-six years and is replaced ations against Iraq. for incorporation into Hit- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is Napoleon, who studied in by the United Nations, with ler’s Reich. 14 January killed in Nigeria’s first mili- England at the Royal Mili- its first meeting in London. 12 January • 1943 - General Philippe Le- • 1867 - Alfred Nobel makes tary coup. • 1965 - Sirr al-Khatim • 1893 - WW I flying ace and clerc’s Free French troops the first public demonstra- • 1973 - US President Nixon al-Khalifa, the Sudanese future Head of the Nazi merge with the British army tion of dynamite. suspends all US offensive prime minister, admits to Luftwaffe, Hermann Gor- under the command of • 1942 - Malaya: Japanese action over North Vietnam. providing aid to Congolese ing, is born on this day. Montgomery. capture Malacca. • 1986 - A military coup de- rebels. • 1915 - South African forces • 1943 - Hitler declares Ger- • 1943 - President Franklin poses the Lesotho Govern- • 1981 - Mozambique and invade German South-West many must wage “Total Roosevelt and British Prime ment. Zimbabwe sign a defence Africa at Ramansdrift. War”. Minister Winston Churchill and security agreement un- • 1940 - Daniël Hermanus • 1961 - Fighting erupts be- met at Casablanca in Moroc- 16 January der which an attack by SA (Dan) Pienaar is appointed tween UN troops and sup- co to work on strategy dur- • 1900 - British troops under on either country will be to command the First South porters of Patrice Lumumba ing World War II. General Neville Lyttelton African Infantry Brigade. • 1967 - New York and General Charles Warren • 1944 - Churchill and de Times reports the cross the Tugela River. Gaulle confer in Marrakech. Army is conduct- • 1904 - Herero Revolt: Gob- • 1964 - One month after inde- ing secret germ abis is besieged. A German pendence, a bloody uprising warfare experi- company from Outjo is am- by the black majority ousts bushed at Okanjande near the Arab ruling minority of present-day Otjiwarongo. Zanzibar, installing a gov- Winston • 1941 - The US War Depart- ernment that shortly unites Churchill ment forms a squadron for Hermann with Tanganyika to form black aviation cadets. Tanzania. • 1944 - General Eisenhower Goring • 1987 - Prince Edward re- 62 63 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January

takes command of Opera- operation Desert Shield be- • 1944 - HM Corvette ‘Vio- tleship “Habicht” lands at bombing Great Yarmouth & young Durban attorney Mo- tion Overlord. came Desert Storm. let’ sinks ‘U-641’ in Atlantic Swakopmund, bringing King’s Lynn. 20 people are handas Ghandi, becomes • 1951 - Viet Minh offensive • 1992 - The twelve-year civ- Ocean. fresh German troops who killed. intermingled with fight- at Hanoi. il war in El Salvador ended • 1945 - During World War proceed into the interior un- • 1940 - General J.B.M. Hertz- ing troops. Six of them are • 1963 - Khrushchev claims with the signing of a peace II, Warsaw, Poland, was der the command of Second og, as leader of the Opposi- killed and twelve wounded to have a 100-megaton nu- treaty in Mexico City. The liberated by Soviet Russian Lieutenant Gygas. tion, announces he will in- in the crossfire. The battle clear bomb. conflict had claimed over troops. • 1919 - Versailles Peace Con- troduce a motion calling on continued two more days. • 1966 - Nigerian Army chief, 75,000 lives. • 1951 - China refuses ference begins. the Union of South Africa to • 1942 - During the Holo- General Johnson Agui- • 2014 - Hiroo Onoda, Japa- cease fire in Korea. • 1943 - Warsaw Ghetto up- make a separate peace treaty caust, Reinhard Heydrich, yi-Ironsi, briefly takes pow- nese Army officer who did • 1966 - A Hydrogen bomb rising begins. with Germany. Himmler’s second in com- er in a military coup. Over not surrender until 1974, on accident occurred over Pal- • 1960 - US & Japan sign joint • 1941 - The 1st SA Division mand of the SS, convened fifty government officials his 52nd birthday. dies at the omares, Spain, as an Amer- defence treaty. enters Abyssinia from the the Wannsee Conference in are killed, including the ex- age of 91. ican B-52 jet collided with • 1991 - Iraq launches SCUD south. Berlin with 15 top Nazi bu- isting prime minister Sir its refueling plane. Eight missiles against Israel. • 1941 - Kassala, on the Su- reaucrats to coordinate the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. 17 January crewmen were killed and dan-Eritrean border, is re- Final Solution (Endlösung) • 1970 - Col Kadhaffi be- • 1837 - The Voortrekkers un- the bomber then released its 19 January taken by the British as Ma- in which the Nazis would comes premier of Libya. der Hendrik Potgieter and H-bomb into the Atlantic. • 1807 - US Civil War Con- jor General William Platt attempt to exterminate the • 1977 - Mercenaries mount Gerrit Maritz defeat the • 1991 - Operation Desert federate General Robert E. begins an offensive against entire Jewish population an unsuccessful military Ndebele under Mzilikazi at Storm: Coalition air offen- Lee was born on this day. Italian troops in Eritrea. of Europe, an estimated 11 coup in Benin. Mosega, near the present sive is unleashed over Iraq, • 1900 - Mafeking siege: • 1943 - Guadalcanal: U.S. million persons. • 1991 - The war against Iraq Zeerust. The Ndebele flee US pilot Jeffrey Zahn is shot General J.P. Snyman sends destroyers shell Japanese • 1944 - Burma: Allies pre- began as Allied aircraft con- north and the majority cross down and captured. a starving group of Black positions. pare major offensive to open ducted a major raid against the Limpopo River. women, who have been en- • 1983 - Former Gestapo offi- the “Burma Road”. Iraqi air defenses. The air • 1879 - On the afternoon of 18 January couraged by the British to cial Klaus Barbie, known as • 1944 - The Royal Air Force raid on Baghdad was broad- 17 January 1879 the Zulu • 1900 - Mafeking siege: Two attempt a breakout, back the “Butcher of Lyon,” was drops 2,500 tons of bombs cast live to a global audience king Cetshwayo (Cetewayo) Black cattle-herds are cap- under a White flag. Colo- arrested in Bolivia, South on Berlin. by CNN correspondents as addresses 20,000 of his tured and summarily execut- nel Baden-Powell objects America. • 1951 - Fort Klapperkop and warriors at the great mili- ed at Mafeking by burghers, and threatens to commence Fort Skanskop, Pretoria, are tary kraal of Nodwengu: “I in accordance with a coun- hostilities if they should ad- 20 January opened to the public. am sending you out against cil of war decision on cat- vance further. • 1835 - Xhosa warriors over- • 1964 - Army mutiny in Tan- the Whites, who have in- tle-rustlers. President Kru- • 1915 - Germans begin Zep- run the Eastern Cape fron- ganyika over pay is put down vaded Zululand and driv- ger immediately repudiates pelin raids on Great Britain, tier. with British assistance. en away our cattle. You are this decision and orders this • 1879 - British troops un- • 1965 - It is reported in Lon- to go against the column at practice to cease forthwith. der Lord Chelmsford pitch don that the British govern- Rorke’s Drift and drive it • 1900 - The 104mm field- their camp on the slopes of ment will not issue a permit back into Natal.” gun known as ‘Long Cecil’ Isandhlawana, where Zulu for the export of the ground- • 1885 - In the desperate hand is test fired for the first time. warriors attack them two to-air missiles South Africa to hand Battle of Abu Klea, • 1902 - Commandant Gide- days later. requires. the British under General on Scheepers is executed by • 1900 - In the Battle of • 1991 - During an Iraqi Sir Herbert Stewart repulse a firing squad near Graaff- Tabanyama, Natal front, a SCUD attack on Israel, US the Sudanese Camel Corp of Reinet after being found group of Indian stretcher Patriot missiles are used for 10,000 under Command of guilty by a British military bearers, among whom the the first time, with mixed Mohammed Ahmed. court on charges of mur- success. der, arson and demolishing Hiroo trains during the South Afri- Reinhard 21 January can War. • 1824 - American Civil War Onoda • 1904 - The German bat- Heydrich Confederate Army Gener- 64 65 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January al “Stonewall” Jackson was to R1,8-billion. north of the Nyezane river. tured Tripoli in Libya. • 1900 - The British, under collapse. born on this day. • 1988 - According to reports • 1941 - The Australian 6th • 1943 - Casablanca Con- General Warren, surrenders • 1991 - US Navy helicopters • 1942 - Rommel begins a from Angola, the strategic Division captures Tobruk ference: FDR & Churchill to General Botha at Spioen- liberate Kuwaiti offshore oil new offensive against the town of Cuito Cuanavale is from the Italians. agree on the “unconditional kop. At least 1 000 British rigs from the Iraqis. Allies in North Africa, hop- about to fall to an onslaught • 1943 - Axis forces pull out surrender” of the Axis. and sixty Boer soldiers die • 1993 - Three Somalis are ing to push them back to the by South African and Uni- of Tripoli and head back to- • 1962 - Kim Philby, long- in this battle. killed and at least five are east. ta forces. The reports say wards Tunisia. term spy in Britain, defects • 1901 - Emily Hobhouse, wounded in clashes with • 1943 - Soviet forces recap- South African and Cuban • 1943 - During World War II to the USSR. English nurse who visited troops of a US-led coalition ture Worosjilowsk. troops have clashed for the in the Pacific, Japanese re- • 1968 - The American ship the Transvaal and Orange trying to safeguard efforts to • 1945 - The Red Army de- first time in twelve years. sistance ended in New Guin- USS Pueblo was seized by Free Sate Republics during feed the country’s starving. stroys the German Tan- ea, resulting in the first land North Koreans in the Sea of the South African War, re- nenberg monument in East 22 January victory of the war for Allied Japan amid claims the Navy ports that she found 2,000 25 January Prussia. • 1879 - Cetewayo’s impis forces. ship was spying. The ship women and children in • 1916 - Montenegro surren- • 1954 - The USS Nautilus, wipe out British troops at • 1944 - Operation Shingle: was confiscated and its crew shocking circumstances in ders to Austria-Hungary. the world’s first nuclear Isandhlwana in one of the Allies land at Anzio. held in captivity until De- the concentration camp at • 1919 - At the end of the war, powered submarine, was worst disasters in British • 1957 - Israeli forces with- cember, with one fatality. Bloemfontein. the Paris Peace Conference launched at Groton, Con- military history, stabbing draw from the Sinai Penin- • 1971 - After a compromise • 1915 - Battle of Dogger accepts the proposal to cre- necticut. 1272 soldiers to death. The sula. is reached at a Common- Bank: Royal Navy defeats ate the League of Nations. • 1968 - B-52 bomber with impis of the Zulu king then • 2005 - Carlo Orelli, last Ital- wealth Conference, Britain the Germans in the North The League was eventually nuclear weapons crashes in descend on the trading post ian combat veteran to have is allowed to sell weapons to Sea. established by Part I of the Greenland. at Rorke’s Drift. About 4000 served throughout WW I, South Africa, though Afri- • 1923 - The Italian Air Force Treaty of Versailles, which • 1968 - Battle of Khe Sanh Zulus attack the fortified dies at the age of 110. can leaders oppose the step. was formed as the as the Re- was signed on 28 June 1919. begins. buildings held by 130 men gia Aerea. • 1940 - Nazis decree the es- • 1988 - According to Jane’s of the 24th regiment at about 23 January 24 January • 1941 - British troops invade tablishment of a Jewish Defence Weekly, Armscor, 4.30 p.m. At the end of the • 1900 - Battle of Spion • 1891 - Capain. Kurt von Italian East Africa. ghetto in Lodz Poland. the South African armaments attack at about 4 a.m. ear- Kop: Boers defeat the Brit- Francois arrives as leader of • 1961 - A B-52 breaks • 1943 - Guadalcanal: Japa- producer, is the country’s ly the next morning, more ish; Winston Chruchill & a small German regiment in up over the North Carolina nese in full retreat, closely largest single exporter. Arm- than 350 Zulus are killed, Mohandas Gandhi are both South West Africa to sup- coast, losing two H-bombs, pursued by U.S. forces. scor sales to twenty-three while the defenders’ casu- present, but do not meet. press the Herero rebellion. one of which is still missing. • 1945 - Audie Murphy earns countries in 1987 amounted alties amount to seventeen • 1932 - El Salvador’s army • 1891 - Walter Model, Ger- • 1964 - British troops are the Medal of Honour. dead and ten wounded. A re- kills 4,000 protesting farm- man Field Marshal, is born flown in to Uganda to sup- • 1951 - UN begins counter cord eleven Victoria Crosses ers on this day. press an army mutiny over offensive in Korea. were awarded to the defend- • 1935 - Abyssinian tribes- low pay. • 1961 - Military coup in El ers of Rorke’s Drift. men in Somaliland massacre • 1965 - Winston Spencer Salvador. • 1879 - The British (no 1) French colonial troops. Churchill, British Prime • 1971 - General Idi Amin supply column moving up • 1903 - Colonel Arthur Al- Minister during World War Dada takes power in Ugan- the North Coast towards Es- fred Lynch is found guilty of II, dies at the age of 88. da by military coup while howe is attacked by about high treason and sentenced • 1986 - Guerrillas advance the existing president, Mil- 5000 Zulus as they cross the to death for leading the “Irish into Ugandan capital of ton Obote, is at a Common- Nyezane River. The attack is Commando” against British Kampala as army opposi- wealth meeting in Singa- beaten off south of Eshowe, forces in the South African tion crumbles, pushing mil- pore. War. The death sentence is itary government to edge of commuted to life imprison- 26 January ment on 24th January 1904. • 1880 - General Douglas • 1943 - In North Africa, Brit- Erwin Kim MacArthur was born on this ish forces under General day. Rommel Bernard Montgomery cap- Philby 66 67 This month in military history ... January This month in military history ... January • 1885 - The Mahdist forces • 1950 - India becomes a re- 27 January • 1967 - Treaty signed ban- dered to the Germans after a 29 January take Khartoum in Sudan af- public within the British • 1859 - German Kaiser Wil- ning military use of nuclear four month siege. • 1915 - Erwin Rommel ter a nine-month siege and Commonwealth, converts helm II was born on this day. weapons in space. • 1871 - The British forces is awarded the Iron Cross, slaughter most inhabitants the Victoria Cross to the Par- • 1915 - US Marines begin • 1973 - U.S. involvement are defeated and 83 British First Class, for action in the and the British garrison, in- am Vir Chakra, 14 of the 21 occupation of Haiti. in the Vietnam War ended soldiers under Sir George Argonne. cluding General Gordon. of which awards have been • 1943 - SA prime minister, as North Vietnamese and Colley are killed and 111 • 1916 - During World War I, • 1901 - General Christiaan de posthumous. General Jan Smuts, asks par- American representatives wounded in the battle of the first aerial bombings of Wet, accompanied by Presi- • 1952 - Egypt is placed under liament’s approval to send signed an agreement in Par- Laings Nek in the An- Paris by German Zeppelins dent M.T. Steyn, starts his martial law in response to troops to Europe, contrary is. glo-Transvaal War, caused took place. journey at Doornberg, near wide-spread riots against the to his promise in 1939 that • 1991 - President Mohamed by the refusal of the Trans- • 1943 - HMNZS ‘Kiwi’ rams Winburg, to invade the Cape British. SA troops would only fight Siad Barre of Somalia flees vaal Boers to submit to Brit- & sinks Japanese sub ‘I-1’ Colony for the second time. • 1983 - At a special press in Africa. the capital, Mogadishu, as ish authority as proclaimed off Guadalcanal. • 1902 - General Ben Vil- conference it is announced • 1943 - The U.S. 8th Air a coalition of rebels seize by Shepstone in 1877. • 1944 - Heavy Luftwaffe raid joen and seven men are am- that a senior South African Force conducted the first power. The country plunges • 1885 - British relief force on London. bushed and captured by the naval officer, commanding all-American bombing raid into virtual anarchy. reaches Khartoum, and the • 1991 - Battle of Khafji, Sau- British. His pocket book Simon’s Town dockyard, on Germany as 55 bombers • 1996 - Niger’s first demo- Sudan is evacuated. di Arabia: Iraqis capture the saves his life by warding off Commodore Dieter Ger- cratically elected president, targeted Wilhelmshaven, • 1916 - German colony of town. a bullet and preventing it to hardt and his wife, have been Mahamane Ousmane, is losing three planes while Cameroon surrenders to • 1993 - French marines land strike his chest. detained for questioning in ousted in a coup and army claiming to have shot down Britain & France. in Kinshasa, Zaire, to free • 1934 - Nazi Germany and connection with alleged es- Colonel Barre Mainassara 22 German fighters. The • 1932 - Japanese capture French nationals confined to Poland sign ten year non-ag- pionage. Ibrahim takes over as head success of this first mission Shanghai. the embassy. gression pact. • 1986 - The National Resist- of state. encouraged U.S. military • 1942 - Five power stations • 1996 - Two serving mem- • 1939 - Franco’s Spanish ance Army takes over the • 2002 - Munitions at an planners to begin regular are blown up by pro-Axis bers of the army and a third Nationalists capture Barce- Ugandan capital of Kampa- army base in Lagos, Nige- daylight bombing raids, saboteurs in an attempt to man are arrested in con- lona. la. ria’s commercial capital, which eventually resulted destabilise the Rand gold nection with the attack on • 1943 - Nazis began using • 1991 - Rebels overrun the explode, sending fireballs in high casualty rates for mines. St James’s Church in Cape Hitler Youths to operate an- Somalian capital of Moga- and shrapnel into the air and the American crewmen in- • 1942 - German troops cap- Town in July 1993. ti-aircraft batteries in Ger- dishu. volved. forcing hundreds of area ture Benghazi, Libya. many following heavy Al- • 1992 - Russia announces it • 1944 - Russian Army Gen- residents to flee. As many as • 1944 - RAF puts 683 bomb- 30 January lied bombing of Berlin and will no longer target US cit- 600 people drown in a ca- eral Govorov announced the ers over Berlin. • 1882 - Franklin Delano Roo- other cities. ies with nuclear weapons. lifting of the Nazi blockade nal that blocked their way to • 1970 - Cairo suburbs are at- • 1994 - Romania safety. sevelt was born on this day. of Leningrad. During the tacked by Israeli jet fighters. • 1902 - Anglo-Japanese alli- became the first 900-day siege, an estimated • 1993 - Troops in Zaire run former Cold War 28 January ance formed. one million Russian civil- riot, killing the French Am- • 1911 - The Royal Canadian foe to join the • 1871 - The Franco-Prussian ians inside the city died of bassador. Navy was founded on this North Atlantic disease, starvation and re- War ended as Paris surren- Treaty Organiza- lentless German shelling. tion (NATO) fol- • 1944 - U.S. issues a report on lowing the collapse “The Bataan Death March”. of the Soviet Union. • 1945 - The Russian Army liberated Auschwitz death Jan camp near Krakow in Po- Smuts land, where the Nazis had systematically murdered an estimated 2,000,000 per- Zeppelin sons, including 1,500,000 Jews. 68 69 This month in military history ... January quiz

day. rouk dismisses the premier the hunt for Nazi war crim- • 1915 - German submarine Nahas Pasha and his Wafdist inals. The Sharp Edge answers attack on Le Havre. government. 1. SADF M87 until 1916. 11. US ACH • 1930 - Magnus André De • 1964 - Military coup 31 January Kevlar composite helmet that 6. M1 helmet Advanced Combat Helmet Merindol Malan, former by Gen Nguyen Khanh in • 1901 - Generals Smuts and replaced the staaldak in the late Used by the Americans dur- used by the United States. Chief of the SADF and SA South-Vietnam. Liebenberg captures Mod- 1980s. ing World War II. and after- 12. Viking helmet Minister of Defence, is born • 1968 - Beginning of the Tet derfontein, Transvaal. 2. German Stahlhelme wards. No, they did not have horns. in Pretoria on this day. Offensive in Vietnam as • 1915 - Battle of Bolimów: Replaced the traditional Pick- 7. Galea 13. Mitznefet • 1933 - Adolf Hitler was ap- North Vietnamese troops at- The Germans stage the first elhaube during World War I in Standard helmet used by the Combat helmet used by the pointed Chancellor of Ger- tacked 36 provincial capitals major poison gas attack, but 1916. This is a Werhmacht ver- Roman Legion. Israeli Defence Force (IDF). many by President Paul von and 5 major cities in South the Russians hold. sion. 8. Brodie helmet 14. M38 Stalhelme Hindenburg. Vietnam, including an at- • 1917 - Germany notifies the 3.M15 Adrian helmet Used by British and Com- Used by the German • 1939 - Hitler calls for the tack on the U.S. Embassy in US that it will resume unre- Standard French helmet dur- monwealth troops during both Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) extermination of the Jews. Saigon and the presidential stricted submarine warfare. ing World War II. World Wars. in World War II. • 1943 - Hitler promotes Frie- palace. • 1943 - German troops sur- 4. Type 92 helmet 9. German Stahlhelme 15. M63 helmet drich Paulus, commanding • 1972 - In Londonderry, rendered at Stalingrad, Japanese etsukabuto (steel Waffen SS steel helmet. Iden- The M63, better known as the the Sixth Army, surround- Northern Ireland, 13 Ro- marking the first big defeat helmet) used during World War tified by the SS lighting runes. staaldak, was used by the SADF ed at Stalingrad, to field man Catholics were killed of Hitler’s armies in World II. 10. SSH40 until the late 1980s when it was marshal, with a hint that he by British troops during a War II. During the Battle 5.Pickelhaube Used by the Russians during replaced with the kevlar M87. should commit suicide. banned civil rights march. of Stalingrad, 160,000 Ger- Boiled leather spiked combat World War II. • 1945 - Danzig: Soviet sub The event became known as mans were killed and 90,000 helmet used by the Germans sinks German ship ‘Wilhelm Bloody Sunday. taken prisoner, including the Gustloff’. More than 7,700 • 1981 - Twenty-four peo- commander, Friedrich von die, making it the worst loss ple are killed in Operation Paulus, the first German Useful links of life in a single sinking in Beanbag, an attack by the field marshal ever to surren- Every month we will be featuring a few useful links to military websites, newsletters and on- history. South African army on the der. The captured Germans line magazines. Stuff that we think our readers will appreciate. • 1952 - Martial law is im- ANC and PAC in Matola, were forced to march to Si- Here are two of our favourites. The first one is Nongqai, the unofficial police newsletter for posed in Egypt as King Fa- a suburb of Maputo, Mo- beria, with few ever return- veterans of the former South African Police Force and for those interested in Police History. The zambique. A Portuguese ing to Germany. second is Jimmy’s Own, the official newsletter of the South African Signals Association. Click engineer, Jose Ramos, is • 1945 - Eddie Slovik, a 24 on the magazine covers to go to the respective websites. “mistakenly identified” as year-old U.S. Army private, Joe Slovo, one of the raid’s was executed by a firing main targets, by the South squad after being sentenced African forces and is shot at to death for desertion, the a roadblock. Numbers killed first such occurrence in the vary. Some sources state that U.S. Army since the Civil twelve were killed and three War. abducted. • 1972 - Military coup ousts • 1992 - Argentina allowed civilian government of access to numerous files of Ghana. Nazis who had fled to South • 1994 - In Mogadishu, US America from Germany af- Marines in a convoy car- ter World War II, thus aiding rying American diplomats open fire near a crowded Friedrich food distribution centre. At least five Somalis are killed Von Paulus and many wounded. 70 71 E-mail [email protected]

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