Military Despatches Vol 39 September 2020 Battles won against all odds No-one told them the were supposed to lose Winning the booby prize In a war zone even the most mundane object can kill Abu-Ageila Decisive tank battle in the Middle East Võ Nguyên Giáp The school teacher that defeated France and the USA For the military enthusiast CONTENTS September 2020 Page 14 Click on any video below to view How much do you know about movie theme songs? Take our quiz and find out. Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African Goede interviews former Defence Force used 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, Williams. Afrikaans, slang and techno-speak that few Special Forces - Utti Jaeger Regiment outside the military could hope to under- stand. Some of the terms Features 26 40 were humorous, some IED - Insane, effective, deadly Covid unable to sink TS Rook were clever, while others 6 In modern wars and conflicts By Lt Lisa Spencer, Officer were downright crude. Ten battles won against all odds the enemy could be anyone. Commanding, TS Rook And they will use any weapon These are battles, and one war, and tactic to inflict casualties 42 where the outnumbered side and damage. One of the most Survival Part of Hipe’s “On the tore up the script. couch” series, this is an common weapons is the IED. This month we look at teepees 20 and lean-to’s as survival shel- interview with one of 32 ters. author Herman Charles Winning the booby prize Operation Cicero In a war zone even the most Bosman’s most famous In probably one of the most im- 46 simple act can have fatal conse- portant spy stories of World War characters, Oom Schalk quences. Opening a door, pick- Ranks II, an Albanian, code-named Lourens. Hipe spent time in ing up an item of equipment, or This month we look at the Finn- A taxi driver was shot “Cicero”, was selling top secret Hanover Park, an area even kicking a tin can could be ish Armed Forces, including the dead in an ongoing British information to the Ger- the last thing you ever do. army, navy and air forces. war between rival taxi plagued with gang mans. By Paul Rosslee. organisations. violence, to view first- Quiz hand how Project 36 Ceasefire is dealing with 24 29 the situation. Army Speak 101 No shipmate left behind The military has always had The Tin Hat Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- Sea Cadet officer, Sub Lieuten- their own way of doing things. This month we look at helmets. ant Mike Taylor needs our help And this includes having a rich We show them to you, and you thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. tell us what they are. and this is an appeal to the read- vocabulary of slang terms. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. ers of Military Despatches. 00 3 CONTENTS Page 76 Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media EDITOR Matt Tennyson PHOTO EDITOR o, it’s officially spring. I just mer Provincial Old Bill of Cape Regine Lord wish someone would have Western Dugout. During Novem- reminded the weather about ber 2019 he was appointed Old CONTRIBUTORS S Raymond Fletcher, Ryan September in military history that, because it’s freezing cold at Bill of the Order. the moment. Born in London in 1942, Dave Murphy, Matt O’Brien, Paul As I’ve probably mentioned joined the Royal Navy in 1957 Rosslee, Lt. Lisa Spencer, Matt Head-to-Head Forged in Battle Book Review before, I always breath a sigh of and, between 1962 and 1964, Tennyson, Lt Cmdr Glenn Von relief when 1 September rolls served on HMS Afrikander at Zeil. 52 64 71 around. That’s because August is Youngsfield Military Base. Upon Cuito Cuanavale The 1967 Six-Day War The Parachute Regiment a bit of a strange month for me. his discharge from the Royal Military Despatches is pub- A good read on this famous bat- In the first of a series of articles Formed more than 78 years Let me explain. Navy he was approached to play lished on-line every month. tle, written from the Russian we look at the tanks used dur- ago, the Parachute Regiment I was born in August, as was my soccer semi-professionally for The articles used in Military side. brother one year and eight days Cape Town City but, with a young Despatches are copyrighted ing the 1967 Six-Day War. is regarded as one of the most later. My wife was also born in family to support, he opted to join elite units in the world. and may not be used without Front Cover August. So we have a few birth- the South African Navy and was prior permission from the edi- days to celebrate. But it’s also a amongst the first crew members tor. Famous Figures Battlefield A member of the Finnish time of sadness as well. to receive training on the Daph- The views stated in this maga- Army Special Forces unit, the My wife’s mother passed away ne-Class submarines. 68 zine do not necessary reflect the 58 in August. As did my own moth- He then served as a Submariner Utti Jaeger, on an exercise. views of Military Despatches, Võ Nguyên Giáp Abu-Ageila er, father and brother. So if I fol- for the following 11 years. Dave With no formal military train- Decisive tank battle during the retired in 1998 with the rank of the editor, the staff, or Hipe low family tradition then there’s ing, this history teacher would 1967 Six-Day War. a pretty good chance that I will Warrant Officer Class 1. Media. go on to become one of the ring down the curtain and join the I was honoured to have known Gaming choir invisible in August. So if I Dave and I will miss him and his Hipe! greatest military strategists of make it through to September I sense of humour. We will remem- P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 the 20th century. 72 always feel good for another year. ber him. South Africa. MS Flight Sim 2020 Then again, I tend not to stick to Please read my article on page Fly anywhere in the world in a tradition. 19. Hopefully it will clear a few email flight simulator using satellite This August was also a sad things up. [email protected] month for me. On 2 August Dave Remember to wear a mask, maps. As real as it gets. Revell passed away. wash your hands, and keep your Back Issues Movie Review Many of our readers will know social distancing. The Covid-19 To view any back issues of Dave. He was a member of the pandemic is not over yet. Military Despatches, go to 74 Memorable Order of Tin Hats www.militarydespatches.co.za (MOTH) and was the former Old Until next time. Enemy at the Gates or click here. Bill at Red Barn/ Tavern of the Good WWII movie set in Stal- Seas Shellhole. He was also a for- ingrad. 4 5 Top Ten Top Ten 10 Battles won against all odds These are battles, and one war, where the outnumbered side tore up the script. What should have been an easy victory for the stronger army turned out very differently. istory is filled with in- swords and the mallets they su. Rather he wished to avoid stances of small, over- had used to drive their wood- conflict if possible to save his Hpowered armies trying en stakes in, counter attacked forces to destroy his rival Oda unusual tactics and getting de- the now shaken, fatigued and Nobunaga and march on Kyoto. stroyed in the process. Since wounded French men-at-arms Nobunaga, however, was an there is no novelty value they massed in front of them. ally of Ieyasu. So there was no SOUTHERN VICTORY: The Battle of Chancellorsville was a victory for the Confederate Forces, quickly get forgotten by history. The French forces had sus- way that Ieysau would allow but it cost them one of their best generals. Which makes it all the more tained heavy losses, and were Takenda safe passage through incredible when some compar- bogged down in the mud and his territory. A battle between The gates of the castle were then his subordinate, Field Marshal claimed that Davout has exag- atively small or ill-equipped encumbered in their heavy plate the two forces was inevitable. thrown open wide. Davout. gerated the size of the Prussian band of soldiers wins the day armour. The counter attack from Takenda led an army of 20,000 Convinced that Ieyasu was In October 1806 Napoleon army by saying that Davout “al- against what seems like over- the English was a decisive blow, men, while Ieyasu was based at about to attack them, the van- was preparing to attack what ways saw double.” whelming odds. and the rest of the French army, Hamamatsu Castle with 8,000 guard stopped and made camp he thought was the main Prus- Yet according to the Prussians These battles are in chrono- having witnessed the slaughter, men. for the night. They intended to sian army while he sent Davout own records, Davout had been logical order. fled the field of battle. Ieyasu drew up his forces on wait for Takeda’s main force north with 26,000 en to cut off correct. It then took Napoleon Henry V’s victory at Agin- a high plain called Mikatagaha- to arrive before they went any any desperate retreats by the years before he gave his best 10.