Military Despatches Vol 7 January 2018 Stranger than fiction Naval facts, figures and trivia Bite the bullet... and other expressions given to us by the military Head-to-Head The ten strongest navies in the world Forged in Battle Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier The raid that stunned the world Operation Thunderbolt For the military enthusiast Military Despatches January 2018 What’s in this month’s edition Feature Articles 6 Naval facts, figures & trivia Click on any video below to view A few facts, figures and trivia about navies, war at sea, and general nautical information. How much do you know about movie theme 12 Where did you come from? songs? Take our quiz Ever wonder where some of the expressions we use come from? You’d be surprised at just how many of and find out. them originated from the military or warfare. We look at just a few of them. Page 6 Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African 15 Military Myths and Urban Legends Page 15 Goede interviews former Defence Force used In the last article of this series (for now), we look at 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, some military myths and determine the truth about Williams. Afrikaans, slang and them. techno-speak that few 18 This is our song outside the military Ever since Joshua brought the house down at Jericho, could hope to under- music and the military have shared a close relation- stand. Some of the terms ship. We look at some music that has become synony- were humorous, some mous with certain units, regiments and corps. were clever, while others were downright crude. Head-to-Head 22 The world’s strongest navies Part of Hipe’s “On the How the Top 10 navies measure up. couch” series, this is an interview with one of Quiz author Herman Charles 33 General Military Knowledge Bosman’s most famous This month we want to test your general military characters, Oom Schalk knowledge. We have 23 questions for you and you tell Page 22 A taxi driver was shot Lourens. Hipe spent time in us the answers. dead in an ongoing Hanover Park, an area Famous Figures war between rival taxi plagued with gang 34 Able Seaman Just Nuisance organisations. violence, to view first- Able Seaman Just Nuisance was probably one of the hand how Project most unique characters to ever enlist in the Royal Ceasefire is dealing with Navy. the situation. Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- Cover Photograph thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. As the sun rises the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Arliegh Burke heads towards port in Simon’s Town. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. 00 3 39 Memorable Moment Page 34 AB Daniella Grootboom tells of a memorable mo- ment at the 2017 Annual Sea Cadet Camp. Forged in Battle 40 Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier Editor’s Each month “Forged in Battle” looks at weapons, PUBLISHER equipment or units that have been tried and tested on Sitrep Hipe Media the battlefield. This month we look at the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. EDITOR Matt Tennyson Battlefield Page 46 sue. Both of these articles had CONTRIBUTORS 46 Operation Thunderbolt song titles that, if you clicked Raymond Fletcher, Daniella ell, here we are, it’s On the night of 3 and 4 July, 1976, a group of Israeli on them, allowed you to listen Grootboom, Ryan Murphy, 2018 and another commandos carried out one of the most audacious to the actual songs. Matt O’Brien, Matt Tennyson, year has past. special forces raids in history - and they travelled W So this month we’ve included Lt Cdr Glenn von Zeil. more than 5,000 kilometres to carry it out. I trust that everyone had a another interactive music arti- good Christmas and New Year. cle. These are all songs that are Military Despatches is pub- 51 TS Tiburton assists disabled fishers And talking about the new year, synonymous with certain corps, lished on-line every month. let’s hope that it is a good one. How a group of Sea Cadets from Durban make a dif- regiments or units. The articles used in Military ference. By Lt Cdr Glenn von Zeil. I had a most pleasant Christ- It’s interesting to note that Despatches are copyrighted mas, thanks for asking. In our each branch of the United States and may not be used without Page 54 family we would always have Armed Forces - Army, Navy, prior permission from the edi- our Christmas ‘lunch’ on the Reviews Air Force, Marine Corps, and tor. 52 Game Review - Atlantic Fleet evening of the 24th December. Coast Guard - has their own The views stated in this mag- This meant that on Christmas Admiral Matt O’ Brien is all at sea as he prepares to theme song. azine do not necessary reflect take on the might of the fleet. Day no-one had to slave away What I personally found in- the views of Hipe!, the editor, in the kitchen. You just pigged teresting was the marching the staff, or Hipe Media. out on left-overs. song of the US 7th Cavalry. It’s 54 Movie Review - Das Boot This year I had eight people called Garryowen. It is named Hipe! This epic German film about World War II submarine around, seven of them were after Garryown in Limerick, P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 warfare was nominated for six Academy Awards. veterans. Republic of Ireland. It’s also South Africa. This month there is a bit of where I was born and lived un- 55 Book Reivew - Men of the Mendi Page 56 a nautical feel to the maga- til the age of 13. email Written by Brenda Shepherd, this is the story of the zine. You may remember that Later this month we will be [email protected] sinking of the SS Mendi during WW1, the bravery of in October we had a number launching our very own Mili- the men on board and the ensuing inquiry conducted of articles about pilots and air- tary Despatches website. Some- by the Board of Trade in London. craft. So to ensure that our navy thing else we will be launching readers don’t feel left out, this is our own channel on YouTube. month has a number of articles This is where we will upload that they will hopefully find in- videos for our readers to watch. The Lighter Side teresting. Many of the videos will tie in to 56 Salty Sea Stories A number of readers sent e- articles in the magazine. A radio conversation that was supposed to have really mails saying that they enjoyed Until next month. happened, a rewriting of history, and two jokes make the articles “Music to March up this month’s ‘On the Lighter Side’. to” in the November issue, and “The Alternative Christmas Playlist” in the December is- Matt 4 5 ture. As such, even the holi- • One of the nicknames for Naval facts, figures & trivia est of holy men can’t escape the Royal Navy is “The An- A few facts, figures and trivia about navies, war at sea, and general nautical trivia. the nicknames they get in drew” and its origin is sub- the service, which include: ject to speculation. Some Padre, Bish, Bible Puncher, say the name comes from he first recorded action and 61 fleet torpedo boats, apparently originated as a Bible Basher, Devil Dodger, Andrew Miller, seen as Dodgy Deacon, God Both- an over-zealous officer of at sea is said to have while the numerically supe- sign of good faith; by dis- Boatswain’s Pipe taken place in 1210 BC rior British fleet was com- charging your guns, you erer, Maker’s Rep, Holy Joe, the Impress Service, or the T tar from the sheets and rig- and Sin Bosun. “press gang”, that forced when the Hittites defeated the posed of 28 battleships, 9 temporarily disarmed your- Cypriots near Cyprus. Egyptian battle cruisers, 8 armoured self and thereby showed ging and it was considered • The Boatswain’s Pipe, also sailors into service. Other King Ramses III defeated the cruisers, 26 light cruisers, yourself to have peaceful in- unseemly to show an officer known as a Bosun’s Pipe, is suggested origins are that ‘Sea Peoples’ at the Battle of 78 destroyers, 1 minelayer, tentions. or a member of the Royal one of the oldest and most Andrew was also a name of the Delta in 1190 BC. and 1 seaplane carrier. Brit- • During WWII John F. Ken- family a dirty palm. distinctive pieces of nauti- a Man O’ War ship or that For thousands of years a na- ain lost more ships and twice nedy commanded the patrol • In the Royal Navy commis- cal equipment. The pipe or Miller was such a huge sup- tions strength was defined by its as many men as Germany, boat PT-109. He was run sioned ships and submarines flute, was used in Greece plier of provisions to the power at sea. Sea power was although ultimately the out- over by a Japanese destroy- wear the White Ensign at and Rome to keep the stroke Navy that it was said be- the sum of a nation’s capabil- come was beneficial for the er. He and the survivors had the stern whilst alongside of galley slaves. The pipe tween those and the sailors ities to implement its interests British as the battle resulted to make their way to an is- during daylight hours and at was used in the Crusades to that he owned the Navy.