Military Despatches Vol 25 July 2019 Operation Barras A mission nicknamed ‘Operation Certain Death’ Broken Warriors What happens when the shooting stops? Forged in Battle World War II’s Tiger tank Head-to-Head The strongest military forces in the world Audie Murphy America’s most decorated World War II hero For the military enthusiast CONTENTS July 2019 Page 22 Click on any video below to view How much do you know about movie theme songs? Take our quiz and find out. Hipe’s Wouter de The old South African Goede interviews former Defence Force used 28’s gang boss David a mixture of English, A South African on D-Day Williams. Afrikaans, slang and On 6th June 1944 a number of South Afri- techno-speak that few cans took part in D-Day. outside the military could hope to under- 24 30 stand. Some of the terms Features were humorous, some SADF casualty figures Broken Warriors were clever, while others 6 Less less than a third of SADF What happens when the shoot- were downright crude. Top Ten Roman inventions troops were killed in action. ing stops? Are soldiers being What happened to the rest? left with a broken legacy. The Roman army came up with weapons that helped it gain su- 26 Part of Hipe’s “On the 32 premacy on the battlefield We will remember him couch” series, this is an Rank Structure 12 A South African expat is lost This month we look at the interview with one of while serving in the French Special Forces - Egypt Egyptian Armed Forces. author Herman Charles Part Five of a series that takes Foreign Legion. Bosman’s most famous a look at Special Forces units 27 36 characters, Oom Schalk around the world. A matter of survival Paraquedistas Portugueses A taxi driver was shot Lourens. Hipe spent time in 16 This month we’re looking at Hanover Park, an area In May the Regimento de Para- hunting. dead in an ongoing Ready, aim, fire! quedistas celebrated their 64th war between rival taxi plagued with gang birthday. violence, to view first- Most military courts have the organisations. power to impose the death sen- Quiz hand how Project tence, usually carried out by a 29 Ceasefire is dealing with firing squad. Four-legged heroes 21 the situation. 20 At a memorial parade in Preto- Submachine guns Hipe TV brings you videos ranging from actuality to humour and every- Turning back the clock ria, tribute was paid to the an- This month our quiz is all about thing in between. Interviews, mini-documentaries and much more. Jock Hutton jumped into Nor- imals that died in the Border submachine guns, both new and mandy in 1944. Last month he War. And for the first time, a old. Check out Hipe TV and remember to like, comment, share and subscribe. did it again. dog carried a wreath. 00 3 CONTENTS Page 64 Editor’s PUBLISHER Sitrep Hipe Media EDITOR Matt Tennyson DEPUTY EDITOR fficially we’re in the big project. From July I have John Verster second half of the year. taken over administration of the PHOTO EDITOR It’s cold in Cape Town MOTH Cyber Shellhole. July in military history O Regine Lord and really starting to feel like The Cyber Shellhole is for winter. people that want to become CONTRIBUTORS Head-to-Head Forged in Battle Book Review So last month was the second members of the Moths but are McGill Alexander, Pedro Cas- anniversary of Military Des- unable to attend meetings be- tanheira, Paul Els, Raymond 40 50 65 patches. I must confess that I cause they live in an area where Fletcher, Ryan Murphy, Matt Pilgrim Days had a glass or two of Bushmill’s there are no Moth Shellholes. Strongest military forces Tiger I O’Brien, Matt Tennyson, Karen From Vietnam to the SAS, Whisky to celebrate. Then I had Currently there are members in This month we take a look at The famed German Tiger tank. Theunissen, Chris Whitehead. Alastair MacKenzie book is a another few glasses when I re- Ireland, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the ten strongest military forces great read. alised that it was time to start the DRC and other countries Military Despatches is pub- in the world. the next issue. and areas. Battlefield lished on-line every month. Front Cover Besides doing Military Des- Next month I plan on do- The articles used in Military Famous Figures 56 patches every month, I also do ing an article explaining more Despatches are copyrighted Operation Barras Paratroops jump over Norman- a few other projects. I edit three about what the Cyber Shellhole and may not be used without 46 dy in June 2019. It was part of The mission to rescue British other magazines (two monthly is, who qualifies to join, and prior permission from the edi- Audie Murphy the events to celebrate the 75th and one quarterly) and maintain how to go about joining. troops held hostage in Sierra tor. Poet, songwriter, Hollywood anniversary of the D-Day land- five websites. I am also a mem- Another project that I am Leonne was given the nickname The views stated in this mag- actor with his own star on the ings. ber of the Memorable Order of tackling is our website. It’s a bit ‘Operation Certain Death’. azine do not necessary reflect Walk of Fame, and the most Tin Hats (MOTH), a veteran’s bland at the moment and I have the views of Hipe!, the editor, decorated American soldier of organisation. And let’s not for- some ideas on how to improve the staff, or Hipe Media. World War II. get my membership of the Cape it. I also welcome any sugges- Gaming Welsh Choir (Deputy Editor tions that you may have, and Hipe! 62 John Verster is also a member I promise that I will listen to P.O. Box 31216, Tokai, 7966 of the choir as well as being a them. South Africa. Steel Division Normandy 44 MOTH). As you can imagine, That’s about it for this month. A game both historically accu- this all takes up a bit of my time. Now to have a glass of Bus- email rate and fun to play. My wife sees so little of me mill’s, then start all over again. [email protected] that she has taken to calling Movie Review me darling, sweetie and love Until next month. Back Issues 64 - mainly because she can’t re- To view any back issues of member my name. Military Despatches, go to The Blue Max So I thought what I really www.militarydespatches.co.za A World War I classic set in the needed was to tackle another Matt or click here. skies above Europe. 4 5 Top Ten Top Ten 7. Testudo mation could stand sideways The name onager can be Top Ten Inventions of the Roman Army The testudo (Latin name for or backwards with shields held roughly translated as “wild “tortoise”) is probably one of as the front rows, so as to pro- ass”. The weapon was named Throughout the centuries, the Roman army came up with various weapons that helped it gain tect the formation’s sides and after the animal because of its supremacy on the battlefield, and here are the top 10 military inventions of the Roman army. the most important aspects of the Roman military. rear; this reduced the speed and ability to kick. hen it came to su- legion had 55 carrobalista in 8. Plumbata In the testudo formation, the mobility of the formation, but The onager consisted of premacy on the bat- their ranks. One of the most common men would align their shields to offered consistent defensive a large frame placed on the tlefield, the Roman’s It could fire a heavy arrow tactics in early warfare was for form a packed formation cov- strength against opposing in- ground to whose front end a ver- W fantry and excellent protection tical frame of solid timber was were no slouches. or bolt up to 460 metres from archers to be positioned behind ered with shields on the front In its day Rome managed to a target and was easy to move ranks of infantry. and top. The first row of men, against arrows and other mis- rigidly fixed. A vertical spoke conquer half of their known around during a battle. The archers would fire a vol- possibly excluding the men on sile attacks. that passed through a rope bun- world. This would not have ley of arrows at the enemy and the flanks, would hold their One of the drawbacks of the dle fastened to the frame had a been possible without the skills 9. Pilum then the infantry would charge. shields from about the height of testudo was that it was difficult sling attached which contained of the mighty Roman Army. While the long spear and the From the 4th century AD on- their shins to their eyes, so as to for those inside the formation a projectile. To fire it, the spoke Throughout the centuries, the javelin had been around for wards the Roman Army began cover the formation’s front. to use their personal weapons. or arm was forced down, against Roman army came up with var- some time, the Roman pilum to use the plumbata. Basically, The shields would be held in Yet this formation could slowly the tension of twisted ropes or ious weapons and tactics that proved very effective in battle. it was a throwing dart, with a such a way that they presented a move forward towards the en- other springs, by a windlass, not only revolutionised war- About two metres in length, lead weight attached to it.