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I knew a guy who flew the "Warthog" and absolutely loved it. He said there was an amazing feeling of invulnerability when flying this plane, due to the armored cockpit and the extreme redundancy of the systems. It was like flying an armored crop duster. The ground crews often had to clear debris out of the undercarriages, as the pilots flew so incredibly low.
I have to admit with a certain measure of chagrin that I hadn't heard of this until just the other day. I am not sure it was really publicized in the US, but I could be wrong on that. I am sure it was not something the newspapers wanted to print in the great Pacific Northwest, where greater publicity is sure to be found with concern for the pods of killer whales in the Puget Sound and the safety of sea lions who are munching on the salmon that are trying to surf up the Columbia river, not to mention that the ice and snow-covered streets in Seattle weren't salted, due to concern that the salt would wash into the already salty Puget Sound. How's that for logic.
I had wrongly thought bayonet charges were a thing of the past, but was surprised to learn they are not. Since it is the Scots, that is quite understandable. They have always been fearsome warriors, so much so, that the Romans had to build a wall to keep them at bay, as they were too savage to conquer for even the Romans. It is even more interesting to note that the previous bayonet charge was also attributed to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which took place during the Falklands War.
This charge was about 200 yards across mainly open ground. Having read some more into it, apparently the lads didn't replicate a banzai charge, or the human wave of the Soviets, but instead charged in groups, dropping every 15 or so yards to fire some rounds, then up again and bounding fowards another 15 yards, yelling in a fearsome fashion designed to fully terrify the enemy - as only the Scottish troops can.
WITH BAYONETS ATTACHED, THEY FINISHED OFF THE ENEMY WHO HAD NOT RUN AWAY.. Glasgow Daily Record ^ | 5/21/04 | Keith Mcleod And Michael Christie
Posted on Friday, May 21, 2004 4:18:58 AM by TrebleRebel
WITH BAYONETS ATTACHED, THEY FINISHED OFF THE ENEMY WHO HAD NOT RUN AWAY.. May 21 2004
SCOTS TELL OF CHARGE by Keith Mcleod And Michael Christie
Quote
*SCOTS soldiers last night told how they launched a bayonet charge on Iraqi militiamen after hours of battle.
An Army insider last night gave the Record an insight into the bravery of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
They were forced to use 'cold steel' as supplies of ammunition ran low.
Many of the militiamen turned and fled but the close-quarters fighting left around 20 rebels dead.
Thirty-five of Shia Moslem cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers died and two British troops were injured during the three-hour battle.
A senior Argylls officer said last night: 'After a fierce fight and with small amounts of ammo left, they put in a conventional left-flanking attack.
'With bayonets attached, they finished off the enemy who had not run off.'
It was the first time in 22 years the Army had used bayonets in action.
The last came when the Scots Guards stormed Argentinian positions during the Falklands War.
The battle developed following a distress call from a group of eight British soldiers last Friday.
The troops under the command of Major Adam Griffiths were surrounded on the notorious Route Six highway while en route to Camp Abu Naji in southern Iraq. Their LandRovers were riddled with bullets and they came under attack from rocket launchers and grenades.
But as a 30-strong platoon of Argylls responded to the SOS, the militia were getting reinforcements.
The men from the Stirlingshire-based regiment were forced to dig in and shoot back.
The Argylls were aided by a detachment of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, who arrived at the scene in armoured Warrior vehicles.
More than 150 Iraqis were said to be involved in last week's battle. Military sources say the militiamen miscalculated the response from the original group of soldiers.
Last night, a source said: 'Morale is very good following this serious incident.
'The insurgents have been laying ambushes on Route Six one of the main roads between Basra and Baghdad for some time.
'Previously, the response from small British groups has been drive on. These militiamen were obviously expecting this to happen again.
'The enemy have been picking their targets, mainly two LandRovers with six to eight soldiers on board. With those odds, it is sometimes best to keep on going, but the attack was so sustained, the LandRovers stopped and returned fire.
'We now hope that these attacks on Route Six will stop, but we are taking nothing for granted.'
Intelligence gathered since the bayonet charge suggests it shocked the militia fighters, who expected the outnumbered Scots to flee.
The source added: 'The injuries received by our troops were shrapnel to the hand and shrapnel to the groin. Both of these casualties were as a result of rocket-propelled grenades fired at them.
'Both the injured guys are back with their units and doing fine.'
The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment arrived on the scene in 37ton Warriors just as the Scots' ammo was getting low.
They found many Iraqi militia fleeing the bayonet charge.
Around 20 Iraqis who chose to stand and fight were killed by the troops of both regiments.
The Argylls' forebears formed The Thin Red Line which kept 25,000 Russians at bay at Balaclava during the Crimean War of the 1850s.
In 1967, Argylls commander Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Mitchell known as Mad Mitch stormed a rebel stronghold in Yemen.
Accompanied only by 15 pipers playing Scotland The Brave, he recaptured Crater Town, the commercial heart of Aden, which had been in enemy hands for two weeks.
The regiment has won 16 Victoria Crosses.
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I have heard that US troops in Iraq have also advanced with fixed bayonets, but don't have any details on that. I am not aware that they charged across open ground in the same fashion as the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders did. The last one I was aware of was US Marines in Korea, charging a hilltop with fixed bayonets. If anyone is aware of such instances, please so advise.
This particularly piqued my interest, as I've recently finished Doug Nash's amazing book Hells Gate The Battle for the Cherkassy Pocket January to February 1944. As the German soldiers were fighting their way out of their surrounded pocket, there were many instances where upwards of 4,000 soldiers charged a defensive line of Soviet tanks with only bayonets, led by officers on horseback, roaring "Hurrah" at the top of their lungs. While they took many casualties, they would overwhelm the Soviet tankers by sheer force and desperate willpower. As a result, the Russian tankers, without infantry to cover them, would generally retreat to cover and let the crazy German troops rush past.
Ah, Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS. If only an enterprizing modder would include her as an HQ unit in CMBB, it would revive newfound interest in the game. Imagine what she could do with a panzerfaust against a mere IS-2. The mind boggles......
Heyyy, wait a minute. Crack wasn't big in the 80's, it was big in the 90's. Bongotastic, is the Chief off his meds?
Alan65, I did a fast check through Japanese 4 engine bombers, and couldn't find anything close to this. All the Japanese bombers are enclosed in the front, like most modern aircraft designs of that time. Are we sure it is Japanese? It looks similar to the Soviet 4 engine types, the Tupolevs, which were a single wing, multi-engine, with exposed gunners positions, especially the one in the front. However, the Tupolev front gunner station looked different than the one you are showing. This one seems more refined. Sorry I couldn't help much on this.
Koen, That was really a nice tribute. The music fit the mood of the pictures. Everytime I see these cemeteries, wherever they are and no matter whose soldiers are there, I always feel the same somber sadness. The higher up shots showing the hundreds of grave markers really makes a visual statement of the terrible loss of innocence and life. You must also keep in mind that many represent more than one soldier, so the loss is compounded.
I usually have my breath taken away while walking in the Arlington National cemetery in Washington DC. The Vietnam memorial is another one, where I find myself fighting back tears, especially when reading the letters, notes, or small tokens of remembrance left near names of lost loved ones. I noticed that several of the German soldiers' markers had flowers or personal items placed by them. It is nice to see that someone remembers a loved one and tends to the site.
The loss and heavy sadness is almost palpable. After having their lives ended so abruptly and having their future stolen from them in such a brutal and untimely manner, it is only fitting they have a quiet and dignified place to rest.
Koen, Really excellent post. The videos were great, and so are the pictures. Any pictures of Truppe 5? I might have had a relative in that unit.
It is quite telling that a virtual comedy of errors occurred where the gun crews were pulled from their posts to tear down the barracks outside of the fort, moments before the fort was assaulted. Amazing. I guess there must have been a Private Murphy assigned to fort duty, as his "Law" was in effect with a vengeance.
Crete was quite the pyrrhic victory for the Fallshirmjäger. Incredible courage by the paras coupled with some really surprising blunders on the part of the defenders allowed the battle to swing to the Germans, who never let go of the initiative.
The paratroopers essentially dropped into the fray unarmed, save sidearms, and had to get their main battle weapons -rifles, subguns, MGs - from weapons cannisters that were dropped with their stick of men, and weren't always easily retrieved. Many never made it to the weapons before running out of pistol ammo and being cut down.
Things were a little different for the glider guys, who had their weapons on them, but in many cases they were landing right on armed and alerted positions manned by Brits with 40mm bofors that wreaked havoc on the gliders.
Hitler decided the paras would never again be used in airborned assaults such as the one at Crete. I can't imagine it was his concern for the lives of the paras, so I guess it was because he was shocked at how close the battle was, and how it could have easily been a loss instead of a victory.
Mad Russian, I am quite envious of your amazing library. I have quite a few of the tomes you have listed, I am happy to say, and quite a few that you have not listed. I will have to get around to cataloguing them one of these days.
I recently finished a truly amazing book, as listed below.
HELL'S GATE: The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket January to February 1944 by Douglas Nash
This would be a worthy addition to your library. I'd read some strategic-tactical descriptions of this terrible struggle, but this one was right down in the mud, blood, and snow. The descriptions of individual actions and the desperate struggle from both sides was told through extensive interviews. It is quite pricey but worth every penny. I picked up a rather pristine copy used. Nash weaves an amazing description of the participants and their terrifying ordeal. He also covers the major strategic aims of both sides, as well as the tactical arrangements and the complexity of trying to collapse a surrounded pocket while breaking out towards friendly lines.
Koen, Well, of course you'd go for the first class ace level. What an amazing diorama. It didn't catch at first that this was 1/16 scale, but when I saw the incredible details in the figures faces, it hit me. Yep, this thing is huge, 3 feet by 2 feet. This would be a dream diorama, that's for sure.
As an aside, I have personally laid hands on the King Tiger displayed in that diorama, as I've been by Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, where it is located. Still, my favorites were the Jagdpanther and the Sturmgeschütz III.
Koen, you are going to have to keep us posted when you start your project. We will need pictures!!
Rattler, What an intriguing set of artists doing "My Funny Valentine." Most excellent. The best one has to be Frank. Of course. It was fun to compare the styles.
Naturally, King Crimson, and the absolute classic "In the Court of the Crimson King" would need to be included. They are right up there with Argent and their amazing "Hold Your Head High," one of my absolute favorites.
Koen, "Never Back Down" is a really good song, but the video is vicious. Ouch.
Waaaay back when, I used to collect the 1/87th scale ROCO plastic tanks and Airfix soldiers, as they scaled with my HO train set. That Burlington train engine was involved in some major WWII battles. I tried my hand with those small tanks in battles across the rug in the recreation room, string for LOS, a table of penetration values to determine if my Tiger blew up that Sherman (well, it always did, heh heh) way over by the sofa, and puffs of cotton for tanks that brewed up.
Then I discovered my friend's brother had Stalingrad. I was hooked. All things Avalon Hill opened up for me. I was amazed. I could now actually play the engagements that I'd been reading about for so many years. Still, it was mainly strategic. I grabbed up Guadalcanal (my younger brother had to play the Japanese, and use hidden movement -man that really confused him), Jutland, U-Boat, and practically lived those games. Still, it wasn't what I was looking for, but there was no going back. I was in for the ride though. This was one great hobby.
Then the tactical stuff was discovered. Panzerblitz and Panzerleader were the only way. You were getting down into the trenches....almost....but the history books were coming alive, and there were individual scenarios to cover the action in those amazing history books. However, I still was looking for more specifics.
When Squad Leader appeared, I knew that was finally it. A squad of men and an individual squad leader, along with individual tanks and crews that could bail out was my calling. Advanced Squad Leader just made it more amazing. I was now crawling through the rubble of Stalingrad with an 8-1 Feldwebel leading three 4-6-7 squads dragging MG34s, being fired upon by Soviet snipers. Those dice were rolling fast and heavy.
Yeah, those were the days. Then this newfangled computer thingie came along, and with it computer war games. It would be very difficult to go back to the cardboard counters now, with games like CMBB and CMAK. The 3D immersion amazes me every time I zoom in behind a Mark IV slowly advancing into harms way over a hilltop, or run across a street, side by side, with a squad of GI's, just waiting for a MG42 to open up.
These milestones have come together to visually project the battles and actions that I had read - and still read - in those amazing history books. What a great hobby. And yes, this hobby does keep you out of the bars and out of trouble. My wife grudgingly agrees, everytime I "badly need" another book by Paul Carell or Doug Nash!
Koen, Stoffel and Mad Russian are right on for scale. You definitely want to run the 1/35th scale. There is so much available, and you can detail to your hearts content. There are so many common, everyday things you can use for details in 1/35th. If you go to some of the online diorama sites, like www.armorama.com, or Wiking's Panzermodellbau at www.panzermodellbau.com, you can get some really great ideas of how to set things up and arrange them for maximum display interest. I go there from time to time to get fired up again about the hobby.
If you are limited in space to display things, you can easily put together a King Tiger on a display base, run in some large fir trees covered with a heavy coating of hoar frost, and add in some figures wearing winter anoraks for added interest. Then you make the road/trail/field "wet" with a mix of snow, mud, and ice. Use a foam base, and you can build in ditches along the road for elevation changes.
Yeah, I get excited just thinking about the planning, let alone the detailing. I had some pretty nice dioramas before I had to move. Dismantled them and now have no space. Ah, but someday.....
Koen and Alan65, An excellent post. The picture is great. A most detailed account of his military career. He was clearly one of the best panzer officers, and the fact that he was highly respected by his men speaks volumes of the honorable officer he was. After having lost literally everything - his sons, wife, property - he still carried on with his life, which also speaks volumes about his personality. He ranks up there with Dr. Franz Bäke. Thanks for sharing.
BlueSixGolf, Hey, that was fun to watch. You are right about the music. You couldn't have picked a more stirring piece . It matched the action perfectly. Watching the Soviet tank "tip it's hat" to the Abrahms was very nice. Thanks for sharing.
Koen, I second MR on that. The Nashorn was an incredibly effective weapon. I hadn't thought about the use of TRP's for CM, but of course that makes sense. They should have been modeled better.
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A squad of men and an individual squad leader, along with individual tanks and crews that could bail out was my calling. Advanced Squad Leader just made it more amazing. I was now crawling through the rubble of Stalingrad with an 8-1 Feldwebel leading three 4-6-7 squads dragging MG34s, being fired upon by Soviet snipers. Those dice were rolling fast and heavy. 
