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Post by Whizz_Bang on Sept 21, 2004 12:52:46 GMT -5
Did ye know the Government initially said the V rocket damage was caused by gas main explosions to stop the panic over the "nazi" super weapon  well you do now. |
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Sept 21, 2004 13:24:46 GMT -5
And another thing....
During the period 1939 to 1942, twenty Blenheim fighter-bombers were shot down through mis-identification by RAF pilots and anti-aircraft fire (Seven were shot down by Hurricanes). This resulted in the deaths of thirty-two aircrew with seven others injured. Nineteen other aircraft were damaged by being fired upon by mistake.
Never trust the RAF.......
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Sept 21, 2004 13:26:16 GMT -5
In July, 1939 petrol in Britain was rationed to 200 miles per month. Brand names disappeared, only 'Pool' petrol was available at four shillings and two pence a gallon. In 1940, the manufacture of new cars was stopped, and in 1942, petrol for private use was not allowed. The average wage in Britain in 1939 was £3 and nine shillings for men and £1 and twelve shillings for women. For newly enlisted servicemen, the pay was two shillings a day! A bottle of whisky cost 13 shillings and sixpence. The price of gold was £8 an ounce. To conserve wood the government requested all women to wear flat-heeled shoes. The first Lesbians perhaps |
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Sept 21, 2004 13:46:17 GMT -5
DUNKIRK (May 26, 1940). The seven day evacuation from Dunkirk begins. A fleet of 861 ships and small boats set sail from Britain in a desperate attempt to save the troops trapped on the beach. Within ten days a total of 224,585 British soldiers were picked up and brought home. At the same time, 112,546 French and Belgian troops were also saved. Unfortunately, about 40,000 French soldiers had to be left behind, causing a certain amount of bitterness among the troops. A total of 231 rescue boats and six destroyers were sunk during the operation. The RAF Fighter Command lost 106 planes. During the evacuation from Dunkirk, the big mistake the Germans made was the use of the Stuka dive bomber. If the Luftwaffe had used horizontal bombing instead of dive bombing, the losses to the British Expeditionary Force would have been far greater.
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Post by Tiny on Sept 22, 2004 3:57:23 GMT -5
I second that  |
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Post by Tiny on Sept 22, 2004 7:25:10 GMT -5
When the 2nd Tactical Air Force deployed to France after D-Day, the ground crews wore the standard RAF blue working uniform. But the local french population felt uneasy about this as it was very similar to the colour of uniform worn by the Luftwaffe during their time in France, so they were issued with Khaki BD's. Another reason for this was from a tactical view point.
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Post by Guv on Sept 23, 2004 15:03:37 GMT -5
Recent German aquisitions of British businesses must make our veterans of WW2 wonder exactly what they were fighting for.......... Sold this year so far to German big business........ Boots Pharmaceuticals Cornhill Insurance Grattan Mail Order Lansing Forklift Lloyds Chemists Morgan Grenfell (Bank) One 2 One Plessey Telecom Powergen Rolls-Royce Thames Water Thomas Cook  |
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Post by Guv on Sept 23, 2004 15:22:25 GMT -5
Did you know............
The average age of the front-line infantryman in the Commonwealth forces was 27.
An infantry Regt in the frontline would take 65+% casualties, with the remainder having a 75% chance of having at least 1 wound (the average was 3).
By the end of the war in Europe the British army was so short on manpower they were conscripting men over 45 years of age.
Makes you think eh ?
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Post by Whizz_Bang on Sept 24, 2004 7:39:26 GMT -5
Doesn't it just....
On a topic closer to home..
In 10 months of fighting in Europe the 49th West Riding Division suffered 11600 casualties ....indeed alarming figures as an operational division only consists of 9500 (& these figures include support personnel not generaly involved in combat areas).
Even for the unscathed the strain and stress of just a few months in the line took years of an Infantrymans life.
Next time your at a memorial service make a note of how many Infantry veterans you spot, these days its mostly Corp men, Medics, Signalers, etc.....
Finally, these men are far far braver than any of us are ever going to be, wear your uniforms with sincere pride Gentlemen and mostly wear them with respect.
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Post by Tiny on Sept 27, 2004 8:41:49 GMT -5
On this day in 1939 Warsaw fell to the might of the German Army.
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Post by Tiny on Sept 28, 2004 14:05:05 GMT -5
During the war crews from Bomber Command made up just 7% of the armed forces, but they make up 25% of the overall casualties sustained by our side.
Per Ardua Ad Astra
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