Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
Too true. Barnes Wallis had both the training and intuition.
The Grand Slam was quite the monster, but the devil is in the details. The extremely long tapering was what allowed it to go supersonic. It had better aerodynamic lines than most aircraft of it's day.
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The poor Lutzow... Maybe there is something to the sailor's superstition against renaming ships. She was originally the cruiser Deutschland, but was renamed Lutzow in 1940. She was heavily damaged during the landings in Norway, and was sent back to Kiel for repairs. During the return trip, she was torpedoed, yet somehow managed to limp her way into port. I have no idea how a ship in this condition remained seaworthy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cruiser_Deutschland
Recommissioned on 31 March, 1941, she was torpedoed again on 12 June, and required emergency repairs at sea to limp back to Kiel, where extensive repairs kept her out of service until May, 1942.
After that, she had some rather inglorious engagements where she successfully avoided sinking anything she shot at, spent a lot of time in the repair yards getting faulty electrical and diesel engines worked on (undoubtedly lefotver problems form her previous batterings and repairs), was eventually assigned as a training ship, which was her status when the RAF and some tallboys caught up with her. Oddly, even after this indignity, she still wasn't done.
She had a rough go of it during, and after the war.
Smart looking ship, seen here in calmer times (1936) in her original state as the Deutschland:
This is only part of the story. The renaming was actually at Erich Raeder's prompting, as part of a larger deception involving the sale of the unfinished Hipper class cruiser Lutzow to the Soviets, as well as the morale issue.
One of unexploded "Tallboys" from that raid was accidentally pulled out during dredging of that water way in 1983. Polish TV actually showed whole operation of removal and then exploding of that bomb at Drawsko Training grounds, it was something to watch. It was 1983 hight of the "Cold War" but 3 British Military specialists were present during removal just in case since the whole operation had to take a place in a port channel that run through city of 40000 people
The Henschel HS129 was discussed earlier. Here is more on the anti-tank gun it carried:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...ent=2017-08-22&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...ent=2017-08-22&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter
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http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/two-b-c-victoria-cross-winners-from-the-battle-of-hill-70-to-be-remembered-100-years-later
Two of B.C.'s three Victoria Cross winners from the Battle of Hill 70 to be remembered 100 years later
David Carrigg
Published on: August 16, 2017 | Last Updated: August 16, 2017 1:48 PM PDT
This billboard poster will be exhibited in Ukraine's capital Kiev for a month starting Aug. 15 to remember Filip Konowal, a Ukrainian born winner of the Victoria Cross who served in New Westminster's 47th Battalion.
This billboard poster will be exhibited in Ukraine's capital Kiev for a month starting Aug. 15 to remember Filip Konowal, a Ukrainian born recipient of the Victoria Cross who served in New Westminster's 47th Battalion. Submitted / PNG
Two men with B.C. links who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the Battle of Hill 70, 100 years ago, will be remembered this week.
Canadians in captured German trench during the Battle of Hill 70 in August 1917. The soldiers on the left are scanning the sky for aircraft, while the soldier in the centre appears to be re-packing his gas respirator into the carrying pouch on his chest. Dust cakes their clothes, helmets, and weapons. Submitted / P
In Kiev, Ukraine, a billboard paid for by Canadian donors will be unveiled on Aug. 15 and remain for a month to recognize Cpl. Filip Konowal — who was born in Ukraine and went on to serve with New Westminster’s 47th Battalion during the First World War.
Konowal was credited with killing 16 German soldiers, mostly with his bayonet, in house-to-house fighting in Lens between August 22-24, 1917, as part of the Battle of Hill 70. A few days later he was shot in the head by a sniper, which led to lifelong health problems. He died in 1959 aged 70 and is buried in Gatinueau, Quebec.
Official Canadian Expeditionary Force photo of Filip Konowal. Canadian War Museum / PNG
The report of his citation published in the London Gazette on Nov. 27, 1917, read:
“For most conspicuous bravery and leadership when in charge of a section in attack. His section had the difficult task of mopping up cellars, craters and machine-gun emplacements. Under his able direction all resistance was overcome successfully, and heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy. In one cellar he himself bayonetted three enemy and attacked single-handed seven others in a crater, killing them all.
On reaching the objective, a machine-gun was holding up the right flank, causing many casualties. Cpl. Konowal rushed forward and entered the emplacement, killed the crew, and brought the gun back to our lines.
The next day he again attacked single-handed another machine-gun emplacement, killed three of the crew, and destroyed the gun and emplacement with explosives.
This non-commissioned officer alone killed at least sixteen of the enemy, and during the two days’ actual fighting carried on continuously his good work until severely wounded.”
Hill 70 (Lens) 15-25 August: A group of Canadians, standing with mugs at a soup kitchen set up on boards “100 yards from Boche lines” during the push on Hill 70. William Rider-Rider (1889–1979) / PN
In Abbotsford, a dedication ceremony is being held on Aug. 24 to unveil a plaque on a pedestal for Robert Hanna near the main cenotaph at Thunderbird Square, behind city hall.
On Aug. 21, 1917, Warrant Officer Hanna led a company of men across barbed wire and into a machine gun nest that was killing and pinning men down near Hill 70.
The report of his citation in the London Gazette on Nov. 9, 1917, read:
“For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when his company met with most severe enemy resistance and all the company officers became casualties. A strong point, heavily protected by wire and held by a machine gun, had beaten off three assaults of the company with heavy casualties. This Warrant Officer under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, coolly collected a party of men, and leading them against this strong point, rushed through the wire and personally bayonetted three of the enemy and brained the fourth, capturing the position and silencing the machine gun.
This most courageous action, displayed courage and personal bravery of the highest order at this most critical moment of the attack, was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point, and but for his daring action and determined handling of a desperate situation the attack would not have succeeded.”
Hanna died in 1967 aged 80 and is buried in Burnaby.
The third British Columbian to receive one of the six Victoria Crosses awarded to Canadians following the Battle of Hill 70 was Michael James O’Rourke.
O’Rourke was born in Ireland and served as a stretcher-bearer with the 7th Battalion (1st British Columbia). He earned the Victoria Cross for spending three days and nights rescuing wounded men, often putting himself under fire to make a rescue.
His citation published in the London Gazette on Nov. 8, 1917, read:
“During the whole of this period the area in which he worked was subjected to very severe shelling and swept by heavy machine gun and rifle fire. On several occasions he was knocked down and partly buried by enemy shells. Seeing a comrade who had been blinded stumbling around ahead of our trench, in full view of the enemy who were sniping him, Pte. O’Rourke jumped out of his trench and brought the man back, being himself heavily sniped at while doing so.
Again he went forward about 50 yards in front of our barrage under very heavy and accurate fire from enemy machine guns and snipers, and brought in a comrade.
On a subsequent occasion, when the line of advanced posts was retired to the line to be consolidated, he went forward under very heavy enemy fire of every description and brought back a wounded man who had been left behind.
He showed throughout an absolute disregard for his own safety, going wherever there were wounded to succour, and his magnificent courage and devotion in continuing his rescue work, in spite of exhaustion and the incessant heavy enemy fire of every description, inspired all ranks and undoubtedly saved many lives.”
O’Rourke, who had already earned the Military Medal for his bravery at the Somme in 1916 survived the war and became a dockworker. He died in Vancouver in 1957, aged 79.
On Aug. 22 a new Canadian memorial at the Hill 70 battle site, near Lens, will be officially opened.
A video montage of each of the six VC recipients can be viewed here.
with files from Kent Spencer
dcarrigg@postmedia.com
Hey guys! Was wondering if I put up a military picture a day (WW2 for the most part) we could discuss what we see, and think what the picture means. I am just a young pup to most, but am really interested in anything military. I know a lot of you guys know a lot more then me! and I am all about learning new things.
Cheers
Joe
Looks to me like a cat, and some text saying photo not found...
Deep.
Cottage Hill Bill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Pensacola, FL USA
So, you join a forum and one of your first posts is an adolescent, off topic wisecrack. Great way to endear yourself to the group.
You think that is bad, your last photos that you tried to post look like a speedometer....
Karma.
