Rememberance Day!

[Buckman]

Today is the day that we remember all those that gave their lives for their country. Please at 11am take a minute to remember those that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you!

 

[Beachball]

Today is the day that we remember all those that gave their lives for their country. Please at 11am take a minute to remember those that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you!

Will do thanks

 

[Jcloughie]

Doing so right now. Then off to Devizes.

John

 

[otherclive]

Anyone interested in getting a comprehensive insight into what WW1 was like should read “ The first day on the Somme” by Martin Middlebrook. It comprises research from diaries, archives, interviews etc on both sides. Films and documentaries never can reveal the sheer immensity and human aspects of the build up and day1 of the battle.

 

[Damian]

I have removed the last two postings as I never ever thought that nitpicking on such a topic would rear its head on this forum...........how wrong was I?

The 11th Hour on the 11th Day of the 11th Month saw the end of hostilities in Europe, sadly the war still continued against the Japanese for some time after.

Today is the important time and when we should all stop and think of those who fought and died for us, and sadly it would seem from what is happening around the world today, not a single lesson has been learnt.

Rememberance Sunday is a "moveable feast" and actually has no bearing , apart from a public display of wreath laying,

 

[Buckman]

Thank you Damien. Your inpout is appreciated,

 

[Thingy]

Anyone interested in getting a comprehensive insight into what WW1 was like should read “ The first day on the Somme” by Martin Middlebrook. It comprises research from diaries, archives, interviews etc on both sides. Films and documentaries never can reveal the sheer immensity and human aspects of the build up and day1 of the battle.

I have that book among many others. Its very good factually but very few of these books take us right down into the mud. I have a first edition print of a book called "The War the Infantry Knew", and although it is a full narration across the whole war from the POV of one battalion, its created almost entirely from the diaries of the officers and men, written as it happened. Its unique and gives a real insight.

An even more poignand read are the actual war diaries if individual battalions, of which i have a few on .pdf and if anything gives a feel of the changing attitudes as the Great War progressed its them. It starts in the vein of Pte Smith was killed today. He was from Manchester, and usually went on to give half a page of the soldier in question. After 1st july 1916 exerpts are more in the line of "35 men killed, rations arrived." Its so easy to get blaise in a charnel house like that.

LEST WE FORGET!

 

[otherclive]

I have that book among many others. Its very good factually but very few of these books take us right down into the mud. I have a first edition print of a book called "The War the Infantry Knew", and although it is a full narration across the whole war from the POV of one battalion, its created almost entirely from the diaries of the officers and men, written as it happened. Its unique and gives a real insight.

An even more poignand read are the actual war diaries if individual battalions, of which i have a few on .pdf and if anything gives a feel of the changing attitudes as the Great War progressed its them. It starts in the vein of Pte Smith was killed today. He was from Manchester, and usually went on to give half a page of the soldier in question. After 1st july 1916 exerpts are more in the line of "35 men killed, rations arrived." Its so easy to get blaise in a charnel house like that.

LEST WE FORGET!

Thank you I have ordered a (used )copy from Amazon.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I've just finished reading ....

I Shall Not Be Away Long: The First World War Letters of Lt Col Charles Bartlett

Actually only read about two thirds of it before giving up as it got repetitive although I'm told that later chapters showed his breakdown.

An amazing piece of research by the author.

It highlights the difference in experiences between the middle to upper ranks compared with those that were not from privileged backgrounds.

It's a collection of letters from Bartlett to his wife. He seems to be mostly concerned about his laundry, who he was dinning with and whether the pheasants his wife was supposed to be sending had been posted. A cursory mention to actually being in the trenches and having to write to the loved ones of those who'd lost their lives.

I got no idea about what it must have been like to be in the front line.

Of course censorship may have been on his mind so he couldn't say too much but I'm not convinced that the situation of the front line troops was his main concern.

 

[otherclive]

I've just finished reading ....

I Shall Not Be Away Long: The First World War Letters of Lt Col Charles Bartlett

Actually only read about two thirds of it before giving up as it got repetitive although I'm told that later chapters showed his breakdown.

An amazing piece of research by the author.

It highlights the difference in experiences between the middle to upper ranks compared with those that were not from privileged backgrounds.

It's a collection of letters from Bartlett to his wife. He seems to be mostly concerned about his laundry, who he was dinning with and whether the pheasants his wife was supposed to be sending had been posted. A cursory mention to actually being in the trenches and having to write to the loved ones of those who'd lost their lives.

I got no idea about what it must have been like to be in the front line.

Of course censorship may have been on his mind so he couldn't say too much but I'm not convinced that the situation of the front line troops was his main concern.

There’s so many angles that you can read about to try and achieve a more rounded view. The book I listed above does a reasonable comparator. Yes there were indications of officers having dining nights but other indications of senior officers who decided to go with their battalions and brigades despite being ordered not to. The real impact to my mind was how it must have felt to be in the following waves when you saw what had happened to the leading waves. Plus the sheer effort of organising such an attack involving such vast numbers constrained by the trench layouts, geography and German redoubts, machine gun locations and artillery. The staff and logistics effort was prodigious.

 

[Thingy]

Oc, will you let me know what you think of TWTIK.

Its a poignant read for we as the battalion involved was in the same div as my great grandfather, so it rather helped us understand the info we researched when we followed his war.

 

[otherclive]

Oc, will you let me know what you think of TWTIK.

Its a poignant read for we as the battalion involved was in the same div as my great grandfather, so it rather helped us understand the info we researched when we followed his war.

Thingy
Will do, although until today Operation Pedestal and Bomber Boys were already lined up. But a bit of queue jumping may not go amiss.

 

[Thingy]

Pedestal. Wasnt that the Malta Convoy and the SS Ohio? That must have been some sight?

 

[otherclive]

Pedestal. Wasnt that the Malta Convoy and the SS Ohio? That must have been some sight?

Yes Max Hastings has recently published a book with that title. I like his style.

 

[Thingy]

If you like Max Hastings style, Catastrophe is a worthy read. Personally, I find him a bit dry.

Two great books for light reading though

Dont Cry For Me Sgt Major.................Hands and MacGowan embedded at worm level in the Falklands Campaign (authors shared a cabin with Hastings and werent too pleased about it)

and same authors,

Try not to laugh Sgt Major........................with BAOR. (featuring Hermanns Chippy and the mobile brothels)

Warning, proper military humour and banter, not suitable for shy and retiring people, or RAF types!!

 

[Parksy]

Try not to laugh Sgt Major........................with BAOR. (featuring Hermanns Chippy and the mobile brothels)

Warning, proper military humour and banter, not suitabley for shy and retiring people, or RAF types!!

Is that the book of BAOR anecdotes which describes 'the legend of the hanging dog' in which a German woman tied her dog's lead to a closed railway crossing barrier while she remonstrated with some British squaddies?
The train passed, the barrier was raised automatically with all too predictable results for the poor dog.😂
I think that I remember reading that a few years ago.
I tend to read wartime autobiographies, there was a good one written by an Australian wartime RAF navigator, Don Charlwood, who flew from RAF Elsham Wolds called 'No Moon Tonight' which is a good read if you can still get a copy.

 

[Thingy]

Cant remember that in it Parksy, prob a different book. It does refer to the Blues and Royals breaking down outside a bar, and mein host refusing to serve squaddies. At which point, the turret rotated, poked the barrel through the window and fired a blank. And the same bunch every Sunday morning hurtling towards the border fence (it wasnt all wall) and doing a 180 at the last minute which didnt half shake the East German guard towers.

Both books are hilarious, if you can still get them. The first book also tells the real story of the Stills and the Bennies.

For a more modern conflict, one of the very best is Tim Collins Rules of Engagement. He of the famous speech see
Col Tim Collins' inspirational speech - Kenneth Branagh - YouTube

 

[RogerL]

Two books I thoroughly recommend - "Wings on my sleeve" by Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown, the greatest test pilot in history, flying more aircraft types than anyone else - "The Sceond World War" by Anthony Beevor although at nearly 1,000 pages it takes time to read.

 

[Buckman]

I lost a number of friends in the bush war in Rhodesia while fighting communism. Most were under 25 years of age and I still remember them.

An excellent read is Winds of Destruction by Peter Petter-Bowyer and focuses on the RAF(Rhodesian Air Force).
Many Kindle books on the Rhodesian SAS(5th Squadron) Selous Scouts and Rhodesian Light Infantry with "Rhodesian Fire Force" being a good read. Many Western countries adopted the tactics used by the Rhodesian forces in combatting terrorism and bush warfare.
Over 80% of the Rhodesia armed services were Africans who believed in that they were fighting for and knew that if we lost the country would descend into chaos. They were right.
Read some of the books on Rhodesia and decide for yourself!

 

[Sam Vimes]

Something a little more contemporary both from the second Gulf War:-

Pathfinder - David Blakeley. First hand story about his squad of Uk Special Forces at the start of the second Gulf War.

Ambush Alley - Tim Pritchard. US Marine story about their part in Task Force Tarawa at the start of the second Gulf War. Shows, not intentionally, the arogance of the marines in thinking the Iraqis would be a push over. Also shows some of the stupidity of decision making. No question about the bravery of some though.

Strangely enough the two stories come together in a couple of sentences towards the end.

 

[Buckman]

Another good read is "We were soldiers once and young" by Lt Gen Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway. It was about the Vietnam war. I think a film was made starring Mel Gibson.

 

[otherclive]

If you like Max Hastings style, Catastrophe is a worthy read. Personally, I find him a bit dry.

Two great books for light reading though

Dont Cry For Me Sgt Major.................Hands and MacGowan embedded at worm level in the Falklands Campaign (authors shared a cabin with Hastings and werent too pleased about it)

and same authors,

Try not to laugh Sgt Major........................with BAOR. (featuring Hermanns Chippy and the mobile brothels)

Warning, proper military humour and banter, not suitable for shy and retiring people, or RAF types!!

Thanks for the tip. I have Max Hastings Catastrophe, Nemesis, Going to the Wars, Battle for the Falkands, Armageddon and my daughter bought me Operation, Pedestal for Fathers Day. Plus ones by Antony Beevor, and retired "Military" various and other authors. The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer is an excellent book too. My uncle told me about it as he had fought on both the Eastern Fronts and Western Fronts before. arriving in Britain in early 1945, and then marrying my aunt.

I'm not the worlds most rapid reader and now with no caravan pitched on wet days that's led to an increase in the reading backlog. Or in modern parlance an "uptick"

Cheers

 

[Thingy]

Another good read is "We were soldiers once and young" by Lt Gen Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway. It was about the Vietnam war. I think a film was made starring Mel Gibson.

Yep, decent enough for a movie. Always the Hollywood type of slant on it though.