Innholdsfortegnelse for No.27 i History of War

“THE LEGION REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE FRENCH FORCES AND HELPED REPEL THE RUSSIAN ARMY” BATTLE OF TERAPEGUI Date: 26 April 1836 Location: Spain A battle during Spain’s Carlist War, which saw a group known as the Constitutionalists (aided by the Legion) defeat the Carlists. BATTLE OF HUESCA Date: 24 May 1837 Location: Spain This severely damaged the Legion, as its forces were almost halved, though its liberal Spanish allies were eventually victorious. BATTLE OF MAGENTA Date: 4 June 1859 Location: Italy Ending in a French-Sardinian victory, this formed part of the Second Italian War for Independence. SIEGE OF MEDIOUNA Date: 10 June 1925 Location: Morocco One of the many skirmishes fought during the Rif War in Morocco, this siege was a significant defeat for the Legion. OPERATION JUMELLES…

“THE MEXICAN ARMY USED ARMS LEFT OVER FROM THE SPANISH OCCUPATION AND THOSE BOUGHT FROM THE BRITISH” AN ARMY OF MERCENARIES Unlike almost any other military fighting force in the world, the French Foreign Legion is comprised almost entirely of non-French citizens (although French citizens could enrol, but only as officers). Recruits could be from any other country, religion or background – and even criminals and ex-convicts were known to join in order to escape the sins of an old life. Such requirements are a little stricter now, but the same principles of enlistment still apply. This includes having to travel to France to join at one of the recruitment centres in person and signing up for a minimum of five years service. LEGIONNAIRE LOYALTY: FRANCE YEARS IN OPERATION: 1831-PRESENT…

FALKLAND ISLANDS, 28 MAY 1982 Deep in the South Atlantic lies a cluster of sparsely populated, windswept islands. For many years, the Falklands were a forgotten corner of Britain’s once vast colonial empire. Located over 8,000 miles away, much of the UK’s population were even unaware of its existence. All that was to change on 2 April 1982 when Argentina invaded and occupied the islands, much to the distress of the largely British population. Three days later, a British Task Force was dispatched to retake the islands and, on 21 May, 4,000 men of 3 Commando Brigade landed at San Carlos Water on the west coast of East Falkland. 500 of these soldiers belonged to the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment – commonly known as ‘2 Para’ – elite troops…

The circumstances around Jones’s death have since aroused controversy and criticism in some quarters, with some arguing that he should not have charged alone and left his men without their commanding officer. However Neame’s assessment of the man reveals a sometimes difficult but ultimately exceptional officer: “I think everyone acknowledged that he wasn’t the easiest person to work with, he was very volatile but he could also be very warm, very thoughtful.” Jones was a stubborn man, but would listen to suggestions. “I remember he gave one instruction: we were going to fight this the modern way, there’d be no need for bayonets. My Toms [British Army slang for ‘soldier’] were most upset at the thought they wouldn’t be able to take their bayonets. The only way I could persuade…

“THE L1A1, OR SLR, WAS THE STANDARD RIFLE OF THE BRITISH ARMY FROM THE 1950S TO THE LATE 1980S WHEN IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SA80” FABRIQUE NATIONALE FAL CALIBRE: 7.62X51MM MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 20 The Argentine Army issued a selective fire version of the FN FAL, some with folding stocks; otherwise the rifle was essentially the same weapon that their British adversaries who coveted the full automatic capability of the Argentine version. A number of captured Argentine FALs were later used by the SAS. L1A1 SLR (SELF LOADING RIFLE) CALIBRE: 7.62X51MM MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 20 The L1A1, or SLR, was the standard rifle of the British Army from the 1950s to the late 1980s when it was replaced by the SA80. This British version of the Belgian FAL was modified to…

William Henry Harrison’s men gave chase as Procter retreated into Canada. Tecumseh’s men attempted to slow them, but a confrontation eventually came at Moraviantown, a settlement of Christian Native Americans. Procter set up a line of British troops, with only one cannon to protect them. Tecumseh’s warriors flanked the Americans to the left, with the river to their right. However, when the cannon failed to fire, Harrison’s troops broke through. Procter fled and Tecumseh’s warriors continued to fight to the end. Despite the fact the residents of Moraviantown had not taken part in the fighting, their village was burned by the US army in reprisal. “AFTER AMERICAN REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVED, TECUMSEH’S WARRIORS DID NOT STAND A CHANCE” 1. HARRISON’S FORCE The 3,500 Americans led by Harrison were much better prepared for…

“STANDING AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHT THAT DESCENDED ON GAUL WAS A MILITARY GENERAL AND STATESMAN NAMED FLAVIUS AETIUS, WHO WOULD LATER BE KNOWN AS THE ‘LAST OF THE ROMANS’” By 376, Rome was in a sorry state, a shadow of its former glory. The Eastern and Western empires found hosts of barbarians appearing on their borders, with Huns quite suddenly spilling out of the eastern Steppes of Asia and pushing westwards of the Black Sea. This movement disrupted many of the barbarian peoples along the way, such as the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Alans and Vandals who were settled in Eastern Europe, driving them towards the Romans borders. Ironically, however, the Huns would first cross swords with the Romans as mercenaries, employed by the very people who were running from them: the Goths.…

“VIGENÈRE CIPHERS WERE FIRST DOCUMENTED IN ITALY IN 1467 AND WERE TRADITIONALLY KNOWN TO BE INDECIPHERABLE, BUT THE CONFEDERATES STRUGGLED TO USE THEM” This Confederate cipher wheel was captured by Union forces at the surrender of Mobile, Alabama in May 1865. It was sent to the Chief Signal Officer in Washington as a war trophy and is a rare example of Confederate coding methods. The conflict in general is famous for its pioneering use of the wire telegraph for communications. The Union’s telegraphic system was reputed to have been so efficient that messages from all military areas could be sent directly to Washington. The Confederate communication system, on the other hand, was much more limited, in particular suffering from a lack of wire. When it came to sending coded messages,…

“THE ARGENTINES SHOWED A CONSIDERABLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERRAIN WITH WELL-SITED MACHINE GUNS, ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONRY AND INFANTRY FIGHTING POSITIONS” The defenders of Goose Green were principally drawn from the Argentine Army’s 12th Infantry Regiment, over two-thirds comprised of young conscripts serving their year’s national service, most with less than a month’s military training. They were poorly equipped, without suitable cold weather clothing, and were plagued by food shortages. Compounding this, the Argentine officer class was known as inefficient and unprofessional, with many political appointees. Worse, conscripts feared non-commissioning officers for their brutality toward junior soldiers. Despite this, and a noted lack of cohesion in comparison with the well-trained British forces, some elements of the 12th Infantry fought with distinction at Goose Green. The Argentine soldiers showed a considerable understanding of…

01 START LINE After walking through the night to arrive at their positions on time, the four companies of 2 Para prepare for the three-pronged assault to recapture the settlements of Darwin and Goose Green. They are supported by three 105mm howitzers, HMS Arrow’s 4.5 inch gun and a flight of RAF GR3 Harriers. 02 ASSAULTING BURNTSIDE HOUSE A Company advances upon Burntside House where faulty intelligence indicates there is an Argentine garrison. Planned naval gunfire support from HMS Arrow is aborted after her gun jams. After firing LAW rockets and posting grenades into the building, A Company discover no Argentine presence at Burntside House. Four civilians in the building escape unharmed. 03 FLANKING BOCA HOUSE B Company heads for Boca House at the western edge of Darwin Hill. An…

Built starting in the 1880s Douaumont was part of the defensive structure France constructed in response to their humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. The fort boasted ample subterranean storage facilities and rotating artillery turrets to augment its traditional fixed artillery emplacements. Its shape reflected lessons learned from centuries of fortification construction, and allowed for wide, overlapping fields of fire from artillery and fixed machine gun emplacements. “ITS SHAPE REFLECTED LESSONS LEARNED FROM CENTURIES OF FORTIFICATION CONSTRUCTION, AND ALLOWED FOR WIDE, OVERLAPPING FIELDS OF FIRE FROM ARTILLERY AND FIXED MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENTS” STRIPPED OF ITS DEFENCES By the time the battle of Verdun began, Douaumont had long been stripped of most of its defences to provide for offensive use elsewhere. It is unlikely that a more rigorous static defence of…

Folk heroes, especially underdogs, are immortalised in tales told by generations of admirers. Many of these stories that are passed down embellish the truth considerably, but the legend remains a powerful image and an inspiration to all. In Native American culture, where oral history takes on a far more vital role than in our own, Shawnee chief Tecumseh is remembered as one of the truly great resistance leaders in the fight against the white American settlers and their ‘manifest destiny’. In the US, Tecumseh’s legacy is one of reverence for a formidable foe. He is also commemorated in Canadian folklore as a man that fought hard to defend Canada against US invasion in the War of 1812. However, this was not his main intention; his aim was to defend the…

“The men dashed forward in swift rushes… with such spirit and gallantry that all who saw were filled with admiration. The fort (meanwhile) vomited bullets in sheets from every loop-hole” H.W. Wilson, With the Flag To Pretoria In the early hours of Boxing Day, 1899, 25-year-old Sergeant Horace Martineau found himself part of an assault force of about 60 men heading out of the besieged South African town of Mafeking to attack the Boer lines. The mission’s objective was to seize Game Tree Hill Fort – a Boer-held stronghold to the north of the town. When a brief artillery barrage against the fort ended around 5am, two squadrons of the Protectorate Regiment assaulted the building only to discover they were effectively facing an impregnable blockhouse, with eight-foot-high walls and three…

1. In 451, after receiving a message from Honoria, the Emperor’s sister, Attila marches into Gaul to claim his dowry. 2. Many cities fall to the Huns as they utilise advanced siege warfare techniques. With no real opposition they manage to advance unchecked across the countryside. 3. Metz falls to the Huns in April. The Emperor looks on in horror as the population is subjected to looting, pillaging and wanton slaughter. 4. Paris is saved from destruction by being too small and not worth the time and effort of the Huns to capture it. 5. Lupus, the Bishop of Troyes, is said to have met Attila in person and pleaded that his city be saved. Allegedly impressed with his piety, the Hunnic leader decided to spare the city. 6. In…

In no uncertain words, the Battle of Camarón soon became French Foreign Legion’s version of the Alamo. The defiance of those few soldiers in the face of 3,000 Mexican foes became the stuff of legend, forming the very crux of the Legion’s stout and hardy attitude. The French intervention in Mexico ultimately became a disaster. France’s desire to occupy the country fell apart once Britain, Spain and the US pulled out of the offensive. This considered, the fact the battle remains a point of pride for the French national identity proves its lasting significance. Captain Jean Danjou has become a legend himself in the Legion. His wooden hand, upon which his men swore allegiance under waves of Mexican fire, has become the most revered relic in the branch of the…

The Argentine junta invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982 in an effort to deflect domestic criticism of its regime. The sovereignty of Islas Malvinas, as they are known in Argentina, has long been disputed, although the Islanders themselves identify as British. On 5 April, Prime Minister Thatcher ordered a military task force to retake the islands by force. With winter fast approaching, distance was not the sole challenge facing this task force, and, in addition, a rigid blockade of the islands was needed to isolate the Argentine forces. Incredibly, considering the scale of the undertaking, the task force sailed just three days after the Argentine invasion. Six weeks later, 3 Commando Brigade landed at San Carlos under intense Argentine air attacks and 2 Para won the bloody Battle…

From 21 February to 18 December 1916, French and German forces took part in what would wind up being the longest land battle ever. Despite this dubious distinction, Verdun holds a strange place in history. It was not Stalingrad. Verdun did not bleed the Germans white any more than it did the French. It was not a major turning point, and if the French can claim to have won, it was a moral victory as much as anything; the losses suffered by both sides were almost identical. If Verdun was not the glorious national victory that Stalingrad was, neither was it the staggering disaster that the Somme is – some might say unfairly – remembered as in Britain. In terms of sheer scale, the Somme was roughly double the size…

Poison gas was an enormously important part of trench warfare. Traditionally people wrote that the French were the first to put poison gas shells into artillery, and that they first did this at Verdun. This is not quite correct, as they did so as far back as June 1915, firing a mixture of carbon disulphide and phosphorus. However, by the time Verdun started most gas was being delivered by artillery shells, which greatly increased the misery for troops on the ground, but was a critical part of counter-battery fire.…

The US marched on Tippecanoe in modern-day Iowa to attack Prophetstown and the centre of Tecumseh’s rebellion. After numerous attempts to organise a ceasefire with William Henry Harrison, 600-700 anxious Confederacy tribesmen led by Tenskwatawa grew restless. They attacked the US encampment from the exposed north and south perimeters at approximately 4.30am. The east was protected by a steep slope, and the west by a small river. Harrison, leading the US troops, relied too heavily on the terrain and had used a standard, weakened, rectangle camp formation. The attack came as a total surprise, and although the sleeping soldiers were initially startled, they managed to reinforce their position by working with local militia to repel the attacks from the north and south flanks. As the fight wore on, Tenskawata’s warriors…

“THE DESIGN CALLED FOR A FAST AIRCRAFT, CAPABLE OF CARRYING A 4,000 LB BOMB LOAD OVER 3,000 MILES AT MORE THAN 250 MILES PER HOUR” “THE SPECIFICATION CALLED FOR AN ALL-ALUMINIUM, TWIN- OR FOUR-ENGINE AIRCRAFT WITH FORE AND AFT DEFENSIVE ARMAMENT AND A HIGH CRUISING SPEED” DH98 MOSQUITO CREW: 2: PILOT BOMBARDIER/NAVIGATOR LENGTH: 44 FT 6 IN (13.57 M) WINGSPAN: 54 FT 2 IN (16.52 M) LOADED WEIGHT: 18,100 LB (8,210 KG) POWERPLANT: 2 × ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN 76/77 LIQUID-COOLED V12 ENGINE, 1,710 HP (1,280 KW) MAXIMUM SPEED: 361 KN (415 MPH (668 KM/H) AT 28,000 FT (8,500 M) RANGE: 1,300 NMI (1,500 MI/2,400 KM) WITH FULL WEAPONS LOAD SERVICE CEILING: 37,000 FT (11,000 M) RATE OF CLIMB: 2,850 FT/MIN (14.5 M/S) ARMAMENT FIGHTER: 4 × HISPANO 20MM CANNON, 4 ×…

“EVERY YEAR SINCE 1990 – SIX YEARS AFTER SEPARATIST LEADER MOHAMMED MAQBOOL BHAT WAS HANGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF AN INDIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER – STRIKES AND PROTESTS CONTINUED TO COMMEMORATE HIS EXECUTION” The streets of Kashmir’s capital, Srinagar, were largely devoid of traffic and business on 11 February 2016. Every year since 1990 – six years after separatist leader Mohammed Maqbool Bhat was hanged in connection with the death of an Indian intelligence officer – strikes and protests continued to commemorate his execution. Although there is talk of renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan, this anniversary was marked by the descent of hundreds of police and paramilitary units onto the streets of Srinagar and other towns, along with numerous separatist leaders being placed under house arrest. The state…