Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 69 i History of War

TOM GARNER This month Tom spoke with veteran and author Dr Alastair MacKenzie. In an incredible military career spanning 30 years, he has served in the New Zealand Army, the British Parachute Regiment and the SAS to name but a few (page 38). DAMIEN LEWIS An award-winning and bestselling author, Damien is an expert on Special Forces history, from WWII to modern conflicts. On page 66 he shares the thrilling account of SOE Captain Mike Lees, as he battled behind the lines in Italy. MURRAY DAHM For this issue’s Heroes of the Victoria Cross, Murray recalls the incredible story of Rambahadur Limbu, of the 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles, who fought during the Malayan Emergency (page 50). FOR MORE FROM THE HISTORY OF WAR TEAM VISIT: WWW.HISTORYOFWAR.CO.UK…

The Nazi “vengeance weapon” offensive of 1944-45 aimed to utterly demoralise the British population, particularly in London and the south east (and later the newly liberated Belgian city of Antwerp). Alongside the loss of lives and physical destruction ran a psychological battle between Allied and Nazi propaganda. Did the Führer’s terror tactics lift German morale and demoralise his opponents, even at this late stage of World War II – or do just the opposite? “A WEEK AFTER D-DAY, WHEN EVERYONE IN BRITAIN WAS HOPING THE WAR WOULD SOON BE OVER, IT SHOOK PEOPLE’S MORALE. IT WAS THE BLITZ OF 1940 ALL OVER AGAIN” The onslaught begins Just after 4.00am on 13 June 1944 the Royal Observer Corps at Dymchurch in Kent signalled the arrival of an entirely new enemy weapon.…

MISSILE CONTROL & GUIDANCE The LEV-3 guidance system consisted of two free gyroscopes to determine direction, and an accelerometer to control engine cutoff for flying distance. OXYDATOR TANK The tanks held 5,553 kilograms (12,242 lbs) of liquid oxygen (LOX) (A-Stoff) as the oxidizer. The tanks themselves were made of an aluminium-magnesium alloy. STABILISING FIN There were four external rudders on the tail fins, with Fin 1 aligned to the target azimuth. WARHEAD Weighing 975 kilograms (2,150 lbs) and containing 910 kilograms (2,010 lbs) of amatol 60/40 high-explosive, detonated by an electric contact fuse, and protected by a fibreglass casing. FUEL TANK The tanks held a 74 per cent ethanol/ water mixture (B-Stoff) with 4,173 kilograms (9,200 lbs) of ethyl alcohol which required the distillation of 30 tons of potatoes to…

SHAEF assumed a larger role in the intelligence war from early 1944, with General Eisenhower taking control of all D-Day-related intelligence activities on 23 March. The consolidation was similar to what happened in Algiers. The French undertook a merger of their Resistance forces into the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) under General Pierre Koenig. In addition the Committee for National Liberation named delegates to the various Resistance zones. The alliance remained shaky because the French sides viewed each other warily, while, on the ground, the communists and some other independent French networks did not join the FFI. Meanwhile, Joe Haskell of SO/London, plus the SOE, formed a Special Forces Headquarters (SFHQ) about five weeks before D-Day. SFHQ took control of all operations out of England and maintained a War…

Always rising from defeat stronger than before, Simon Bolívar managed to gather an army large enough to march on Caracas, the capital of his homeland. In 1816 he was driven from the city by the Spanish and forced to plead for help wherever he could. The ruler of Haiti’s meagre support so heartened Bolívar that he repaid the kindness by emancipating black slaves wherever he went. As a result, the ranks of his army brought together people of different races and creeds. European volunteers were a common sight and even Bolívar had adopted a young Irishman named Daniel O’Leary as his aide-de-camp and confidant. Joining him in his latest crusade was José Antonio Páez, best described as the llanero commander in charge of the rough riders who terrorised the Spanish…

8 13 June 1944 First V-1 launched at London, impacted next to the railway bridge on Grove Road in Mile End, killing eight civilians 33,000 Approximately 33,000 V-1s were built, with some 9,521 fired at London and south east England, at a peak of over 100 per day 4,261 were destroyed by fighters, anti-aircraft fire and barrage balloons 17,981 Some 2,419 reached London, killing 6,184 people and injuring V-2 (THE A-4 ROCKET) Their top speed was up to 3,600 mph – with 1,402 aimed at England 3,200V-2s were fired (of approximately 6,000 built) V-2s killed 2,754 people and injured another 6,523 V-1 and V-2 attacks on Antwerp left 1,736 dead and 4,500 wounded Antwerp was attacked by 1,610 missiles The last V-2 to hit England landed at the end of March…

As one of the British Army’s most elite units, the Parachute Regiment was extensively deployed in Northern Ireland. All three of its battalions saw service in the province and the regiment experienced an average of 14 tours. These could range from four months to over two years and the paratroopers operated in Belfast, Derry-Londonderry and South Armagh. The Paras’ routines involved patrolling, vehicle checkpoints, ambushes, OP surveillance and riot control. They operated under the constant threat of snipers and bombs but their accumulated tours amounted to 24 years and six months of active service. During this time, the regiment was at the heart of some of the most controversial events of the Troubles, including the Ballymurphy massacre and Bloody Sunday. The latter became the most infamous event when troops from…

Author: Simon Read Publisher: The History Press, 2019 Price: £10.99 This book tells an uncomfortable tale: life was not all ‘keep calm and carry on’ in wartime London, an era we like to hold up as exemplary of camaraderie and a shared defiance of the German aerial onslaught on a besieged city. Simon Read paints a vivid picture of the other side of those years, in which the reader encounters sinister characters like Gordon Frederick Cummins, who earned the sobriquet the ‘Blackout Ripper’ for his ghastly work with razor blades and knives. Another dreadful character who features in the narrative is the necrophile John Cristie, the monster of Rillington Place, who strangled at least eight people at his Notting Hill flat. There is also John George Haigh, the ‘Acid Bath’…

Although they were described as the “English Legion” the foreign volunteers who marched with Simon Bolívar in 1821 were a small assortment of riflemen whose numbers never exceeded a full battalion. Indeed, the historical record of their conduct of the battle is rich in gallantry and somewhat short on crucial detail. It’s possible just about 400 of them were present in Carabobo and they formed a line strong enough to hold the Spanish. So fierce was their determination that the officers leading them died at a rapid clip, leaving mere lieutenants to command the surviving ranks at the end of the fighting. But their achievements have enshrined the Legion in Venezuela’s history – a regal monument stands in the battle site today and London’s ambassadors do lay wreaths on it.…

SIMÓN BOLÍVAR 1783-1830 “THE GEORGE WASHINGTON OF SOUTH AMERICA” Born in Caracas, Bolívar was technically one of the elites of colonial Venezuela and his family were wealthy aristocrats of full Spanish descent. As befitting his social rank, Bolívar was educated in Europe where he became steeped in Enlightenment ideals. Ironically, this led him to become a fervent revolutionary and he openly praised the American and French revolutions. After witnessing the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte, Bolívar recognised the importance of one man who could change history and vowed to free Venezuela from Spanish rule. Although he was personally courageous, Bolívar’s fortunes varied wildly from battlefield victories to defeats and two exiles. Nevertheless, his determination always meant that he bounced back. From 1816 Bolívar’s successes began to increase. With only a few…

Soldiers have been deployed to conflicts across the world across the centuries and many have fought in several wars during their service. Most remain tied to one army for their careers but Alastair MacKenzie chose a different path. Now a retired lieutenant colonel, MacKenzie was commissioned into the New Zealand Army in the 1960s but went on to fight for Britain, South Africa and Oman, including in the British Parachute Regiment and SAS. A veteran of several conflicts, MacKenzie is one of the few men to have fought at the sharp end of both the Vietnam War and the Troubles of Northern Ireland. The following is his unique story of brutal combat, covert operations and the complex realities of modern warfare. Officer training “THE PRIVATE SOLDIER TRAINING WAS TOUGH BUT…

“INSTEAD OF FENDING OFF ONE INVASION OF BOHEMIA AFTER ANOTHER, PROKOP CARRIED THE WAR TO THE ENEMY, THUS FREEING THE HUSSITE TOWNS FROM THE DEPREDATIONS OF WAR” Prokop the Great is shown wearing plate armour, holding a bascinet with an attached padded aventail, and gripping a battle axe. The red stripe on his black surcoat and the chalice symbol are both universal systems of the Hussite movement. Prokop the Great, as he became known, was a first-rate military commander and a brilliant strategist who steered the Hussites on a different course than that plotted by his predecessor Jan Zizka. Instead of fending off one invasion of Bohemia after another, Prokop carried the war to the enemy, thus freeing the Hussite towns from the depredations of war. When the leading brotherhoods…

The Sea Vixen represents the zenith of De Havilland’s twin boom jet design philosophy. An all-weather fighter, the two-seat Sea Vixen was a capable design that served as a drone after its retirement from frontline service. Airfix’s new de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 model kit is due for release in 2019 and this issue one History of War reader will be among the first people to get their hands on a copy. For more information, please visit www.airfix.com. TO ENTER THE COMPETITION, SIMPLY VISIT WWW.HISTORYANSWERS.CO.UK Competition closes at 00:00 GMT on 11.07.19. By taking part in this competition you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions and the Competition Rules: www.futuretcs.com. Entries must be made on the official entry form and be received by 00:00GMT on 11.07.19. Open…

D-Day and the Battle of Normandy not only paved the way for the liberation of Western Europe but was also critical in deepening the ties between the United States and Great Britain. The Allied success in France and beyond would not have been possible without extensive Anglo-American collaboration and the legacy of that momentous military achievement continues to shape transatlantic relations. Seventy-five years since the Battle of Normandy, the ‘Special Relationship’ remains a fundamental bilateral partnership. The Ambassador of the United States to the Court of St James is regarded as one of the most prestigious positions in the United States Foreign Service and it’s current incumbent is Robert Wood Johnson. In office since 29 August 2017, Johnson reflects on the sacrifices made in Normandy, the continuing importance of NATO…

“THE BOOK REVEALS THAT BRITISH POLITICS IN THE 1930S AMOUNTED TO A CYNICAL STORY OF STRIFE AND CONFLICT” Author: Robert Crowcroft Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2018 Price: £25.00 “A tale of relentless intrigue, burning ambition and bitter rivalry in British politics.” So declares the jacket blurb of Robert Crowcroft’s book. Readers might be tempted to assume the author has produced a quickie account of the current Brexit cataclysm in Westminster. But no, this story deals with a far more lethal scenario, that of the years leading up to the Second World War and the roles played by its leading British public figures: Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, Anthony Eden, Ernest Bevin and other actors in this dramatic portrayal of a world about to explode. Plus ça change. Crowcroft says that one…

“HAMILTON HAS PRODUCED AN INCREDIBLY WELL-RESEARCHED AND ENGROSSINGLY WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY OF FDR, WHICH WILL GREATLY ADD TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAN” Author Nigel Hamilton Publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Price £20.00 The third and final instalment of Nigel Hamilton’s trilogy on the wartime record of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, War And Peace takes the reader into the last months of the U.S. President’s life as World War II enters its climatic phase. Here we find FDR in his third term in office (he would go on to win a record fourth presidential election before he died), but the once seemingly powerful American leader is now suffering rapidly declining health. Under normal circumstances he might have had little choice but to step away from the demanding rigours of political life in war,…

Target London: Under Attack From The V-Weapons During Wwii Christy Campbell Target London recounts both the intelligence operations tasked with detecting the Nazis’ Vergeltungswaffen, or ‘vengeance weapons’, and also provides a fascinating insight into key figures involved. With great focus on the internal debates and reactions within the British high command in response to the V weapon threat, the narrative plunges the reader back to the interwar years, and forward again into the early period of the Cold War. “THE NARRATIVE PLUNGES THE READER BACK TO THE INTERWAR YEARS, AND FORWARD INTO THE EARLY PERIOD OF THE COLD WAR” Hitler’s Terror Weapons From V-1 To Vimana Geoffrey Brooks As the title may suggest, this work charts the development and deployment of more than just the V-1 flying bomb and V-2…