Battleships – US Army Jeep – Birthday Meal

It was my birthday a few weeks back, and I ended up sitting in an old World War Two “aircraft mess hall”, chatting about Battleships, and my uncle’s US Army Jeep!

Battleships

Our conversations revolved around HMS Hood, and the Iowa class battleships 🙂 My Uncle’s point, was that HMS Hood was lost, because she didn’t have enough deck armour.

HMS Hood – The Pride of the Royal Navy

I agreed with him!  Yet our conversation, turned into a comparison of HMS Hood, to the Iowa class battleships:

1. HMS Hood’s decks were thinly armoured, with even the “thickest armour” being only 3 inches thick.  Iowa on the other hand, had 6 inches of deck armour; which appears to have become the “standard” in the later stages of World War Two.  Very simply, 6 inches of deck armour, could resist “plunging shell-fire”; whereas 3 three inches could not.  Though in HMS Hood, did the thicker 3 inch armour only occur over the vitals; in the Iowa class, do I believe that the 6 inch thick deck armour occurred “everywhere”.
2. HMS Hood had up to 12 inch thick belt armour, whilst the Iowa class had 12.1 inch thick belt armour.  These seem comparable, yet I suspect that the Iowa class’s belt armour, was more uniformly distributed; based upon the American “all or nothing” armour principle.  In HMS Hood, her belt armour thinned as it approached the deck, to be only 5 inches thick, which was likely “too thin”.  I believe that the Iowa class did not, as their belt armour went “right to the deck”.
3. HMS Hood’s top speed was 32 knots, where as Iowa’s is 32.5 knots.  These seem directly comparable, as both warships were designed for speed [Hood “just to be fast”, Iowa “to keep up” with aircraft carriers in the battle-fleet].  Yet neither can wholly claim the title “fast battleship”, because Hood did not have enough armour, and Iowa’s armour, only sought to maximise “speed and hitting power”.  Although in iron-sight, the Iowa class is regarded as “one of the best battleship designs ever”.
4. Given the fact that both HMS Hood, and USS Iowa displaced around 46,000 tonnes [during World War Two], it seems to me, as though their “comparable in size”.  Therefore, I suspect that the differences between their “protection levels”, stems from the “new ideas” to battleship armour arrangement, that evolved between 1920 [when Hood was built], and 1940-1944 [when the four Iowas were built].

It was great fun comparing Hood to the Iowa class 🙂

USS Iowa – World War Two

US Army Jeep

For many years now, my uncle has restored his US Army Jeep.  It’s his “prised possession”, which he normally heads to Normandy in:

My uncles US Army Jeep – On Omaha Beach (2014)

We’d arranged to be going on a trip in her last year, but my uncle “had to cancel”, because one of the rear drive shafts had snapped [the long one].  He had to fix her, but had to wait a while, before he could get the driveshafts [he replaced both the rear ones].  Generally though, he has no problem getting spare parts, which surprised me!  Some highlights of our conversation:

1. How can you drive any great distance in this?  The suspension is like the “stone age”.  At least it was to me, last time I was in her!  Though this does not deter me from my future trip; but saying that, maybe I’ll just let my friend go for the ride?
2. Have you sorted out the welding yet?  At some point in the years after World War Two, somebody decided to weld the chassis together 😦  This may not seem like “too much of a problem”, but it is:  as the chassis was designed to be bolted together (so that parts from “damaged vehicles” could be easily inter-changed).  This has complicated some of the maintenance that has been done on her over the past few years.  My uncle knows it’s a “big job” to fully fix the chassis, so he doubt’s it shall get done now.
3. Reminiscing over a memory of 2013’s ride in her.  My uncle’s jeep includes a canvas cover; and when that canvas cover is pulled up, I tend to experience, what I believe many war combatants have also experienced:  were safe lads!
4. Realisation of a dream, as my uncle wanted to:  drive his jeep to the “same place” that appears in an old World War Two photograph [showing a US Army Jeep]; and take the same photo, only many years later.  He’s now achieved this!

It was great fun talking about my uncle’s World War Two Jeep 🙂  Although, before I get to ride on her again, he needs to sort her head gasket out, as it’s leaking!

Dunkirk Evacuation – and Mers-el-Kébir Attack

History may be written by the victors, but it seems that even the victors can differ in their accounts!  Dunkirk is one such “theatre of war”:

This video suggests, that if it wasn’t for the French, that the majority of the “British Expeditionary Force” (and other allied troops) would never have made it back to England.  This may very well be so, but instead of concentrating on “who did what”, I believe it is more important to draw parallels between such individuals.  I believe that the men who “stayed behind” (no matter their nationality) must have been some of the most bravest individuals alive (at the time).  It does not matter whether these men were “ordered to”, or whether they were “expected to”.  My reasoning for this is that it takes a “hell of a man” to stand up against tanks and artillery, when you have “little more” than a machine gun yourself!  Let alone the men of the “little ships“, who knowing fore-well, drove their boats into enemy fire (on the beaches), when they didn’t have any guns themselves!  I wonder how many of us, would willingly do that today?  I believe that Dunkirk, is one of those few times in history, when the “class divide” has been breached 🙂

For me, the most important outcome of Dunkirk, was the fact that so many troops survived; as no army can fight without men!  The irony was, the fact that this army no longer had any equipment left to “fight with”.  As it had been left on mainland Europe, either damaged in battle, destroyed by the allies “as they retreated” or captured by the Germans.  This simple “fact” would take a while to “put right”.

Yet here do I find, one of the ironies of war!  As Britain and France, were Allies at Dunkirk, whilst one month later, were Enemies at Mers-el-Kébir; when the British Royal Navy, attacked and sunk, the entire French Navy Fleet!  It makes no sense to me, that when Britain was struggling with supplies, and suffering “equipment shortages”, that they would attack, their French ally; especially when I believe, that there would still have been, “Dunkirk rescued” French troops in Britain.  Yet attack, the British did!

French Battleships – Ablaze at Mers-el-Kébir

The Royal Navy’s Flagship, HMS Hood, was commanded to attack, the French Navy Port, at Mers-el-Kébir.  As it was feared, that the French Battleships stationed there, could fall into “German Hands”.  Despite giving the French Battleships Fleet Commander “every opportunity”, to “hand over his battleships to British Command”; did the British eventually “open fire” 😦  One of the French Battleships, the Bretagne was hit, and suffered a magazine explosion, which ultimately killed “most of her crew”.  Another French Battleship, the Dunkerque was also “severely damaged” by 15 inch naval gun fire, that came from HMS Hood.  I remember reading somewhere, that the crew of HMS Hood “never really did quite believe, what they were doing”; but here do I find, one of the “truths of war”, and of the importance of the “chain of command”:  you do what your told, and if you don’t, then they’ll get someone who will!

Dunkirk – World War Two – D-Day Mark I

Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man is the second book on World War Two that I shall consider:

Little Known “Evacuation Facts” of World War Two

Several years before D-Day, a large British force was sent to mainland Europe:  it was known as the “British Expeditionary Force” (the BEF).  It was intended that this force would aid in the defence of France.  Unfortunately, this defence “did not go according to plan”, and it became apparent that over three hundred and thirty-eight thousand men needed to be evacuated from mainland Europe.  I like the fact, that this book highlights one “little known fact”, about the evacuation of the BEF (and it’s allies).  The fact that the evacuation was only “made possible”, because numerous brave British soldiers were ordered to “stay behind” and “buy the necessary time” for the rest of the army to escape back to England!  Of course, this is one of the most famous evacuations ever made (in the history of man); which was made possible, through both the Royal Navy, and it’s requested “little ships” 🙂  I like the idea, that a flotilla of “smaller ships”, both aided in, and “made possible”, the evacuation of such high troop numbers!  Though I find this book, something of a contradiction, as for example:  it includes great descriptive text (such as the variety of “smaller boats” that were used:  “Tugs towing dinghies, lifeboats and all manner of pulling boats, small motor yachts, motor launches, drifters, Dutch schoots, Thames barges, fishing boats and pleasure steamers”); whilst at the same time, do I feel that this book, could have done with far more photos, of the actual evacuation from the beaches (I could only find three to five).  In any case, it is important to realise, that these “smaller boats” offloaded their “evacuated troops” to larger vessels, that were located offshore, such as fishing trawlers, and Royal Navy Destroyers (such as HMS Grafton [H89] and HMS Codrington [D65]).  As it sounds to me, that the Destroyers were having a “hard time of it“, I’ve often wondered, why no Battleships were present?  As to me, their primary armament naval guns, could have been of use on the beaches (just like in D-Day), and there anti-aircraft armament, could have been of use, to evacuating Destroyers, and “smaller boats”.

And of the men that were ordered to stay behind?  These men paid for this “evacuation time” through the execution of a simple order:  “You are not to give way until you have fired your last bullet.  You are to fight to the last man”.  I can only be impressed by the character and resolve of men, that could follow such an order, especially knowing that many of the German units, would be “taking no prisoners”.

This book is their story, which also includes several surprises about French culture that I’d never considered before.  In-fact, these “surprises” about French culture, actually managed to deter me, from reading the remainder of the book!  Perhaps you will be more successful?

D-Day – World War Two – Saving Private Ryan

I found myself watching Saving Private Ryan last night:

No film can ever hope to truly re-create the horrors of D-Day, but I feel that the start of Saving Private Ryan does at least give you a basic idea:  men would have been emotional, men would have been vomiting, the first men “out” of the landing crafts would have been almost guaranteed to be “shot down” straight away.  Its also true that the guy “next to you” could have been horribly blown away whilst you survived unscathed (and vice versa).  I remember reading an account of a soldier that just “walked up the beach” and every 3rd or 4th step “skipped” because “they always missed”:  although that same soldier later changed his approach after a “very near miss”.  The film does make clear one point about amphibious warfare:  its the only type of battleground where its safer to keep “moving forward” than to retreat (owing to the arcs of fire from fixed place gun installations).  There’s a part where the film lets itself down though!  As the film, does not highlight the fact that Battleships were also made use of during D-Day:  where battleships such as HMS Warspite and HMS Rodney used their large calibre 15 inch, and 16 inch naval guns to pound the invasion beaches (at close range – during “Operation Neptune“).  The craters formed from such large shells exploding were of great use to many soldiers:  as it provided them with cover (which the Allied Air Forces generally failed at – bombing too far in-land:  for fear of hitting their own men).  The film also has an attempt at suggesting the shear amount of men and equipment that was unloaded “during and after” D-Day.  My favourite character has to be that sniper guy (Private Jackson), which the film seems to go to great lengths to build up as being somewhat invincible:  right up until the point that he gets “blown away” in the tower (towards the end).  Overall:  one of my most favourite war films to sit down and watch.  Does anyone know if the story line (about saving the fourth brother) is true though?

D-Day – World War Two – America’s Industrial Might

When it comes to books on WW2, my “first and greatest” read of the “trails of warfare”, goes to no other than D-Day:

D-Day – A “battleship fueled read”

Although its been a while since I’ve read this book, one important point does stand out:  this book covers every aspect of D-Day, from “secret plans” and “lock down” to the actual invasion of the beaches, together with the numerous problems the allies faced; including “what went wrong”.  When first reading this book, I remember “being confused” for a while, over what exactly “Mulberry” was/is.  I eventually realised that “Mulberry” was/is a floating harbour that the allies took with them, because they’d realised that there was no hope of capturing an actual port/harbour in mainland Europe.  I also like the variety of plans that are included, such as the “Utah Beach Airborne Assault on D-Day”, together with the numerous images that help “add to the story”.  This is especially so, for the images that convey the bewildering amount of equipment, that the United States manufactured, and later un-loaded on/during/after D-Day 🙂  I am simply staggered, by the two images of the “end of the day” at Omaha Beach!  For me, such images help to convey the “Industrial Might” of the United States, which was not only limited to the smaller vehicles; such as landing craft, jeeps and tanks.  For the United States also manufactured the four South Dakota class battleships in “record time” (between 1939 to 1942).  Why?  Because Battleships were still a part of the Navy, and they were used on D-Day; albeit the “older ladies”.  Two images within this book, help to reinforce the usefullness of battleships in Amphibious Assault:  the USS Arkansas (BB-33) “opening fire” with a landing craft to her bow, and the USS Nevada (BB-36) “lets rip” with her ten 14 inch guns 🙂  To bombard the invasion beaches!  There’s always been a debate, over how successful this was; but I feel, that it was “very successful” indeed.  As if you (the enemy) had 12 inch, and 14 inch diameter shells “flying towards you”, wouldn’t you “keep your head down”?  I think you would!  Yet, that is not all, for “such firepower” also helped inspire the allied soldiers, who actually stormed the D-Day beachs.  Granted, each soldier has a “different tale to tell”, but there’s one such image that stands out for me:  the image of the cliff at Pointe-du-Hoc; it looks hard enough to climb on a “good day”, let alone when under enemy fire!

I feel that this is a great book, that I believe accurately describes one of the few times/places in history, that can claim the title “Hell on Earth”.  The book’s one down point:  my copy is “falling to bits”.