Posting Of Intent To Award Notices (102: Fill & Download for Free

Ever hear of JournoList ?It was a short-lived controversy about a group of journalists on the left belonged to a private Google group listserv of nearly 500 “journalists”.What was, er, just a bit controversial is they collaborated on how to spin news in order to help candidate Obama. If you dig into it, there appear to be times where several new organizations used the same wording favoring their candidate.Syncronized?Nah, just a bunch of morally bankrupt people abusing the job description of “journalist” while indeed acting as political operators…. what is the harm in that?I mean, other than the entire left would shit itself completely blind if they EVER heard of anything like it done by the right. Blind. Not kidding. Think about it. Or don’t - I have low expectations here.And if one still feels “this is a big nothing burger”… do convince me how would the left react if 500 conservative journalists (many posing as mainstream journalists, to keep this scenario realistic) all planned how to spin news to influence elections? Please? Really convince me.As for today, in the here and now? Remember this is just one group that was found out. Not exactly like there has been a thorough search for more. Have you noticed how so many stories have exactly the same spin on them lately? No? Me neither.Meanwhile, back at the list of Journalist… I had not realized award winning economist Paul Krugman of the New York Times was a Journolist.Or that Ezra Klein, the creator of Journolist, worked for the Washington Post (a truly wretched news paper, unfortunately a small loss leader that billionare Jeff Bezos can easily afford - treated as a campaign donation, apparently)Favorable mention goes to these well-represented news organizations:Media Matters (8)Atlantic Monthly (6)Washington Post (6)Politico (6)Huffington Post (3)Confessions of a Journolister — a rather unapologetic reveal of how the group avidly discussed how to spin. Almost like he forgot they were reporters, not political operatives… strange.“(Jonathan) Stein noted that “if enough people–people on this list?—write that the pick is sexist, you’ll have the networks debating it for days.”————————————————————————-The Left and Its Talking Points157 Names Confirmed With OrganizationsSpencer Ackerman - Wired, FireDogLake, Washington Independent, Talking Points Memo, The American ProspectThomas Adcock - New York Law JournalBen Adler - Newsweek, POLITICOMike Allen - POLITICOEric Alterman - The Nation, Media Matters for AmericaMarc Ambinder - The AtlanticGreg Anrig - The Century FoundationRyan Avent - EconomistDean Baker - The American ProspectNick Baumann - Mother JonesJosh Bearman - LA WeeklySteven Benen - The Carpetbagger ReportAri Berman - The NationJared Bernstein - Economic Policy InstituteMichael Berube - Crooked Timer, Pennsylvania State UniversityBrian Beutler - The Media ConsortiumLindsay Beyerstein - Freelance journalistJoel Bleifuss - In These TimesJohn Blevins - South Texas College of LawEric Boehlert - Media MattersSam Boyd - The American ProspectBen Brandzel - MoveOn: People-Powered Progress | MoveOn.Org | Democracy In Action, John Edwards CampaignShannon Brownlee - Author, New America FoundationRich Byrne - PlaywrightKevin Carey - Education SectorJonathan Chait - The New RepublicLakshmi Chaudry - In These TimesIsaac Chotiner - The New RepublicTa-Nehisi Coates - The AtlanticMichael Cohen - New America FoundationJonathan Cohn - The New RepublicJoe Conason - The New York ObserverLark Corbeil - Public News ServiceDavid Corn - Mother JonesDaniel Davies - The GuardianDavid Dayen - FireDogLakeBrad DeLong - The Economists’ Voice, University of California at BerkeleyRyan Donmoyer - Bloomberg NewsAdam Doster - In These TimesKevin Drum - Washington MonthlyMatt Duss - Center for American ProgressGerald Dworkin - UC DavisEve Fairbanks - The New RepublicJames Fallows - The AtlanticHenry Farrell - George Washington UniversityTim Fernholz - American ProspectDan Froomkin - Huffington Post, Washington PostJason Furman - Brookings InstitutionJames Galbraith - University of Texas at AustinKathleen Geier - Talking Points MemoTodd Gitlin - Columbia UniversityIlan Goldenberg - National Security NetworkArthur Goldhammer - Harvard UniversityDana Goldstein - The Daily BeastAndrew Golis - Talking Points MemoJaana Goodrich - BloggerMerrill Goozner - Chicago TribuneDavid Greenberg - SlateRobert Greenwald - Brave New FilmsChris Hayes - The NationDon Hazen - AlternetJeet Heer - Canadian JournolistJeff Hauser - Political Action Committee, Dennis Shulman CampaignMichael Hirsh - NewsweekJames Johnson - University of RochesterJohn Judis - The New Republic, The American ProspectMichael Kazin - Georgetown UniversityEd Kilgore - Democratic StrategistRichard Kim - The NationCharlie Kireker - Air America MediaMark Kleiman - UCLA The Reality Based CommunityEzra Klein - Washington Post, Newsweek, The American ProspectJoe Klein - TIMERobert Kuttner - American Prospect, Economic Policy InstitutePaul Krugman - The New York Times, Princeton UniversityLisa Lerer - POLITICODaniel Levy - Century FoundationRalph Luker - CliopatriaAnnie Lowrey - Washington IndependentBob MackeyMike Madden - SalonMaggie Mahar - The Century FoundationAmanda Marcotte - Account SuspendedDylan Matthews - Harvard UniversityAlec McGillis - Washington PostScott McLemee - Inside Higher EdSara Mead - New America FoundationAri Melber - The NationDavid Meyer - University of California at IrvineSeth Michaels - MyDD of News And Product Review SourceLuke Mitchell - Harper’s MagazineGautham Nagesh - The Hill, Daily CallerSuzanne Nossel - Human Rights WatchMichael O’Hare - University of California at BerkeleyJosh Orton - MyDD of News And Product Review Source, Air America MediaRodger Payne - University of LouisvilleRick Perlstein - Author, Campaign for America’s FutureNico Pitney - Huffington PostHarold Pollack - University of ChicagoKatha Pollitt - The NationAri Rabin-Havt - Media MattersJoy-Ann Reid - South Florida TimesDavid Roberts - GristLamar Robertson - Partnership for Public ServiceSara Robinson - Campaign For America's FutureAlyssa Rosenberg - Washingtonian, The Atlantic, Government ExecutiveAlex Rossmiller - National Security NetworkMichael Roston - NewsbrokeLaura Rozen - POLITICO, Mother JonesFelix Salmon - ReutersGreg Sargent - Washington PostThomas Schaller - Baltimore SunNoam Scheiber - The New RepublicMichael Scherer - TIMEMark Schmitt - American Prospect, The New America FoundationNancy Scola - Personal Democracy ForumRinku Sen - ColorLines MagazineJulie Bergman Sender - Balcony FilmsAdam Serwer - American ProspectWalter Shapiro - HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World NewsKate Sheppard - Mother JonesMatthew Shugart - UC San DiegoMicah Sifry - Sunlight Foundation, Personal Democracy ForumNate Silver - FiveThirtyEightJesse Singal - The Boston Globe, Washington MonthlyAnn-Marie Slaughter - Princeton UniversityBen Smith - POLITICOSarah Spitz - KCRWAdele Stan - The Media ConsortiumPaul Starr - The AtlanticKate Steadman - Kaiser Health NewsKay Steiger - Center for American ProgressJonathan Stein - Mother JonesSam Stein - Huffington PostMatt Steinglass - Deutsche Presse-AgenturJames Surowiecki - The New YorkerJesse Taylor - Account SuspendedSteven Teles - Yale UniversityMark Thoma - The Economists' ViewMichael Tomasky - The GuardianJeffrey Toobin - CNN, The New YorkerRebecca Traister - SalonKaren Tumulty - Washington Post, TIMETracy Van Slyke - The Media ConsortiumPaul Waldman - Author, American ProspectDave Weigel - Washington Post, MSNBC, The Washington IndependentMoira Whelan - National Security NetworkScott Winship - Pew Economic Mobility ProjectJ. Harry Wray - DePaul UniversityD. Brad Wright - University of NC at Chapel HillKai Wright - The RootHolly Yeager - Columbia Journalism ReviewRich Yeselson - Change to WinMatthew Yglesias - Center for American Progress, The Atlantic MonthlyJonathan Zasloff - UCLAJulian Zelizer - Princeton UniversityAvi Zenilman - POLITICO

Slang is an inseparable part of a culture. Three Years back, I worked on IIT Bombay’s Lingo, the work is still up and is being served at http://sanch.it/iitb-lingo. [More than 130 Words, with details/examples]You can download the following collection, in PDF, CSV, JSON, SQL from the above link.Many new words must have appeared in last years, but here is my start:1. AAThe coveted academic grade.2. Aax (not in use)The "..aax" extension is a typical IITBism, used in any context whatsoever, from peaceaax to scopeax to nabdaax. It has no independent existence of it's own, but is always bonded to another word. iski jagah ajkal maxx use karte hain... eg: infimaxxx, nbdmaxx, poltumaxx?3. GiriUsed as a suffix to several slangs in IIT, it denotes the act of being like the person/thing/characteristic described by the slang. eg. ghodagiri (previous entry), dnotgiri etc.4. AppStands for application, in simplistic terms is an attempt for getting a schol. To app is to quit Des for greener pastures (!) to the west of the atlantic. Every iitian worth his CPI or otherwise can app. Apping is a long drawn process beginning the summer of the penultimate year of your stay on campus (note it's not the third year always; as some of you might extrapolate) and culminating in maybe a schol towards the end of your final year. The steps involved are beyond the scope of this compilation and merits a page on its own.5. ArbitAn abbreviation of "arbitrary", it is a very flexible word. Basically, it is used to describe something/someone that is weird/strange/not the way it should be. eg. "That guy does arbit things" or "He's an arbit guy" implies that the person being referred to is a bit on the strange side.6. AvoidBesides it's dictionary meaning, this word is also used in an admonitory tone, with people shouting it whenever they get irritated. eg. If someone is watching TV and someone else turns up the radio, then the standard reply is "Avoid, boss!!". If that fails to work, then "* [at] #$%^" are always there. However, due to extreme overuse these words have lost their cutting edge and are no longer taken seriously.7. BabeAn exalted term meaning girl, and a highly endangered species in IIT schol.8. BoozeSpiritual sustenance for the Al, especially after the midsems, endsems, actually, anytime.9. BossA word used (1) while talking to someone who's name one doesn't know or (2) while talking to someone who's name one does know. In that context, however, it is of no particular significance, a bit like the human appendix without it's attendant problems.10. BRAIIT Bombay Rock Association11. BreakerSlang for "breakfast", the most important meal of the day, beacuse it was the only one that was even remotely edible. The quality of the tea varied, however, from good to detergent-flavoured.12. BumpsA treat given to someone on his Birthday, when the concerned person is lifted in the air and his rear end is subjected to a series of kicks. Bumps are also a standard punishment for anyone who pains people too much with bad jokes/comments.13. Bunk(orig. lectures) Cut lectures and do what you would have done in the first place?.crash!14. Cack (not in use)A short version of the word "cacophony", it signifies the act of verbal communication, viz. talking. To cack is to talk ( academic discussions do not qualify ). A group of people talking is having a "cack session".15. ChamkaaThe literal meaning of this word is "lit up" or "glowed", but in the IITian context, it is used to indicate an understanding of something that has been just explained/said/described to you. This use probably arose from the popular cartoon image of a bulb lighting up in a person's head when he/she got an idea.16. Chinco/ChinksThe Chinese joint (located outside H-8 when I joined IIT, and then moved to the NCC building ), where all the DNots andLukkhas ( these terms to be explained later ) used to hang out at night. Famous for serving the exact same preparation under atleast 5-6 different names.17. Cogging(1) Exercise of the neck causing eyestrain (2) Replication of any old ghoda?s assignment.18. Con (not in use)Same meaning as dictionary version..19. ConvoThe Convocation Hall, where degrees were awarded, and more importantly, where the weekly movie was shown.20. CowCouncil of Wardens21. CrackThis word, whatever it's sinister connotations in the "real world", has a very positive meaning in IITB. Use of this term by an IITian implies that the person is referring to somebody's ( perhaps his own ) excellent performance/stroke of good fortune. eg. "I cracked the exam"..or "I cracked a schol"..or in true IITB style, "crack maar diyaa", or "crack scene hai boss..."22. CrackuWhat every IITian aspires to be, maybe in the next semester!23. CrashThis word is quite well known outside IITB too..and it denotes the blissful state of slumber in which most IITians are to be found for the better part of the day.24. CribTo crib is to raise objection(s) to something. In IIT cribbing is carried to great lengths by certain people, who are given the title of "cribboos" in recognition of their achievements in this field.25. Cts (not in use)> clearing tensions: which is what one has when one is close to flunking a course. > crapping tensions: We all know what that means.26. Cum Akalchemical27. DaddaDual Degree28. Dadydeputy director29. Daya (1)The word itself is self-explanatory!!!30. Dayaa (2)A Hindi word meaning "pity", it is used in a similar sense, when people beg someone to stop what he is doing by telling him "Dayaa boss ( have pity on us )". It's also used as an adjective ( for describing something/someone that is avoidable ) e.g. "That's a dayaa Prof".31. Deltalimited32. DepartmentAncient torture chamber still in use. For help see ?bunk?.33. Despo (1)(dim. Of desperate) Situation in which the Al is with respect to grub, babes, money, everything.34. Despo (2)A corruption of the word "desperate", eg. that guy is despo for a schol. Also used as a nickname for people having the family name "Deshpande".35. DhukAn abbreviated version of "dhakkan", which is Hindi for "cap" or "lid", it denotes a stupid person. To do "dhakkangiri" is to do something stupid.36. Diro (1)The Director of the Institute.. the BIG BOSS37. Diro (2)director38. DitchTo abandon something. Usage: "Ditch maar boss.."39. Dnot (not in use)( An abbreviation of "Dhandha-not" ) A dnot is someone who has absolutely nothing to do in life or has absolutely no enthusiasm for doing what he is supposed to be doing. The act of being a dnot is known as "dnotgiri".40. DOSADean of Student Affairs.. the guy who's supposed to be on the side of the students.. hmmmphh..41. DryDAn acronym for "Dry Dinner", it was the day of the week when mildly tolerable food was likely to be served.42. Dubbacomp43. EndsemThe end. The final blow from the sadists from the department. Also the time the Profs. take revenge for all the ink darts you threw and blamed your neighbour for.44. Fart (1)any comment, not even vaguely related to the point of discussion.45. Fart (2)This word has many subtle and interesting connotations, depending on the context in which it is being used. In IIT lingo, to fart means to say something patently untrue/wildly exaggerated/impossible. So when someone is farting he is essentially bullshitting big-time. Such people are known as "fartoos". Another usage of this word is: anything that is bad..ie. a fart Prof. ( Professor ), fart grub ( food ), fart movie/song, you name it.. anything which is not fundoo can be roughly said as fart.46. FightTo "fight / fight marna" over something means giving it your best shot. It's also used for encouraging people when they are under stress and have to do something very challenging and do it in a very short time.47. FreakoutTo freak out is to enjoy oneself and have a really good time. A person who is fun to be with is also known as a freakout character. IITians also use this word when they are happy ( for any reason ).48. FrequencyA euphemism for the number of times in one day that an ITian engages in auto-erotic activities.49. Freshie (1)(dim. of freshman, orgi.JEE) Dumb, confused, scared, new- born IITian.50. Freshie (2)Freshmen are known by this term, and shiver with terror whenever they hear it ( during their first 1-2 months in IIT), because it means that somewhere in the neighbourhood, a freshie is being summoned by his seniors for an "introduction". This is the phenomenon of ragging, which is defined in the latter half of this document. An IITian stays a freshie for his first year, after which a new batch comes to be victimized.51. Freshies' NightA ritual signifying the end of the ragging period, it consisted of certain, shall we say "trans-gender" performances by the freshies.52. Freshies' SocialThe "cultural" high point of the Freshie Calendar, it was an Inter-Hostel talent show, where the freshies displayed their musical and choreographic talents, accompanied by a liberal dose of double entendre.53. Fukka/FurraA major accomplishment, especially as it is rather difficult in IIT.54. Funda/fundaesThese words are just abbreviations of the word "fundamental(s)". The funda of something means the basic principle behind it. Fundaes are just a collection of several "fundas" and the person with the best fundaes is called the "funda man".55. FundooAnything which is good/enjoyable is "fundoo". You can have a fundoo meal, watch a fundoo movie, meet a fundoo girl ( not very likely inside the IIT campus, and almost equally improbable outside it, due to the "not very hep" reputation of IITians ). In short, it's one of those multipurpose words which creeps into almost every sentence of the average IITian.56. GaddhaThis is a Hindi word which means "hole" or "ditch". IITB is located on a hill, and the nearest movie theater and suburban railway station are located at the bottom of that hill. As a result, that place is referred to as the "gaddha". However, it is more specifically used to refer to any one of the two extremely seedy and disreputable movie theaters in that area, which would be jam packed with IITians after the last day of exams/submissions and on Friday nights ( by those unfortunate ones not having any other place in Bombay to go to ). Any movie, no matter how fart it was, would draw a decent crowd on the night after the last exam got over.57. Geezeating someone's stuff as of its own58. GeneralSomething or someone that's vague or mediocre. e.g. Hostels 1-8 are pretty general hostels.59. GhochA foul-up of any kind is called a ghoch. It can also mean a defect or flaw of some sort. e.g. A ghoch in someone's reasoning. People who perform detructive acts ( keeda...explained later ) also "do ghoch".60. GhodagiriIronically, this word means "donkey work ", whereas "ghoda" means "horse" in Hindi. Ghodagiri refers to any kind of work that's very menial and/or involves very little brainwork ( just pure effort ). Those who do this thankless work are referred to as "ghodas".61. Give upused in the sense "give up hai tera" or "give up maar de" meaning good for nothing and actually GIVE UP in real sense respectively ie. "Chod na yaar". Give up can mean what it is supposed to, or It can have the same meaning as "fart" in the sense of something that's bad/avoidable. eg. "That's a give up movie". It's also used as an expression of defeat, when one realizes that one is facing impossible odds.62. Godperson excellent in his field? so "god giri machana" or "creku banda" is a person who excellent in his field.63. Grub (1)Euphemism for offal served in the mess.64. Grub (2)Food, of which there was always a great shortage ( the edible variety that is ). Mess grub was there in plenty, though. The horror stories about it are legion, with each hostel having an anthology of it's own.65. Hadaaaaaaa....An exclamatory remark which is characteristic of H-9 ites, it's closest English equivalent is the phrase "No Way!!". A H-9ite usually say "hadaa" when the person(s) he is talking to is (1)farting away to glory and/or (2) he generally wants to put him down, which is something for which H-9ites are notorious. Nothing beats the distinct disbelief and contempt expressed by a loud "hadaaaaa", where the last "aaaa..." can be as long as one wants it to be.66. Hagar/hagaarAnother word for huggoo (described later ).67. HawaHindi word meaning "Air", it is something which every freshie is supposed to know, "hawa" being an acronym for AIR ( his All India Rank in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) ).68. HawasA Hindi word meaning "lust", it's used to describe anything that arouses feelings of that nature in IITians ( which includes a large category of things, IITians being as starved of female companionship as they are ).69. Hazaar/HajaarIt's literal meaning being 1000 ( one thousand ), this word is used to denote " a lot of " something. e.g. hazaar crowded, or hazaar tough.70. HODThe Head of Department, who is the Big Boss for students after their first year.71. HogTo hog is to eat with gusto..which is what IITians do whenever people return from home after a vacation bearing sweets and sundry other edibles as tribute for the rest of the hostel inmates, especially their wingmates though, because they would make life hell for them otherwise.72. HugHugging is the act of performing badly at something, making a stupid mistake or fouling up in general. The origins of this word, well.. they lie in one of the necessary acts which all people do in the morning..and which involves the expulsion of certain toxins from the body..I frankly don't know how the word came to mean what it does now..someone who hugs consistently is known as a huggoo.73. HuggooAntonym of cracku, in all respects. The ?so near, yet so far? case.74. IITAn institution. You get that? You are all in an institution! Also interpreted as Institution for Insane Technologists.75. Infiliterally infinite but IITBism`ically "bahut hi jyada...76. IntroA freshie?s inaugural address and he better make it long.77. Junta (1)Group of Al?s. Also plural of panchhi.78. Junta (2)"Junta" means "The Common People" in Hindi. In IIT, any notice or act directed at everyone in general begins with the word "Junta" written on the notice or shouted out loud to attract everyone's attention.79. KeedaPlaying tricks on people and/or disrupting something is called doing keeda or "keedagiri". The word means "insect" in Hindi and probably started being used in it's present context by the irritation caused by some of those pesky arthropods. This word symbolizes, better than anything else the image of H-9 in IITB.80. KhaachTo khaach something is to cancel/remove/destroy it; e.g. The concert got khaached because nobody turned up.81. KLPDThis acronym (the expansion of which cannot be written here without offending the delicate sensibilities of certain readers) is used to denote frustration, especially after one's expectations have been heightened.82. Kuchh bhi kyaaThis phrase ( in Bombay Hindi, typically ungrammatical ) indicates a disbelief in what the person with whom one is talking is saying. It is also used to protest against an unreasonable request/demand made by someone.83. KushaIt's a relatively new Chinese restaurant opposite YP. May be its no more.84. LabAlso a torture chamber equipped with modern technology.85. LechAn activity at which all IITians excel, leching means exactly what the dictionary defines it to be, which is the act of leering at any good-looking female who passes by.86. LTThe Lecture Theatre, of which most IITians have fond memories, as being the location of the Freshies' Social, and also the place where a refreshing nap could be taken during the CS101 class.87. LukhagiriAny of the several delightful ways to waste time. Used more often than not to avoid mugging.88. Lukkhatime pass. ie another term for a Dnot, ie. a person who is a total slacker89. Main-gateEntrance to the ever-beautiful Powai and Vihar lakes of Bombay and the hill surrounding them. By bus, 45 min. from Andheri and 20 min. from Vikroli.90. MaskesMSc which come thru' JAM91. MatkaMtech`ian (not from IITJEE)92. MBThe Main Building, where the Institute's administrative and financial offices are housed, and where the omnipotent Director and Deans have their lairs.93. Moskeemosquito, abundant here..94. MugTo mug is to study/cram ..usually this activity is undertaken the night before the exam, but some people mug during other ( unseasonal ) times too..such characters are known as muggoos. However, muggoos who hug in exams are known as huggoo-muggoos.95. Nabard /NBDThis word's origins lie in "nervous breakdown". A state that occurs before, during and after every quiz and test. To take nbd over something is to get all worked up and worried about it. "Nabdus" are people who are always in this state. Such people are compulsive worriers. They need not be academic nabdus at all. In fact, there have been several people who are not in the least concerned about their grades , but go into spasms of worry before an inter-hostel sports or cultural event. So we can conclude that nabard is just a state of mind.96. Night out (1)As the name implies, a night-out is the act of staying awake the whole night, sometimes due to a cack session, sometimes due to a combination of cack and intoxicants, and sometimes due to exam nbds..97. Night teaUsually precedes nightout. An effort to cool the nerves. Actually a major cack session.98. NightOut (2)A one night stand, a last ditch effort to salvage the semester.99. ObsceneA word used to express a large amount/intensity of anything, e.g. An obscene dinner, an obscenely good grade etc. As the previous examples show, the adjective can be applied to positive things too.100. Ok typesAnything that is good or went off well. Basically this word can be used almost any place where a positive feeling/result is involved.101. Open notesWhat helps the Xerox shops to mint money and gives the Prof. an excuse to set a tense paper.102. PAFPerforming Arts Festival. The annual cultural extravaganza in IIT.103. PainProblems104. PakauThird class category thing or very simple thing? can be roughly related to "fart".105. Panchh (1)Individual form of junta.106. Panchii (2)A generic term used to refer to any general person107. ParkDo nothing, wait for the end of the world.108. PeaceA gesture of relief and happiness. When an IITian clears a course in which one had CTs, or when one cracks a schol,then he says, "PEACE", or "Peace ho gayaa". "Peace Life" can also be used in this context. It's close cousin "peaceful" is used to denote something easy, e.g. a peaceful exam, a peaceful prof ( one who doesn't harass his students ).109. PondyAn "educational" movie, in which all the facts of life are laid bare. Amm.. frankly speaking some adult content is there..110. Profproffesor111. Pseud (1)Anybody who wears shoes, dresses neatly, and talks in la-di-dah English; hence a misfit IITian.112. Pseud (2)A derogatory term for anybody or anything that's very heavily westernised or has pretensions to be very sophisticated.113. PunterAnother variant of "Panchii"114. RaggingThe time-honoured tradition of initiating a freshie into the IITian way of life. The process primarily involves a month or so in which the freshies are interrogated by their seniors in different ways, made to perform certain tasks ( some of which are a bit on the unpleasant side ) and in general given a hard time, all with the noble intention of getting to know them better ( and to have a little fun in the process ). However, this glorious tradition of our alma mater has been under constant attack by the powers-that-be, and has been reduced to a pale shadow of it's former self. The knock on the door at night, the anti-ragging squad barging into one's room, and the third degree of the DAC ( Disciplinary Action Committee ) have become sad, but unfortunately true facts of life at IITB.115. RecoRandomly Extravagant Certificate of Overstatement.116. RG(1) Any cracku or muggoo. (2) Any practitioner of closed door tactics.117. RG-giriDerived from the word "Relative Grading" ( supposedly ), this term defines the act of doing something for one's benefit at the expense of someone else. A good example is submitting an assignment/homework to the Professor before everyone else, and that too without informing them. or it can be "exam time main pareshan karna".118. SurdiAffectionate term for a Punjabi.119. ScholWhat almost every IITian used to live for, and something which is still in heavy demand, a schol is essentially a composite offer of Admission and Financial Aid from a US University. For many IITians, it is the culmination of their stay in IIT.120. ScopeNo way = No scope!121. scope kyaaA phrase used to characterize something as being impossible or beyond the capacities of the person talking about doing it. A very commonly used word in IIT.122. ShadySomething or someone which/who is not as it/he should be. e.g. A shady prof, or a shady ( avoidable ) person. It's meaning varies a bit with regard to the context in which it is used.123. SuttaCigarette (how could the list be completed without it)124. SlogTo work really hard is to slog. Big-time sloggoos literally solg their b***s off. Thankfully for most IITians, the percentage of sloggoos is not too high ( unlike IITM and other pretenders ), just the level required to ensure a steady supply of class notes and assignments, and not so high that everyone becomes a sloggoo due to nbds.125. StudSomeone who extremely good at his/her field. Yes, even females are called studs in IIT.126. SuckAn inevitable part of the apping process, sucking involves sending letters/emails to the Professor(s) in the US in whose fields one is interested in working ( due to those fields being well-funded ) in which the writer raves about having been interested in say "Metal Matrix Composites" since the day he was born and that nothing would give him greater satisfaction than working under him ( the Prof. ). Usually roles are reversed for Dept. toppers, with the Univs/Depts sucking up to them.127. TensionTension is an inevitable part of life in IIT, with people "taking tensions" over several things and people ( esp. Profs ) "giving tensions" for several things too. "Tense" is also used to refer to anything that is challenging or difficult. e.g. "A tense problem".128. Tum Tuminsti's bus129. TypesThis is another vestigial word that is added to sentences for no reason whatsoever. The most famous example is: "OK types". Lately "types" is often being pronounced as "taaps", a sign of the live and ever-changing nature of IITB slang.130. UltiThe abbreviation of? Ultimate.131. VellaLazy, person with no work.132. Y-Point/YPThe gate of IIT closer to Kanjurmarg, YP was a far more heavily trafficked site than the "Main Gate", where people go only to collect their monthly cash infusions. YP boasts of the Campus bookstore, post office, and many other convenience outlets. It is also closer to the off-campus eateries, where junta is sometimes forced to go, due to the sheer inedibility of mess grub.133. ZeneraalA corruption of "general". (Used in H-9, IITB ). The IITian way of saying 'general', Zenerally.

That the British were unable to open the ammunition boxes at the 1879 Zulu War battle of Isandlwana because they were screwed down and that there were not enough screwdrivers. In fact the boxes could and were opened by the simple method of smashing them open by hitting them with a rifle butt.(Burying the British dead at Isandlwana. Painting by Melton Pryor.)(The British soldiers, mostly from the 24th Regiment of Foot are massacred at Islandlwana but not because they could not open the ammunition boxes. Painting Charles Edwin Fripp.)—————————————————————————————————————The 24th Regiment of Foot was not a Welsh Regiment as is often believed because of of an inaccuracy in the Movie Zulu.. It was the 24th Regiment of Foot (Warwickshires) It did not become a Welsh Regiment until 1881 with the reforms of the British army. The Zulu War was in 1879.(The Defense of Rorke’s Drift. But the 24th Regiment defending the post was not a Welsh Regiment, it was the 24th Regiment of Foot Warwickshires. Painting by Chris Collingwood.)————————————————————————————————————-The whole of the 7th cavalry was not massacred at the Little Big Horn with General Custer. Custer split his command into three, Benteen’s column, Reno’s and himself. Only those in Custer’s column were wiped out.(Custer’s final moments at the Little Big Horn. Yet, as is often believed the whole of the 7th Cavalry was not massacred with him simply because Custer did not have the whole of the 7th cavalry with him when he was killed. Painting by John Mulvany)—————————————————————————————————————The British lost the First Afghan War. Not true, they lost the FIRST ROUND of the war, IE the retreat disastrous retreat from Kabul in 1842 but the war did not end there. But the 2nd round came later, when the so-called Army of Retribution marched back into Afghanistan, capturing fort after fort and town after town and freeing a lot of the prisoners taken by the Afghans during the retreat from Kabul and occupying Kabul and burning its market and other buildings in the afghan capital.(British and Indian troops of the Army of Retribution capture the fortress of Ghanzi in 1842. Artist unknown.)—————————————————————————————————————The Italians in World War Two were cowards. No they were not. They were often poorly equipped and poor led but when they were well led they could and did fight as well as anybody. Point of fact is the Battle of Keren in Eritrea during the Italian East African Campaign where stubborn Italian resistance insured that the British and Commonwealth forces suffered heavy casualties.(Italian Alpini soldier. The disasters suffered by the Italian army in Greece and North Africa had led to the Italians gaining a bad reputation, being far too ready to surrender. However, Italy’s defeats were more down to lack of proper modern equipment and good leadership rather than to lack of courage. On occasion, when the Italian was well lead he proved himself to be as brave as any German or Allied soldier, nowhere was this more evident than in Italian East Africa where the fighting was bitter and costly to both sides. The Italian troops in East Africa were blessed with a number of outstanding commanders who inspired confidence in their men, men such as Luigi Frusci, the Duke of Aosta and Guglielmo Nasi.)(British artillery in action at the Battle of Keren in Eritrea. The stubborn and gallant resistance of the Italians surprised everybody, Karen was to prove to be a very tough battle and the costliest one raged in Italian East Africa, where the fighting was sometimes hand-to-hand.)The Italian commanders were often too aloof from their men and their high ranking officers would rarely be seen at the front. of cause there were exceptions, one of these was Amedeo Umberto Isabella Luigi Filippo Maria Giuseppe Giovanni di Savoia-Aosta the Duke of Aosta, a man who led from the front and who was admired and respected by his men and these men proved that the Italian soldier could fight as bravely as anybody when well led.(The Duke of Aosta, was a respected soldier who led from the front. his men fought well for him.)At Amba Alagi in Ethiopia during the Italian East African Campaign the Italian garrison under the Duke of Aosta was besieged by British and Commonwealth forces. Attacked with tanks, shelled by artillery and bombed from the air the Italians resisted so well that they won the respect from their foes. Eventually a shell from a 25pdr exploded in their oil tank, busting it wide open, the oil then flowed into the Italians drinking water. with no water left the Italian garrison surrendered shortly afterwards. But their resistance had be so heroic that when the garrison marched out into captivity the British troops stood at attention and awarded the garrison the ‘Honours of War’.(Impressed by the courage of the Italian garrison at Amba Alagi in Ethiopia, the British salute the surrendering Italians, whom had been forced to surrender when their drinking water ran out after the most fierce resistance.At Keran, again in the Italian East African Campaign the British and Commonwealth troops had another very tough fight on their hands. Here the fighting raged for the procession of several important peaks.Here the fighting seesawed back and forth, with peaks changing hands several times during the fighting, that sometimes was hand-to-hand, empty rifles were used as clubs and bayonets did their work.On 15 March, he stormed the two Indian divisions after an air strike and artillery bombardment of the mountain ranges and achieved all its objectives. Three peaks were after an Italian counterattack lost. On 16 March, it was stuck on the further advance by the Italian defensive fire in Dologorodoc. The following day, the British threw their reserves into the battle, but came because of constant attacks against Italian made little progress. These heavy fighting raged for five days, both sides had significant losses reported. Only the Italians lost two thirds of its troops. On the evening of 26, Indian pioneers succeeded in March, under heavy Italian mortar – and artillery fire, a breach to beat. By the morning of the 27th March, the tanks of the Royal Tank Regiment in the direction of Keren rolled. After this breakthrough, the Italian associations were attracted back and evacuated from Keren before the arrival of British tanks.(Graves of Italians and Eritrean Askaris killed at Keren.)After several weeks of fighting, the Allies had to mourn 536 killed and 3299 wounded; on the Italian side were more than 3,000 soldiers died and almost all the other wounded.Also i feel iI should mention the crews of the SM-79s torpedo-bombers, which scored some notable successes in the Med against Allied shipping. The Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 was a superb aircraft, it saw extensive use as a bomber but it was as a torpedo bomber that it has became famous for. Tough, well-armoured the SM-79s were seen to fly through a wall of flag time and time again, the aircraft being flown with great determination and courage.(A Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 launches its torpedo at Allied shipping. Painting by Jerry Boucher.)The fast attack motor-torpedo boats of the Italian navy are also worthy of a mention as they accounted for an impressive tonnage of Allied ships.At Izbushensky in the Ukraine 600 Italian cavalry from the Savoia Cavalleria charged 2000 Soviet troops armed with machine-guns and mortars and routed them in what what was one of the last successful cavalry charges in history.(The Savoia Cavalleria charge at Izbushensky in the Ukraine.)And finally no article on the fighting powers of the Italians in WW2 can be written without the mention of the Folgore (Lightning) Italy’s paratroops. These formidable fighting men even won the respect of the Germans. Unfortunately the Folgore were left unsupported at El-Alamein and many were killed or captured but only after the most desperate battle where the Folgore destroyed several British tanks by placing anti-tank mines on the tracks.(A recruiting poster for the formidable Folgore. Italy’s paratroops.—————————————————————————————————————-The fact that Anglo-Saxon warriors are often regarded as weak and as no match for the Vikings, this myth is mostly due to Hollywood and TV series like the VIKINGS, When the truth is the Anglo-Saxons were among the most dangerous opponents the Vikings faced. They, like the Vikings had a huge warrior tradition behind them.(Saxons originated from Germany. They like the Vikings had a huge warrior tradition behind them and were certainly not the pushovers that the big screen is fond of making them appear to be. Painting by Angus McBride)(The Battle of Maldon in 991. The Saxons who knew that Byrthnoth had fallen formed a shield wall around his body and fought on until every one of them was dead. Painting by Peter Dennis)(The Viking attack at Ashdown is beaten back. Notice the horned helmet; research suggests that the horned helmets is a myth. Not a single horned helmet has been found from the Viking era. Picture by Cecil Doughty.)The Vikings certainly did not have it all their own way; they lost a number of important battles to the Saxons. Battles such as Ashdown (Alfred and Ethelred the 1st {Not to be confused with Ethelred the Unready}), Englefield (Ethelred 1st), Edington (Alfred), Exeter (Alfred), York (Athelstan), Farnham (Edward the Elder), Benfleet (Edward the Elder), Tettenhall (Edward the Elder), Brunanburh (Athelstan), Brentford (Edmond Ironside), Olford (Edmond Ironside), Stamford Bridge (Harold).(Alfred and Ethelred 1st won a great victory over the Vikings at Ashdown. Painting by Matthew Ryan)—————————————————————————————————————That the United States invaded Vietnam.The Americans did not invade Vietnam. Vietnam was a civil war, North against the South. The South asked the US for help and the United States complied, it was an intervention not an invasion.(Heavy fighting in Vietnam. However the US’s involvement there can more accurately be described as an intervention rather than an invasion. Painting by James Dietz)The Americans were committing more and more troops trying to prop up the south yet their forces were strictly prohibited from crossing the border into the Communist North, so there was no invasion. Throughout the war the Americans tried to hand more and more responsibility for fighting the war over to the South Vietnamese in a policy started by Nixon called Vietnamization. At no time was Vietnamization stronger than it was in the last months of the conflict. Unfortunately for the Americans corruption so so rive in the South Vietnamese military ranks, with soldiers food and pay being stolen by those who commanded them that Vietnamization had little chance of success. The South Vietnamese army. ARVN (Army of the republic of Vietnam) was well equipped with American weapons it was often poorly led. Though many formations did fight with courage and inflicted heavy casualties on the Communists like the ARVN Rangers many other units just collapsed and fell apart even before seeing any real combat.(No one is left behind. The Americans suffered 58,000 killed in South East Asia. Their policy of getting the South Vietnamese to take more part in the fighting in what was termed Vietnamization was a failure. Painting by Bob George.)—————————————————————————————————————-The United States did not save Britain in either World War One or World War Two from being occupied by the Germans.(The British Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow in 1916. The Royal Navy was the biggest navy in the world throughout WW1 and at the beginning of WW2. Painting by Lionel Wyllie.)Why do Americans say they saved Britain in WW1 and WW2? The British navy was the most powerful in the world at the beginning of both wars. Let’s look at WW1 first shall we. The British and French blockade of the Central Powers was bringing them to their knees. In 1917 there were food riots in Austro-Hungary and Germany. Without US aid the war would have lasted longer and cost tens of thousands of more lives but it would still have ended in an Allied victory.(The war of movement had stagnated into a war of trenches and mud. Even if the Germans had broken the stalemate and took Paris they still had to get an army across the Channel and this would have been impossible in the face of the Royal Navy, then the most powerful navy in the world. Germany’s best hope was in its U-boat arm which at most might have forced Britain to the negotiating table and to leave the war but with the vast resources of her empire even that was unlikely. painting by CWR NevinsonEven, if by some miracle the Germans did defeat the Allies in Europe how where they going to transfer an army across the English Channel to Britain when the Royal Navy at that time was the most powerful navy in the world? Now WW2. Yes, the Allies were defeated in France, but the same problem still confronted the Germans, that being, how to get an army across the Channel. The Luftwaffe (German Air force) needed to win the war in the skies to protect the fleet.(And that lost the Battle of Britain) Even if the Germans had won the Battle of Britain it would not have been enough,(A Spitfire on the tail of an ME 109, Battle of Britain, 1940. It has been said that this battle saved Britain from invasion but many would argue that Germany never really had a serious chance of invading and that the whole of Operation Sea lion was nothing more than Hitler’s pipe-dream. Painting by Mark Postlethwaite.)The German aircraft would have sunk a lot of British ships but it would not have been sufficient, enough ships would have got through to decimate the invasion fleet. The Luftwaffe was unable to prevent the Royal Navy evacuating 336'000 men from the beaches and moles of Dunkirk remember? Even Hitler knew it was beyond the capability of Germany to invade Britain, instead he was hoping to force Britain into accepting terms, in which Germany would be left in control of Europe but would not occupy Britain.(At Dunkirk the German air force sunk a lot of British ships but was still unable to prevent the evacuation of 336,000 men. The following is from Strategy for Defeat by Williamson Murray. “Over Dunkirk, the Luftwaffe suffered its first serious rebuff of the war. As Galland has noted, the nature and style of the air battles over the beaches should have provided a warning as to the inherent weaknesses of the Luftwaffe's force structure. Admittedly, the Germans fought at a disadvantage. Although positioned forward at captured airfields, the Bf 109 was at the outer limits of its range and possessed less flying time over Dunkirk than did the "Hurricanes" and "Spitfires" operating from southern England. German bombers were still located in western Germany and had even farther to fly. Thus, the Luftwaffe could not bring its full weight to bear so that when its bombers hammered those on the beaches or embarking, the RAF intervened in a significant fashion. German aircraft losses were high, and British fighter attacks often prevented German bombers from performing with full effectiveness. Both sides suffered heavy losses. During the nine days from May 26 through June 3, the RAF lost 177 aircraft destroyed or damaged; the Germans lost 240. For much of the Luftwaffe, Dunkirk came as a nasty shock. Fliegerkorps II reported in its war diary that it lost more aircraft on the 27th attacking the evacuation than it had lost in the previous ten days of the campaign.” Painting by Randall Wilson. {Below} Another view of Dunkirk, Painting by Charles Ernest Cundall)Hitler said to Von Rundstedt (Commander of all the German forces in western Europe at that time {Summer 1940} ) "I have no intention of going ahead with Sealion (The German plans for the invasion of Britain) There is no bridge over the ocean . On Land I am brave, on sea I am a coward." We now know that Operation Sealion and all the preparations were designed into frightening Churchill into excepting the German terms.for one thing the landing barges collected for Operation Sealion were Rhine River barges and totally unsuited to the conditions of the English Channel and most would have been swamped and sunk in as little as a slight swell even before they were fired upon. Hitler was further disheartened from launching an invasion of Britain by the losses suffered at the hands of the Royal Navy during the German invasion of Norway. Though the campaign ended in a German victory the German navy suffered terrible loses. Losing the Blucher to 19th century Norwegian guns in the Oslo Fjord and half their entire destroyer strength to the Royal Navy at the First Battle of Narvik.(German destroyer under fire during the 1st Battle of Narvik during the Norwegian campaign. The huge losses suffered by the German navy during the campaign disheartened Hitler from any more large scale amphibious operation. Painting by Paul White. {Below} The Blucher is ablaze, shortly it will sink, it’s nemesis was a Norwegian fort of Oscarsborg built in 1846. Painting by Mark Postlethwaite)Other German ships fell foul to mines, British warships or aircraft. Germany suffered five defeats before the Battle of Britain, three of these were naval battles. Two of which were suffered at the hands of the Royal Navy, these being the Battles of the River Platte and the First Battle of Narvik. The other three were the , previously mentioned Battle of the Oslo Fjord, The Battle of Hannut in Belgium where French tanks defeated a German armoured thrust through central Belgium only to have to retire later when the Germans broke through in the Ardennes at Sedan and the Battle of Rotterdam, when German paratroopers were defeated by the Dutch when they attempted to capture the Dutch Royal Family who fled to England.(The battle of Hannut was a tank battle between French and German armour and was an early defeat for the Germans. However France’s victory here would not be enough to save France from ultimate defeat. Painting by Peter Dennis.)The Rotterdam fiasco showed the difficulty of landing an army by air into a hostile area. This was further highlighted by the huge casualties suffered by the German paratroops in the Crete operation. Casualties that were so high that Hitler was discouraged from further airborne operations.(Crete highlighted the perils of a paratroop drop into a heavily defended area. Hitler was so alarmed by the massive casualties in the operation that he was reluctant to order any more airborne assaults. Painting by Jones Vernon.)An airborne armada would have been impossible for a country the size of the UK. Airborne troops are lightly equipped and are dropped behind enemy lines to hold important positions long enough for the MAIN element to reach them. Without a MAIN element, a relief force, the paratroops would eventually be overwhelmed and destroyed such as happened at Arnhem. In the case of an invasion of the UK there would be no main element because the German army had no means of getting across the Channel. Also at the time of the Battle Of Britain Germany was not fighting the Soviet Union. The Battle of Britain, which Britain won without US aid was fought in the Summer of 1940 the attack on the Soviet Union was not until the 22nd June 1941. Of cause I am not saying that Britain would have won without US aid, just that Britain was not saved by the US, as the Germans did not have the means of occupying the UK. I believe without US aid the war would have gone on, and would have ended with Britain losing all colonies and having to sign a peace with the Germans but avoiding a German occupation. If an occupation of Britain was a German demand the British would have carried on fighting and remember that after 1940 the strength of the RAF was increasing as newer and more efficient aircraft entered service. Newer marks of Spitfires, Mosquitos,(Also used by the USA in what was termed as Reverse Lend Lease) Lancasters, Typhoons. Beaufighters (Also used by the US in reverse Lend Lease).(Bristol Beaufighters attacking enemy shipping. These superb aircraft were also flown by the Americans in what was termed Reverse Lend-Lease. By the end of 1940 British aircraft production had increased dramatically and new types of aircraft were started to enter service or were being designed. Painting by Michael Turner)Without US aid the war could have gone on for another 20 years or even longer, who knows? So summery WW1 The first world war had stagemated into trench warfare long before the United States entered the conflict. After the collapse of the Romanov Russia in 1917 tens of thousands of German troops were freed up for action in the west. But it was not enough. There was the Michael offensive in 1918 which was halted by the British and French with only some assistance from the US army. Though the fight at Belleau Wood by the USMC was an example of the utmost courage, endurance and skill it was a small affair when compared to the scale of the fighting and in no way was it the battle that saved the western front as so many Americans seem to think it was. WW2 US aid made victory possible, it DID NOT SAVE Britain from invasion because that threat never really existed. The Battle of Britain was fought and won in 1940. Lend lease was not until 1941, no American built planes flew in the Battle of Britain. At most without US aid Britain would have sued for peace and left Germany in control of Europe but avoiding a German occupation. US involvement made the liberation of France and the Low Countries possible so it saved mainland Europe. It DID NOT SAVE BRITAIN.(US Marines capture a German trench in Belleau Wood. The courage, skill and endurance of the American marines was a credit to the United States Marine Corps however the Battle of Belleau Wood was not the Battle that saved Paris as many Americans like to think. Painting by Frank Schoonover)Wikipedia says the following on Operation Sea Lion.‘Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, believed the invasion could not succeed and doubted whether the German air force would be able to win control of the skies; nevertheless he hoped that an early victory in the Battle of Britain would force the UK government to negotiate, without any need for an invasion.[100] Adolf Galland, commander of Luftwaffe fighters at the time, claimed invasion plans were not serious and that there was a palpable sense of relief in the Wehrmacht when it was finally called off.[ Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt also took this view and thought that Hitler never seriously intended to invade Britain, he was convinced that the whole thing was a bluff to put pressure on the British government to come to terms following the Fall of France.[102] He observed that Napoleon had failed to invade and the difficulties that confounded him did not appear to have been solved by the Sea Lion planners. In fact, in November 1939, the German naval staff produced a study on the possibility of an invasion of Britain and concluded that it required two preconditions, air and naval superiority, neither of which Germany ever had. Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz believed air superiority was not enough and admitted, "We possessed neither control of the air or the sea; nor were we in any position to gain it." Grand Admiral Erich Raeder thought it would be impossible for Germany to attempt an invasion until the spring of 1941; he instead called for Malta and the Suez Canal to be overrun so German forces could link up with Japanese forces in the Indian Ocean to bring about the collapse of the British Empire in the Far East, and prevent the Americans from being able to use British bases if the United States entered the war.(The U-boat arm was Germany’s only real hope of defeating Britain. Had it been successful it may well have forced the British to the negotiating table and possible quite the war, however it is unlikely that it would have forced t accept a German occupation. Painting by Dennis Andrews.)In Memoirs of WWII, Churchill stated, "Had the Germans possessed in 1940 well trained [and equipped] amphibious forces their task would still have been a forlorn hope in the face of our sea and air power. In fact they had neither the tools or the training".[108] He added, "There were indeed some who on purely technical grounds, and for the sake of the effect the total defeat of his expedition would have on the general war, were quite content to see him try."[109] Although Operation Sea Lion was never attempted, there has been much speculation about its hypothetical outcome.(A British soldier armed with a Boys Anti-tank rifle onto pf a German panzer in front of the Houses of Parliament. But did Germany really have a realistic chance of invading Britain? Many think not. Painting by Matt Heath.)The great majority of military historians, including Peter Fleming, Derek Robinson and Stephen Bungay, have expressed the opinion that it had little chance of success and would have most likely resulted in a disaster for the Germans. Len Deighton and some other writers have called the German amphibious plans a "Dunkirk in reverse".[110] Robinson argues the massive superiority of the Royal Navy over the Kriegsmarine would have made Sea Lion a disaster. Dr Andrew Gordon, in an article for the Royal United Services Institute Journal[111] agrees with this and is clear in his conclusion the German Navy was never in a position to mount Sealion, regardless of any realistic outcome of the Battle of Britain. In his fictional alternate history Invasion: the German invasion of England, July 1940, Kenneth Macksey proposes that the Germans might have succeeded if they had swiftly and decisively begun preparations even before the Dunkirk evacuations, and the Royal Navy for some reason had held back from large-scale intervention,though in practice the Germans were unprepared for such a speedy commencement of their assault.—————————————————————————————————————King Harold was not killed with an arrow to the eye at Hastings in 1066.Harold was struck in the eye by an arrow however many historians believe that this did not kill him, Alexander the Great’s father Philip II of Macedon was struck in the eye by an arrow besieging Methon in 354 BC and made a full recovery. The fatal blow was delivered by the sword strike from a mounted knight. (All though the story of the arrow in the eye has been strongly debated and is still debated by many I believe that an arrow plunging downwards and hitting an enemy in the eye would piece through the roof of the mouth therefore missing the brain and not delivering a necessary fatal wound.) The knight, believed to be William Eustace of Boulogne was later shamed by William the Conqueror for killing such a prominent figure and thrown out of the country and sent back to Normandy, one may think he was lucky to escape with his life, or was he? To a knight of that age honour was everything, he may well have thought that his punishment was worse than death.(Bayeux Tapestry shows a Saxon with an arrow in the eye and another being struck down by a man on a horse. The words Harold Rex {King} appears between the two figures, causing confusion as to which one is the king. Many historians believe that both figures are of Howard, the king being struck in the eye and then hacked down by a mounted knight with a word. There is also written evidence that a Norman knight was discredited and sent back home in disgrace for killing the king.)"This alteration of fortune, now one side prevailing and now the other, held as long as Harold lived; but when his brain was pierced by an arrow and he fell, the English fled without respite till the night….One of the knights hacked at his thigh with a sword as he lay on the ground; for which he was branded with disgrace by William for a dastardly and shameful act and degraded from his knighthood"(William of Malmesbury.)—————————————————————————————————————The Germans did not have a superiority in tank numbers and tank quality in France in 1940 and the French put up a heroic resistance in places, they did not fold and run like the jokers like to think.The popular notion concerning the fall of France and the Low countries is a myth. The western Allies not only had more tanks than the Germans but also they possessed better ones. So why did Germany Prevail? We look at the German tactics and the quality of the machines being used by both sides.The German tanks.The Panzer I(The Panzer I Aus A at El Godoso Museum of Armoured Vehicles in Spain. In the background can be seen an Italian CV 33. The Panzer I being armed with two 7.72-mm machine-guns was very unsuited for combat with British and French tanks in May 1940. )The first of the German panzers to be deployed in France was the tiny Panzer I, this was a small wo-manned vehicle armed only with two 7.72-mm MG 13 machine-guns. They first saw action during the Spanish Civil War. The first batch of Panzer 1s arrived in Spain under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma in Gruppe Thoma (11th September 1891 – April 30th 1948) (Also known as battle gruppe Drohne) where they met with mixed fortunes. They proved to be no match for the Soviet T-26s but through poor leadership and tactical deployment on the part of the communists, the Nationalists were able to prevail. Although the Panzer 1 saw action in almost every major Nationalist campaign, Franco’s forces to use more and more captured T-26s to offset their inferiority of armour protection of the Panzer I and the Italian tanks that they possessed. At one stage, von Thomas offered 500 pesetas for each T-26 captured. Although the little German tanks could knock out the Soviet built machines at close range by using armour piecing 7.92-mm bullets, the Republican T-26s began to engage at ranges that left them immune to the machine-guns of the Panzer Is.The decision to upgrade the Panzer I was given on the 8th August 1937 when Major General Pallsar received a note from Generalissimo Francisco Franco, which spoke of a need for a Panzer I equipped with a 2—millimetre gun instead of just two machine-guns. The piece chosen for the modification was to be the Italian Breda 1935. Due to the simplicity of its design when compared to its competitors like the German Flak 30 this coupled with the fact that the Italian weapon could pierce 40 millimetres of armour at a range of 250 metres (1.57 in at 275 yards) which was more than enough to punch through the frontal armour of a T-26. The first prototypes were built by September 1937 and after testing an order was placed but only four were completed as it was thought that a sufficient number of T-26s had been captured to not warrant the expense of further production. In any case, the Breda armed Panzer Is were not well liked by the German crews who felt that the unprotected gap in the turret, designed to allow the tank commander to aim was found to be a dangerous weak spot.The next deployment of the Panzer I before the French campaign was during the invasion of Poland, though it was used in Czechoslovakia it saw no combat as the country was overrun without resistance.The Panzer I proved to be the most vulnerable of all the German tanks used in Poland to anti-tanks guns, it was found that the handling of the German armoured forces during the campaign left must to be desired. Some of the tanks were used in Operation Weseruburg, the invasion of Denmark and Norway where it saw limited use. Yet despite its total obsolescence it was still in front line use during the invasion of France and the Low Countries where it was roughly handled.Panzer II(A Panzer II seen at the Belgrade Military Museum in Serbia. This machine was a marked improvement over the Panzer I but was still inferior to many of the British and French designs. )The Panzer II had a crew of three and was armed with a 2 cm Kwk 30 Ausf gun and one 7.92 machine-gun 34 and was produced from 1935 to 1943. It was originally intended to serve as a stopgap machine, only intended to serve until more advanced tanks were ready. But due to the pressure of war; the Panzer II remained in production until 1943. Though it was a marked improvement over the earlier Panzer I, it was still totally outclassed by the French and British machines. Yet, the Panzer II was the most numerous German tank used in the Low Countries and France. Many were later converted into self-propelled anti-tank guns.Panzer 35 (T)(The Czech designed Lehky (Light) tank vzor (model) 35, known as the Lt vz. 35 or LT-35. In German service, it was known as the Panzerkampfwagen 35 (T) usually shorted to Panzer 35 (T). It was a good sound design when used as a light tank but when pitted against enemy tanks it often came off worst. This particular one can be seen in Serbia’s Belgrade’s Military Museum.)In spite of Nazi propaganda, Germany was far from ready for war in September 1939. The industry was not working to full capacity and many of the panzer divisions were under strength. When the Germans took, over Czechoslovakia, they took over the substantial armaments industry in that country and they were able to keep these factories producing arms for the Axis powers right up until the moment that they were overrun by the advancing Soviets during the last months of World War Two. The panzer 35 (T) known as the LY vz. 35 (Lehky {Light}) tank vzor (model) 35 was used in large numbers by the Germans in France, though it was a useful reconnaissance vehicle it mostly came off worst when it encountered the heavier British and French tanks such as the Matildas and Char B Is. The tank was supplied to Germany’s allies, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Hungary. It was armed with a 3.7 cm Kwk 34 (T) gun and two 7.92-mm MG 37 9 t 0 machine-guns. The ‘T’ in the German designation stood for ‘Tschechisch,’ the Czech word for German. During the French campaign, Panzer 35 (Ts) equipped the 6th Panzer Division.Panzer 38 (T)(Czechoslovak built LTP 38 (T) at the Real Felipe fortress in Peru. Several of these tanks were used by Peru in Peru’s war against Ecuador in 1941. )The Panzer 38 (T) also originated from Czechoslovakia were it was known as the LT vz 38. it was also supplied to such countries as Sweden and Peru. A handy tank when used to support infantry attacks or in the reconnaissance but it was inadequately armed when it came to dealing with other tanks. The machine was armed with a 3.7-cm Kwk 38 (T) L/47.8 gun and two 7.92-mm ZB-53 (MG 37 (T) machine-guns. The Panzer 38 had a crew of four and could achieve a speed of 26.1 mph, (42 km/h) with production running from 1939 to 1942, 1414 were produced. The tank equipped the 7th and 8th Panzer Divisions during campaigned in west.Panzer III.(The Panzer III was a good sound design; armed with a useful 3.7-cm Kwk 36 gun it was capable of holding its own against most Allied tanks. However, the Panzer III was only available in small numbers. This one can be seen at the US Army Ordinance Museum at Aberdeen, Maryland.)The Panzer III, was one of the best medium tanks available to the Germans in 1940. However, only a few hundred Ausf As and Ausf Fs were equipping the panzer divisions during the Polish and French campaigns. These tanks were mostly armed with the 3.7-cm Kwk 36 gun and three, 7.92-mm machine-guns and had a crew 5. The Panzer III outclassed the French R-35s and H-35s but were in turn outclassed by the Somuas and Char B1s. During 1939 it was decide to go ahead with a 50-mm armed model and this entered production in 1940 but few, if any were ready for operation Case yellow, the attack on the Low Countries and France.Panzer IV.(Panzer IV Ausf F, armed with a short barrelled 7.5-cm, only 278 of these fine tanks were ready for the attack on the west. )Undoubtedly, the best of all the German tanks used in France and the Low Countries, the Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in production throughout the Second World war., being modified countless times. The tank was originally designed as an infantry support tank and was not intended to fight it out with enemy armour, that job was supposed to be undertaken by the lighter Panzer III but the Panzer Iv proved to be an excellent tank killer in its own right and it would become the mainstay of the German armoured forces throughout the war. Even with the introduction of the Tiger in 1942 and the Panther in 1943, the Panzer IV remained the most wildly used of the German tanks. Over 8’800, Panzer IVs were built but in 1940, only 278 Panzer IVs were available for the French campaign. The vehicle was armed with a short barrelled 7.5cm (2.98-inch) Kwk 371?24 gun and two 7.92-mm MG 34 machine-guns and it had a crew of 5. by use of tactical radios and superior tactics the German panzers were able to outmaneuver and defeat the French and British armour, however the Panzer IVs, armed with the short barrelled 75s found it difficult to tackle the more heavily armoured French Somua and Char B Is and British Matildas. Later in the war, the Panzer IV would be up gunned to a long barrelled 75.The French Tanks.The Hotchkiss H-35 and H-39 light tanks.(A French H-35 as seen in the Musee des Blindes in Samur France. A useful tank but poor tactical doctrine led to it performing badly during the fighting in France, though it did hurt the Germans on a few occasions. )The Hotchkiss H-35 and H-39 light tanks were small vehicles, weighing around 12 tonnes , the H-35 was armed with a 37-mm SA 18 main gun and a 7.5-mm Reibel machine-gun. It was designed to be a light, heavily armoured support tank, though it was rather slow and proved difficult to steer, instead it was adopted by the French cavalry. the H-39 differed from the H-35 by having a 120 rather than a 75-hp (89,5 rather than 56-KW) engine and could be recognised by the raised rear-decking which on the H-35s was almost flat, whilst on the H-39s it was sloped, offering greater resistance to anti-tank weapons. In May 1940, the H-35 and H-39 saw action against the invading Germans were, on occasions they gave a good account of themselves. However, the French had their tanks scattered along the line in penny assigned to support the infantry instead of being used to destroy enemy armour as the Germans were doing with their armoured forces. Though on occasions, they were able to hurt the Germans but only in small-scale actions. The Germans considered the types good enough for some of their own needs, most being used in occupation duties. Some had their turrets removed and were fitted with German anti-tank guns. By 1940, some 1’200 tanks of both types had been built.Renault R 35.(The R-39 and R 35 light tanks preserved at the Musee des Blindes at Samur in France.)This tank could trace its origins back to the classic design originally referred to as the Renault ZM in in answer to the French army’s request in 1934 for an infantry support tank to supplement and eventually replace the FT-17, which dated back to World War 1. The tank was armed with a 37 L/21 SA 18 main gun and a Reibel 7.5cm machine-gun. For its day the tank was a sound enough design, it was typical of French tanks of the period. During the German attack, they proved to be no match for the Panzers like with the H-35s and H-39s, they were used in penny packets to support the infantry, thus the Germans could pick them off piecemeal. The R-35s gun was unable to piece the armour of even the lightest German and Czechoslovak designed tanks. The Germans captured large numbers that were used mainly garrison on occupation duties. Some were stripped of their turrets and used as mobile artillery. At the time of the German invasion the R 35 equipped 21 battalions, each fielding 45 vehicles, amounting to 945 R-35s in French front line service.SOMUA S-35 medium tank.((The French SOMUA S-35 as seen at the Aberdeen proving grounds in Maryland USA. It was an effective tank but was handicapped by its one-man turret and poor tactical deployment.)This was a cavalry tank, built from 1936 until 1940 for equipping the armoured divisions of the cavalry, it was, for a medium tank, heavily armoured, and well armed, being fitted with a 47-mm SA 35 7.5-mm Mitrailleuse mle, 1931 machine-gun and was constructed from well-sloped armour, in mainly cast sections., that however made it expensive to manufacture and maintain.During operation Case Yellow, the SOMUA S-35 proved itself to be a tactfully effective machine but this was compromised by the tactical mistakes of the Allied armies compounded by the fact that the tank had only a one-man turret, meaning that the operator had to many jobs to do, commanding the tank, alongside loading, aiming and firing the main gun, this was a problem that effected all French tanks of World War Two.In May 1940, the tank units of France where given the difficult maneuver of carrying out a rapid advance into Belgium and the Netherlands followed by a holding action to allow the following infantry to prepare positions and dig in the divisions. The 2nd and 3rd DLMS (Division Legere Mecanique) were gathered in the Gemblous Gap between Louvain and Namur, an area where there were no natural obstacles to slow a German advance and to favour a defender. The tanks were forced to spread out to hold the area against the 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions.The resulting tank battle, known as the Battle of Hannut, was up to that date the largest tank on tank engagement known and even today, its still ranks as one of the largest tank battles in history with over 1’700 fighting vehicles taken part. During the fighting, the S-35s gave a good account of themselves, proving to be superior to anything the Germans had but the French authorities were reluctant to deploy them, as they mistakenly believed the Gap to be the area of maximum German effect so they kept some tanks back to meet any further advances in the sector. After the Armistice the Germans allowed some S-35s to be sent to West Africa to bolster the Vichy French forces there, the Germans also took numerous S-35s into their own service and passed numbers onto their allies.Char B-1(Char B-1. heavy tanks being examined by German soldiers after they had been disabled by their French crews, France, May 1940. The soldiers standing nearby clearly illustrate the size of these huge machines. )The Char B-1 was designed to be a specialised heavy breakthrough tank. The original concept was for a self-propped gun with a 75-mm in the hull, later a 47-mm gun was located in a turret was added to allow the machine to function as a ‘Char de Bataille,’ or main battle-tank capable of engaging enemy armour, equipping the armoured divisions of the infantry arm. The Germans had a lot of respect for the Char B-1, for the 75-mm could smash through the frontal armour of even the Panzer IV. However, the Char B-1 was a complex design that required a great deal of maintenance, many simply broke down whilst on the road to battle and were left by the Germans to take over undamaged and the usual one man turret, such a feature on French tanks was a considerable hindrance, as the gunner had not only to command the tank but load, aim and fire the gun. German tanks at this time had two or three men in the turret, therefore increasing the rate of fire by as much as four or five times that of the French tanks. It was also slow, just 15-mph (25 Kph) as compared to the German Panzer IV which had a speed of 24 mph (40 Kph) and because of its size it used up a lot of fuel. The fuel usage meant that the B-1 had an operating time of only three to five hours. The French had planned to tracked fuel tankers capable of following the tanks and of refuelling them, however by the time of the German attack there were not enough of these tankers available. After the fall of France, the Germans took the Char B-1 into their own service, adapting some into mobile flame-throwers or mobile artillery.The British tanks.Vickers light tank.(Vickers Mk VIA in the Royal Australian Corps Tank Museum, Puckapunal, Victoria, Australia. This is one of 10 vehicles purchased by Australia in 1936)This tank was a small vehicle with a crew of three, armed with two machine-guns, one being a 50-inch Vickers as the main and another 303-inch Vickers as secondary. In the Mk VIC, the armament consisted of one 15-mm Besa machine-gun 7.92-mm Besa machine gun.The Vickers light tank was wildly used by the British army; the vehicle saw a lot of action, taking part in almost every major battle involving Britain during the early years of World War Two against Germany and Japan. It was a useful reconnaissance and infantry support vehicle, its main drawback was that its thin army could be penetrated even by small calibre armour piercing projectiles and accordingly they suffered heavy losses in France.Cruiser Mk 1 (A9)(Mark 1 Cruiser (A9) tank of the British Army.)The mark 1 cruiser (A9) entered service with the British Army in 1939. It proved to be an effective tank during the early battles of the war, it had a useful armament of a QF (Quick-firing) 2-pdr gun, and three 303-inch Vickers machine-guns. The machine proved that it could hold its own against the early panzers. Its shortcoming was its armour thickness, just 6-14-mm that made it an easy kill for German and Italian anti-tank guns. The mechanical liability and poor tactical doctrine in its deployment was also another disadvantage for the tank crews. Many were abandoned at Dunkirk.Cruiser Mk II (A10)(Cruiser Mk II (A10) on an exercise in Britain. Many were abandoned in France at Dunkirk. )This was a well-armed tank, having the QF 2-pdr and two Vickers (Some variants had Besa) machine-guns. However, like the A-9s, the A-10s were poorly armoured. A number were sent to France with the British Expeditionary force (BEF) where the 2 pdrs gave a good account of themselves. Most were either destroyed by their crews or abandoned in France after Dunkirk.Cruiser Mk III.(The British Cruiser Mk III )Like the Mk Is and IIs, the Cruiser Mk III was armed with a QF 2-pdr gun and a Vickers 303 Vickers machine-gun. Like its predecessors, it was under armoured and mechanically unreliable though it was fast.Infantry Tank Mk I and II Matilda.(Matilda I )(Matilda II as seen in North Africa displaying a captured Italian flag. )The Mk I Matilda fought in France but being armoured with a single 304 machine-gun its usefulness was extremely limited. The Mk II was a much more effective vehicle, being armed with the then standard British tank gun, the QF 2-pdr, it lacked a machine-gun however, yet due to the thickness of its armour 20 to 78 mm (0.787 to 3.07 inches) thick it was largely immune to German anti-tank guns. Both tanks took part in the fighting around Arras.The Campaign.(Char B1 during the British and French advance on Abbeville. Painting by Giuseppe Rava.)“The truth is that our classic conception of the conduct of war has come up against a new conception. At the basis of this...there is not only the massive use of heavy armoured divisions or cooperation between them and airplanes, but the creation of disorder in the enemy's rear by means of parachute raids.”(French president of the Ministerial Council, Reynaud)During the campaign in the West, the armoured forces were stacked up thus. The French, British, Belgian, and Dutch could field an approximate 3’383 tanks as compared to the 2’445 available to the Germans. So why were the Germans so successful in the West? The answer lies with the new method of war known as Blitzkrieg.The type of warfare that has come to be known as Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) had a short life span, lasting from 1939 to 1942. However, during those years its impart was huge. By a series of lightning campaigns that led Germany to victory after victory the Third Reich was able to demonstrate to the world that it was a master in this new field of warfare. After the First World war most countries relegated their tanks to a support role, giving covering fire to infantry assaults was seen as their primary function but a few theorists had visualised a new rule for the tank in the future of war. Among these was Captain Basil Liddell Hart (31 October 1895 – 29th January 1970) and generals J. F. C. Fuller (1st September 1878 – 10th February 1966) Gliffard Martel (10th October 1889 – 3rd September 1958) Charles Broad (1882 -1976) and George Lindsay (3rd July 1880 – 28th November 1956) whom had argued for an armoured force. By use of persuasion and constant lobbying managed to get a British Experimental Mechanised Force established. However, the experiment did not survive long, due to mostly financial restraints that forced the project to soon be disbanded. However, the Germans had been watching and making notes of the outfits performance, one of the watching Germans was Heinz Guderian (17th June 1888 – 14th May 1954) who followed Liddell hart’s thinking, that future armoured forces thinking, that future armoured forces would have to include a balance of tanks, artillery, pioneers and mechanized infantry and who would become one of Germany’s best generals of the Second world war and one of the few who had the courage to stand up to Hitler.“In this year (1929) I became convinced that tanks working on their own or in conjunction with infantry could never achieve decisive importance. My historical studies; the exercise, carried out in England and our own experience with mock ups and persuaded me that the tanks would never be able to produce their full effect until weapons whose they most inevitably rely were brought up to their standard of speed and of cross-country performance. In such formations of all arms, the tanks must play their primary role, the other weapons being subordinated to the requirements of the armour. It would be wrong to include tanks in infantry divisions: what were needed were armoured divisions which would include all the supporting arms needed to fight with full effect.”(Heinz Guderian)However, whereas Liddel was spending time trying to convince an audience that barely listened to him, Guderian was given the opportunity to put his ideas into practice, when he was given the go-ahead to form Germany’s first post war tank formations.“In Germany the elements of modern warfare jad crystallized into a doctrine before the war – thanks mainly to the work of General Guderian and had found practical expression in the organization and training or armoured formations.”(General Erwin Rommel)The idea was being implemented at a time when other armies were still forcing their tanks to move with the speed of the marching infantry. At first, the Germans simply mounted their infantry in lorries; only later did they mount them in specialized half-tracks.(The German attack (Operation Case Yellow) was a copy of the plans used in World War One; to outflank the French defences on the Franco-German border (in world War Two, this was the formidable Maginot line) and to strike through Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, with powerful armoured thrusts through the Ardennes, believed by the Allies to be impenetrable to tanks)However the supporters of the new armoured formations in Germany did not have it all their own way during the years leading up to 1939 for there were many in the country who still adhered to the well-established technique of their forbearers, these being massed infantry assaults in spite of the painful lessons learned during the 1914 -18 War. At this time, German tanks were small and lightly armed and armoured but Hitler was persuaded and he throw his support behind the new formations.“In order to overcome the first of these disadvantages, the one related to unsupported armour, the protagonists of mechanization - General Fuller, Martel, Liddell Hart and others - advocated reinforcing the all tank units by infantry and artillery mounted on permanently assigned armoured vehicles, together with mechanized engineers, and signals, support and supply elements.”(Heinz Guderian)Using these new formations the German army was able to establish an overwhelming force of armour and mobile infantry at a point of their choosing. The point would be selected by reconnaissance troops, not on horses, as they would have been a few years back but on motorcycles and armoured cars to provide support when and where required. The use of the radio was also another novelty employed by the Germans; this was a new thing in 1940 once the area of attack had been chosen the tanks would then mass together. next they would advance under a hail of artillery fire and dive bombers (Mostly Junkers Ju 87 Stukas and a few older Henschel 123 bi-planes) accompanied by a mechanized infantry on the flanks and in the enemies rear. The mechanized infantry would have the job to clear the way through strong-points and to stop any enemy movement on the German lines of communication as the wedges of tanks moved forward. Further support was to be provided by the tanks own armament once the armament once the armour had moved on through the breakthrough point and swarms of Stuka dive-bombers to crush any remaining strong-points of resistance. Assault pioneers would travel with the tanks and mechanized infantry and all the time the tanks drove deeper into the enemy’s territory, fanning out to the left and right, spreading out far and wide in the foe’s rear. in so doing they cut up the enemy formations piecemeal.In Poland, the Blitzkrieg was textbook, but the Poles had put up a gallant resistance yet it had not been enough. What the campaign had showed the Germans was its short comings in the Panzer Is and IIs, these would be eked out by large numbers of Czech designs. The shortage of mechanized infantry was also often felt and too much of the artillery was still horse-drawn, leading to vital delays in its employment.“(a) A delaying position along the Albert Canal from Antwerp to Liège and the Meuse from Liège to Namur, which was to be held long enough to allow French and British troops to occupy the line Antwerp–Namur–Givet. It was anticipated that the forces of the guarantor Powers would be in action on the third day of an invasion.(b) Withdrawal to the Antwerp–Namur position.(c) The Belgian Army was to hold the sector–excluding Leuven, but including Antwerp–as part of the main Allied defensive position”(Belgian plan for the defence of their country)In the West, the campaign had lasted from May into June and saw the defeat of Germany’s ancient foe. Caught by surprise by the German attack through the Ardennes and weakened by years of ineffective governments and a defensive attitude the French forces had crumpled. They had been relaying on the Maginot line to blunt any German thrust but the Maginot lines of fortifications halted at the Luxemburg border. The Belgians and British too had been no match for the armoured thrusts, Belgium lacked few modern tanks (Apart from the T-13 tank destroyer, but only 220 of these were ready by the time of the German attack, though they had a powerful 47-mm Model 1931 anti-tank gun they were thinly armoured) and the British were still fighting a war along 1914 lines. Though at places, the British and French armour fought well and inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, such as at Hannut and arras, it was not enough.(Belgium T-13 Tank Destroyers in German hands {Clearly an SS unit}. The T-13 was in effect an ambush vehicle and would be better described as a tank destroyer. It had a 47-mm model 1931 main gun but it was handicapped by thin armour and lack of numbers, only 220 being ready for use by the time of the German attack. However, where the terrain suited an ambush vehicle of this type the T-13 did hurt the Germans on a number of occasions. )In many places the Belgiums put up a stubborn, courageous resistance, in a series of desperate rear-guard actions that slowed down the German advance, just like the Belgium’s had done in 1914 when the phrase was termed ‘brave little Belgium.’ Like in 1914, the French and British had come to Belgium’s aid and the defenders were hoping the same would happen again and with the help of the allies, Belgium would be saved.“Soldiers The Belgium Army, brutally assailed by an unparalleled surprise attack, grappling with forces that are better equipped and have the advantage of a formidable air force, has for three days carried out difficult operations, the success of which is of the utmost importance to the general conduct of the battle and to the result of war.These operations require from all of us – officers and men – exceptional efforts, sustained day and night, despite a moral tension tested to its limits by the sight of the devastation wrought by a pitiless invader. However severe the trial may be, you will come through it gallantly.Our position improves with every hour; our ranks are closing up. In the critical days that are ahead of us, you will summon up all your energies, you will make every sacrifice, to stem the invasion.Just as they did in 1914 on the Yser, so now the French and British troops are counting on you: the safety and honour of the country are in your hands.”(King Leopold of the Belgium’s)As we are concentrating on the Blitzkrieg and the armoured warfare and the types of tanks used in this article we will not be covering the events of the Low Countries and French campaign as that is too big a scope for this article. Instead, we will look at two battles that witnessed the largest clash of armour during the campaign, these battles being the battles of Hannut and Arras. First we look at Hannut.(French infantry and H-35s tanks try to stop the advance of the German Blitzkrieg. Painting by Peter Dennis.)The Battle of Hannut.General Gaston Billotte (10th February 1875 -23 May 1940) had asked General Prioux (11th April 1879 – 16th June 1953) to move his forces further east to bolster up the Belgian Army. However, Prioux was unimpressed by the Belgian defence and he was weary about gathering his forces in the open under a Luftwaffe that now dominated the skies. He preferred to the deploy his dragoons and artillery further back in a line of strong points, with his tanks waiting behind, ready to counter-attack in case of any German breakthrough. Billotte gave in to Prioux’s reasoning but expressed a need for haste, adding that the First Army Group would advance by day as well as by night, despite the threat of enemy aircraft in order to reach, Gembloux as soon as possible, hoping to get there before the Germans. All that General Prioux needed do was delay the Panzers until the morning of the 14th May.The 23rd Fighter Group (Fighter Groupment 23) received an order from General Billotte on 11: 00 A. M. on the 11th May to cover the movements of the French 1st Army and its neighbouring formations. However many of their aircraft were obsolete types and were no match for the Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt 109s and what aircraft there was, were badly needed to escort the bombers, attacking Erich Hoepner’s (14th September 1886 – 8th August 1944, hanged for his role in the July plot on Hitler’s life) panzer columns. On the ground, Prioux’s reconnaissance units were forced back towards the main body of French cavalry, which were located in the strongpoints along a 24-mile (40 kilometres) front, supported by the 2nd DLM from Huy on the Meuse and north, then westward along the banks of the Mehaigne Stream. The area in front of Crehen to Orp and then northward to Tirelemont and he Petite Cette was occupied by the 3rd DLM. The battleground here was made up of a plateau with occasional woods, an extensive road network, and occasional farms. The Mehaigne and the Petite Gette were small streams with many crossing points. The ridge running along from Hannut through Crehen and Merdrop was the key feature to the battlefield.On the 12th May, the 4th Panzer Division was racing to seize its first objective, the Belgian town of Hannut, arriving in the area that morning. Noticing that his tanks were short of fuel, Major-General Stever requested an airdrop of fuel, thinking that he was facing just one battalion of tanks decided to engage, as his tanks moved forward they encountered 25 French tanks and destroyed 7 of them without lose.(Morane-Saulnier M. S 406. The French had large numbers of these fighters available in May 1940, however by that time they were regarded as obsolete and they were easy meat for the German fighters, though in the hands of a skilled pilot they could and did acquit themselves well. One, pilot Robert Williame; shot down three me 109s in 15 seconds!)Allied air units now concentrated on the attacking German tanks, the British sent over 38 bombers and lost 22 of them. The French also sent in their bombers. One attack, consisting of 18 Breguet 693s on their first flight lost 18 aircraft. The Germans had 85 Messerschmitt 109s of Jagdgeshwader 27 (Fighter Wing 27) flew 340 sorties, claiming 6 Allied aircraft for the lose of just four of their own fighters. The German flak guns claimed a further 25 Allied aircraft. These attacks, though gallant were in vain, for that afternoon General Alphonse Georges (15th August 1875 – 24th April 1951) ordered that all priority was to be to his threatened sector of the front to the South of the Seden Sector, however this decision left Prioux’s cavalry formations devoid of most of their air cover.The tanks of Johann Stever’s 35thRegiment moving on Hannut ran into fierce resistance. The French armour was deployed under cover but they soon counter-attacked, doing so several times during the battle. Then, after the most desperate fighting, the French yielded Hannut without any further resistance, sparing the town the bitter street-by-street fighting that was visited upon other towns in Belgium and France. The Germans, however, unaware of the French retreat then attempted to out flank the town, 50 of their tanks ran into strongpoints at Crehen The French had on hand 21 Hotchkiss tanks of the nd Cuirassiers that was that was supported by parts of the 76th Artillery Regiment and the fire from the nearby DLM. The Hotchkiss bore the burnt of the defence through the dragoons also suffered heavy casualties, fighting on bravely, despite the loss of their commander they battled on. They fired from hull- down from prepared positions, the Germans used their medium tanks to try and pin down the French armour whilst sending their light tanks around thew French flanks. As the French tanks, bravely battled on the main French force retreated to Merdrop. The Germans claim to have to destroyed nine SOMUA S-35s fore the loss of five of their own. The surrounded Cuirassiers were by an armoured counter-attack launched by the 2nd DLM, SOMUA S-35s breached the German line and the French unit broke but they suffered heavy loses in the fighting. The right flank of the 4th Panzer division was now vulnerable.(Junkers JU 87 Stukas seen over Poland during the German 1939 invasion. The Stuka became the symbol of the Blitzkrieg, and was known as the ‘flying artillery.’ In France and the Low countries, it proved to be just as deadly effective as it was in Poland. )The Germans, coming from their staging area at Oreye, 6 miles (11 kilometres) to the northeast of Hannut sent the 3rd Panzer up to counter the supposed threat. Meanwhile a Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft reported having seen French armour at Orp and motorized units at Gembloux. Hoepner now ordered the 3rd panzer Division, under the command of Horst Stumpff, (20h November 1887 – 25th November 1958) to attack the French forces in an attempt to prevent the enemy from organizing an effective defence.The Germans now advanced under a heavy umbrella of artillery fire and air attacks heading for the French strongpoint of Thisnes, whilst they simply ignored a French counter-attack to their rear. The French fought back with desperate courage, barricading the streets of Thisnes and bringing up their artillery, they poured a hurricane of fire onto the advancing Germans. The Germans discovered to their cost that the defender’s fire was heavier than expected and the tank attack was stopped. Meanwhile the rest of the Germans outflanked the French positions to their right, through poor visibility hampered their movement. The Germans eventually made it to the western edge of the town only to come under a deluge of fire from the nearby French strongpoint at Wansin which to continue to increase in force. The Germans were next ordered to regroup their tanks and riflemen and to secure a perimeter but before this could be done, the French counter-attacked with their Soumas, destroying the German regimental commander’s tank. After fierce fighting the French and German tanks pulled back into the darkness, stumbling across each other occasionally. The French retired to Merdrop and the Germans pulled back their tanks to Hannut, the result of the days fighting was a stalemate. The French may well have been feeling confident at this stage, It looked like the German invasion of Belgium could be halted and even turned back, but it was not to be.The power of the French Anti-tank guns proved to be deadly, even the little 25-mm had little trouble stopping the Panzer Is. Though the Panzer II fared better their losses were still alarmingly high. The Germans became increasingly desperate and frustrated in their attempts to halt the heavily armoured French tanks. There is one account of a German jumping into a Hotchkiss H-35Armed with nothing more than a hammer, possibly with the intention of smashing the periscopes and blinding the crew but the man was seen to fall of the vehicle and to be crushed under the tank’s tracks. By the evening, the fields around Hannut were littered with wrecked and smoking tanks, most of them being German Panzer Is and IIs.(Though the German conquest of the Netherlands was rapid the Dutch did put up a spirited resistance and its tiny air force did have a number of aerial victories. Here we see two Dutch fokker XxIs chasing after an Me 109. Painting by Stan Hajek.)At 20’00 hours Stever addressed Hoepner, telling him that he believed that there was one French mechanised division to his front and another to his rear on he Mehaigne River. Alarmed both German generals agreed to mount a major offensive on the morrow.The Germans attack that night, aggressively probing the French positions. However, the Wansin strongpoint gallantly resisted all night against German riflemen, only withdrawing early in the morning of the 13th May, though the front of the 3rd DLM remained together, the troops holding their positions at Tienen, Jandrenouille, and Merdrop. The 2nd DLM also managed to hold their sector of the front in spite of heavy German pressure and mounted casualties. The only breach of the Allied defence came at Winson at the Junction of the 2nd and 3rd DLM. The Germans had failed to take their objectives and the French armour had won this first round.To the south of the battle area, the Germans began their assault across the Meuse River., their primary objective. To the north, General Hoepner sent in spoiling attacks, trying to tie the French 1st Army down so that it could send reinforcements to the Meuse crossing area. He believed that the newly arrived, 4th Panzer Division had only weak enemy forces before it but the 4thPanzer Division faced strong French mechanised forces that opposed it in the area of Thisnes and Hannut --- which the French had in fact evacuated --- and possibly a second French armoured division south of Mehaigne. Late in the morning, the German air force bombed and strafed the French positions, softening them up. Particularly fearsome where the fearsome Junkers Ju 87s, more commonly known as the ‘Stuka’ fitted with a siren that howled like a banshee as they dived, these dive bombers had a serious moralising effects on its victims. The 3rd panzer division now advanced on Thorembais while the 4th moved parallel to Perwez against what was believed to be a strong Belgian anti-tank screen. The XVI Army Corps now fell back on the 6th Army’s original plan which to push on to Gembloux.The Germans sent in waves of infantry, supported by waves of armoured cars, the French dug their heels in and would not budge; the fighting became desperate, until the Germans were finally repulsed by the 12th Cuirassiers and to the south the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Dragoons. The battle raged on, the French fought back hard, putting up a stubborn resistance, yet the German 18th Infantry still managed to penetrate their lines. The French now planned to counter-attack with tanks belonging to the 1st Cuirassiers detachment to try and restore the lines but these plans were abandoned because of events east of the 3rd DLM’s front, instead the French command ordered a retreat. Again, the fighting was desperate and bitter, the French and Belgians escaped as the Germans were too slow following up their success. 30 SOMUA S-35s of the 2nd DLM were despatched from the Mehaigne to the line of Merdrop-Crehen to relieve the pressure on the 3rd DLM. The French were thrown back with heavy lose by a thick belt of enemy tanks and anti-tank guns, the battlefield becoming littered with their wrecked and burning machines. General Gabriel Bougrain, commander of the 2nd DLM had sent signals that enemy formations had infiltrated his positions and that he was now being subjected to attacks by armoured cars over the Mehaigne River at Moha and Wanze, just north to Huy. These attacks threatened to cut of the large Belgian garrison located in the town, Bougrain rerouted his armoured forces to give assistance to the Belgians, he received a report from a French reconnaissance aircraft at 11:50 hours of large concentrations of German armour south-east- of Crehen. The 2nd DLM had by this time used up all his reserves and was powerless to intervene.(Top, Belgian Machine-gun section and below a light bomber of the Belgian air force Though the Belgian did have some modern weapons, such as 20 British Hawker Hurricane fighters the vast bulk of the Belgians military equipment was antiquated as is illustrated in these two photographs, showing a World War One Vintage O 8 Machine-gun (Top) and a Fairey Fox light bomber. Though the Belgian resistance was courageous, courage alone was not going to be enough to overcome their lack of modern weapons, especially aircraft)Bougrain’s dragoons and motorised infantry were scattered in groups of isolated strong-points which left hem vulnerable to inflictration. The Belgians offered Bougrain the use of their III Corps that were retreating through his front in the Liege area but the French general refused the offer. The problem now lay with Prioux’s lack of attention to the defense and concentration doctrine of the French forces that had allowed decentralised command to continue which had damaged the French operation performance, which created problems for the French defense.The German command on the other hand worried about the potential of the 2nd DLM to interfere with its main attack. They now placed forced marching infantry units between its XVI and XXVII Corps and gathered together four units from the 35th 61st and the 269th Infantry Divisions advancing from the direction of Liege, along with air support and some armoured cars. These units attacked and infiltrated through the French forces and strongpoints north of Huy and drew out what little armour the Belgians possessed. This critical German success in tying down the French and Belgian armour with infantry allowed Hoepner to concentrate his panzers against Prioux’s front to the west of Hannut. Had Bougrain gathered his armoured forces for a drive to the north or northwest he may well have caused the Germans some serious problems.The Germans would launch a new assault along a 12 kilometre (7 mile) front, for they now concentrated Hoepner’s forces, consisting of 560 tanks and several rifle battalions who were supported on their right by the 18th infantry Division belong to the IV Corps. The Germans attacked with the 3rd panzer Brigade of the 3rd Panzer Division at 11:30, on the right drove the 5th Panzer Regiment whilst on the left the 6th advanced with the brigade commander moving forward with the regiment. By midday, the panzers were engaged amongst the barricaded and mined the heavy fighting. After 90 minutes, the German tanks managed to push the stubborn French defenders across the stream, with the 5th at Marilles, the 6th at Orp.The 6th Regiment was now ordered by the German command to swing south towards the towns Jondrain and Jondrenouillle, here the terrain was more favourable, and the 6th would be able to give assistance to the 4th Panzer Division. The 6th Regiment battling on the east and west bank of the Petite Gette ran into French armour in the Orp area. They were quickly engaged but were attacked by tanks that are more French; however, the 6th was reinforced and was able to stop the French advance. The Germans regrouped and attacked that afternoon, their 3rd Panzer division on the north facing Marilles and Orp and the 4th Panzer Division facing Thisnes and Merdrop. As the 5th and 6th Panzer regiments, forward they ran into concentration of French armour and a wild, confused tank verse tank melee insured. the Germans had more tanks here and used them on mass, in large armoured wedges whilst the French tanks were grouped together in small penny packets. Hampered by their own one-man turrets in which the operators had too many jobs to do, operating the gun, and commanding the tank the French tanks fired more slowly than the Germans but they bravely battled on. From 15:00 to 15:48 hours the 3rd Panzer Regiment finding it hard pressed, repeatedly sent urgent requests for anti-tank units to be brought up and for the Luftwaffe to deal with the French armour. The 2nd Panzer Battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment R was practically hard pressed when its flanks were attacked by a superior force of French armour opposite Marilles. The war diary of the 3rd Panzer recorded a fierce 15, minute duel in which the 2nd Battalion fought alone. The 1st Battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment seeing victory on the left despatched its 1st Battalion back to its right, ending the fight in front of Marilles successfully for the Germans at around 16:00. Whilst, the German infantry secured Orp the Panzer commanders made an urgent request for more 37 mm and 75 mm ammunition, a clear indignation of the nature of the fighting that they had found themselves embroiled in.The next morning, the Germans pounded the French with heavy concentrations of air and artillery bombardments, inflicting serious losses on the strong points manned by the 11th Dragoons whilst German reconnaissance teams consisting of motor cyclists and armoured cars searched for infiltration and crossing points. At about 11:300 hours, the 3rdDLM reported that some 80 Panzers had been seen around Marilles such another 100 at Orp. The dragoons put up a gallant show of defending their positions supported by the Hotchkiss squadron but their resistance began to fall around 11:30 as German numbers and a failing supply of ammunition told.(Two French destroyed SOMUA S-35s and an anti-tank gun destroyed during the fighting at Hannut in Belgium. )The 3rd DLM was now ordered to retreat, as the remaining dragoons withdraw, their Hotchkiss H-35s along with two other Hotchkiss squadrons from the 1st Cuirassiers counter-attacked. The French attack was a success at the beginning; the Germans were pushed back across the stream. However, losses were about even with the French saying that they had destroyed six panzer for the loss of only four of their own tanks. 36 SOMUA S-35 of the 1st Cuirassiers were now despatched by Lieutenant-Colonel De Vernejoul (18889 -1936) with orders to stop the German drive on Jandrain but as the SOMUA rolled forward the Germans attacked them from cover with an equal numbers of panzer and halted the French advance. Some tanks of the 3rd DLM launched raids against the still vulnerable flanks of the 4th Panzers Divisions , some small groups of these broke through but they quickly destroyed by the anti-tanks guns of the 654th Anti-Tank battalion attached to the 4th Panzer Division. Apart from this, the 3rd DLM made no further attempts to halt the drive of the 4th Panzer. During the afternoon of the same day, the 4th Panzer Division a drive for Merdrop and an artillery duel started between the big guns of both sides. The French now pushed their armour into the abandoned town and skilfully changed position causing the Germans to struggle to acquire targets. The panzers went around the town by this left the German infantry unsupported who were forced to give ground before the approaching French tanks. The panzers quickly turned back and clashed with the French out on the open plain. Here once again the superior German tactics overcame the superior French armour. One major advantage the Germans had over the French was that they had radios in their tanks whereas the French did no. Better able to co-ordinate their movements the Germans outmanoeuvred the French repeatedly. By concentrating their tanks together and using them to hit a certain point on mass, the French tanks were defeated. The French infantry tried to infiltrate through the German rear but they were stopped by their German counter-parts.While the battle raged, the 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions were still advancing on Jandrain. Close to the town, a bitter town melee raged where the Germans reported 400 prisoners and capturing four or five tanks. The French now started a general retreat westward as the Panzers no longer concerned about attacks on their flanks advanced and engaged the reminder of the French forces in the evening. The 3rd Panzer Brigade claimed of knocking out 54 enemy tanks, 36 of these by the 5th Panzer regiment and 18 by its neighbouring unit, the 3rd Panzer regiment while their losses were listed as ‘slight.’ The 6th Panzer regiment for instance reported losing only two tanks, though the Germans did suffer many vehicles disabled but as they secured the battlefield these were later recovered and many were repaired. The next morning the 2nd DLM retreated to the line south of Perwez. The Germans made their move on Perwez on the morning of the 14th May and straight away ran into difficulties; Hoepner’s troops were unable to break through the new French line until the arrival of the 4th Panzer Division which was soon in action in the wooded areas around Perwez with French armour. After some fierce fighting, the French defences were overrun with the help of German infantry. The first French Army had relocated its armoured battalions behind the infantry, instead of, ‘as was German practice in front of the infantry,’ with the infantry being able to use the armour as mobile shields. Spread out and unable to support each other, the French tanks were destroyed piecemeal by a combination of combined German arms. However, the fierce resistance of the 2nd DLM was not entirely in vain, it halted the advance of the 3rd Panzer Division. Once more, there was bitter fighting in which the appearance of French tanks caused a panic in the German command who thought that a major attack was developing when in fact they were rear-guard actions. Both sides lost heavily in armour but as darkness se, the night sky being lit up with the fires of dozens of burning tanks, the 2nd DLM halted its rear-guard actions and the German command regained its composure.The French and Belgians had fought well, often displaying acts of extreme bravery but courage alone had not been enough as for the Germans they had learned a painful lesson. They had discovered dureing the fighting that the Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs were the only tanks capable of matching the SOMUA in battle, which was generally considered to be the best tank in the west in 1940. However, the Germans had not enough of these later types yet by using better tactics such as combined arms teams, aided by the tank’s radios and the Stukas of the Luftwaffe the Germans were able to overcome the bigger French tanks.The German plan to forestall the French 1st Army at Gembloux despite their victory over the 3rd DLM. Once more, the fighting was heavy, at one stage the fire of the French artillery was so dense that a gas alert was issued. However, Hoepner’s advance onto the Belgian Plain had tied down the Cavalry Corps and part of the French 1st Army, taking their attention away from the German breakthrough at Sedan.On the 15th May French Premier, Paul Reynaud (11th October – 187- 21stSeptember 1966) telephoned Winston Churchill. “We have been defeated,” he said. “We are beaten, we have lost the battle.”Hannut had been the biggest tank battle during the early years of the Second World War, not until the invasion of the Soviet Union on the 22nd June 1941 would, there be bigger clashes of armour.(German General Erich Hoepner, commander of the XVI Corps at Hannut and in the Gembloux offensive.)The Battle of Arras.On the Afternoon of the 21st May, in an attempt to shore up the defences against the approaching German armour the BEF reinforced the town of Arras, (Scene of much fighting in the First World War), the British launched an armoured thrust aimed at closing the gap caused by the breakthrough of the panzers at Peronne and Gambrai. Having learned the lessons from the French at Hannut the British decided to copy the German tactics and use their tanks on mass. The German breakthrough threatened Boulogne and Calais and to cut the British lines of communication. In a desperate attempt to redress the situation, the British 50th Division and the 1st Tank Brigade were moving south of Arras. This was to be the only large-scale attack under taken by the British during the campaign. The attack should have been mounted by two full infantry divisions, consisting of 15’000 men but it was actually carried out with just to Infantry battalions, these were the 6th and 8th battalions of the Durham Light infantry supporting the 4th and 7th Royal Tank Regiments., approximately 2’000 men with 74 tanks. The infantry battalions attacked in two columns. At the beginning, the right column made good progress, capturing a number of prisoners but they soon ran into trouble, encountering German infantry and SS troops backed by air support and they took heavy casualties.The left column enjoyed some initial success being confronted by the infantry detachments of General major Erwin Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division. Among the defending Germans were motorized elements of the SS Totenkopf Regiment, (Later expanded into the SS Division Totenkopf) they were unable to stop the British tanks as their standard 37-mm 1.46-inch) Pak-36/37 anti-tank gun proving virtually useless against the heavily armoured British Matilda tanks. Rommel used some of his armour in local counter-attacks only to discover that the guns of the Panzer IIs and Panzer 38 (t) tanks could not penetrate the Matilda’s armour.“In command of my one remaining Matilda, I followed SHQ. On reaching DUISANS there was the sound of firing from leading tanks and we deployed astride the road. Many German vehicles were burning, troop carriers with infantry were moving West on the road and we engaged them successfully. We were ordered to cross the main road. I followed on towards DAINVILLE: just North of the village we came under spasmodic shellfire, and I remember negotiating the HT wires which had fallen across the road on the Northern outskirts of the village. We passed through the village without opposition, turned left on the main road and then right towards ACHICOURT. Before crossing the railway we came across isolated groups of our own infantry – DLI (Durham Light Infantry) and not the ones we were supposed to work with - and also saw and had a half-hearted battle with what turned out to be French tanks sitting in the open on the high ground 1000 yards west of ACHICOURT. Once the mistake was realised we moved on into the village and met up with some of the 4th, B Sqn of the 7th and Scout Cars of the GHQ Recce Unit (one commanded by Lt Newton Dunn). They had knocked out a German A Tk Gun, and taken a few PW on the Southern outskirts on the road to WAILLY.After a brief halt at ACHICOURT I was ordered to move on to WAILLY and took over the lead from SHQ. I was entirely on my own as the other troops had not caught up. ‘About 500 yards from the village I was fired on by a large armoured car with a small gun in it; 20mm I suppose, with no effect on my tank. I fired back and the car burst into flames. One of the crew must have had guts, as although wounded he continued to fire as I closed in and eventually I saw him climb out and fall into the gutter, badly burned. I moved past the blazing armoured car nearly up to the cross-roads in the village which was full of German infantry. There was a lot of traffic darting across the crossroads from South to North and which we engaged with varying success. When occupied with this we were engaged at short range by a 37mm A Tk Gun, again with no effect, which had been pushed around the corner of a house by German infantry. This was followed by a shower of grenades which landed on the tank.”(Lieutenant Tom Craig)In desperation Rommel ordered the division’s 88-mm (3.46-inch) FLAK 18 anti-aircraft guns and 105-mm (4.1-inch) field guns to be placed in a defensive line with orders to fire anti-tank and HE rounds at the British tanks, in a last ditch effect to halt the Matildas. The BEF’s attack was stopped with heavy casualties of both men and machines. Then, with the aid of the Luftwaffe, in particular the fearsome Stukas, operating under an umbrella o Messerschmitt ME 109 fighters, Rommel launched a counter-attack and managed to drive the British back, the BEF’s offensive had been repulsed.“While proceeding along the road Neuville–Maroeuil, anti-tank shells from our left struck the road about ten to twenty yards ahead. It was impossible to discover the guns, so I went on to a position of shelter and reported by radio. No reply was obtained.About twenty or thirty minutes later, I observed a force, about a company strong, of tanks to the west of Dainville, about one mile away. These machines may have been French, but retired when we turned to approach them.The level crossing near Dainville was close, so I was compelled to break through it, and proceeded about half a mile at high speed. Seeing two men attempting to hide in a cornfield I pursued them and opened fire with the 3030 Vickers. One operate—an N.C.O. in German uniform—surrendered and the other was apparently killed. In put the prisoner in the rear of the tank, covering him with my revolver while we went down the road. Three wrecked motorcars were passed and one dead civilian. A mile further on we ran into a village occupied by German forces who opened fire with rifles. I turned round and came back to report to Captain Fisher. I continueinto Dainville and handed over the prisoner to captain of the Durham Light Infantry for conveyance to Provost Personnel …I then followed two Mk II tanks of 6 sec. B Coy intending to pass them and catch up with the Mk I vehicles. Odd groups of the enemy were seen and engaged, but near a main road west of Achicourt (½–1 mile), we came under anti-tank fire and sustained three direct hits. The effect was that of hitting a large stone at speed, and the track on the right-hand side was seen a yard or two in front of the tank. Two more shots followed, and then the guns were silenced by our fire, and that of the I tanks, which went on without seeing us.We were subjected to intense rifle fire for some minutes, and then left alone, apparently in the belief that we were killed. After five or ten minutes, about thirty to fifty Germans were congregated in groups on the road and to the right of us. We estimated the range of each group, and then opened fire. Many of the enemy fell, but some doubtless were unhurt. Later an abandoned anti-tank gun, about 800 yards to our right front, was re-manned, but was seen to be deserted after we fired upon it.In the intervals of firing, we attempted to report by radio, but could obtain no reply, although the receiver was working and radiation was shown on the ammeter. The aerial had been damaged by rifle bullets.Soon afterwards, more tanks appeared, both Mk I and Mk II, and the firing died down. Infantry also appeared.I then got out to inspect the damage. About five track plates and pins were damaged, there was a hole about two inches in diameter in the right-hand sprocket, which had two teeth missing, and radiator, which could not be opened, was leaking. The engine would run, but smelt strongly of burning. I mad several attempts to get more track plates while my crew, Troopers Tansley and Mackay M., worked at the tank often under heavy shellfire. At times, this was so severe that work had to be suspended. Enemy aircraft also caused interference.During this time it was reported to me, that Sgt Temple's tank (Mk II) was out of action in front of us and the sergeant was believed killed. As soon as the shelling and rifle fire permitted, I went out with an R.A.M.C. officer, and found the tank with its right track off and Sgt Temple and another man, who was unrecognisable by me, dead outside the tank. The tank was abandoned with a bomb inside it, which duly exploded.(JU 87 Stukas attack British Armour, May 1940. Painting by Adam Tooby)At dusk most of the infantry had withdrawn and since it was obvious that a counter-attack was coming and that in the dark I could do no useful work against it I prepared to abandon the tank. I set fire to three German motorcycles (one a combination from which I removed a map, later given to Captain Holden) and the three anti-tank guns. These were nearly all metal so did not burn well. They appeared similar to a very large Boys rifle in mechanism, firing a shell of about ¾ to 1 lb. judging from the empty cases.All moveable kit, including guns, wireless, pyrenes, etc., was piled on an abandoned Bren carrier which we managed to start, and when it was obvious no help was coming, the tank was fired. It was soon blazing fiercely.Being informed that Neuville-Vitasse was in enemy hands I rallied with Major Fernie of the 4th Bn outside Achicourt.The German counter-attack was launched as soon as darkness was complete. Hot machine-gun fire was opened and a heavy tank (possibly a captured one of French design) came down the road from Neuville, firing its gun at random … I followed in the carrier, which however broke down and had to be abandoned. This too was set on fire, but I have reason to believe did not burn.I had now with me Trooper Nichol, driver of Lieut. Nugent's tank. His tank, like another Mk II I saw, had caught fire and the crew had separated.An infantry made up my party to five, so securing two Bren guns, and a water bottle and rations each, we made our way into the country, halting at a ruined aerodrome about 0230 hours on the 22nd.One the following morning I led my party to five, so securing two Bren guns, and a water bottle and rations each, we made our way into the country, halting at a ruined aerodrome about 0230 hours on the 22nd.On the following morning, I led my party into Arras. We reported to Area Headquarters and were later sent back to Vimy.”(Australian Captain T Hepple, killed in action 21st May, 1940)The attack sent shock waves through the German command; the 7th Panzer Division had believed that they were being attacked by five infantry divisions; it may well have been one of the factors for the surprise half order for the panzers outside Dunkirk.“A critical moment in the drive came just as my had reached the channel. it was caused by a British counter-stroke southwards from Arras on May 21st. For a short time, it was feared that the panzer divisions would be cut off before the infantry divisions could come up to support them. None of the French counter-attack carried any series threat such as this one did.”(Field-Marshal von Rundstedt)the main British force had consisted of 58 machine-guns Matilda 1s and just 16 QF 2-pdr gun armed Matilda IIs which were supported by a handful by a handful of lighter. In total the British lost 40 tanks and the French 20 were lost during fighting whilst the German lost 12 with Rommel’s division 89 men killed, 116 wounded and 193 missing and captured of which 400 were taken prisoner. Total German losses were about 700. The British sustained around 100 KILLED AND WOUNDED, THE French casualties are unknown. Among the British casualties were 170 whom had been captured and then shot by the SS.(The German 8.8-cm Anti-Aircraft gun. At Arras, it proved to be a highly effective tank killer and it became famous in that role. Though designed as an Anti-Aircraft gun it served throughout World War Two as a duel-purpose artillery piece and would later be fitted to armoured vehicles, variants being the main armament on the Tiger tank and the Ferdinand (Elephant self-Propelled gun. This one can be seen at the Imperial War Museum in London.)The Ancient Greeks invented the Phalanx, not true. The phalanx was firt used in Mesopotamia well before the birth of Greek civilization.(Above and below. A Sumerian Stele showing a Phalanx of 2500 BC. Over a 1000 years before the Greeks used this formation.)————————————————————————————————————-The Americans produced the first irobnclads for the American Civil War.Hardly, because they were not the first ironclads. The idea that they were is just one of many myths that spring up in military history. In fact the oldest ocean going Ironclad in the world still afloat was launched in 1860, a year before the outbreak of the American Civil War and that ship is HMS Warrior which is a floating museum in Portsmouth in southern England. Yet even the Warrior was not the first ocean-going Ironclad. That was the British gunboat HMS Nemesis. However the Nemesis had a thin iron skin which is not the same as iron armour. Though a thin iron skin gives some defense, especially against the hazard of flying splinters as seen in the wooden hulled ships, it gave little defense against the new explosive shells fired from Paixhans guns which, fortunately for the Nemesis, the Chinese had none of during the Opium War. The first true ocean -’armoured’ iron-clad was the French ship named the La-Gloire which was launched in 1859.(HMS Warrior as seen in Portsmouth in southern England as a museum ship. {I have been on her, she is moored not far from HMS Victory and for any visitor to Portsmouth I highly recommend a visit} She is the oldest ocean going Ironclad still afloat, having been launched in 1860. Though she was steam driven as is evident by the presence of the funnels she also carried sails because the early steam engines were unreliable, so the sails were there in case of problems with the steam engines.)The La-Gloire’s armour consisted of 4.7 inch iron plate backed by 17-inch timber. On tests conducted with a French 50-pounder and a British 68-pounder gun with full charge at a distance of 65 feet failed to penetrate the hull. These early steam-powered iron-warships came complete with rigging for sails in case the steam engines should break down and also to conserve on fuel.(The French La-Gloire. Though she was not the first ocean going ironclad she was the first ocean armoured ironclad. She sparked off an arms race, the British launching HMS Warrior the following year to counter the threat posed by the French vessel)What was revolutionary about the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor was there total reliance on steam, forgoing the rigging seen on earlier ironclads. Yet even these were not America’s first ironclad, that was the USS Michigan launched in 1843, however she was not designed as an ocean going ship being meant for service on the Great Lakes.(USS Michigan. She was the United States’ first Ironclad but she was not designed as an Ocean going vessel. Her service was to be on the Great Lakes(HMS Warrior escorting the Royal Yacht 1863. Painting by S, Francis Smitheman.)—————————————————————————————————————-The British did not burn Washington DC during the War of 1812. They did burn a number of public and important buildings in the city but they did not torch the entire city. The so-called burning of Washington took place on the 24th August 1814, the most prominent building destroyed was the White House, known back then as the Presidential Mansion, it was done in retaliation for the American burning of York (Later Toronto) capital of upper Canada. Also burnt was the United States Treasury, the United States Department of War building, however the files and records had been removed before the British arrived so they were saved for future study by historians. The US Patent Office was saved from the flames by the effects of William Thornton who convinced the British not to burn it because of its importance to mankind. Thornton was a well-known architect who had designed the Capital building which was partially burned by the Redcoats he was also Superintendent of the Patent Office.(This illustration of the British burning of Washington appeared in the The History of England, from the Earliest Periods, Volume 1 by Paul M. Rapin de Thoyras published in 1816.)No doubt the British had been hoping to capture the American President Madison but he wisely fled with his officials on hearing of the British victory at the Battle of Bladensburg earlier that day in which an American army had fled on mass, many without even firing a shot, it was called "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms" and it soon became known as the Bladensburg Races.(The US Patent Office. It was spared from the British by the effects of William Thornton only for it to be destroyed in a fire on the 15th December 1836 along with 10,000 patents.)The Americans themselves also had a hand in the burning, as they destroyed much of the dockyard along with the 44-gun frigate USS Colombia to prevent the stores stockpiled there falling into British hands.Later the next day a hurricane hit the British troops, some said it was divine punishment, whole cannons were lifted into the air and carried for dozens of yards before being hurled back to earth again. Exhausted after battling the storm the Redcoats returned to their ships many which had been damaged in the storm. However it was not as some believe the storm that forced the British retreat, the intention of the British had been to raze Washington not occupy it. With Washington burnt their mission was accomplished though the British were shocked to discover that the burning had no effect on the running of the war and that a mere two weeks after the British departure the full apparatus of government was back up and running. The damage done to Washington was later estimated to amount $365,000 (1814 rates)