Sir John.

This is coolbert:

"I have never been in battle, nor near one, nor heard one from afar, nor seen the aftermath."

From only three days ago and was noted in the Chicago Tribune, the death of Sir John Keegan. Noted English military historian. Perhaps at the time of his passing THE MOST NOTED MILITARY HISTORIAN WRITING IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND BEYOND THAT PERHAPS THE MOST NOTED MILITARY HISTORIAN IN THE WORLD!

"John Keegan dies at 78; military historian wrote 'Face of Battle'"

"John Keegan, a British military historian whose critically acclaimed books spanned ancient and modern warfare and included the bestselling 'The Face of Battle,' has died. He was 78."

Wrote in a manner so as to be understood by the general educated public and wrote well. Most noted for his works: "Face of Battle" and "The Mask of Command".

Keegan a long time lecturer and the British military academy Sandhurst a military historian  having never even served in the military.

[Trevor Dupuy was of the opinion that only military men and further more military men that had seen combat were qualified to write accurate and valid military history!!]

Keegan having been of the opinion that the great and inspirational military commanders have all possessed what is best called a strongly developed and cultivated “theatrical impulse.”. Outward and ostentatious displays designed to impress:

“'The leader of men in warfare can show himself to his followers only through a mask,' he wrote, 'a mask that he must make for himself, but a mask made in such a form as will mark him to men of his time and place as the leader they want and need.'”

Instantaneously the names of Patton and Mac Arthur from the relatively recent era come to mind. Both men fond of adopting uniforms, mannerisms, and "theatrical gestures" that set them apart from their contemporaries.

Patton the helmet, the riding boots, the riding crop, the pair of revolvers. Mac Arthur the crush cap, the corn cob pipe, the sunglasses and cane. Deliberate and again ostentatious displays with intent creating an "aura" inspired leadership motivating men to follow!!

That sort of behavior and the wearing of unique and outlandish uniform NOT ALLOWED TODAY!! NOT according to regulation and highly discouraged. Uniformity by regulation the norm deviation inexcusable even for the highest command leadership echelon!!

coolbert.

Tubercular?

This is coolbert:

From a comment to a blog entry from several years ago now:

"A question that I have been pondering ... Why did Hitler serve in the German Army during WW1 and not the Austro-Hungarian army? Was it b/c he hated the Habsburg monarchy, the Catholicism of the monarchy or some other reason? I know he bounced from Vienna to Germany prior to the war and may have been living in Germany when the war broke out. But why not return to Austria to enlist with his countrymen?"

A. Hitler in 1913 failing his pre-induction physical for the Austro-Hungarian army, conscription a possible but A. Hitler found to be tubercular and unfit for military service.

"He moved to Munich in 1913, which was declared by Austria-Hungary as a draft-dodging. After being arrested and returned to Vienna, he was found unfit for military service"

ONLY several months later the same man [A. Hitler] inducted into the Bavarian reserve regiment, swearing personal allegiance and fealty to King Ludwig!

And how is this possible? An unanswered question, unfit one moment but fix almost at the next moment? HOW SO?

That man the family physician to the Hitler family and undoubtedly the same doctor who attended not only to the mother Klara but also to Adolf as a boy and young man, Doctor Bloch has some insight and too finds the matter mysterious?

From the article as published in the American magazine "Colliers" [1941]:

“My Patient, Hitler,” by Dr. Eduard Bloch "March 15 and March 22, 1941,"

"I cannot understand the many references to his [Hitler] lung trouble as a youth. I was the only doctor treating him during the period in which he is supposed to have suffered from this. My records
show nothing of the sort. To be sure, he didn't have the rosy cheeks and the robust good health of most of the other youngsters; but at the same time he was not sickly."

Tubercular as meaning having the symptoms of precursor of the disease [tuberculosis] but not necessarily the illness requiring treatment [at the time a very primitive and ineffective treatment at that!]?

"TUBERCULAR"

"1 a : of, relating to, or affected with tuberculosis : tuberculous 2: characterized by lesions that are or resemble tubercles"

Hitler indeed if tubercular the disease surely would have manifested itself during those four years of the Great War, the cramped and almost inhuman living conditions, the sparse and insufficient diet, the exposure to poison gas, etc., Hitler evidently NOT quite as sickly as assumed. NOT a robust individual by any means but NOT sickly!

coolbert.

Gideon.

This is coolbert:

 From that previous blog entry the person of Orde Wingate most controversial and unconventional. Serving with distinction during World War Two [WW2] Wingate meeting an untimely death in a glider crash, David Ben Gurion having made the decision to offer the command of the Israeli army if and when Wingate had survived the war so highly thought of was Wingate by the Jews of the Palestinian Mandate.

Wingate a religious man with a unconventional religious outlook AND BELIEVING HIMSELF DIVINELY ORDAINED AND INSPIRED, A CHRISTIAN ZIONIST WHOSE BELIEF IN THE REDEMPTION OF THE JEWS WAS EXTREMELY STRONG.

This makes for a sound and stable mind? A lot of folks including brother officers of the British Army did not think so. Wingate was recognized for ways as an "odd type" but also being very talented and for the most was tolerated regardless of his peculiarities.

Further evidence of the mental outlook of Wingate obvious when one considers the military unit under the command of the man [Wingate] that distinguished itself during what Churchill called the "Abyssinian Campaign". This unit called by Wingate the Gideon Force a unit of unconventional fighters the irregular waging war in Ethiopia and most successful!!

"Formed by then Lieutenant Colonel Orde Wingate in January 1941, the Gideon Force operated under the direction of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) . . . Comprised of 50 British officers and 20 British non-commissioned officers in charge of 800 members of the Sudan Frontier Battalion and 800 Ethiopian (Abyssinian) troops,"

That large battalion in combat with a defeating much large and well-armed Italian army units, Wingate demonstrating a skill that established his repute at the highest levels of the British government [Churchill included!].

"the Gideon Force fought a daring guerrilla campaign and succeeded not only in establishing Haile Selassie in a base at Gojjam, Ethiopia, but also in escorting him to the very capital of the country, Addis Ababa, and returning him to power"

That name Gideon Force obviously chosen in an intentional manner, Wingate having an intimate knowledge of the Bible and thoroughly aware of the story of the Hebrew Judge Gideon. Wingate saw himself as Gideon and the unit under his command as those three hundred ancient Hebrews, fighting an unconventional battle against a numerically superior foe and emerging victorious. At that exact moment Wingate became Gideon!!

Gideon also as described in the Bible an unconventional combatant, the irregular waging guerrilla warfare in ancient Judea, in battle with the Midianites, the Hebrew much outnumbered but using that correct and inspired combination ot tactics and stratagem able to defeat and rout and much numerically superior enemy.

That specially selected and highly motivated small combat unit able to defeat the much more powerful enemy the foe consisting of lesser men under the command of lesser men!! Those Hebrew equipped with in addition to their swords torches, jars and trumpets. The psychological overwhelming at night the physical advantage of the Midianites not sufficing.

From the Holy Bible Gideon as instructing his troops:

"'Watch me [Gideon],' he [Gideon] told them. 'Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon.' ' .... The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, 'A sword for the Lord and Gideon!' While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords." (Judges 7:17–22, NIV Bible)

Wingate did have for better or worse messianic ideas and a "complex" best described? Again for better or worse that was the man, talented and adept and skillful, charismatic and so in a way not often found in one man!!

coolbert.

RPG-30

This is coolbert:

The Israeli Trophy/Windbreaker active protection system [APS] now field tested and successfully so recently and once prior [more than once?] also it should be noted has an antidote.

"infantry anti-tank system specifically designed to overcome active defence systems (ADS) for MBTs and other AFVs which are now entering service among major armies."

The solution [Trophy/Windbreaker] to the armor defeating rocket-propelled grenade [RPG] or the armor defeating anti-tank-guided-missile [ATGM] ITSELF can now be compromised.

That antidote to the antidote is the Russian RPG-30 single-shot and disposable RPG that possess the wherewithal to defeat any known APS!

"a man-portable, disposable anti-tank rocket launcher with a single shot capacity."

Designed as such and is a modified version of earlier RPG models all possessing the ability to defeat armor, reactive armor, and now APS.

"The RPG-30 . . . a modern anti-tank grenade launcher designed to address the threat of reactive armor and active protection systems (APS) on tanks."

The infantryman, the man-a-foot has the capability to defeat even the most robust armor of any nation, given training and a lot of guts and determination.

[these RPG are NOT long range stand off weapons, you need to get close to make an accurate and killing shot and MAY need to make repeat shots on the same target if you survive.]

The RPG-30 firing not only that tandem dual warhead, an explosive and HEAT warhead but what is called a precursor round as well. That precursor round a decoy "spoofing" and "fooling" the APS, allowing the main RPG warhead to escape detection and destruction unscathed.

"a smaller diameter precursor round in addition to the main round. This precursor acts as a false target, tricking the target's active protection system into engaging it, allowing the main round a clear path to the target"

Back in my day many decades ago now the only RPG available to Soviet and Soviet aligned military forces was the RPG-2 [called the B-40 by the VC/NVA] and the RPG-7. NOW the various RPG exist in staggering types and versions, RPG-26, RPG-29, RPG-30, RPG-32, etc. There was for a while talk of a RPG round with a penetrator rod of some sort, uranium or other dense metal able to also compromise the thickest armor of the heaviest tank!

APS today, RPG tomorrow. But tomorrow is NOW also!

coolbert.

Native?

This is coolbert:

Here with some images of famous European and American military men having gone "native", assuming local customs and attire, senior commanders each and every one adaptable and flexible, responsive to the situation, rapport with their subordinates A MUST!

That term "gone native" pejorative rather for these individuals relished!!

Charles "Chinese" Gordon while in command of the Ever Victorious Army during the Taiping Rebellion.

Sir Francis Richard Burton. British Indian Army Captain and a polyglot of renown, able to speak to some extent two dozen languages, at least a dozen fluently. That most famous person of the Victorian era and perhaps one of the most accomplished persons that has ever lived, a master of the history of the sword and a swordsman of repute as well!!

The American Homer Lea as a commanding general of the Republic of China army. The foot wear not right in this image, Homer it seems wanting to be Chinese and assuming the appearance thereof, for better or worse.

T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence of Arabia. Able to pass as a Circassian, a blond and blue eyed Englishman relishing the role as savior to the Arab. Rated by Churchill as one of the seven most important men in the world [circa 1920]!!

Cannot find any pictures or images of Brookes Rajah of Sarawak or Frederick Townsend Ward in "native" dress. Ward having become a Chinese citizen and marrying a Chinese woman of noble birth, perhaps some such image does exist somewhere of Ward in Chinese garb? Orde Wingate early in his military career the well turned out British officer during the combat in China-Burma-India adopting a manner of attire not in keeping with the official line, slovenly, the pith helmet and beard not in keeping with regulation but not "native" dress as defined.

coolbert.

Intercept!

 This is coolbert:

Thanks to YNet we have a description from only the other day of the Israeli Trophy/Windbreaker system in action, and successfully too. Mounted for the meantime on the Merkava tank but also has potentiality for any armored vehicle as well?

NOT the first time Trophy/Windbreaker has defeated an incoming RPG round or an anti-tank-guided-missile [ATGM] and will not be the last.

1. "IDF tank-shield intercepts missile"

"Merkava tank escapes missile hit thanks to 'Windbreaker' defense system"

"The IDF's Windbreaker defense system has intercepted an anti-tank missile fired at a tank in the central Gaza Strip, near Kissufim on Wednesday."

Israeli Merkava tank equipped with the Trophy/Windbreaker system detecting an incoming ATGM and destroying same. Trophy/Windbreaker sending for a spew of shot in the manner of a giant shotgun, prematurely detonating the warhead or destroying in flight the missile or RPG round.

Trophy/Windbreaker system effective against either an RPG round or an ATGM!!

Trophy/Windbreaker active during combat so far a RARE EVENT!!

"The IDF considers the firing of the missile a very unusual event. Windbreaker has rarely been called into action since becoming operational two years ago." [last use of Trophy/Windbreaker was in March 2011]

2. "Gaza: IDF tank-shield intercepts missile"

[this from 03.20.11,]

'Windbreaker' defense system intercepts missile fire on Merkava 4 tank"

"Exchanges of fire between IDF soldiers and Palestinians were reported at around noon Sunday near the Al-Bureij refugee camp in Gaza."

 "During the fighting, Palestinians fired an anti-tank missile at a Merkava 4 tank, which is equipped with the 'Windbreaker' defense system. The system intercepted the missile"

Trophy/Windbreaker as the counter-measure and antidote to the RPG round or the ATGM and it works!!

coolbert.

Fajr & Falaq.

This is coolbert:

I might be incorrect here but only marginally so.

Those 240 mm mulitiple rocket launcher rounds being fired by the Syrian government at those Aleppo insurgents might HAVE BEEN NOT PROVIDED BY THE RUSSIANS OR NORTH KOREANS BUT RATHER BY THE IRANIAN.

One of two varieties might be involved:

1. Fajr-3. A clone of the North Korean M-1985 model and manufactured by the Iranian in profusion [?] !

"The 240-millimeter Fajr-3 missile has a range of some 25 miles . . . Fajr-3 has the same caliber, range and warhead weight as three [two?]  known North Korean systems."

2. Falaq-1. An improved version of the Fajr-3 so it seems!

"The Falaq-1 missile is an Iranian made rocket system"

"The 240 mm unguided surface-to-surface rocket is very similar to the rocket used with the Russian 240 mm (12-round) BM-24 system.The Falaq-1 has a bore of 240 mm, and a weight of 111 kg, with the warhead weighing 50 kg.The 240 mm spin stabilised rockets have a maximum range of 10,000 m and are fitted with a nose-mounted fuze."

Crack the egg-shell with the sledge hammer again, those MRL designed and envisioned as being used on the battlefield, open country, and not in cities. But for the despot through the rules out the window!

coolbert.