30 & 40.

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Bond! James Bond!

I can reasonably say and have been able to infer with a good degree of certainty that the so-called fictional character of James Bond as popularized by the British author Ian Fleming was indeed a troop serving with the Royal Navy [RN] 30 Commando [later designated 30 AU] during the Second World War [WW2].

Bond not only serving as a troop [Royal Marine] but presumably as an commander of some skill and daring, those mission of 30 AU requiring leadership of the highest ability and courage, men whose initiative, resourcefulness and trustworthiness allowing for delegated discretion in accomplishing a mission.

That RN 40 Commando as present at Dieppe having secretly embedded [that word would not have been used at the time] personnel of the Special Intelligence Unit, later to be designated 30 Commando [RN]. 40 Commando a unit consisting almost exclusively [?] of Royal Marines [RM] and operating under the auspices of the Royal Navy, their mission rather the traditional commando type combat, the raider, troops of the "hunter class" as called by Churchill!!

[when first formed, 40 Commando referred to as RM A Commando and known as such during the Dieppe raid]

30 Commando [later designated 30 AU] again a Royal Navy creation, Ian Fleming the operational chief, 30 a joint services unit of which Royal Marines formed a troop [a company sized unit] specifically organized for special intelligence gathering. Raiders but with a special twist!

30 seeing action in France and during the "North-West Europe Campaign of 1944–1945" teams advancing forward rapidly ahead of the main column capturing intact to the greatest extent possible top secret German military hardware, scientists, engineers, documentation, etc.

A mission for which required officers in command of the various teams to be men of the highest ability and courage, wide discretion in accomplishing a mission delegated in advance, and this understood by all to be the case. A man such as JAMES BOND ideally suited for the command role at some level!!

When James Bond describes hearing the rounds of a German Spandau machine gun being fired over his head in the Ardennes [1945], he is recalling a mission of 30 AU where the man came under enemy fire!!

"The Special Intelligence Unit was later renamed 30 RN Commando (Special Engineering Unit), and was re-designated 30 Assault Unit in December 1943.They were tasked to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert infiltrations into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture much needed intelligence, in the form of codes, documents, equipment or enemy personnel . . . Individual troops were present in all operational theatres and usually operated independently, gathering information from captured facilities."

Indeed, it seems the British producer and writer Nicholas Rankin has also in advance of myself and independently also surmised with a degree of certainty that the so called [again] fictional character of James Bond as popularized by Ian Fleming was a troop [Royal Marine] - - presumably an officer, a team leader or junior commander in 30 AU.

See here and here the comments of Nicholas Rankin regarding Ian Fleming, 30 AU and James Bond.

Also if and when the land invasion of Japan had occurred, 30 AU would have been present and active, yet one more additional British contribution to the war effort in the Pacific against the Japanese outside of the C-B-I theatre [ China-Burma-India].

"A 30 Assault Unit Royal Marines detachment was sent to the Far East in 1945, but the Japanese surrender precluded operations."

30 AU and the mission ideally suited for a person with the character of a James Bond!! You the devoted reader to the blog decide for yourself fact or fiction!!

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Bull Run.

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From the Chicago Tribune only today, the CHICAGO FLASHBACK section of the Sunday edition. thanks to Stephan Benzkofer

Accounts from the newspaper as was reported one hundred fifty years ago, the Second Battle of Manassas [Bull Run]. Victory for the Army of North Virginia [R.E. Lee commanding], defeat for the Union Army of the Potomac [John Pope commanding].

"THE CIVIL WAR  150 YEARS AGO"

"Flashback is commemorating the War Between the States by reprinting portions of the news coverage from significant battles"

"Second Battle of Bull Run"

From Aug. 28-30, 1862, Confederate forces again routed the Union army at Manassas, Va.

John Pope and his Union army out-maneuvered and just plain out-fought, almost a replica of what had occurred a year earlier [1861], the nation's capital [Washington D.C.] in jeopardy of capture, the entire cause of the Federals in doubt!!

Various headlines from that edition of the Tribune those many years ago now: [large print and bold as originally printed]

"The War in Virginia."

"The Great Battle of Saturday."

"OUR TROOPS ARE DRIVEN ACROSS BULL RUN."

"The whole Rebel Army of Va., Driving at Pope"

"He is Reinforced by 60,000 Men."

"PROBABLY NO FIGHTING SUNDAY OR MONDAY."

"The New York Tribune Closed For Publishing a 'Horrible Rumor.'"

"BANKS IN FAVORABLE POSITION."

"Description of the Battle on Saturday."

"What Troops were engaged."

"SPLENDID CAVALRY CHARGE."

[and not least of all]

"PARTIAL LIST OF CASUALTIES."

That Chicago Tribune of course a very Republican newspaper and a strong supporter of President Lincoln. Persons at the time [1862] relying upon the newspapers for reliable information and coverage of events, the media as it exists today radio, television, Internet, etc., NOT even existing!!

And from a previous comment to the blog:

"anonymous said...
I have always wondered why the ANV didn't pursue, over running and capturing the Federal soldiers and then take Washington, D.C., capturing those Congress men there, the President and ending the war."

As to why Confederate forces on those two occasions, First and Second Manassas [Bull Run], did not further advance, pursue, and make an attempt to capture D.C. I am not sure. Some historian or expert amateur enthusiast whose speciality is the American Civil War can answer this?


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Masks.

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"in most locales wearing a mask in public is illegal unless it is part of a gala event"

The German during the Second World War [WW2] very innovative in the use of camouflage [camo] combat uniform. A variety of combat dress to include smocks, what appears to be an overall type of camo battle uniform, helmet covers, and even MASKS.

Conceal the face but not obstruct the vision the goal. NOT face paint but a MASK MASKS not to protect either against the cold but camouflage the goal!

An all encompassing camo uniform of various types of camouflage design, the basic form being called "splinter".

The Waffen SS seems to have been particularly fond of camo apparel, it also should be noted that camo battle dress HAD BEEN worn by other combatants prior to WW2, the German making a much more concerted effort at least to equip the combat troops with the latest and greatest.

Thanks to the Menschheit volkermord web site we have some interesting images of German troops during WW2 wearing face masks

This particular face mask would tend to obstruct the vision more than provide camouflage?

These troops wearing the Heer [German army] "splinter" face mask. Carrying at least that man in the foreground a Soviet sub-machine gun.

Those modern instances of military or police wearing face masks [ski type mask] during operations whether counter-terrorism or law enforcement NOT for camouflage but to conceal the identity of personnel and prevent retribution!!

 coolbert.

Violation & Compromise.

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From today in the op ed section of the Chicago Tribune some commentary regarding those peace activists self-described and their only just recently trespass of the Oak Ridge Laboratory and their "penetration" of the defenses - - able to get right next to the walls of a building reputedly storing fissionable material weapons grade!!

"You wouldn't think ..."

"You wouldn't think that an 82 year-old nun and two fellow pacifists could penetrate the defenses of one of this nation's most important nuclear weapons plants at Oak Ridge, Tenn. You wouldn't think they'd be able to spend enough time inside to spray-paint anti-war slogans on a building that houses nuclear bomb fuel, and light candles in a 'Christmas peace ritual.' But that is exactly what happened, authorities say.

"The nun, Sister Megan Rice, and her friends apparently used bolt cutters to slip through fences, and passed security sensors, at the Y-12 National Security Complex. The facility houses more than 100 tons of highly enriched uranium, enough for thousand of bombs. Alarms and sensors apparently went off, but guards didn't respond promptly. They had complained of frequent false alarms, triggered by raccoons and deer. You wouldn't think - - no, they didnt' think - - intruders would be so brazen as to . . . it's obvious."

Such an event of course not without precedent. From several years ago now another group of self-described peace activists committing trespass on the naval storage facility Bangor WA and actually reaching a site where they allege nuclear weapons themselves are store.

Amateurs quite able to circumvent security and violate the integrity in a symbolic manner of nuclear weaponry [alleged] and nuclear fissionable material [alleged}!! Such trespass surprising so done with almost a nonchalance and ease, almost leisurely in fact much to the chagrin of the authorities:

"Plowshares activists convicted on all counts"


"Background"

"The five admitted . . . they cut through the chain link fence surrounding the Navy base at Bangor, during the night of the Feast of All Souls, November 2, 2009. They then walked undetected for hours nearly four miles inside the base to the Strategic Weapons Facility, Pacific (SWFPAC). This top security area is where the Plowshares activists say hundreds of nuclear missiles are stored in bunkers. There, they cut through two more barbed wire fences and went inside. They put up two big banners which said 'Disarm Now Plowshares: Trident Illegal and Immoral,' scattered sunflower seeds, and prayed until they were arrested at dawn."

Put up banners, prayed and scattered sunflower seeds. The next time someone may decide NOT to be so peaceful! Perhaps some group NOT SO peaceful having a much more sinister agenda and wherewithal to do significant damage will be emboldened. A group of terrorists seeking the maximum publicity destroying with explosives in situ the nuclear material or weapons, creating a radiological event ["dirty bomb"] of maximum even mind-boggling proportions.

EVEN MORE THAN TEN YEARS AFTER 9/11 SECURITY AT THESE FACILITIES IS STILL WEAK IN A MANNER THAT MAKES ONE WONDER!!

My worry too is that these peace activists perhaps without themselves even realizing it are collaborating with a foreign power hostile to the United States - - proxies testing security of the most secure [supposedly] and vital American installations!!

coolbert.

Churchill.

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From a comment to that previous blog entry regarding the U-1226:

"anonymous said... Quebec City 2012.08.28"

"NOTHING TO DO WITH HUDSON'S BAY"

"It must be precised that the Churchill River (Formerly Hamilton) flows out directly in the North Atlantic, off the Coast of Labrador and well above the Island of Newfoundland."

"As for Hudson's Bay it is way off to the West and inland, bordered to the East by Province of Quebec and to the West by Ontario, Manitoba an the newly created Nunavik Territory. JAM Bornais"

Bert stands corrected most decidedly so and thank you Anonymous.

There is a Churchill River flowing into the Atlantic. 

"The Churchill River . . . is a river in Newfoundland and Labrador which flows east from the Smallwood Reservoir in Labrador into the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Melville. The river is 856 km (532 mi) long and drains an area of 79,800 km2 (30,800 sq mi); it is the longest river in the province. It was named Hamilton River until 1965."

AND there is a Churchill River flowing into Hudson Bay.

"The Churchill River . . .  is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691."

That submarine the U-1226 evidently found in the Churchill River [Atlantic] and not the Churchill River [Hudson Bay].

Confirmation awaits but this is more or less a certainty, and makes a lot more sense and is more plausible too.

coolbert.

MFO.

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Thanks to DEBKAfile we have the accounts of the MFO in the Sinai, and especially those American components, now coming under attack by Salafist oriented Bedouin allegedly affiliated with Al Qaeda.

MFO [Multinational Force and Observers] for a period of over thirty years performing yeoman duty in a very harsh and unforgiving part of the world now a situation exacerbated by COMBAT!!

August 12. 2012 Briefs:

• "Seven terrorists killed in battle near MFO’s North Sinai HQ
Egyptian security officials Sunday reported that government forces had killed seven terrorists in raids of their hideouts in the village of al-Ghora 30 kilometers south of El Arish in N. Sinai. They omitted to mention the battle was fought to lift the Islamist terrorists’ siege on the multinational force’s northern headquarters at al Ghora, most of whose members are Americans."

• "Sinai terrorists keep up attacks, target US peacekeepers
. . . early Sunday on a Sinai multinational force convoy on its way to the Sheikh Zawid base and Saturday night, against Egyptian troops patrolling the Israeli border near the same spot where they killed 16 Egyptian soldiers a week ago. No casualties in either attack. The American soldiers escorting the MFO convoys returned the fire"

August 14, 2012 Briefs:

• "Extra US arms for Sinai Multinational Force
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Tuesday that extra military equipment would be supplied to the MFO to strengthen its ability to defend itself. The peacekeepers, drawn from 11 nations led by the US, monitors Sinai and the Egyptian-Israel borders under the 1979 Egyptian-Israel peace accords."

Again, for a period of over thirty years now the MFO in the Sinai and multi-national force the most significant component of which is American. Always prepared for combat if need be, that time being NOW!!

"The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel."

"Following the signing of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty on March 26, 1979, the United Nations was asked to provide the peacekeeping forces for the Sinai Peninsula mandated in the treaty."

"Task Force Sinai is the US brigade-sized element of the Multinational Force and Observers ("MFO"), the peacekeeping organization in place in the Sinai Peninsula since 1982. The Task Force commander is a US Army colonel, who also serves as the MFO Chief of Staff."

Those U.S. personnel serving with Task Force Sinai under-going an intensive preparation prior to deployment overseas, combat ready and tested for such. And military personnel my understanding from all services, not merely U.S. Army but any volunteer willing and able and completing the course of instruction as held at Ft. Bragg!!

Salafists too seeking to emulate those first three generations of Muslims as lived during the time of Muhammad. These are Bedouin as Moses might have encountered during the time of the Exodus from Egypt? Probably so!

coolbert.

Spandau.

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Bond! James Bond!

From that previous blog entry:

"When James Bond describes the rounds of a German Spandau heavy machine gun being fired over his head, this is his recollection of Dieppe? Could be!!"

"The gun was sometimes called 'Spandau' by British troops from the manufacturer's plates noting the district of Berlin where some were produced, much like the Germans' own World War I MG 08 had been nicknamed.

NO! NOT Dieppe! Rather the Ardennes. A English naval 30AU mission undoubtedly circa 1945.

As described in the Ian Fleming novel "Dr. No". All thanks to Mr. Fleming.

"Bond's eyes went to the two men standing in the stern. They were pale-skinned Negroes. They wore neat khaki ducks and shirts, broad belts, and deep visored baseball caps of yellow straw. They were standing side by side, bracing themselves against the slow swell. One of them was holding a long black loud-hailer with a wire attached. The other was manning a machine gun on a tripod. It looked to Bond like a Spandau."

. . . .

"The machine gunner trained his gun into the tops of the mangroves behind the beach. There came the swift rattling roar Bond had last heard coming from the German lines in the Ardennes. The bullets made the same old sound of frightened pigeons whistling overhead. Then there was silence."

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. . . .

"This time the crash of noise was terrific. The bullets howled into the corner of the headland. Fragments of splintered rock whined over the beach like hornets. Ricochets twanged and buzzed off into the hinterland. Behind it all there was the steady road-drill hammer of the gun."

According to my knowledge and recollection the Ardennes during World War Two [WW2] was strictly either French or American sans British. Unless 30AU [40 Commando RN] was active in the area during the latter stages of WW2, forging ahead of the advancing American troops, attempting to capture intact to the greatest degree possible German secret weaponry, scientists, engineers, documents, etc.

30AU of which Commander Bond was a team leader perhaps, at the forefront of the action, where the fray was the thickest as you might expect.

This bears researching!!

coolbert.

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