On June 25, 1943, the 100 BG flew its first combat mission for Eighth Air Force against the submarine yards at Bremen, Germany -- the beginning of the "Bloody Hundredth"’s legacy. The group inherited the "Bloody Hundredth" nickname from other bomb groups due to the amount of losses it took. Although the 100 BG’s losses were no more than any other units’ at the war’s end, the group experienced several instances where it lost a dozen or more aircraft on a single mission, whereas most units suffered losses in consistent small amounts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100th_Air_Refueling_Wing

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Remember General Weidling for example from the Downfall movie:

On 22 April, German dictator Adolf Hitler ordered that Weidling be executed by firing squad. Hitler believed that, as commander of the LVI Panzer Corps, Weidling had ordered his corps to retreat from the advancing Soviet forces. Ordering a retreat would be in defiance of Hitler's standing orders to the contrary. As such, Weidling's actions required a death sentence. But, there turned out to be a misunderstanding and the situation was cleared up before Weidling's execution took place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_Weidling

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From Tony Le Tissier " Slaughter at Halbe "

General Weidling told that General Busse had threatened to have him shot if he failed to link up with the 9th Army, and that Hitler threatened him with the same fate if he did not go to the defence of the city...

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Interesting days those...

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While resting at the South Carolina retreat of Bernard Baruch, FDR developed severe abdominal pains on April 28, 1944, diagnosed as acute cholescyctitis. He was treated with parenteral codeine. The pain subsided by May 1, but recurred the next day. He was again treated with codeine, and after two days became asymptomatic.

FDR returned to Washington and had a cholecystogram on May 26. Dr. McIntire, an otolaryngologist, interpreted it as a normal study. Dr. Bruenn, a cardiologist, said it showed a well-functioning gallbladder, but had evidence of a group of cholesterol stones. Bruenn, therefore, put FDR on a low-fat diet. Oddly, no surgeon was asked to review the study.

http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g32.htm

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Fighter Command, and especially its head, Air Chief Marshal Dowding, had no faith in close range attacks. The recommended range for opening fire was 400 yards. At a meeting of the Gun Sub-Committee at Air Ministry on 5 July 1939, Dowding insisted that " it was by no means axiomatic that the closer they ( the fighters ) got to the bomber the more bullets would hit it". When the Battle began, the eight guns of a Spitfire or a Hurricane had the
" Dowding Spread ": they were harmonized ( focused ) so that the bullets converged at a distance of 400 yards. This was a confession of failure.

The best shots changed their guns to suit their attacks.Men like Sailor Malan, and Al Deere, liked to get in close and make sure of a kill. They re-harmonized at 250 yards, sometimes less.Eventually, Fighter Command agreed.

From Derek Robinson " Invasion, 1940 "

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Always makes my morning to read parts of ww2 I never knew of keep up the good work!

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Time is only enemy you'll never get rid of.

In April 1942 90% of German industry was still working only a single shift (!).

Mx Hastings " Bomber Command"

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Francis K Mason has examined claims by RAF fighter pilots in every traceable report of air-to-air combat in the WW2. They total 11,400. He found that Hurricane pilots made 55%, Spitfire pilots 33%, other fighters 12%.

This from D Robinson " Invasion 1940 " though

So there you have it!

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From Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven book " In the bunker "

The last days in the bunker....

A second telegram from Göring, inviting Ribbentrop for a consultation, finally convinced Hitler of treachery.

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Poor Stirling Mk III....

Some way to remedying the poor performance of the basic Stirling design with the introduction of the Mark III from the start of 1943, but still the aircraft suffered much higher losses than the other aircraft of the Main Force. Within five months of being introduced, 67 out of the 84 aircraft delivered had been lost to enemy action or written off after crashes.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/stirling.html

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How the hell do you find all this!

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Kai is our Wunder boy. Salute!

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

The problem with the Sterling from the start was that the RAF required the design to fit into existing hangers which in turn limited the designers to the original wingspan leaving the aircraft with those stubby wings that in turn limited lift loaded and resulted in poor operational altitude.

I always wondered why they could not have retro fitted wing extensons to the aircraft after they discovered the error of their ways. I guess they were happy with the Halifax and Lancaster and did not want to spend the money perhaps. Seems like it would be an easy fix though.

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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia during World War II, Prague Castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the "Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia". It is said that he placed the Bohemian crown on his head, believing himself to be a great king; old legends say that a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, Heydrich was assassinated.

Don't mess with other people's crowns.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart is one of the most remarkable figures in British military history, renowned for bravery, his striking character and the sheer adventure of his long life. He is thought to be the model for "Brigadier Ben Ritchie Hook" in the Sword of Honour trilogy of Evelyn Waugh.

He was captured in 1941 and evaded capture for eight days disguised as an Italian peasant. But he was in northern Italy, did not speak Italian, was 61 years old with an eye patch, one empty sleeve and multiple injuries. He did well to stay out so long. Ironically, de Wiart had been approved for repatriation due to his disablement but notification arrived after his escape...


This is much more to his amazing story, and well worth reading the entry on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Carton_de_Wiart

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“This is a tale you will tell your grandchildren, and mightily bored they’ll be.” Lt. Gen. Brian Horrocks commander of British XXX Corps September 16, 1944 prior to Operation Market.

Axis Sally ( or actually one of them )

Mildred Gillars

Perhaps Sally's most famous broadcast, and the one that would eventually get her convicted of treason, was a play titled Vision of Invasion that went out over the airwaves on May 11, 1944. It was beamed to American troops in England awaiting the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as well as to the home folks in America. Gillars played the role of an American mother who dreamed that her soldier son, a member of the invasion forces, died aboard a burning ship in the attempt to cross the English Channel. The play had a realistic quality to it, sound effects simulating the moans and cries of the wounded as they were raked with gunfire from the beaches. Over the battle action sound effects, an announcer's voice intoned, "The D of D-Day stands for doom...disaster...death...defeat...Dunkerque or Dieppe." Adelbert Houben, a high official of the German Broadcasting Service, would testify at Axis Sally's trial that her broadcast was intended to prevent the invasion by frightening the Americans with grisly forecasts of staggering casualties.

http://www.historynet.com/magazines/...2/3032576.html

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House of Commons Munitions Factory.
Between December 1943 and the Japanese surrender in 1945, a munitions factory operated under the House of Commons, London.

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Regards,

Gordon
http://www.freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

General Johannes Blaskowitz

He was Commander-in-Chief East (Oberbefehlshaber Ost) in Poland from October 20, 1939. There he was repeatedly outraged by the atrocities committed by the SS and the Einsatzgruppen against Polish and Jewish people and issued two detailed memoranda to Commander-in-Chief Walther von Brauchitsch on these war crimes. He even didn't hesitate to impose death sentences against members of the SS and Gestapo in case of involvement in war crimes (these sentences were later abolished by Hitler). He used an exceptionally open language:

The attitude of the troops against the SS and the police fluctuates between disgust and hatred. Every soldier feels cloyed by these crimes committed against the Poles by citizens of the Reich and representatives of the government. (Aide memoir January 1940).

Hitler was reportedly infuriated by Blaskowitz's "childish attitude", and he was relieved of command in Poland on May 14, 1940 at the insistence of Governor General Hans Frank.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Blaskowitz

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General Clark in Rome....

Shortly after finding the Piazza Campidoglio, Rome's main square, he was joined by Juin (the French General), and the American Generals Truscott, Crittenberger, and Keyes - his corps commanders. What he did say at his press conference offended the British, effecting surprise at something he had arranged, he said "Well, gentlemen, I didn't really expect to have a press conference here - I just called a little meeting with my corps commanders to discuss the situation. However I'll be glad to answer your questions. This is a great day for the Fifth Army." - and that was it. He then pretended to look over a map with his subordinate commanders, and had himself photographed with generals Keyes and Truscott climbing the steps of the Capitol. D'Este records that "Juin flushed with embarrassment and the other corps commanders chafed at their role in this contrived 'opéra bouffe' ... [and] many of the correspondents were profoundly offended by Clark's insensitive remarks, which pointedly failed to mention British or French participation in the bloody battles to liberate Rome."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/s...a6531185.shtml

quote taken from the end part of the site (!)

Interesting that the man wanted to reach Rome first and then cannot make a decent "show" out of it....

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