1942: 21 anti-tank guns against 100 tanks - who won?
I do hope that all those wanting one have had a merry Christmas, and that the coming year proves to be a good 'un. For now, here's a long ramble about tanks and fighting and stuff. I had put my back out and was on pain-killers and I think it does show a bit.
1942: 21 anti-tank guns against 100 tanks - who won? (YouTube)
Comments (5)
At 43:24 I keep thinking of Lieutenant Toms and your other video, "British Officers Don't Duck." I just imagine this cheerful looking older man with a trim moustache, a pipe in his mouth, and possibly using a bumbershoot as a cane, sauntering over to a Jeep to load it up with anti-tank rounds, and getting shot in the process but NOT caring because "I must do my BIT!"
Interesting quote at 46:40: "And he makes another, I suppose you call it, sporting reference, a little bit grim. If you're hunting rabbits, you may know that a rabbit when it comes out of its burrow tends to pause and look about, just as it's coming out of its burrow, and that's an opportunity for a hunter to shoot the bunny. Well, he said that the Vickers gunners got a lot of hits because rather than the Germans bailing out by opening up the hatch, diving out, and running, they would open the hatch, pause a second, and then look out to see what the situation is, before bailing out. And in those … in that hesitation, they were then shot by the British gunners." That reminds me of an article I read on infantry training during World War Two. One problem that had to be overcome was the soldier's instinct, when hearing a gunshot, to stop what he is doing and turn towards the sound. It took continuous training to suppress this instinct and get the soldier to dive for cover when in danger.
Lol American scout snipe hunts... Lloyd, those are farcical events led by adults to scare the boys and have a good time. The snipe is described as this mythical, monstrous, yet tiny and laughable creature which is to be caught with flashlights and pillow cases. The adults hide in the bushes and make noises while the boys gather courage, convince each other they've actually seen the creatures, and spend a couple hours tramping through the bush in the dark only to be disappointed and let in on the joke for future camp outs with new boys when all is said and done.
Yes, as I said, this nugget of info was new to me. Fools' errands.
Fascinating video, "a VC won, 10% of the enemy KO and the 6 pounder shown it was a flipping good gun"! Brilliant conclusion!