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| MK I Infantry Tank found at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xPuCXQZYx4ZnCTU-G3eWY6bIRxW9YpYIxkj1Fp1GaS18DtOHYX0QBML6JM5XVVpHoCTkK7HmfkyHI-9lTQRsYGpb1CJCho5B9EpDrsw7Qi9UC-WtmtsegClPOjAG0JFfM5EZQcIWcMs/s1600/infantry-mk-i-matilda-mk-i-01.png
Infantry tanks in the mid 1930's were not required to attain any decent speed, as their name suggests they were primarily used as infantry support weapons. One advantage of this was that they had heavier armour than faster tanks. They were used in the Battle of France, MK 2 Matilda's proving better, any surviving MK I tanks were destroyed before the BEF evacuated in May-June 1940. One major problem of the MK I was the vulnerability of the tracks which were too exposed.
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Showing posts with label 1940. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1940. Show all posts
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Armoured Vehicles In World War 2 #WW2
OK, after much deliberation I have decided to blog about armoured vehicles used in the Second World War, Axis & Allied. I am starting with the Mk I Infantry tank, better known as the Matilda.
Thursday, 16 April 2015
#WW2 April 16th 1940
A plan approved by the War cabinet to send 1000 Canadian troops from Britain to capture forts at Trondheim was postponed for six days after Chiefs of Staff feared high casualties.
One of Chamberlain's secretaries wrote in his diary that the Norwegians would 'lose heart unless quickly assured of substantial support'.(cited at: Gilbert, M, Second World War).
Two Norwegian submarines were scuttled by their own crews on April 16th 1940 in Verbukta at Tonsberg.
I have included a Movietone newsreel clip from the period, what is obvious in the struggle of the Allies is the Germans' air superiority. No anti aircraft guns or fighter aircraft to defend the British are lacking, little wonder Norway was a failure.
One of Chamberlain's secretaries wrote in his diary that the Norwegians would 'lose heart unless quickly assured of substantial support'.(cited at: Gilbert, M, Second World War).
Two Norwegian submarines were scuttled by their own crews on April 16th 1940 in Verbukta at Tonsberg.
I have included a Movietone newsreel clip from the period, what is obvious in the struggle of the Allies is the Germans' air superiority. No anti aircraft guns or fighter aircraft to defend the British are lacking, little wonder Norway was a failure.
Saturday, 11 April 2015
#WW2 The Blackburn B-24 Sea Skua Carrier Aircraft
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| Blackburn Sea Skuas on deck of HMS Ark Royal, image found at:http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/d0/d2/3b/d0d23b34fcba0e724e7022d46459b8ae.jpg |
I thought I would get some info on this aircraft as it took part in the Norway campaign on the carrier HMS Ark Royal. On 10th April 1940, 16 Skuas from the Orkney Isles sank the Konigsburg in Bergen harbour, this was the first time a destroyer had been sunk by aircraft alone. It was withdrawn from front line service in 1941, as it was too vulnerable to attack by land based fighters such as the Me-Bf109.
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| Diagram of Blackburn Skua found at:http://home.online.no/~oela/Skua%20snitt.jpg
Powered by a Bristol Perseus XII radial engine of 890 hp, the Skua was armed with 4 x .303 in forward firing Browning machine guns and a single flexibly mounted .303 in Lewis or Vickers K machine gun in the rear cockpit. It also had the capacity to carry a 500 lb bomb mounted under the fuselage and up to 4 x 40 lb or 8 x 20 lb bombs in racks under each wing.http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/aircraft-month/blackburn-skua
Other Specifications
Crew - 2
Max range - 435 miles
Service Ceiling - 20,200ft
Max Speed - 225mph.
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| Skuas in flight, found at:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE04_RXfru99pdGrqM8ZIydgS0De4ZDCcb4GxVqs1EblHrrQsLGle3HenUjg6eri53Us11y2xdPT0V08bvZTRfmeIIp9qioEJjpS5yDOLUwV807lAJBRg73FStqJnIVdfADoaEV_jyulUb/s1600/Blackburn_B-24_Skua.jpg |
Thursday, 9 April 2015
#WW2 End Of Phoney War - On This Day Denmark & Norway Invaded By Germany #OperationWeserubung
Today in 1940 Denmark was invaded and captured by German forces - notably 170th & 198th Infantry Divisions. Norway was also attacked, Egersund and Arendal captured without any resistance.
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
#WW2 Wartime Shortages In Britain Pt2
| Plant a victory garden found here:http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608049532852309985&pid=1.7 |
Continuing from my last post, many things were in short supply during the Second World War including clothing. Britain, being an island, was dependent on imports to feed its population. Shipping space was prioritised for arms and ammunition, oil, and other equipment that Britain needed to keep fighting Germany and the Axis. As the war went on it got worse due to Britain being alone after June 1940, when France surrendered. Bananas, oranges and other imported foodstuffs soon disappeared from shop shelves. Eggs became scarce, powdered eggs became common in people's kitchens. Meat was also scarce, the government controlling how farmers farmed their land as grain was needed for bread making not for feeding as many animals as before the war. Spam was imported from the United States, and people often started a pig co-operative, feeding food waste to a pig and sharing it when it was slaughtered.
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| Dig For Victory found here:http://rlv.zcache.com/dig_for_victory_food_rationing_wartime_propaganda_postcard-rd70bed5e82af40318f418bb318bcb1d6_vgbaq_8byvr_324.jpg |
Petrol was also rationed, people were encouraged to think about rail and bus journeys, as servicemen had to have priority.
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| Is Your Journey Really Necessary found here:http://www.bookdrum.com/images/books/31564_o.jpg |
Monday, 1 October 2012
Gordon Stevens - And All The King's Men
This is one cracking read. I admit I am a fan of alternative endings to various historical events. This book by Gordon Stevens (you can get secondhand on sites like amazon.co.uk as its out of print) puts an alternative spin on the Battle of Britain and depicts a German victory in England in 1940. The main character in the book is a man called Jack Masters, a Kent farmer who is approached by British intelligence before the outbreak of war in France. He is asked if he would be interested in joining a resistance network, and of course he says yes. The book is very descriptive about events of the invasion, the annihilation of the Royal Air Force, and the subsequent collaboration by the majority, and the small number who choose to resist, albeit in a small way. My only criticism of this excellent book is that Stevens writes the Germans do not progress any further north than the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland. This is very difficult to believe, surely the Germans would have wanted to complete invasion, especially before invading the Soviet Union. But hey, don't let this put anyone off buying or reading this excellent book, imagine if this had really happened? Its a scary thought...
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