As Australian As Mascots Get: Kangaroos In WWI & WWII
Other uniquely Australian animals and birds were smuggled by troops to the Egyptian and other First World War fronts, such as wallabies, kookaburras, koalas, and…
A Heil Of A Laugh: Jokes And Humor In The Third Reich
Sometimes, in the worst of situations, all you can do is laugh. Humor and laughter are two things that are central to being human. Even…
The MOH Marine who Carried an Aircraft Machine Gun on Iwo Jima
Battlefield conditions often necessitate a number of things in order to achieve victory–inventiveness and courage. One US Marine that exemplified both of these characteristics was…
The Officer Awarded The Military Cross in WWI, The Victoria Cross WWII
The fighting in East Africa was particularly difficult for European troops. The weather was blisteringly hot, and the terrain was extremely difficult to get through.…
Armored Fire: The E7-7 Mechanized Flamethrower
The first attempts to add flamethrowers to US tanks were made in 1943 when M1A1 flamethrowers were added to M3 Lee medium tanks. Fire has…
Why Did Officers Carry Pistols & Not Rifles Into Battle?
Given that melee weapons still played an important role on battlefields into the 19th century, the sword remained one of the primary weapons of the…
The Wellington Boot : Footwear Inspired By A 19th Century War Hero
The boot was perfect for riding, general use, and even informal evening wear. It soon became a hit, and it adopted Wellington’s name as the…
Was Committed to a Mental Asylum: The VC Recipient Who Saved Over 20 Men in No-Mans Land
O’Meara managed to rescue over twenty men during those few days. He also carried much-needed supplies and ammunition to trenches under heavy bombardment. While war…
The Cavalry Officer at Waterloo Whose Amputated Leg Became a Tourist Attraction
Despite the fact that eight horses were shot out from under him during these charges, he kept returning to the battle on fresh mounts. One…
The Worst Shark Attack In History & The Sinking Of The USS Indianapolis
The 800-odd seamen who survived the sinking of the cruiser were greeted with a horrifying sight when the sun rose. Hundreds of shark fins cutting…
When British & African-American Soldiers Rioted Against Racist US Military Police
George Orwell remarked that “the general consensus of opinion is that the only American soldiers with any manners are the Negroes.” Allied military bases were…
Going off Half-Cocked: The Invention Of The Flintlock Musket
The flintlock mechanism not only changed how soldiers fought on the battlefield, it also changed how firearms were made. This allowed a far greater variety…