Russia celebrates 65th anniversary by way of a Victory Parade

On the 9th May 1945, the guns fell quiet as the struggle in Europe came to an end. The Western Allies and the Soviet forces had crushed the German military and every year, Russia marks the occasion with a victory parade.

2010 is the 65th anniversary and this year’s parade in Moscow will be a bit extraordinary. Occasions began a few days earlier when twenty-two British veterans from the Arctic convoys were given medals by the Russian envoy to the United Kingdom, Yury Fedotov. The veterans had helped ferry provisions to the northern Russian ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. In total, around 1,400 ships help keep the Soviet Union supplied.

As part of the Victory Parade, there will be a fly past of around 130 airplanes and helicopters from different periods of history. Over time, Red Square has witnessed plenty of parades crafted to show off the strength of the Soviet forces but this year, the parade will have a more global feel about it. Troops of the Welsh Regiment from the British Army, US 18th Infantry Regiment, pilots from the French Normandie-Nieman squadron and an honour guard from the Polish military will all parade with army units from Russia and other CIS nations.

As well as the Victory Parade in Moscow, there will also be events in other cities too. In Ukraine, 75 Russian paratroopers will march through Kiev as the country marks the end of World War II which was also thought of as the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union. The Russian unit was asked to participate by the Ukraine government.

The Actions of the Churchill’s Secret Army

Even though it was officially formed in July 1940, the SOE (Special Operations Executive) had been created in 1938 with the combination of 3 active, top secret departments immediately following Germany annexed Austria. Churchill’s Secret Army was instructed to “Set Europe Ablaze”.

SOE operatives were despatched to many Nazi occupied nations to at the same time cause mayhem behind German lines and in addition try to uncover local resistance groups they would certainly work with once the time for invasion arrived. Theatres of Operation involved France, Belgium, Poland, Germany, Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Albania, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Denmark, Romania, Abyssinia and the Far East.

As agents had to operate deep in occupied territory and they were chosen from many social group and background. The primary qualification was that the probable agent had meticulous awareness of the country they would function in and able to pass as a native of that country. Accordingly, those with dual nationality were highly coveted.

The famous aircraft utilised by the Special Operations Executives in France was the Westland Lysander. It was a small plane which meant it was significantly more challenging to see and was sturdy enough to land on make shift landing strips. It was used to transport agents to and from the United Kingdom together with picking up people who had to be debriefed in London. Airmen who had been shot down were also occasionally brought back to the UK by Lysander.

Amongst the Special Operations Executive numbers were a number of female operatives and roughly 30% of the female operatives dropped into France from Section F, did not survive. The sorts of operations in each country differed. For example, in Poland, there was hardly any need to encourage the locals as there was already widespread hate of the Germans. This was in comparison to regions like as Vichy France where some locals collaborated with the Germans and the risk of SOE operatives being betrayed was enormously increased.

During World War II, the SOE had made use of approximately 13,000 people who directly helped or provided somewhere in the region of 1 million operatives.

The Christmas Truce of 1914

On the outbreak of World War I in 1914, a good number of people thought it would be concluded by Xmas. Patriotic teenage men were keen to enlist in the army as soon as possible as they feared they would lose out on the fighting. Regardless, history has demonstrated that their positive outlook was misdirected as the war would not cease right up until 1918. The German advance was stopped at the First Battle of Marne and the race for the sea started out as the Allies and Germans both dug in. It was the beginning of the trench warfare of the Western Front.

The outcome was lines of trenches going from the North Sea to Switzerland along a 440 mile front. The battle lines moved hardly at all as a war of attrition broke out. Initial trenches weren’t well made and were susceptible to cave in. Even by trench warfare standards, 1914 was pretty horrific. As winter approached, the boys on the front line realised that the war wouldn’t be finished by Xmas after all.

The Western Front ran through both Belgium and France with men from France, Belgium and Great Britain guarding different sectors. In some sectors, the German trenches were not more than 30 yards away. Being in such close proximity allowed the infantry to call to their opponents or even hold up signs. On the German belt buckles was the inscription “Gott Mitt Uns” (God is with us). The British reply was “We’ve got mittens too”. Some of the verbal exchanges were a bit more black humour. A volley of shots would lead to the reply “Missed” or “Left a bit”.

Even so, it was these exchanges that laid the foundations of a handful of amazing scenes across the Western Front on 24th December 1914. The Germans celebrate Christmas on the 24th as opposed to UK and France who celebrate on the 25th). The weather had improved and on the 24th, the voices from the German trenches were different. They began singing carols and placed Xmas Trees across their trenches. Infantry began calling to each other and in due course, some embarked into no mans land where they chatted and exchanged cigarettes, food and souvenirs. Stories of the truce may differ a lot as there were in fact a number of truces up and down the lines. They were principally in the parts manned by the British as the Germans had occupied Belgium and French soil so the Christmas spirit was less in evidence amongst these soldiers.

The Christmas Creasefire of 1914 was unofficial but as many as 100,000 soldiers were believed to have been involved. As well as fraternisation, the chance was also taken to recover and bury the dead. One of the most notable parts of the truce was the football match between the British and Germans. There are a number of conflicting stories concerning the match with an array of finals scores. This would suggest there were various games at several locations.

The duration the truce lasted also varied but generally, it was over on Christmas Day. Often, hostilities started again by mutual arrangement. In one case, on the morning of the 26th December 1914, Captain Stockwell of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers fired into the air and stood above the parapet. His opposite number in the German trench also stood up, they saluted and stepped down. Captain Stockwell heard the German fire a couple of shots into the air and World War I started again. Suffice to say, the Xmas Ceasefire was very much against the wishes of British commanders and in the following years, artillery barrages were ordered for Xmas Eve.

In 2008, a plaque to the Christmas Ceasefire on the Western Front was unveiled at the village on Frelinghen and was the 1st memorial to the incidents of Xmas 1914. The legacy the truce left behind is substantial with a number of books being written and published and it was also the inspiration for various songs.

Battle of Britain

The summer time of 1940 saw World War II come to the English skies as the Royal Air Force bravely stand up to the endless attacks of Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Following a period of time identified as the ‘Phoney War’, Hitler had instructed his army to invade other European countries and there was limited opposition in Belgium, Netherlands and France.

Operation Dynamo had seen around 300,000 men of the BEF plucked to safety by a flotilla of boats who made journey over from England to Dunkirk over a number of days. So now Hitler had his sights on England. The white cliffs of Dover were clearly in view as the German High Command looked past the English Channel from Calais.

Even so, until such time as the skies over England were under German control, Hitler wasn’t able to authorise Operation Sealion – the invasion of Great Britain. With America being unwilling to join the war at this stage and her Allies overcome, United Kingdom would have to face the Germans on it’s own.

Could Britian hold on until the autumn when the weather would hold off the Germans from crossing the Channel? British destiny lay in the hands of the bold pilots of the RAF, “The Few” as Churchill later referred to them. It was not exclusively British pilots in the RAF, the Commonwealth was represented with pilots from quite a few colonial outposts like as South Africa and Rhodesia and as well Poles and even a few Americans.

Hitler despatched the Luftwaffe over to hammer UK into submission but crucially, their fighter escorts only had the fuel for a few minutes combat before they would have to go back leaving the bombers unprotected. For the very first time, the Luftwaffe were up against firm resistance and there was to be no repeat of their quick victories on the Continent. Britain’s airfields in the south east were being dealt a hammering till one night in August 1940, a German aircraft got lost and dropped its bombs over London before heading home. In retaliation, the RAF launched an air raid on Berlin.

Hitler was furious and instructed his bombers to attack London and not the RAF airfields. This was a vital turning point as it offered the Royal Air Force some much called for relief. The German Air Force was unable to gain the initiative at any point and in the middle of September, Hitler indefinitely postponed Operation Sealion. The immediate risk of attack was gone and Churchill spoke of the contribution of Fighter Command in a widely known speech “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few”.

The foremost fighter ace was Sgt Frantisek from the Czech Republic with a score of seventeen kills. He piloted a Hawker Hurricane which was the true workhorse of Fighter Command even if everybody remembers the legendary Spitfire. Sgt Frantisek was killed in action in October 1940.

The Battle of Britain was the first occasion the Germans had experienced a miltary defeat during World War II.

The Legends of the KwaZulu Natal Battlegrounds

For practically the whole of the 19th century, several of the most ferocious struggles in history were conducted among Zulu, Briton and Boer for the possession of the territory and sovereignty. Typically these were concentrated in an immense battlefield that extends from the Drakensberg Mountains, north to Volksrust and east into Zululand, embracing plains of amazing natural beauty that offer far more than merely renowned battlefield places to the visitor.

It is really difficult to fully grasp that this scenic and now peaceful land once rang with the bitter conflict. Rather, the hills, valleys and ridges now echo with the call of wildlife, an renowned selection of birdlife or are simply just breathtakingly tranquil, permitting sightseers to emerse themselves in the undeniable ambiance.

From straightforward, comfortable campgrounds to exclusive private game ranches, accommodation is obtainable to suit every taste, standard and budget, combined with numerous pursuits as wide as the plains for which the place is well-known. White water rafting, mountain biking, abseiling, 4×4 trails, horse riding and hiking are some of the possible choices available to the more adventurous, whereas those searching for other pastimes can enjoy a few holes of golf at various 9 and 18-hole courses, casino thrills or the opportunity to test their fishing skills.

The rugged magnificence of the terrain is marked with reminders of the violent history, which include haunting memorials on the field of Isandlwana, where the Zulu army defeated over 1,000 British soldiers, gravestones at Fort Pearson and the monument at Spion Kop, certainly one of the most fiercely fought struggles of the Anglo-Boer War.

The location of the infamous Battle of Blood River amongst Voortrekker and Zulu is home to the Ncome Museum, where the historical past of the Zulu people is documented. The museum and authentic laager reconstruction memorial provide you with an amazing alternative interpretation of the battle, in both their accounts recorded and in the style by which they commemorate those who fought here. The location of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift among the British and Zulu is much unchanged since that bloody battle with stone walls constructed to shield the British still virtually intact.

A number of monuments and well-preserved artifacts present the best backdrop to an place where re-enactments of the Colonial-era wars involving British troops and Zulu warriors, permit modern day tourists to live through the bloody dramas with pretty much frightening reality. Trained guides bring their own personal touch in terms of detail, emotion and historical interest to the encounters in contrast to the often stark visual landscape.

The Menin Gate and the Last Post

The Menin Gate in an impressive memorial to the soldiers who died in World War I in the Belgium town of Ypres (Iepers). In the course of the war, the Ypres Salient was the scene of terrible fighting and was nicknamed “Wipers” by the British infantry who fought there. Around 250,000 men from UK and the Commonwealth fell in the fighting in the vicinity of this old town. Of those men, around 100,000 have no acknowledged burial plot and close to half of those are commemorated on the Menin Gate. This memorial to the missing bears the names of 54,000 men from all around the earth.

Across the Western Front battlefields of Belgium and France, there are many memorials but the Menin Gate is compelling for more than just its over all size. The gate is located at the Eastern exit of the town and the road leads right to the old front line. The memorial was constructed by the British government and was unveiled in 1927. Its location seems best suited and lots of the soldiers whose names are commemorated on the Menin Gate, will have marched along this same road to the front line, never to come home.

The people of Ypres were all to mindful of the debt of appreciation they owed the fallen that they came up with an idea to honour them. From 1928, every night at 8pm, cars are stopped from passing under the Menin Gate and a short ceremony takes place. Buglers from the Last Post Association and district fire brigade gather to play the “Last Post”. The ceremony should not be seen as amusement, it is a solemn occasion and although the public are welcome to be present at the ceremony, they should remember the reasons that it happens.

The ceremony has taken place each and every night since 2nd July 1928, only disrupted during World War II as the town was occupied by Germany. For the duration of the occupation of Ypres, the ceremony occurred at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, Great Britain. The very day that Ypres was liberated from the Germans in World War II, was once again carried out at the Menin Gate.

Colditz – A Castle with an Abundant Heritage

Colditz Castle is most certainly best known as a top security prison utilised by the Nazis throughout World War II to detain Allied prisoners who were thought of as “incorrigible”. Having said that, the castle is over 800 years old so there is far more to its background than the six years when it was identified as Oflag IV-C.

Building work commenced in the mid 12th century on the imposing castle built on a hill looking over Colditz in Saxony, Germany. After only a couple of years, settlements appeared in the area of the castle and after about 250 years, it was sold by the Lords of Coldtiz.

A large fire in the early 1500s resulted in significant parts of the castle were required to be reconstructed not to mention the city hall, church and large areas of the city. Over the ages, redevelopment and reconstructing work saw the shape of the castle change and in the 19th century it was rebuilt yet again and made use of as a workhouse and eventually a mental facility until 1924.

In 1933, Hitler took control of Germany and transformed the castle to a prison for political pows. Following the beginning of World War II in 1939, POWs were detained here. It was used to hold maximum risk prisoners who were thought of as dangerous and going to make an attempt to escape. Although it was a maximum security prisoner of war camp, the nature of the inmates at Oflag IV-C (it’s prison camp camp name), ensured there were various innovative escape attempts. There was even one plan where POWs plotted to employ a glider even though it was not attempted as the Allies recaptured the castle before the escape effort could be staged.

Colditz was a prison camp for officers and there were also a handful of famous inmates including the British fighter ace, Douglas Bader, Patrick Reid who wrote various books on Colditz after the war, Airey Neave who was the first officer to escape from the POW camp and was also eventually elected to the British Parliament, Sir David Stirling who set up the SAS and Charles Upham from New Zealand who was awarded the Victoria Cross and bar. One of the most notable of all was Giles Romilly who was the nephew of Winston Churchill’s wife.

In recent years, Colditz Castle has been renovated and is open to visitors to see this historic building for themselves.

Review for the TV Mini-Series Band of Brothers

The mini series Band of Brothers is regarded as being without doubt one of the recommended warfare motion pictures ever produced. Influenced by the book by Stephen Ambrose, the ten parts detail the history about the soldiers of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Regiment of the American 101st Airborne. Episode one gets under way with Easy Companies basic training at Toccoa, Georgia prior to being deployed to England as they prepare for their role with the D-Day Assault at Normandy.

Every episode gets under way by talking to veterans of Easy Company. They speak about their war time experience that the episode covers though at this point, the veterans are not identified. Despite the fact that the men aren’t identified, the episodes introduce you to the characters early on and the actors are superbly selected so it is uncomplicated to relate with them from the beginning.

While the action scenes are filmed brilliantly, what makes Band of Brothers stand above many other war movies is the fact that it reveals the personal tales so effectively. To illustrate, in episode two simply prior to Easy are due to leap into Normandy, without doubt one of the soldiers, Bill Guarnere, discovers his brother was killed at Montecassino.

The ten episodes convey the stories of Easy Company starting with their basic training prior to heading into battle in Northern France and on to the village of Carentan. Episode four sees the roll-out of replacements into Easy Company and illustrates the issues they have being accepted by the Normandy veterans as the soldiers take part in Operation Market Garden.

The following two episodes deal with the build up as well as the fighting at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. By now a few of Easy are at breaking point and it is the topic of episode 7. As the war in Europe nears the finish, there is a final patrol for Easy Company. The horrors of war are highlighted after the men find a concentration camp. The final episode sees Easy go to Austria where they capture the Eagle’s Nest high in the mountains at Berchtesgaden.

The series ends with interviews with veterans and eventually identifies the men that viewers have come to know all through the ten episodes of Band of Brothers.

A Review of the City of Arnhem

The Dutch city of Arnhem is situated in Eastern Holland on the banks of the river Nederrijn while the famous river Rhine is a little bit further south. Arnhem was first named in the late 9th century nevertheless there is a load of signs to point to the fact human habitations were in the area about 70,000 years ago.

The city was founded in the 13th century and until it became part of the Seven United Provinces of the Holland in 1585, it had already been the stage of various power struggles. The French were next to have desires of Arnhem and it wasn’t right until the mid 19th century that peace came to Arnhem. The city and surrounding region was known as a idyllic region of Holland.

During World War II, Arnhem was the stage of a renowned battle as the advancing Allies tried to get a breakthrough into Germany. In June 1944, Allied Forces had landed on the beaches in Northern France and were heading in the direction of their ultimate aim of Berlin. Arnhem and the neighbouring region had a few critical bridges crossing the Rhine which if taken intact, would permit the Allies a way into Germany.

Operation Market Garden was an airbourne assault in September 1944, to secure the bridges but the mission was unsuccessful. The city was subsequently liberated by Canadian soldiers in April 1945.

Now, Arnhem is a principal railway centre with trains running to locations as far away as Moscow. The Burgers Zoo is one of the more well liked in Holland and here the National Heritage Museum is situated just outside the town.

The Gelredome is the home of Vitesse Arnhem and was the first football stadium to feature a slide out pitch. This makes it possible for more air and natural light to get to the grass.

For the traveller, lodgings in Arnhem isn’t usually a hassle with everything from camp sites to high class hotels being out there. There are a lot of dining places and going out to restaurants is fairly typical for locals as well as tourists.

The origins of the Remembrance poppy

Every year at the start of November citizens in the UK and all other commonwealth countries start to wear a red poppy in the run up to Armistice Day on 11th November. Also known as Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, it is the day we remember the men and women who have fallen in conflict in the protection of their country. The Armistice was the deal that concluded World War I and it was signed on 11th November 1918 at 11am.

At 11 o’clock on the eleventh day of the 11th month, United Kingdom stops for two minutes to observe a silence. Remembrance Sunday is observed on the 2nd Sunday in November with parades, services and the laying of wreaths at war memorials in cities, towns and villages throughout The United Kingdom. The symbolic representation of Remembrance is the poppy and it has been used by the Royal British Legion who do so much good work to aid former service men and women.

The year after the end of World War I, King George V dedicated a day to observe the people who had fallen all through the four year war and the first 2 minute silence was observed in London on 11th November 1919 at 11am. The following day, the Manchester Guardian informed us that the 2 minute silence was impeccably observed.

The poppy was selected as the symbolic representation of Remembrance for 2 reasons; its red colour mirrored the bloodshed and the in the war torn fields of Flanders, the poppy was one of the very few living things to bloom. The poppy is described in the poem “In Flanders Fields” which was penned by the Canadian doctor John McCrae in 1915.

The design of the poppy worn as a symbolic representation of Remembrance varies to some degree from country to country. In Great Britain, the design of the poppy is a flat, firm paper leaf postioned on a plastic stem. Some also have a single green leaf and it is held in place with in a single pin.

Wreaths laid at memorials on Armistice Day and throughout the year are usually made of artificial poppies and today countries all over the world have adopted the poppy as the universal symbolic representation of Remembrance.