Question of the Hour

[Kat Stevens]

A nice hot bowl of cereal.

 

[armyvern]

A nice hot bowl of cereal.

Red River cereal I take it? Too funny!! But not correct!

 

[CdnArtyWife]

Each soldier was granted a "Bounty Warrant" for 160 acres of crown land.

I did not get that without the help of google.ca and http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmil/riel/rrefint.htm

 

[armyvern]

Each soldier was granted a "Bounty Warrant" for 160 acres of crown land.

I did not get that without the help of google.ca and http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmil/riel/rrefint.htm

Yay!! Arty Wife you are correct.. and for your prize... a nice hot bowl of "Red River Cereal" after your next trip to your local grocery outlet!!  ;D

 

[redleafjumper]

Geo's partially correct answer is the claim by the signals branch to have taken the flag from the Calais citadel.  It is not the only claim and quite possibly not a wholly accurate one.  Who is the other claimant, what is his regiment, name and what did he do with that flag?  (And apparently this one isn't the one in Kingston...)

 

[armyvern]

Well about all I've been able to find further to your question is:

"The Dover at War exhibition includes two full-sized recreations of a war-time kitchen and front room, complete with a real Morrison Shelter and original furniture. Other highlights include a German 1000 Kg bomb, recovered from Dover Harbour and defused, and the original Nazi Flag and Flag of Surrender from the German gun batteries at Calais, captured by the Canadians in September 1944."

http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/press/home.asp

 

[STA Gunner]

I had always thought it was British Major General Phineas Riall who is supposedly to have made this exclamation, not an American. (Journal of the Reverend George Ferguson in the United Church Archives, Toronto). Ferguson quotes as saying, "Why, these are Regulars!", but of course as a man of the cloth he would not have used the name of God in vain. I suspect Riall was a bit more emphatic than "By God" or "Why".   :warstory:

You are indeed correct.  In my excitement of typing in a question (actually, I was more excited that the question previous was one I knew I had the answer for) I goofed in the wording.  But at least the truth is out  ;D.

 

[redleafjumper]

Army Vern and Geo have found two flags from the same citadel!  Here is some of the rest of the story:

According to:

http://www.img.forces.gc.ca/commelec/Brhistory/chap5_e.htm

"On 30 September 1944 3rd Canadian Division completed the capture of Calais. The German flag which had flown from the citadel at Calais was captured by 3rd Division Signals personnel. Today, this flag is displayed in the Communications and Electronics Museum in Kingston."

But conversely, Roy, R.H. in Ready for the Fray, the history of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, is quite specific:

"... Symbolic of cessation of this fire, and as a very fitting gesture on the part of a Canadian Scottish N.C.O., the Nazi flag which had flown over the citadel in Calais was taken down by Sgt. Barkhouse and sent to the Mayor of Dover." (Roy, R.H., p. 320)

As the citadel was taken by "B" and "D" companies of the Canadian Scottish and the harbour forts garrison was surrendered to LCol Crofton (CSRegt), the Canadian Scottish claim seems credible.  I suspect that there were likely more flags around than the one on the citadel taken by Sgt. Barkhouse, but perhaps not.  If anyone has more information on the flag from the citadel, I'd like to hear about it.

I sent a note to the  communications and electronics museum in Kingston to see if there is more information about who took which flag from where.  I will post it if I hear more.  :warstory:

 

[redleafjumper]

In 1740 Frederick the Great recruited a new body of mounted troops.  What were these troops called, what was their purpose and what career or profession were most of the first recruits?

 

[redleafjumper]

I had hoped for a nibble or two on Frederick the Great's innovative horsemen.  I have been putting forward a few questions that may not be so google friendly to make the hunt a little more challenging; I hope that is okay.  Any guesses yet?  (There is a clue in this message!)

 

[armyvern]

I had hoped for a nibble or two on Frederick the Great's innovative horsemen.   I have been putting forward a few questions that may not be so google friendly to make the hunt a little more challenging; I hope that is okay.    Any guesses yet?   (There is a clue in this message!)

OK, my attempt:

HUNGARIAN HUSSARS OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.

When the War of Austrian Succession began between Frederick II (later called "The Great") and Maria Theresa, the Prussian King recognized even in 1740 the superiority of the Empress' Hungarian hussars over his own traditional heavy cavalry. He sent his agents to the Habsburg empire, where they lured away a great number of hussar officers and enlisted their services for Frederick. Within two years the Prussian Army organized two new hussar regiments from these volunteers. These hussars wore the traditional Hungarian hussar uniform, richly decorated with braid and go1d trim. Frederick also recognized some national characteristics of his Hungarian hussars: extreme pride, integrity, sense of justice and dignity. In 1759 he issued a royal order which warned the Prussian officers never to offend the self-esteem of his Hungarian hussars with insu1ts and abuses. At the same time he exempted the hussars from the usual disciplinary measures of the Prussian Army: bodily punishment and cudgeling.

Or:

In 1740 the Prussian army consisted of a sizeable army with the Infantry well drilled and disciplined if lacking experience . The Cavalry in 1740 showed their lacking which started Frederick the Great on a program that reformed the cavalry so that it could match the Austrian's on the battlefield . The expectation was surpassed and the Prussian Cavalry became a formidable foe in a very short space of time . The Prussian army had separate Grenadier battalion's on campaign which were used in advance the the army and were brigaded .
The Artillery was improved under Frederick's direction with the battalion gun's being mostly 7lb Howitzer's by the end of the Seven Year's War

OR

But I also found this site before the server went down talking about the Guarde de Corps that he established in 1740....Apparently he stood up numerous Units (and just re-arranged and re-named a few) in this, his first year of reign.

 

[redleafjumper]

Hey Army Vern, a very noble attempt indeed.  Those Hussar units were formed after 1740, so sadly, they aren't correct.  The second two answers are close as it is true that many units were formed.  I will add another clue to aid clarity - The soldiers of this unit wore green and were armed with rifled carbines.  (i have probably given it away with such good clues...)

 

[Infanteer]

Jaegers?

Anyways, I thought I'd try this quiz game.  In 2002 during Operation Anaconda, the 3PPCLI BG air-assaulted into a geographic feature known as "The Whale" located in the Shah-i-kot Valley; where did this name for this feature originate from?

 

[canadianchick]

While if the defense department briefing that I found on the good old trusty internet is right then there is no real reason except that is really does look like a whale.
" When we fly, when we do operations, folks come up with names, so there's no significance to the name except that it does look like a whale's back, out of the water. "
  http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/hyper/2002/0312/epf202.htm

 

[redleafjumper]

Infanteer has provided part of the correct answer on Frederick the Great's innovation.  He developed mounted Jaegers (hunters) who were recruited from foresters and gameskeepers to serve as scouts and reconnaisance cavalry.

 

[Infanteer]

While if the defense department briefing that I found on the good old trusty internet is right then there is no real reason except that is really does look like a whale.
" When we fly, when we do operations, folks come up with names, so there's no significance to the name except that it does look like a whale's back, out of the water. "

Nope, that's not how my source explains it; there is a reason (hint: existing geographical formation) it got that name.

 

[armyvern]

Nope, that's not how my source explains it; there is a reason (hint: existing geographical formation) it got that name.

Tergul Ghar (the actual Afghan name for the whale) was also also known as Objective Payback. This was a promontory foothill ridge feature which resembled a whale. The Op on this ridgeline was known as Op Harpoon??

And I also found this very interesting link on Op Anaconda & Op Harpoon:
http://www.combatreform.com/realmountaindivision.htm

 

[RiflemanPhil]

Name any of the ships that carried the Royal Green Jackets (95th Rifles) to Portugal during the Napoleonic War.

 

[armyvern]

Name any of the ships that carried the Royal Green Jackets (95th Rifles) to Portugal during the Napoleonic War.

Hmmmm,
HMS Crocodile, HMS Donegal

 

[armyvern]

To Whom did King George VIII speak the immortal words "Please God....it shall never happen again".
Who was she?
How many sons did she have?
Name her sons that died, and the places where they fell.