World War One

[Catfish]

Seems it struck a mine, perished with all hands. Has been identified as U 31 and will be left untouched, as a war grave..

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-35370700

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...rld-war-u-boat

[Jimbuna]

That video footage shows her to be in pretty amazing condition.

May all who went down in her rest in peace.

~SALUTE~

[Sailor Steve]

On February 27th, 1916, Flight-Lieutenant Harold Rosher died in a flying accident at the Dover Aeroplane Station. Most of the letters he wrote to his parents while on duty have been quoted here over the past year.

Three days after the date of the last letter Harold was killed. On 27th February, Major Risk, the C.O. of the Dover Aeroplane Station being away on duty, Harold, as second in command, was in charge. Among his other duties he had to train new pilots on fast machines, and he would always personally test a new machine or a newly-repaired machine before allowing anybody else to try it. On that Sunday morning he ordered a number of machines to be brought out of the sheds for practice flights. Among them was one which had just been repaired after a mishap three weeks earlier. The pilot had already got into his machine. Harold told him to get out as the machine was untested, and himself took it up for a trial flight of eight or ten minutes. Everything seemed to go right until Harold began the descent about a mile away from the Aerodrome. Then, at a height of 300 feet or less, the machine suddenly made a nose-dive and crashed to the ground. Harold was killed instantly. The disaster occupied seven seconds. At the inquest nothing was ascertained as to the cause of the accident. One theory is that the controls jammed. Harold was buried on the 2nd of March at Charlton Cemetery, with full naval honors.

Harold was twenty-two when he died at work.
-With The Flying Squadron - from the introduction by Arnold Bennett

Praise for Harold Rosher from those who knew him:
"You have the consolation of knowing his splendid record at Dunkirk. He was among the finest pilots I ever had out there, always cheerful and ready for his work."
-Wing Commander Aurthur N. Longmore, R.N.

"Harold, or Rosh as we always used to call him, was one of my very best pals and a very fine officer and First Lieutenant. Every one loved him. He was an absolute 'Sahib', a very good pilot, hard-working, and absolutely trustworthy.
-Major Charles E. Risk, Squadron Commander

"He returned with some of the others from abroad last autumn, and very shortly afterwards I selected him from a large number of officers to become Executive Officer of the Dover Air Station, which was then starting. Although quite young, he immediately displayed great organising abilities, and also possessed the gift of command of men, which in unusual without previous training, and fully justified my selection. At his own request he was shortly proceeding abroad in command of a Flight, and would undoubtedly have gained his promotion in the near future. I have said little as regards his skill as a pilot, since this was probably well known to you, but he was undoubtedly in the first flight."
-Captain Charles L. Lamb

If you would like to read the whole book, it is in the public domain and available for download.
http://www.forgottenbooks.com/books/...ron_1000900064

[Aktungbby]

THIS DATE five years ago: Frank Woodruff Buckles (born Wood Buckles, died February 27, 2011-(age 110 and 26 days) was a United States Army soldier and the last surviving American veteran of World War I. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and served with a detachment from Fort Riley, driving ambulances and motorcycles near the front lines in Europe. During World War II, he was captured by Japanese forces while working in the shipping business, and spent three years in the Philippines as a civilian prisoner. He was down to 100lbs with beriberi; All of the captives were freed following a raid by Allied forces on February 23, 1945. After the war, Buckles married in San Francisco and moved to Gap View Farm near Charles Town, West Virginia. A widower at age 98, he worked on his farm until the age of 105.<enlarges I should look this good at 108!)

"There was never a shortage of blown-up bodies that needed to be rushed to the nearest medical care. The British and French troops were in bad shape – even guys about my age looked old and tired. After three years of living and dying inside a dirt trench, you know the Brits and French were happy to see us "doughboys." Every last one of us Yanks believed we’d wrap this thing up in a month or two and head back home before harvest. In other words, we were the typical, cocky Americans no one wants around, until they need help winning a war."

When asked the secret of long life, Buckles replied that being hopeful and not hurrying were key traits, adding: "When you start to die ... don't". In another interview, the centenarian talked about genetics, exercise, and a healthy diet, but put "the will to survive" above everything else. Upon Buckles' death on February 27, 2011, President Barack Obama ordered that the American flag be flown at half-staff on all government buildings, including the White House and U.S. embassies, on the day in March when Buckles would be buried at Arlington. Leading up to the March 15 funeral, the governors of 16 states likewise called for lowering their states' flags to half-staff. [wiki]

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

4th April 1916

Do you know what this picture has to do with the loss of L 15 (LZ 48) ?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Do you know what this picture has to do with the loss of L 15 (LZ 48) ?

[April 4th, 1916] "Big Game Shooting On The East Coast" (Western Mail cartoon).

https://www.reddit.com/r/100yearsago/

[HunterICX]

Got this from the ''The Great War'' facebook page, here are some interviews of German Veterans made in the 80's about the Battle of Verdun:

http://gottmituns.net/2013/03/18/ger...eo-interviews/

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

[April 4th, 1916] "Big Game Shooting On The East Coast" (Western Mail cartoon).
https://www.reddit.com/r/100yearsago/

Ah thanks Jim , i wondered about the african 'theme'..

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Ah thanks Jim , i wondered about the african 'theme'..

As did I if I'm to be totally honest

[Schroeder]

I don't know whether this has come up here already but there is a youtube channel dedicated to show what happened in WWI on a weekly basis:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGrea...?nohtml5=False

[HunterICX]

^

Yep, on the previous page:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=107

but it's worth mentioning again and again imo

[Betonov]

It's this week, but WW1 related so I'll just post it here.
A stash of WWI ordinance was located and the bomb disposal units of civil protection were sent in to clear 87 pieces (386kg) of unexploded shells, grenades and mines (Italian and Austrian)
The area is in the Coastal region, where the Soča front used to be

























As of today, there have been 131 interventions due to unexploded WWI ordinance and it columnated in 421 pieces or combined weight of 2326kg this year

[Aktungbby]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3125088/Inside-toxic-grave-longest-battle-history-French-forest-300-000-died-300-days-Battle-Verdun-littered-bodies-arsenic-unexploded-shells-grows-100-years.html http://mentalfloss.com/article/23966/europes-iron-harvest An extremely lethal and dangerous problem all over it seems; thanks for posting that Betonov!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Betonov

It's this week, but WW1 related so I'll just post it here.
A stash of WWI ordinance was located and the bomb disposal units of civil protection were sent in to clear 87 pieces (386kg) of unexploded shells, grenades and mines (Italian and Austrian)
The area is in the Coastal region, where the Soča front used to be

As of today, there have been 131 interventions due to unexploded WWI ordinance and it columnated in 421 pieces or combined weight of 2326kg this year

Quite a varied selection of ordnance there Anze. I reckon you could have fun with some of that

[Schroeder]

It has probably been in this thread already but in case it wasn't here is a nice video on melee weapons used in WWI: