Question of the Hour

[Gunner]

All about the Blue Max

http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/pourlemerite.htm

And its recipients

http://www.pourlemerite.org/

Leutnant Oswald Boelcke awarded on -- 12 Jan. 1916. (40 victories)

Leutnant Max Immelmann awarded on -- 12 Jan. 1916. (15 victories)

 

[Rhibwolf]

in a similar question, which Canadian 2Lt was awarded the empire's most prestigious award for wing walking, and what were the circumstances?

 

[redleafjumper]

Leutnant Oswald Boelcke awarded on -- 12 Jan. 1916. (40 victories)

Leutnant Max Immelmann awarded on -- 12 Jan. 1916. (15 victories)


That is correct!

 

[redleafjumper]

Here's a new question, what is represented by the three white stripes on the collar of the US Navy uniform?

 

[nowhere_man]

Is it somthing to do with good seamanship or somthing? that was all i could find

 

[Rhibwolf]

The RN tradition is likely the birthplace of the USN's use, and it was ornamental, moving from two tapes to three at one point. (nothing to do with Nelson's victories.
In the USN, they used to use collar piping, but it was was eliminated in 1869 and replaced by stitching of "white thread - two rows, one-eighth of an inch apart, the first row close to the edge." In 1876 the piping was again changed to three rows of three-sixteenths-inch-wide tape on the jumper collar. It was purely decorative

 

[redleafjumper]

Rhibwolf is correct. There is a longstanding belief that the stripes originate from the British uniform and recognize Nelson's 3 greatest victories - the Nile, Copehagen, and Trafalgar; however the US Navy states at:

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/uniform_historical.htm

Three Rows of Piping - Piping first appeared as a decorative device during the 1840s which sailors added to break up the drabness of their uniform. In 1866 the collar flap was extended to nine inches to accommodate a standardized system of white piping to distinguish petty officers (three rows), ordinary seamen (two rows) and landsmen and boys (one row). Corresponding rows were displayed on the cuff.

In 1876 the white tape on the collar was standardized to three rows for all enlisted wearing the jumper, with rank to be determined by the petty officer insignia, and cuff stripes for the seaman ranks. In 1947, cuff piping was standardized at three rows for all hands since rating badges and added piping (diagonal white, red, green or blue stripes on the left sleeve) to denote rank was repetitious.

Again, the legend of the three collar rows to commemorate Nelson's sea victories is a myth and has no basis of fact in any authoritative history of uniforms. It evolved merely as a decorative device and, much later, served to distinguish between rates.

 

[nowhere_man]

I was close  :

 

[redleafjumper]

Nowhere_man, your answer is bit more a question than an answer.

Here is another question: What was the significant decisive element at the siege of Harfleur?

 

[geo]

During the siege the English army had been hard hit by dysentery which continued to affect them after the siege ended. Henry left a small garrison in the town and on Monday 8 October set out with the rest of his army to go to Calais. He searched for an undefended or weakly defended bridge or ford on the Somme river hoping to slip past the French army but although he crossed the Somme he failed to evade the French army and was forced to fight the Battle of Agincourt

 

[redleafjumper]

Agincourt is a significant after-affect of that battle; however the real significance of Harfleur lay in the successful decisive employment of heavy siege cannon in reducing the city walls.  This battle can be said to have meant the end of of the walled city and castle as a successful method of defensive warfare.  The earlier part of the Wikipedia definition  from which Geo's answer is taken, does mention the siege guns, unfortunately, it does not emphasize the significance of their presence.

 

[Spr.Earl]

"Kataastaasan Kagalanggalangan Na Katipunan ng Mga Anak Ng Bayan". Loosely translated to mean the "Highest and Most Respectable Society of the Sons of the People."

A nationalist movement who fought against the Spainish occupation of the Phillipines in the 1890s.

D

Edit: Source http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ph-histo.html

Or for short "Katipunan".

I went a visited Gen.Aguinaldo's house in Kawit,Cavite the home of the revolution against the Spanish and was taken all through his house and even up to the 6th floor of the tower which is only allowed to special dignitaries(last ones there before locking up for the night),I was in his library,personal bedroom,Alas I was not allowed to take any photo's as it's a State shrine to the Gen. and the Revolution and the Gov. control's all photo's and publication's about the house.The house is open to the public but only certain areas and admition is by donation.

The house is made of nara and mahogany wood's,the floor plank's are 12" wide x 3" thick and any where from 10' long to 30" long.It's a must see if you ever get down that way.
Great pictoral history of the Philippino Revolution against the Spanish in the house.

 

[Rhibwolf]

any takers on this yet?
hint - the award is not a wing walking award, this was part of what he did to win the award.
hint 2 - the VC.

in a similar question, which Canadian 2Lt was awarded the empire's most prestigious award for wing walking, and what were the circumstances?

 

[Cloud Cover]

any takers on this yet?
hint - the award is not a wing walking award, this was part of what he did to win the award.
hint 2 - the VC.

George Mullen?

 

[Danjanou]

any takers on this yet?
hint - the award is not a wing walking award, this was part of what he did to win the award.
hint 2 - the VC.

The award of the VC to Alan Arnett MacLeod for his during actions  March 26, 1918

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned officer of the Royal Air Force, for services displaying outstanding bravery:

2nd Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, Royal Air Force.

While flying with his observer, Lieutenant A. W. Hammond, M.C., attacking hostile formations by bombs and machine gun fire, he was assailed at a height of 5,000 feet by eight enemy triplanes which dived at him from all directions, firing from their front guns. By skilful manoeuvring he enabled his observer to fire bursts at each machine in turn, shooting three of them down out of control. By this time Lieutenant McLeod had received five wounds, and while continuing the engagement a bullet penetrated his petrol tank and set the machine on fire.

He then climbed out on to the left bottom plane, controlling his machine from the side of the fusilage, and by sideslipping steeply kept the flames to one side, thus enabling the observer to continue firing until the ground was reached.

The observer had been wounded six times when the machine crashed in "No Man's Land" and 2nd Lieutenant McLeod, notwithstanding his own wounds, dragged him away from the burning wreckage at great personal risk from heavy machine-gun fire from the enemy's lines. This very gallant pilot was again wounded by a bomb whilst engaged in this act of rescue, but he persevered until he had placed Lieutenant Hammond in comparative safety, before falling himself from exhaustion and loss of blood."

http://www.constable.ca/mcleod.htm

 

[Trooper Hale]

All i can say is a very genuine wow. Thats fantastic and not something you'd want to forget in a hurry. Simply brilliant.

 

[Journeyman]

The award of the VC to Alan Arnett MacLeod...

I concur - - wow.

 

[Danjanou]

Three Canadian pilots (RFC and/or RAF) were awarded the VC during the First World War. We always seem to remember Bishop  and Barker  but not MacLeod.

Not to slight in any way their accomplishments especially those that resulted in the citations for their respective VCs, but there is something about this one that really stands out. The wounded five times  and staying in the fight is worthy of a VC perhaps in it's own right. The dragging of an injured comrade out a burning airplane under fire and carrying him to safety under enemy fire would also probably have resulted in a VC or perhaps a bar to the initial award. It was the wing walking in between those two events though that really sticks out.

I remember reading about this almost 40 years ago as kid (along with the exploits of Bishop, Barker and many of our other heroes) and as soon as I saw the question knew who it was.

 

[Spr.Earl]

The award of the VC to Alan Arnett MacLeod for his during actions  March 26, 1918

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned officer of the Royal Air Force, for services displaying outstanding bravery:

2nd Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, Royal Air Force.

While flying with his observer, Lieutenant A. W. Hammond, M.C., attacking hostile formations by bombs and machine gun fire, he was assailed at a height of 5,000 feet by eight enemy triplanes which dived at him from all directions, firing from their front guns. By skilful manoeuvring he enabled his observer to fire bursts at each machine in turn, shooting three of them down out of control. By this time Lieutenant McLeod had received five wounds, and while continuing the engagement a bullet penetrated his petrol tank and set the machine on fire.

He then climbed out on to the left bottom plane, controlling his machine from the side of the fusilage, and by sideslipping steeply kept the flames to one side, thus enabling the observer to continue firing until the ground was reached.

The observer had been wounded six times when the machine crashed in "No Man's Land" and 2nd Lieutenant McLeod, notwithstanding his own wounds, dragged him away from the burning wreckage at great personal risk from heavy machine-gun fire from the enemy's lines. This very gallant pilot was again wounded by a bomb whilst engaged in this act of rescue, but he persevered until he had placed Lieutenant Hammond in comparative safety, before falling himself from exhaustion and loss of blood."

http://www.constable.ca/mcleod.htm

Thank's Danj. I never knew.
Men of steel and weapon's of wood and canvas.

 

[redleafjumper]

To continue with the early flight theme, who was the aviator and later fighter pilot dubbed by the French press as "The Foolhardy One"?