h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Peter

How are you doing pal? I hope all is well and that you are showing off that yellow smile character on this site as always haha I think it's this one

That was pretty out of line what Reg Fox was saying, I hope you both managed to resolve the issues or at least conclude the discussion

Good news: My Grandfather has given me permission to write a paraphrase of his time during the War, which will be part-fictional part factual.

There is one problem, I believe I can learn about the relevant campaigns and issues in history. However, I know very little about how Battallions and Infantry's operate. It's my primary fundamental flaw, I wasn't there in the 1940s, nor have I served in the army!

My friend suggested to me that I ask someone who was alive at the time, who knows about that area of history and a person who has some experience in the army, marines etc to edit my work. You seem to fit the profile quite well.

Would you be willing to act as my historical editor? I am starting to write the book this summer. All I ask is that you read the text and edit, alter, revise any historical or military/army based minor errors I have made. I will, of course, pay you a reasonable rate for doing this.

I would have asked my GrandFather, but he is ill right now and lost the will to write a book a long time ago.

Get back to me when you get a chance pal, I look forward to hearing from you.

Take care

Nabil

Hi Nabil

Before you set pen to paper (or digits to keyboard) get yourself a copy of "British Army Handbook 1939-1945" by George Forty (Sutton Publishing, 1998, latest edition 2002). This is a cornucopia of factual information on all aspects of the army (training, arms, formations, tactics) with an abundance of photos, it encapsulates the British Army in one book. Thr reviewer in the "Tank Journal" had this to say of it "This book represents the end result of a lot of effort in research, as well as being very good value".

British regiments are totally confusing to the uninitiated and follow a truly illogical pattern. In Napoleonic days, where the regimental colours were, there was the regiment. But from the 19th century the regimental colours are usually kept at the regimental depot and used only on ceremonial occasions, so in essence the regiment is always at the depot and what are sent out are battalions (curiously referred to as 'regiments'). So when you see something like "the 5th Border Regiment" what is really meant is the 5th Battalion of the Border Regiment, and often shortened further to 5th Borders. Thus, to continue with the example of the Borders, the Border Regiment could be simultaneously in the Far East and in several places in Europe. An infantry battalion serves in an infantry brigade; a brigade has three infantry battalions almost always drawn from three different regiments. Thus we get the oddity that whist a brigade is tied to three battalions, a regiment can have any number of battalions.

So what does an infantry battalion consist of? To an expert that is a flawed question, he or she would ask "When?". That depends on the "War Establishment" which sets down the composition and which changes constantly. Thus the War Estabishment for an infantry battalion (or any other formation) was quite different in 1944 from what it was in 1939, and it differed in North Africa from what it was in Normandy. To cut this short, get the book, read and digest.

Peter

Peter

I will check it out along with all the excess books I have, thanks

Nabil