WW2 M3 half tracks with British seated troops with side backpack and rolls etc.

[MartinKnight1333]

Bye guys this is not a friendly site at all.

you dismiss fact as fiction to suit your views. you wont see me again.

Its doesnt matter the statement no unit had 12 men section is bunkum, dont bother replying i wont reply to close dminds.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Think you might have misunderstood people and theor debates.

[d_Guy]

Pub! My Flodden Scots have the much superior M4 and, I know this is a little out of period, Brens.

I still have hopes that you are including an oxen-towed V1?

If you're marching south don't get onto the M25.....you'll end up going in circles....probably rather slowly. 

There is a large round-about outside of Oxford in which an alternate version of myself has been stuck since the Autumn of '92.

M3 refers to the ~10 ft (3 meter) Scottish spears used in schiltons and then the abrupt change to M5's, the ~16 foot French pikes (in case it wasn't obvious). Weapon lengths are, of course, open to a vast amount of debate.

Hope Martian will reconsider, this forum is the most congenial I have encountered.

While we're at it I miss Leman as well, his great battle presentations and generally knowledgeable and pithy comments. We need a Rodney King moment.

[Leon]

REda the above, NO BRITISH SECTION EVER HAD 12 MEN !!!!

Can we stop shouting at people please Ian?! 

The Warwickshires in 1944 had 12 men squads at Caen according to the roll in the local museum, but i agree majority units were understrength.

To get things back on track here, is there a discussion to be had about the information in this museum and why these strengths would be different to the standard structure?

[fsn]

I still have hopes that you are including an oxen-towed V1?

Hells, yes! Must get the camera out. My Flodden will get the right result!

M3 refers to the ~10 ft (3 meter) Scottish spears used in schiltons and then the abrupt change to M5's, the ~16 foot French pikes (in case it wasn't obvious). Weapon lengths are, of course, open to a vast amount of debate.

The M4 pike is the attenuated M3 ... sometimes erroneously called a spear.

Hope Martian will reconsider, this forum is the most congenial I have encountered.

Agreed.

We need a Rodney King moment.

Are you suggesting we beat someone up in a car park, whilst being covertly filmed?  

[fsn]

To get things back on track here, is there a discussion to be had about the information in this museum and why these strengths would be different to the standard structure?

I'd be very interested to find out more.

All the books I've read have 12 man US and 8 or 10 man UK sections (excluding carrier, commado etc). I think SultanBev may have it right, that it was a reorganisation of a platoon that had suffered casualties from 3 sections to 2. Possibly with the loss of NCOs making the restructure necessary.

Other suggestion could be that part of the HQ section was attached to a rifle section. This would make sense if the platoon was acting in close coperation with a troop of 3 Infantry tanks?

[MartinKnight1333]

HI Guys on request I am not leaving.  

I think I over reacted to being shouted at by a stranger,capitals, who if he was in front of me would be on his arse in two  

All I said was I saw one instance of the Waricks being a 12 man squad, it may have been a one off for patrols, as was 42 comdo in N.I in the troubles when I was with them, a three brick four man squad when going out. Yes as a matelot we did foot patrols no matter what, take your turn,

As to the M3 it did have modifications to the M5 yes,  but I know of no one that calls it the M5 half track. I will always call it an M3 and on discussion with several chaps we all agree we are not changing, force of servicemans habits.  

I served on a type Rothesay or Type 12 frigate was in fact upgraded to trpe 14 but we all still call it a 12. My point is the military will always call it by its first name, I still called my Rifle 5.56mm L85 (SA80) an SA80 even though it was a modified Rifle L85A1, then when I left 5.56mm L119A1. but still called the SA mostly.

I hope you now see my reasoning, I know 10 man squads are the norm. but my question was not always?

Look at Arnhem the paras all took etc Piats in but we can not find out how many they ,shall I say, aquired over the issue.  Like when we got stopped my the MOD Police when trying to aquire a 30mm to bolt onto the back of the ship in 82, it was lying around in the dockyard officer, good job they had a sense of humour.

Same as tankers I know, well 2, dont call it a Challenger II its always from the tankers I know called a Challey or challey to.

[Ithoriel]

Glad to see you back Martin.

I think the point is that, if one is to be strictly accurate, the US used M3s while the Brits used the International Harvester produced M5.

I don't think what one calls it is the issue here.

The M5 is a slightly different beast in terms of length, body shape and front end.

The M5 is a smidge longer because existing IH production facilities were used rather than due to any requirement to carry a given number of troops.

All that said, I think we've already established that some of us, at least, wouldn't give a toss if you turned up with M113s providing we knew what they represented on the table.

As to section size, the Warwickshires took a pounding at Lebisey, losing the equivalent of a company, so non-standard organisations may have been required at that time until reinforcements were received. However, for gaming purposes I'd be chary of fielding such an organisation unless modelling a specific incident.

The forum is, at times, weird and wacky (see the intrusion of Flodden related posts below ) for me that is part of it's charm.

For the most part it is well informed, well intentioned and welcoming.

I hope you come to enjoy and appreciate it.

Mike

[d_Guy]

Are you suggesting we beat someone up in a car park, whilst being covertly filmed?  :-

Life is full of ambiguity, fsn. 

Glad you reconsidered, Martin.

[MartinKnight1333]

 

[Techno]

Glad you reconsidered, Martin.

Same here !!

Cheers - Phil.

[fsn]

Now, we all know that d_Guy is as infallable as the Pope, and also (if rumours are to be believed) like the Supreme Pontifex does his business in the woods. We also know that d_Guy has sources of information the CIA and Facebook drool over, so in considering this post, I must assume that d_Guy a) is aware of the reality of sentient extra-terrestrial life and b) has identified one of our number as such.

Hope Martian will reconsider, this forum is the most congenial I have encountered.

BTW the "a" is well apart from the "i" and the "n" on a keyboard ... so this must be deliberate.

The truth is out there ...

[Techno]

BTW the "a" is well apart from the "i" and the "n" on a keyboard ... so this must be deliberate.

The truth is out there ...

Good spot, Nobby !!

Cheers - Fox.

[d_Guy]

Sorry, have just returned from the woulds. I continue to adjust to this planet's primitive technology and languages. I use two keyboards at once and there are occasional missteps (yes, I use my feet for more mundane tasks). The actual Martians left some time ago on a quest for ambergris in the outer reaches of your galaxy (if only they had known how close it actually was life on your planet would be substantially different I can tell you - or wait, I don't think I was suppose to tell you - no matter, my quarter cycle report has already been filed). Apologies to Martin for confusing him with your former neighbors.

The implied offer to act as your planet's "Supreme Pontifex" is what I've awaited for many cycles and I am thrilled to accept! The ring kissing ceremony will be held in the lounge at 2300 GMT.

[fsn]

Called it!