Naval History Forums

Hello everybody, [Commentary deleted, and a caution issued. WJJ] Coming to the topic, Wadinga wrote: "Lutjens would have been fully aware of how completely ineffectual his " completely functional armament" had proved to be in the night action... [Editorial commentary deleted. WJJ] Wha...

Hello everybody, I would add to all the correct points raised by Mr.Angel also the fact that sailing wooden ships were extremely difficult to be sunk by gunfire. The gun shells (balls) were piercing the thick hull with extreme difficulty and, even when they did, the hole would be small (less than th...

Hello everybody, Byron Angel wrote: "Ships formally surrendered as a consequence of the parent state's formal war capitulation should not be counted in this calculus. It is a different matter." (http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8742&start=30#p85027) I absolutely a...

Hello everybody, coming back to the Bismarck surrender option, HMSVF wrote: "Once her main armament is knocked out she is effectively defenceless." (http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8742&start=30#p85025) Absolutely correct: before the main guns were silenced, surr...

Hello everybody, Wadinga wrote: "When Lutjens realised the vessels coming towards him were capital ships (Hood and Prince of Wales) he should have made smoke and immediately disengaged" Wrong. He had no choice to avoid confrontation: Suffolk was following him very closely, Norfolk was on h...

Hello everybody, I don't think this information can be correct: the last straddle was obtained by PoW just seconds after 6:00, therefore the salvo was fired just before Hood explosion (happened at minute 6:00 according to the vast majority of witnesses from both sides). Even accepting Dr.Cadogan int...

Hello everybody, I'm not aware of an English version of this book. I have the Italian version, a very good book, but more a popularizing and informative book than a detail original research: Arrigo Petacco was (he died last year) a journalist and a screenwriter more than a professional historian: ho...

Hello everybody, thanks to Herr Nilsson for the info: apparently in WWI the German Disciplinary Regulations were different, while in Britain they were the same since 1866 and till 1957. Herr Nilsson wrote: "That means you do agree, that the NDA isn't defining a (im)proper withdrawal...." T...

Hello everybody, Wadinga wrote: "Lutjens arguably also disobeyed his specific orders by engaging British capital ships" No, he did not, he was engaged by British forces that he could not escape in any way and had to accept the fight. "Their Lordships were responsible for the fate of t...

Hello everybody, thanks to Herr Nilsson for having clarified about the German disciplinary regulations, that seem to confirm that the duty of an officer was clear enough, making Raeder's directive more or less a kind "reminder" (http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8725&a...

Hello everybody, here a "wonderful" example of Mr.Wadinga refusal to admit his errors: On October 29 at 1:39 AM Wadinga wrote: "there is only one penalty specified for mutiny, even mutiny without violence. Death." (http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8742&s...

Hello everybody, Herr Nilsson wrote: "I wonder if Nelson's behaviour on June 22nd 1798 is condemnable. In terms of Alberto's interpretation of the NDA: definitely." It would have been, had Nelson been aware the sails in sight were French warships.... however, he did not know that and he ju...

Hello everybody, Wadinga wrote: "You didn't read the post did you? " Oh yes, I did. Is it you the Mr.Wadinga who wrote (http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8742&p=85011#p84993): " there is only one penalty specified for mutiny, even mutiny without violence. Deat...

Hello everybody,

Wadinga wrote: "This thread was about technical solutions"

...however it has been diverted from its topic, and not by me...


Bye, Alberto

Hello everybody, Wadinga wrote: "The Italian Fleet was menaced by air bombardment in 1943 and surrendering meant it was saved from the RAF and USAAF but not from the Luftwaffe." Surely the Regia Marina was menaced by air attacks by the end of summer 1943, however the surrender did not happ...