Navy.ca's Fallen Comrades

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old



It is a commonplace that the history of civilisation is largely the history of weapons. In particular, the connection between the discovery of gunpowder and the overthrow of feudalism by the bourgeoisie has been pointed out over and over again. And though I have no doubt exceptions can be brought forward, I think the following rule would be found generally true: that ages in which the dominant weapon is expensive or difficult to make will tend to be ages of despotism, whereas when the dominant weapon is cheap and simple, the common people have a chance. Thus, for example, tanks, battleships and bombing planes are inherently tyrannical weapons, while rifles, muskets, long-bows and hand-grenades are inherently democratic weapons. A complex weapon makes the strong stronger, while a simple weapon–so long as there is no answer to it–gives claws to the weak.

- George Orwell

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Today in Military History

February 28



1337:

Sir Andrew Murray, the Guardian of Scotland, took advantage of Edward III's distraction by the French threat to his Gascon possessions, and spent the month of February eliminating English garrisons in northern Scotland. The last day of the month saw St Andrews fall after a three-week siege, which had seen its walls assailed by "Buster", a formidable siege engine.


1579:

Francis Drake, on his extended raiding circumnavigation of the world in the Golden Hind, captured the Spanish Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion off the Ecuadorian coast, carrying 26 tons of silver.


1704:

Indians from Canada attack Deerfield, killing 40, and kidnapping 100.


1712:

Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm-Grozon (de Saint-Véran) 1712-1759


1838:

Robert Nelson 1794-1873 raids Lower Canada from Vermont with Cyrille Côté proclaims republic; stopped by militia.


1847:

US defeats Mexico in battle of Sacramento.


1900:

Relief of Ladysmith


1915:

Troops from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry engage in one of the war's first trench raids. One hundred of the Patricias set out in the hours before dawn to capture and destroy a German sap trench. They suffer 20 casualties for this effort, but the enemy trench is destroyed. As the war progresses the Canadians will become particularly adept at the trench raid.


1933:

Emergency decree suspends civil liberties in Germany


1942:

Japanese Navy sinks two more Allied ships on the second day of the Battle of Java Sea; Japanese land on the island of Java, the last Allied bastion in the Dutch East Indies.


1943:

Nine Norwegian commandos sabotage German heavy water installations near Ryukan; part of German A-Bomb research


1944:

German counter-attack against Anzio beachhead


1991:

US and allied forces cease fire at 8 am Kuwait time, after 42 days of the Gulf War; Iraq tells its army to stop fighting.




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