OT - WWII quiz

[Centuur]

1. False. The numbers of the French army in may 1940 were huge, as compared to the numbers in the Vichy armies later in the war.
2. True.
3. Difficult. However: there were a lot of Italians captured before El Alamein in Lybia and there is also Italian East Africa to consider. So I go for False.
4. True
5. False.

[ezzler]

1} More Frenchmen fought for the axis than the allies in WW2?
- False.
However it has been suggested that more French bore arms for the axis than the Allies. Here for one. {http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/ ... ar?pg=full} I think its taking things a bit far to say they bore arms for the Axis. Collaborated perhaps. But to get the figures i expect the Navy and all sorts of police and militia would have to be included.

2} Montgomery wrote of Patton. "I can't stand him. I would rather be commanded by an Arab. And I think nothing of the Arab."
False.
micheljq is correct. Patton said it of Monty. before they even really got to work with each other. After Tunisa I imagine Patton said a lot worse.javascript:void(AddText('[:\'(]'))

3} The Axis lost more troops in Africa after Alamein than before.
True. brian brian is correct. its true if POW are included. With nowhere to retreat to the Axis lost the same numbers of troops in Tunisia as they lost at Stalingrad. And for a fraction of the cost to the allies.

4} The most senior US officer to die in WW2 was killed by friendly fire.
True.
Itburns and Warspite1 have it. lieutenant general Lesley J. McNair. Killed by the carpet bombing attack that preceded operation Cobra in Normandy.Posthumously promoted to the rank of general by the US Congress in 1954

5} 150 Allied ships were sunk during the Dunkirk evacuation.
Ships was a bad choice of word. Boats would have been more apt. At least 240+ ships were sunk, including six Royal Navy destroyers, with another 19 suffering damage.And seven french destroyers.


And I forgot the Magee answer.
Over the target area, flack damaged Magee's plane, and then German fighters shot off a section of the right wing.
Magee, who was wounded, scrambled back into the cabin, but his parachute was ruined. So he jumped without a parachute.
Eyewitnesses saw Magee crash through the Nazaire train station's glass skylight, breaking his fall. When he regained consciousness, Magee said to his captors: "Thank God I'm alive."

Magee's injuries included 28 shrapnel wounds. A lung and kidney were hit. His nose and an eye were ripped open. His broken bones included his right leg and ankle. A right arm was nearly severed.
With the German doctors' help, Magee fully recovered.
Two of his crewmen also survived.
Magee was a prisoner of war until May 1945. He received the Air Medal for meritorious conduct and the Purple Heart.

On Jan. 3, 1993, Magee and the other two crewmen were guests of the St. Nazaire townspeople. They hosted a banquet and erected a six-foot-tall memorial to salute the Snap! Crackle! Pop! crew.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

Since a question was asked about the " Ladies from Hell" on another thread...

Since 1937, who has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the 42d Royal Highland Regiment?

Born August 4, 1900
Died March 30, 2002 (age 101)

1927 – 1968: Colonel-in-Chief of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
1930 – 1961: Honorary Colonel the Hertfordshire Regiment
1930 – 1959: Colonel-in-Chief of the Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards)
1935 – March 30, 2002: Royal Honorary ColonelThe London Scottish
1937 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
1947 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
1947 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Manchester Regiment
1952 – March 30, 2002: Royal Honorary Colonel of the City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)
1942 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Army Medical Corps
1957 – 1961: Colonel-in-Chief of the Inns of Court Regiment
1958 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot)
1958 – 1989: Royal Honorary Colonel of the University of London OTC
1958 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the King's Regiment
1960 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
1961 – March 30, 2002: Royal Honorary Colonel of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
1961 – March 30, 2002: Royal Honorary Colonel of the Inns of Court and City Yeomanry,
1964 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Anglian Regiment
1967 – March 30, 2002: Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Yeomanry
1968 – March 30, 2002: Colonel-in-Chief of the Light Infantry
1996 – 1999: Royal Honorary Colonel of the King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (Light Infantry)
1960 – March 30, 2002: Commandant-in-Chief of the RAF Central Flying School

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

ORIGINAL: Extraneous.

Since 1937, who has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the 42d Royal Highland Regiment?

Born August 4, 1900

Warspite1

No doubting who it is having seen that date; it's HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother [&o][&o]

Surprised she was not Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards - she always presented a Shamrock to the Irish Guards on St Paddy's Day and had a great affinity with that famous regiment.

[british exil]

10 years nearly since she died.[X(]

Wasn't she also the Colonel in chief of the Queens Own Hussars? QOH.
I remember her visit to Detmold (Hobart Barracks) in the mid/end of the 70's.

Mat

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: british exil

10 years nearly since she died.[X(]

Wasn't she also the Colonel in chief of the Queens Own Hussars? QOH.
I remember her visit to Detmold (Hobart Barracks) in the mid/end of the 70's.

Mat

Warspite1

british exil, according to their website, QM was Colonel in Chief of that regiment.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

ORIGINAL: Extraneous.

Since 1937, who has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the 42d Royal Highland Regiment?

Born August 4, 1900

Warspite1

No doubting who it is having seen that date; it's HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother [&o][&o]

Surprised she was not Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards - she always presented a Shamrock to the Irish Guards on St Paddy's Day and had a great affinity with that famous regiment.

Correct!

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon) (She was a extremely interesting person to read about).

List of titles and honours of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

St. Patrick's Day is the traditional regimental celebration. Fresh shamrock is presented to the members of the regiment, no matter where it is stationed. Except in wartime, the presentation is traditionally made by a member of the Royal Family. This task was first performed in 1901 by HM Queen Alexandra and later by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

On the regiment's 50th anniversary in 1950, King George VI made the presentation in person.

In 1989, the Queen Mother was unable to make the journey to Belize, where the battalion was stationed, and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg substituted for her.

Since the death of HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the presentation has been made by The Princess Royal.

Just a FYI: Her Majesty the Queen is Colonel-in-Chief of all Guards regiments.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

What destroyer came closest to sinking (or at least seriously damaging) the Iowa , acting singlehandedly?

[brian brian]

which force took more KIA casualties in WWII, the US Army 8th Air Force, or the US Marine Corps?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

What destroyer came closest to sinking (or at least seriously damaging) the Iowa , acting singlehandedly?

Warspite1

It was a US destroyer but I don't know her name......

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

which force took more KIA casualties in WWII, the US Army 8th Air Force, or the US Marine Corps?

Warspite1

Assuming US casualties were as bad as bomber command, I will go for 8th Air Force.

[warspite1]

During World War II an aircraft was shot down at a height of 12,100 metres (40,000 ft). This was the highest interception ever made by a pilot without a pressure suit, flying in an unpressurized cabin. What were the two aircraft involved?

Apparently some have claimed interceptions at up to 45,000 ft, but this seems unlikely.

Either way, the same two aircraft types were involved.

[niclasil]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

What destroyer came closest to sinking (or at least seriously damaging) the Iowa , acting singlehandedly?

The USS William D. Porter. Launched a live torpedo at the Iowa during an exercise. Due to the enforced radio silence, several attempts to signal the Iowa with lights failed. At last someone decided risking the radio silence was better than risking the USS Iowa (and Roosevelt, who was onboard at the time), and the torpedo exploded some 200 yards from the battleship...

Worth a read - http://www.cracked.com/article_19637_th ... -ship.html

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

ORIGINAL: niclasil

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

What destroyer came closest to sinking (or at least seriously damaging) the Iowa , acting singlehandedly?

The USS William D. Porter. Launched a live torpedo at the Iowa during an exercise. Due to the enforced radio silence, several attempts to signal the Iowa with lights failed. At last someone decided risking the radio silence was better than risking the USS Iowa (and Roosevelt, who was onboard at the time), and the torpedo exploded some 200 yards from the battleship...

Worth a read - http://www.cracked.com/article_19637_th ... -ship.html

Bingo And heh, I had read up about the Porter on wiki and thought I'd share; didn't realize there was a cracked article. Ship of fools indeed.

[ezzler]

During World War II an aircraft was shot down at a height of 12,100 metres (40,000 ft). This was the highest interception ever made by a pilot without a pressure suit, flying in an unpressurized cabin. What were the two aircraft involved?

I'm not confident but the JU-88G , JU188 and Ta 152 H-1 had a special Jumo engine with a two stage supercharger and a nitrous oxide boost that allowed them to get high and fast for a limited time to hunt the RAF Mosquitos. The Photo recon and target marker H2s Mosquito flew at around 35,000 ft but some went higher.

So..I'd guess the Ta152 H-1 vs mosquito

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

ORIGINAL: niclasil

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

What destroyer came closest to sinking (or at least seriously damaging) the Iowa , acting singlehandedly?

The USS William D. Porter. Launched a live torpedo at the Iowa during an exercise. Due to the enforced radio silence, several attempts to signal the Iowa with lights failed. At last someone decided risking the radio silence was better than risking the USS Iowa (and Roosevelt, who was onboard at the time), and the torpedo exploded some 200 yards from the battleship...

Worth a read - http://www.cracked.com/article_19637_th ... -ship.html

Bingo And heh, I had read up about the Porter on wiki and thought I'd share; didn't realize there was a cracked article. Ship of fools indeed.

Warspite1

I'll take half a point then?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: ezz

During World War II an aircraft was shot down at a height of 12,100 metres (40,000 ft). This was the highest interception ever made by a pilot without a pressure suit, flying in an unpressurized cabin. What were the two aircraft involved?

I'm not confident but the JU-88G , JU188 and Ta 152 H-1 had a special Jumo engine with a two stage supercharger and a nitrous oxide boost that allowed them to get high and fast for a limited time to hunt the RAF Mosquitos. The Photo recon and target marker H2s Mosquito flew at around 35,000 ft but some went higher.

So..I'd guess the Ta152 H-1 vs mosquito

Warspite1

I am afraid neither is correct.

[british exil]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: brian brian

which force took more KIA casualties in WWII, the US Army 8th Air Force, or the US Marine Corps?

Warspite1

Assuming US casualties were as bad as bomber command, I will go for 8th Air Force.

Yep I'll assume that the 8th Air Force took tremendous losses.
Planes being shot down, crash landings, accidents due to fatigue or accidents in general would have caused quite a few KIA's.

As a matter of interest when would the real figures have been released? Not wanting to create a worried homefront or inform the enemy. I assume the figures would vary from the true figures. I have read quite a few post here in the quiz where ship losses were not released.

Mat

[brian brian]

One of the cable channels has a series on right now about the 8th Air Force, and that was a small factoid on the screen at the beginning, that their KIA was greater than the USMC. 26,000 killed if recall correctly; haven't Googled around yet to compare.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

During World War II an aircraft was shot down at a height of 12,100 metres (40,000 ft). This was the highest interception ever made by a pilot without a pressure suit, flying in an unpressurized cabin. What were the two aircraft involved?

Apparently some have claimed interceptions at up to 45,000 ft, but this seems unlikely.

Either way, the same two aircraft types were involved.

Warspite1

Okay, clue time.

The aircraft involved were: a) one of the most famous of WWII aircraft, and b) a lesser known type. The theatre where the interceptions took place was the Mediterranean.