OT - WWII quiz

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Thanks for those kind words Extraneous/Shannon. However, this is a team effort. I am indebted to Extraneous for continuing to proof read these write-ups.

I am also a little embarrassed that I did not know the answer to part II of the torch question - especially as Pozerica is one of the ships that I have written about [X(]. My only defence is that it was a long time ago now - and the focus of the write-up was PQ17 rather than Torch (which shall be left to another counter(s)).

The Anti-aircraft ships were not well known and easily overlooked. At first I thought they were just a floating anti-aircraft platform for convoys. Then I read they were directing aircraft during Operation Torch.

[:D] With all your write-ups on the Royal Navy I figured you would have been more concerned with the battle line and probably had overlooked the auxiliaries. [:D]


Trawlers were another invaluable type of vessel (you can’t really call them a ship) used by the British early in the war. They were used as anti-submarine, minesweeping, and supply ships.





I am still straitening out the Torch checklist (as you can see it still has holes in it).

CENTRAL NAVAL TASK FORCE - Commodore Thomas Hope Troubridge Flagship: Landing Ship Headquarters (Large) HMS Largs
Western Landing Group (Beach X-RAY) (Mersa bou Zedjar, Oran, Algeria)
Center Landing Group (Beach YORKER) (Les Andalouses; Oran, Algeria)
Eastern Landing Group (Beach ZEBRA) (Golfe d'Arzew; Oran, Algeria)
1x H.Q. Ships (Largs)
2x Auxiliary carriers (Dasher, Bitter)
2x Cruisers (1x Beach ZEBRA (Jamaica) and 1x Beach X-RAY (Aurora))
2x A.A. Ships (Alynbank and 1x Beach ZEBRA (Light Anti-aircraft Cruiser Delhi))
8x (16x ?) Destroyers (1x Beach X-RAY (Calpe), 2x Beach YORKER (Wivern and Brilliant), and 3x Beach ZEBRA (Bicester and Farndale))
8x Minesweepers (8x Beach ZEBRA (Rothesay, Stornoway, Rhyl, Polruan, Brixham, Bude, Felixstowe, and Clacton))
4x Sloops (2x Beach X-RAY, 1x Beach YORKER, and 1x Beach ZEBRA)
6x Corvettes (2x Beach X-RAY, 2x Beach YORKER, and 2x Beach ZEBRA)
8x Trawlers (A/S-M/S) (3x Beach X-RAY, 3x Beach YORKER, and 2x Beach ZEBRA)
8x Motor Launches (3x Beach X-RAY, 3x Beach YORKER, and 2x Beach ZEBRA)
2x Submarines (1x covering Beach X-RAY and Beach YORKER (HMS Unshaken) and 1x Beach ZEBRA (HMS Ursula))
11x Landing Ships Infantry
(3x Beach X-RAY 1x Large (Stefan Batory), 2x medium (Queen Emma and Princess Beatrix),
Beach YORKER 3x Large (Durban Castle, Llangibby Castle, and HMS Glengyle),
and Beach ZEBRA 6x Large (Duchess of Bedford, Durban Castle, Ettrick, RMMV Reina Del Pacifico, Tegelberg, Warwick Castle), 3x small (Royal Ulsterman, Ulster Monarch, and Royal Scotsman))
3x Landing Ships Tank (AKA Maracaibos) (1x Beach X-RAY (HMS Bachaquero) and 2x Beach ZEBRA (HMS Misoa and HMS Tasajera))
1x Landing Ships Gantry (1x Beach ZEBRA (Derwentdale)
21x Mechanical Transport
(4x Beach X-RAY (Benalbenach, Mary Slessor, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman),
2x 3x Beach YORKER (Monarch of Bermuda, Clan Mactaggart, and Salacia),
and 15x Beach ZEBRA (Derbyshire))


11/08/42 EASTERN NAVAL TASK FORCE - Vice Admiral Sir Harold Martin Burrough Flagship: Landing Ship Headquarters (Large) HMS Bulolo (F.82)
Western Landing Group (Beach APPLES) (Castiglione Beach; Algiers, Algeria)
Centre Landing Group (Beach BEER) (between Cap Sidi Ferruch and Rass Acrata point; Algiers, Algeria)
Eastern Landing Group (Beach CHARLIE) (between Jean-Bart Village and Taya Village; Algiers, Algeria)
1x H.Q. Ship (1x Beach APPLES (Bulolo))
3x A.A. Ships (1x Beach BEER (Pozarica), 1x Beach APPLES (Palomares), and 1x Beach CHARLIE (Tynwald))
13x (12) Destroyers
(5x Force O (Malcolm (Operation Terminal), Broke (Operation Terminal), Wrestler, Vanoc, and Opportune), 2x Beach APPLES (Bramham and Wheatland), 3x Beach BEER (Blyskawica, Lamerton, and Wilton), and 2x Beach CHARLIE (Cowdray and Zetland))
2x Cutters (2x Beach CHARLIE)
7x Fleet Minesweepers (3x Beach BEER (Acute, Algerine, and Hussar) and 4x Beach CHARLIE (Alarm, Albacore, Cadmus, and Speedwell))
6x Corvettes (2x Beach APPLES (Convolvulus and Marigold), 2x Beach BEER, and 2x Beach CHARLIE)
4x Sloops (2x Beach APPLES (Stork and Enchantress), 1x Beach BEER, and 1x Beach CHARLIE)
8x Trawlers (A/S-M/S) (3x Beach APPLES, 3x Beach BEER, and 2x Beach CHARLIE)
10x Motor Launches (1x Beach APPLES, 5x Beach BEER, and 4x Beach CHARLIE)
3x Submarines (1x Beach APPLES (HMS Shakespeare), 1x Beach BEER (HMS P 48), and 1x Beach CHARLIE (HMS Unrivalled))
15x Landing Ships Infantry (Beach APPLES 1x Large and 2x Medium) (Beach BEER 3x Large) (Beach CHARLIE 6x Large and 3x Small)
4x Combat Loaders (4x Beach CHARLIE (USS Almaack, USS Samuel Chase, USS Leedstown, and USS Thomas Stone 11/07/42 05:35Torpedoed by U-205))
1x Landing Ships Gantry (1x Beach CHARLIE (Ennerdale))
12x Mechanical Transport (4x Beach Apples (Lalande, Manchester Port, Ocean Wanderer, and Ocean Victory), 2x Beach BEER (Cathay, Letitia), 6x Beach CHARLIE)
6x Merchant vessels (0x Beach APPLES, 0x Beach BEER, and 0x Beach CHARLIE)
1x Cable Ship (1x Beach CHARLIE)

[warspite1]

During World War II:

a) Where would you find a Half Raspberry being carried out?
b) Who would be carrying out a Half Raspberry?

Bonus Point
c) What exactly was s Half Raspberry?

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

During World War II:

a) Where would you find a Half Raspberry being carried out?
b) Who would be carrying out a Half Raspberry?

Bonus Point
c) What exactly was s Half Raspberry?

Shoot a star shell up to help them find the answer to the question

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

During World War II:

a) Where would you find a Half Raspberry being carried out?
b) Who would be carrying out a Half Raspberry?

Bonus Point
c) What exactly was s Half Raspberry?

Warspite1

Okay, a clue: the North Atlantic was probably the most likely place to see one being carried out - plenty more places though.

[warspite1]

Not surprised there were no takers for this - I had never heard the term until a couple of days ago....

A Raspberry was one of a number of actions that convoy escorts could take - others included Pineapple, Strawberry etc - when encountering the threat of submarine attack. These manoeuvres were designed by Captain Gilbert Roberts RN and his team working at the Western Approaches Tactical unit.

a) So the answer to a) was potentially, wherever there was a convoy, some escorts, and one or more enemy subs.
b) Convoy escorts would be the ones performing said Raspberry
c) Raspberry was a night tactic to catch U-Boats on the surface, when ordered some escorts held their place and fired starshell to illuminate the scene, other designated escorts turned outwards to port and starboard of the convoy, and carried out a triangular search on each rear quarter of the convoy, also firing starshell. Half raspberry was when this tactic was carried out only on one side of the convoy.

So there you go!

[Extraneous]

Raspberry (night operation)

During this maneuver all the escorts turn IN toward the convoy and the ships in the convoy fire SNOWFLAKE illuminating rockets. If the U Boat is still on the surface trying to run back out of the convoy the escorts may sight it illuminated against the convoy. If the submarine was not sighted in the snowflake illumination area it could be that the submarine slipped out, or fired from long range on the flanks, so now all the escorts turn outward away from the convoy. As they do they fire flares and star shell into pre-arranged areas. If the submarine is further away, then it may still be illuminated. Any ship that sights a U Boat opens fire with its guns, turns toward it and tries to force it to dive. Once it’s down it is much slower and the escorts can attempt to keep it under while the convoy gets clear.


Half Raspberry (night operation)

Some escorts hold their place on the screen and fire starshell rockets to illuminate the scene, and some carry out a triangular sweep, also using the starshell rockets.


Artichoke and Pineapple (daylight operations)

The faster escorts all turn about and move down the columns of the convoy seeking the submarine. If necessary the convoy can be ordered to drop smoke floats after the escorts pass them. In case the submarine is looking to get another shot off. The escort commander will then decide which ships will continue to prosecute the contact and for how long. The reason it was normally the faster escorts that carried out such attacks was they could regain contact with the convoy more quickly. The rest of the escorts return to their positions. If a submarine was not located the escorts will most likely be ordered to return to their positions by reversing the ARTICHOKE and steaming back up the columns while searching. This was known as PINEAPPLE.


Buttercup (night operation)

The escorts turned outward from the convoy, firing star shell and SNOWFLAKE illuminating rockets on every bearing the U-boat might use as an escape route.

[ezzler]

Why did vice Admiral Harold Thomas Walker have trouble with his zipper?

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: ezz

Why did vice Admiral Harold Thomas Walker have trouble with his zipper?

The war ended.

[ezzler]

Correct.
Could also have accepted that he had lost a hand in combat in WW1.

But why was he nicknamed Hooky?

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: ezz

Correct.
Could also have accepted that he had lost a hand in combat in WW1.

But why was he nicknamed Hooky?

Next clue is?

Since its obvious that it wasn't because of his hook hand.

[ezzler]

Its an old royal navy tradition .
Try under Battlecruiser Hood.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: ezz

Its an old royal navy tradition .
Try under Battlecruiser Hood.

[:D] Quiz rules: [:D]

(1) Answers are not supposed to be surfed on the web.

(2) The one who submits the question gives a clue a day until he/she has given 3 clues.

[ezzler]

ok..
But Extraneous has avoided the trap already. Its not because of the hook {which he did have}.

18th century word for "humbug"

[ItBurns]

Okay, I'll try my hand at this: Can you name 2 reasons the American fleet should have felt unlucky at the third battle of Savo Island?

[micheljq]

ORIGINAL: ItBurns

Okay, I'll try my hand at this: Can you name 2 reasons the American fleet should have felt unlucky at the third battle of Savo Island?

Is this the night surface battle where the nippons sunk 3 american cruisers and 1 australian cruiser was so cripple that it was sunk the day after?

[Extraneous]

The date was Friday the 13th and the Americans had 13 ships.

The First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (the Japaneese called it the Third and Fourth Battles of Savo Island), November 13, 1942.

Admiral Callaghan commanded from San Francisco.

Two Heavy Cruisers (San Francisco and Portland).
Three Light Cruisers (Helena, Juneau, and Atlanta).
Eight Destroyers: Cushing, Laffey, Sterett, O'Bannon, Aaron Ward, Barton, Monssen, and Fletcher.


[:D] Good quiz question. And I did let some one else try and answer first. [:D]

The Battle of Savo Island (the Japaneese called it the First Battle of Savo Island), August 8–9, 1942 - Quincy, Vincennes, Astoria, and Canberra sunk.

[ezzler]

The Hooky answer.
"Hooky" is an old establishment nickname for Walker.

its still used in the RN and diplomatic service.

Walker was called Hooky before he had the hook.

[Extraneous]

ORIGINAL: ezz

The Hooky answer.
"Hooky" is an old establishment nickname for Walker.

its still used in the RN and diplomatic service.

Walker was called Hooky before he had the hook.

[:D] Yup, I had googled the "Battlecruiser Hood site" before your suggestion and therefore could not answer due to the quiz rules. [:D]

[paulderynck]

Two US heavy cruiser Captains committed suicide. What were their names? Which cruisers? Why?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Two US heavy cruiser Captains committed suicide. What were their names? Which cruisers? Why?

Warspite1

One was Captain Bode of the USS Chicago. His handling of Chicago during the Battle of Savo Island was heavily criticised - I do not know whether he was actually court-martialled - but this censure led to him shooting himself.

When a Japanese cruiser squadron launched a night attack in the waters off Guadalcanal, they fell upon the cruisers of the southern group first (these cruisers were defending the transports off Guadalcanal - the northern group of cruisers were guarding the transports off Tulagi). For some reason, after being attacked, Bode ordered Chicago away from the attackers - and away from the transports he was supposed to be protecting. Chicago survived the encounter, but HMAS Canberra and three US cruisers of the northern group did not.

Fortunately the Japanese did not turn their attentions to the, still partially unloaded transports, but Savo Island was a major defeat nonetheless.

I can only guess the other captain committed suicide for a similar reason i.e. being blamed for the loss of his ship or battle. I think the captain of USS Indianapolis fell in the former category - do not know his name.