Introduction Dragon’s teeth (German: Drachenzähne) are square-pyramidal anti-tank obstacles of reinforced concrete first used during the Second World War to impede the movement of tanks and mechanised infantry. The idea was to slow down and channel tanks into killing zones where they could easily be disposed of by anti-tank weapons. They were employed extensively, particularly… Read More
Introduction A caltrop (also known as caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, jackrock or crow’s foot) is an area denial weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base (for example, a tetrahedron). Historically, caltrops were… Read More
Introduction The Czech hedgehog (Czech: rozsocháč or ježek) is a static anti-tank obstacle defence made of metal angle beams or I-beams (that is, lengths with an L- or Ɪ-shaped cross section). The hedgehog is very effective in keeping light to medium tanks and vehicles from penetrating a line of defence; it maintains its function even… Read More
Introduction The cheval de frise (plural: chevaux de frise, “Frisian horses”) was a defensive obstacle, existing in a number of forms, principally as a static anti-cavalry obstacle but also quickly movable to close breaches. Refer to Czech Hedgehog, Caltrop, Dragon’s Teeth, Makibishi, and Sudis. The term was also applied to underwater constructions used to prevent… Read More
Introduction During World War II the neutral country of Switzerland underwent initially sporadic bombing and aerial combat events that became more frequent during the later stages of the war. Switzerland was adjacent to and at times almost completely surrounded by Axis, or Axis-occupied, countries. On several occasions, Allied bombing raids hit targets in Switzerland resulting… Read More
Introduction Plan W, during World War II, was a plan of joint military operations between the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom devised between 1940 and 1942, to be executed in the event of an invasion of Ireland by Nazi Germany. Although Ireland was officially neutral, after the German Blitzkriegs of 1939-1940 that resulted… Read More
Introduction The MV Kerlogue was an Irish ship attacked in World War II that has become the exemplar of neutral Irish ships during the war. The Kerlogue was a very small ship that was attacked by both sides and rescued people from both sides. She was almost sunk by a German mine and was strafed… Read More
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 