“THE Plataeans were besieged: walled in by their enemies, the Spartans. They could make ladders to climb out, but how tall should they be? Citizens were asked to guess the wall’s height by counting its bricks, with the most popular estimate taken as correct. It worked: 212 duly escaped. This episode from 428 BC is the first known use of the wisdom… Read More
“As the centenary of Russia’s revolutions approaches, tens of thousands of Russians have been consuming these bits of the past through Project 1917, an “edutainment” initiative that recreates the fateful year in the form of a social network. Posts draw from historical archives, letters and diaries. Users can access a stand-alone site or subscribe to updates on Facebook and… Read More
“SOME bombs can help create life.” (Karath, 2017, p.16). “A series of miscalculated bombing raids aimed at an airport created more than a hundred ponds near the village of Apaj in central Hungary. The bombs fell on a type of habitat called sodic meadows, which give rise to a saline environment when covered in water. In all, 274 species, including turtles and water… Read More
Here in Australia it is ANZAC day when the military and general populations remember the sacrifice made by so many during the First World War. However, it wasn’t just people who made the ultimate sacrifice, dogs and horses also made significant contributions and sacrifices during the Great War. Dogs were used as rat catchers and… Read More
After the decision by the MOD to open ground close combat roles (i.e. Infantry and Armoured) to women last year, the British Army’s fitness test will be evaluated to ensure women can (physically) qualify for these front line roles. Although all roles will be open to women from 2018, the new physical training standards will… Read More
A genuine compass from World War I brought in by one of my wife’s patient’s at her GP practice, being held by my eldest son. The patient, a collector of military memorabilia, brought it in knowing my son and I are interested in military history. It was a privilege to view this piece, and also… Read More
If your a fan of military films then ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ is one you should probably watch. The extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss, played by Andrew Garfield, a US Army medic who single-handedly saved 75 soldiers at Okinawa during one of the bloodiest battles of WWII. As a ship joiner (Newport News, Virginia), Desmond could… Read More
