Itโs PUBLICATION DAY! You can now get your paws on Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma, available in all good bookshops & in all formats! Thank you
@James1940
for writing the foreword.This really is a project borne out of the
@WeHaveWaysPod
community
@almurray
@robert_lyman
All quiet on the modelling front from me recently:I was working on my first ever diorama,this is what I came up with๐ฌIโve turned it into a classroom activity where they have to label up the features (cards held on by Velcro) so it can live at school-keeping the wife happy๐1/3
I did a couple of threads a while back that people liked (the Kohima Grant, the taking of the tennis court), so I thought I would do one of the most incredible stories Iโve ever heard about this Japanese officerโs sword at the
@SCOTSDGMuseum
at
@edinburghcastle
1/14๐งต
#ww2
#tank
Finished my
@TamiyaUK
MkIV male tank, really pleased with the result. A brilliant Christmas present from the wife. Itโs going to school so I can demonstrate the trench-crossing design ๐ช thanks to those Twitter modellers who helped with advice!
The students will also have a worksheet with definitions of the features, so they have to label the diorama, then match them to definitions. Itโs been a lot of work, but I thoroughly enjoyed making it, and learned soooo much. I probably wonโt go so big next time though ๐ 2/3
Apologies
@WeHaveWaysPod
and
@almurray
that it isnโt SWW, so I assume is disqualified from
#kitoff
but I promise my next (smaller) attempt will be ๐ - thinking a firefly in some bocage probably.(Btw I admit there are some inaccuracies, not least the size of no-manโs land ๐)3/3
OTD 13 May 1944 at Kohima - the climax of the Battle of the Tennis Court๐งตSgt โGerryโ Waterhouse 149RAC, with Lt Highett of 2 Dorsets in his tank to help direct fire, dropped his tank down onto the Tennis Court above DCs bungalow at about 10am ๐งต 1/11
Umm โฆ what about the British and Indian Army fighting them
@TankMuseum
? The ones who knocked out the Type 95 in your collection? They came unstuck against 7 Armoured Brigade as early as Feb 1942 and avoided British/Indian tank regiments for the rest of the war โฆ
The Japanese Armyโs tanks were generally light and suited to fighting the under-equipped infantry present in the Far East. Once the Americans and Soviets arrived though, they quickly showed their vulnerability. Watch our Tank Chat on Ha-Go here:
My wife, with no interest in history, took the trouble of drawing a Lancaster (although questionable research went into payload ๐) and has bought me this bomb release button for Valentineโs - the irony is not lost on me ๐ฌ
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
@jamesjhistory
Inspired by their FWW trip,2 of my students have gone home to ask about relatives in either war. One brought in their family medals in a 1914 QM Christmas tin.Heโs doing more research, but basic story is a Gnr in Burma 1/2๐งต
@James1940
@almurray
@robert_lyman
@GerMilHistory
This fighting around the Irrawaddy&in particular south at Meiktila,broke the Japanese Armyโs back in Burma. In another two months,Rangoon would be captured&the last remnants would be mopped up.Jenkins was awarded a Military Medal & the sword found its way to Edinburgh. 14/14
Thank you
@almurray
@James1940
@WeHaveWaysPod
for your positive view on my thesis! Thanks to the
#IC
for such kind comments in the sidebar of shame too! I think the reaction tells me I need to expand this into a book. The thesis is academic, so Iโll add more personal stories etc
This afternoon I finished the (very) first draft of Forgotten Armour:Tank Warfare in Burma.~100k words in 15 weeks whilst being a full time teacher. Lots of full evenings&weekends
๐ this extract is not quite the end, I donโt want to spoil the final part. Book is out this Summer!
What a day! Got really quite emotional getting in my Grandpaโs driving seat of a sexton at
@WeHaveWaysPod
#WarFest
massive thank you to the garrison and of course
@almurray
@James1940
for making this all possible ๐ป
I am thrilled to have been chosen to speak at
#WHWFest
Drei, and cannot wait! My talk โForgotten Armour: tank warfare in Burmaโ is 1pm Saturday. Iโm very thankful for the opportunity
@WeHaveWaysPod
@James1940
@almurray
I keep telling myself that itโs just another assembly ๐ฌ
Wife is out tonight, Iโve got a takeaway coming, and Iโve settled in to Gettysburg - Iโm half an hour in, and I instantly get what
@waitmanb
means when he talks about Chamberlain ๐ค
Life comes at your fast sometimes & the last few weeks has been crazy on so many levels. So I am delighted to announce my book, Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma will be published next summer. Thank you
@chiselbury
& the
@WeHaveWaysPod
community who have made this possible!
Thatโs not a Bailey bridge, THIS is a Bailey bridge - the 1,150 foot one crossing the Chindwin at Kalewa, Burma Dec 1944. The largest Bailey bridge built in the Second World War
@RE_Hist_Society
Gonna say Bailey bridge one more time because I canโt seem to stop.
My book recounts this story, and the rest of the campaign from 1942-45, highlighting the often overlooked role that armour played in defeating the Japanese-you can find it at
@AmazonUK
@Waterstones
&more.(Note sword below is not the one at
@SCOTSDGMuseum
)
Calling this bad boy done โ my Coastal Command Beaufighter; armed to the teeth, naturally. Too late for the
@WeHaveWaysPod
#KITOFF22
by
@RedFiveModels
unfortunately. Great build, a few mistakes Iโve tried to cover up, but overall Iโm happy with it ๐
This instance of desperation whilst attacking tanks reflects how badly the war was now going for Japan. As far as I am aware, this is the only example of hand to hand fighting *inside* a tank in the Second World War, although happy to be corrected. 13/14
@rgpoulussen
I got back into it over lockdown, loving it. Wife isnโt so keen though ๐ฌmade this sexton recreating my grandad - heโs the driver. Lockdown stopped me taking it up to him for Christmas though ๐
Thank you to everyone who came to my talk about the Battle of the Admin Box - & for filling the
@guidltours
Arsenal stage - so many lovely comments from people who came along after, and from those who stopping me over the rest of the weekend.
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
Japanese AT weapons and tactics had not kept pace with 14th Army, and so tanks were central to the offensive. They suppressed and destroyed Japanese bunkers from close range, allowing the infantry to get forward and defeat any remaining defenders. 5/14
Today I had a student ask me:โsir, when we did the SWW, we didnโt talk about logistics. The eastern front and North Africa were all about logistics.โWe then had a good chat about the operational level and I reminded him about
@WeHaveWaysPod
&
@James1940
books๐ชnew generation ๐
In the second half of 1944,14th Army were striking back against the failed Japanese offensive in India(Imphal & Kohima).In Feb 1945,they crossed the Irrawaddy River(Burma)in two places to take Mandalay and Meiktila.The 3rd Carabiniers(3rd Dragoon Guards)would attack Mandalay 2/14
With just one week to go before Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma is released into the wild, I received a box of the first โrealโ copies! Hereโs my (terrible) unboxing video. Plus Sabrina the cat says you should buy my book, or else.
#ww2
#sww
#tanks
#burma
#india
#cats
Iโve been busy at a few archives recently (including today!) and thatโs because those crazy people at
@chiselbury
are having me back! My second book Thunder Run: Meiktila 45 will be out next summer! The greatest all-arms battle youโve never heard of!
#history
#ww2
#writer
#Burma
My first ever published article is in this quarterโs
@GreatWarGroup
Salient Points. A pleasure to write about my FWW hero Ivor Maxse, his background, & record as a division & corps commander. Cpl Jones gets a mention too.
Get your copy at
#history
#WW1
The Japanese officer had his sword drawn. The after action report said โthey were not noticed by anyone until the officer was in the act of plunging his sword into Captain Cornaby.โ The other Japanese soldier was then shot down by Browning MG fire. 9/14
Depends if you do it right - Bill Slim (14th Army), David โPunchโ Cowan (17th Indian Div) and Claude Pert (255th Indian Tank Brigade) did it perfectly in Feb-March 1945 - and youโll be able to read all about it in my next book Thunder Run: Meiktila 1945. The greatest combined
NEW- Thunder Runs in Ukraine, Iraq and Chechnya - Do They Work?
In this video we discuss the history of Thunder Run tactics in modern warfare, examples where it has worked well, and examples where it failed miserably.
In the fight he emptied his revolver without killing the Japanese officer,then managed to pull the dead gunnerโs revolver out of its holster and finally killed his enemy. The three bodies, Cornaby, Atherton and the Japanese officer, lay in the bottom of the of the turret. 11/14
Got the DT teacher at my school to make a case for my trench dio,now it takes pride of place at the front of my room.Only one class has seen it so far&it got them asking how I made it,taking pics etc.Persuaded a geography teacher to get a
@TamiyaUK
bren carrier too ๐ช
#scalemodel
Finished this Hurribomber (a MkIIC) in Burma colours to go with the MkVIII Spit I did 18 months ago.First go w/ airbrush I got for Xmas&you can see how much of a difference it makes! Kit was inspired by the excellent
@robert_lyman
โs war of empires
@WeHaveWaysPod
#stashtag
#kitoff
The Japanese would fall back on fanatical and even suicidal attacks on tanks, often using mines strapped to their bodies, or trying to climb tanks and throw grenades into any open hatches 6/14
First time my students got to see this in person (ie not on live lessons during lockdown last year). Massive thank you once again to
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
for putting this together for my lucky students ๐
14th Army was now well out of the jungle, and onto the more open Irrawaddy plain - near the river there was still some vegetation, and further south it was almost desert. 3rd Carabiniers & 2nd Division were now experienced, and understood fanatical Japanese resistance. 4/14
On 2nd March 1945, A Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers, commanded by 24y/o Capt Hubert Cornaby, linked up with 2nd DLI to attack the village of Lewingon, which they did without much trouble, setting fire to the wooden huts, known as โbashasโ. 7/14
I realised today that itโs only 10 days until Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma is released - you can preorder at โฆ
@chiselbury
โฉ โฆ
@AmazonUK
โฉ โฆ
@Waterstones
โฉ and more! A fresh view on the Burma Campaign through a tankโs periscope.
#sww
#ww2
#history
#tanks
3rd Carabiniers were supporting the 2nd British Division who were supposed to capture Mandalay from the south (Maj. Gen. Rees, pictured, of 19 Div had other ideas, but thatโs another storyโฆ). By March they had established themselves south of the river. 3/14
The turret couldnโt be moved as the bodies might jam the mechanism, so the driver pulled the tank back under cover of the rest of the squadron. Later that day the squadron took stock, noting the increasingly desperate Japanese attacks over the last couple of weeks. 12/14
The Japanese officer now climbed(or fell)into the tank&killed the Leeโs 37mm gunner(Tpr Atherton)with his sword.Trooper Vernon Jenkins now fought a desperate hand to fight in the tight confines,the 37mm gun the only thing between himself&the sword wielding Japanese officer 10/14
Delighted to announce
@James1940
has written the Foreword to Forgotten Armour. Iโm very grateful, esp. after this: โmany congrats-this is a seriously impressive piece of work โฆ this really does feel like a very significant contribution to our understanding of the war in SE Asiaโ
Loved every min on
@WeHaveWaysPod
livestream&doing my teacher talk. Iโve been overwhelmed by the lovely comments on the sidebar&on Twitter since,TY all. I mentioned Iโm a stuff teacher so here is a selection of the war waffle stuff I use in relevant lessons.
@James1940
@almurray
Iโm thrilled & humbled to have been invited back to
#WHWFestVier
for the second year running to speak amongst an amazing lineup! My favourite weekend of the year.
Admin Box - Sat 9am.
Excitingly, my debut book Forgotten Armour: tank warfare in Burma will also be available!
๐ชSPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR
#WHWF24
๐ช
@Almurray
and
@James1940
present the best line up yet for We Have Ways Fest 24...
๐คFind the full line up at ๐ค
Thoroughly enjoying this book. Iโd like to recommend to the
@WeHaveWaysPod
community.This proves the cyclical nature of book recommendations:WHW made me buy
@almurray
โWatching war films with my Dadโ which recommended this book in a footnote,so Iโm recommending to WHWs people๐ช
They engaged some Japanese in scrub near a chaung(small often dry river)just beyond the village,when two Japanese soldiers ran out from some cover nearby.They climbed onto the engine deck,they were later identified as a private, and a battery CO of 5th Medium Artillery Regt 8/14
History Club returned on the anniversary week of Operation Market Garden, examining why this heroic effort failed. It seemed the perfect week, especially after
@WeHaveWaysPod
#warfest
at the weekend
@James1940
@almurray
Gavin got a word or two, obviously ๐
The absolutely wonderful
@WeHaveWaysPod
team,
@almurray
&
@James1940
have done me the most amazing treat for my students!A brilliant video introducing my year 9s to D-Day&BoN.Some features of the lesson include: typhoons,fireflies,SRY,op level,Sicily,jabos,horses,paras ...
Such a humbling experience-two years ago I was a punter at my second WHWFest getting books signed, this year, my second as a speaker, I had my debut book Forgotten Armour - thank you IC who came to watch and then waited in line for me to sign it. Utterly surreal. What a community
Cheers
@RedFiveModels
for the
@WeHaveWaysPod
#scalemodel
meet tonight, good crowd, advice etc. I mentioned flory washes, so here is a before, during and after of my Coastal Command Beaufighter using it for panel lines. Plus another of the Kohima diorama I made last year.
What an amazing weekend! Every year, the
@WeHaveWaysPod
festival is cemented into my diary. I feel utterly privileged to have gone from being an IC member (151) to author over the last year or so. I didnโt take as many photos this year, but here are some of my favourites
My wife has once again smashed it out of the park with a Lanc oil temp gauge and spitfire supercharger switch for my birthday ๐ What a motherflipping legend! She did one of her top top 100% accurate drawings too ๐
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
Thank you
@churchill_alex
@kejamieson_
@IstoriaTravel
for a fantastic day on HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, and much more for our All Level history students studying British Experience of Warfare. Had a great time going into depth, and giving students that tactile link to the past.
Had my first go with an airbrush today, although I made a few mistakes. Also made a start on the RFM firefly ๐ฌ making do with a couple of boxes for a spray booth atm, but got some more gear on order.
Finally did a firefly,basically a dream since my gpa explained to me the cool tanks in ABTF had a gun that could take on a tiger.I always do 11th armoured;his div for NS,tho he was RHA.A poss inaccurate version of 101Abn&11 armd in Netherlands
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
Chipping and dust done for these bad boys. Iโve decided Iโm going to throw together a last minute, fairly basic, dio for these for
@WeHaveWaysPod
#warfest
๐
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
not strictly SWW (but itโs a SWW SPG
#notatank
) but I made my Gpop when he drove Sextons in Germany on National Service 48-51 w/ 11th Armoured. Al inspired me to recreate this photo of him over the last few months.Canโt wait to give it him ๐ช
Just submitted my application to
@wlv_uni
๐ค thanks to
@WeHaveWaysPod
and the fellow afflicted in the IC, without you guys I donโt think I would have convinced myself to take this step. Just hope they accept me ๐ฌ๐จโ๐
Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma is now available to pre-order (w/ a pre-order discount) at my first non-fic book about the crucial role tanks played in the Burma Campaign 1941-45. Out 1st July 2024!
#ww2
#sww
#tanks
#burma
#india
#history
#books
V emotional day yesterday saying goodbye to the school I have called home for the last 7 years. My team, but mostly my students spoiled me absolute rotten. Lots of tears shed. Iโm so humbled by some of the messages students wrote to me - some are in the thread below ๐
Finally on my birthday got on to one of my fave lessons-why Britain won the Battle of Britain. Iโve managed to teach the โnewโ Second Word War unit in a classroom! Weโd been in lockdown both times since I first planned it 3 years ago๐ญ
@WeHaveWaysPod
@James1940
@almurray
Thank you
@WeHaveWaysPod
@James1940
@almurray
for answering my Q about my Nanโs Maltese evacuees. Really appreciated. Lost both of these two amazing people within 3 months. They were amazing, and I miss them terribly. Was a top livestream tonight, as always ๐ช๐๐๐ป
Just a couple more weeks before my talk Forgotten Armour: Tank warfare in Burma. An overlooked part of the war against Japan.
The pull of lunch may be strong when my talk begins at 1pm on Saturday, but thereโs plenty of time after to grab something before the later talks begin!
๐ขItโs official. We are (almost) ready for H-Hour, D-Day โ 8 September. The We Have Ways Fest (DREI) Official Events Programme is locked down tight and ready for you to download.
#WHWF
๐This is the link.
โก๏ธThese are the OCs.
@almurray
@James1940
๐จGo!
Finished this amazing book today, genuinely one of the best I have ever read
@James1940
fascinating and incredibly moving. Such a privilege to have got Stan Perry to sign it at warfest, who was such a brilliant, wonderful gent.
Slightly random, but I had to buy this piece of silliness just for the bolt action ๐ one for the IC members to buy I think. Itโs actually quite a nice pen to write with โ๏ธ
@WeHaveWaysPod
@almurray
@James1940
(and for some reason they didnโt use a Lee Enfield for the clip ๐คทโโ๏ธ)
Tomorrow my school History Club kicks off-something I didnโt mention on last nightโs
@WeHaveWaysPod
livestream,but itโs another way to get students to love history.Over the years we have covered all sorts,including SWW topics like Allied bombing,Bamber Bridge,Market Garden&more
A classic night tonight โJUST EAT THE FUCKING SOUPโ โIโm tasting the Germanโ and the lost cab - quite brilliant highlights from
@James1940
. I wouldnโt want to be up early for a long walk after this ... Thanks for a great night IC, Buzz Murray
@almurray
&
@WeHaveWaysPod
team ๐
Driven under cover by the weather, which like Eisenhower before D-Day couldnโt make up its mind, the Herts/Beds/Bucks Regt of
@WeHaveWaysPod
#IC
met up for some epic war waffle. We hope to do more,probs Bentley Priory,later this summer
@BrazierMary
@IanHoughton51
@PaulHic80466580
After 39 days, hundreds killed (including 75 from 2 Dorsets) the tennis court was finally cleared. Waterhouseโs Grant tank had made a huge difference. In just 75 minutes, one killed (Cpl Alfred Siggins), and four wounded, the acute threat on the road to Imphal was gone. ๐งต10/11
Iโve been really busy at work recently (exam time etc) and my motivation suffered. Have finally had a few days recently to carry this on: a WIP Indian Army (45 Cavalry) stuart, it will hopefully be part of a diorama ready for
@WeHaveWaysPod
#WHWFest
๐ฌ๐ค
Brilliant pod this morning, and a subject close to my heart! My grandpa drove Sextons during national service between 49-51. The gents at the Garrison let me recreate this photo of him at WHW Fest ein last year, and is genuinely really special to me.
The brilliant team at the Garrison Artillery Volunteers are restoring a Sexton, of which
@almurray
& I are big admirers. We had an amazing day, so thanks to Keith Brigstock & the team - theyโve a mountain to climb but with peopleโs help theyโll get there!
@WeHaveWaysPod
Promoting a book is apparently โpathetic self promotionโ, so here goes: You can preorder my book Forgotten Armour: Tank warfare in Burma at on the plus side, not one has written a book on my topic since 1978
#ww2
#tanks
#sww
#author
#history
@chiselbury
If you enjoyed this thread, you can read an even more detailed account in my new book Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma. You can preorder at for a 1st July release. You can also hear me speak about the Admin Box at
@WeHaveWaysPod
WHWFest 24 ๐งต11/11
Living my best Monaco life by the pool, overlooking the med as the helicopters zip in and out, and finishing the excellent
@SeaSpitfires
Sword Beach. The Churchill AVREโs are clearing Lion-Sur-Mer ๐ช
Want to hear more about my research and new book Forgotten Armour: Tank Warfare in Burma? Then listen to my appearance on
@hack_history
! I had a great time discussing my work with
@churchill_alex
and
@WW2girl1944
go listen!