maqroll Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Just watched an excellent show on PBS about German zeppelins and English efforts to destroy them in WW1. The zeppelins each had about 20 "balloons" filled with hydrogen. The incredible aspect of the balloons is that they were made entirely from cow intestines, which were the only material that prevented the hydrogen from leaking. They would take the stretched out intestines, make them damp with water and bind them with other intestines. When dried, they would form a seam so flawless that the gas could not escape. The need for cow intestines was so great that there was a total ban on sausage making for almost the entire war! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 That sounds like a load of bullshit 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 27, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted February 27, 2014 Nope. It's true. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Genius really. How do you motivate a German fighting man? Take away his sausages. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 That sounds like a load of bullshit superb Ponky! I'm assuming it's a gag. Cows intestines -- Bullshit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Nope. It's true. I think my comment went over your head like the Hindenberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Or maybe it crashed and burned 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Eames Posted March 12, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted March 12, 2014 Not sure how old this is or how m any times its been a former Villa defender in a refuse recepticle but I saw this and lol'd. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Love it ^ Would like to see a WW2 version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I was watching a program on Gallipoli...how the Anzacs used dead bodies to fortify newly dug trenches. Grim stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I was watching a program on Gallipoli...how the Anzacs used dead bodies to fortify newly dug trenches. Grim stuff. There is a great book and TV documentary on Gallipoli that dispels the myth that the Brits used the Anzacs as canon fodder ... Think it was called Gallipoli from above , even shows pictures taken after the landing with barely a casualty on the beach ( as opposed to the traditional view that it was a slaughter ) I went to Gallipoli a few years back definitely worth a trip if anyone ever goes to Turkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC_Hitz Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 The Commonwealth fought strongly but the myth of Atatürk was just too strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The Commonwealth fought strongly but the myth of Atatürk was just too strong. On the tour they say that a big factor along with Atatürk was an Aussie regiment took the most important point on the peninsula but didn't appreciate the strategic importance of it at the time and abandoned it ... It was land that the allies never reclaimed and was a major factor in the "defeat " Went to the Anzac graves and there were a group of Turks there( male and female ) laughing and joking and generally being disrespectful as well as hurling abuse at the westerners present ... Disgusting behaviour , it's the only negative I could take away from my tour around Turkey and I won't condemn a nation on the actions of a few but it did make me angry at the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC_Hitz Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The Commonwealth fought strongly but the myth of Atatürk was just too strong.On the tour they say that a big factor along with Atatürk was an Aussie regiment took the most important point on the peninsula but didn't appreciate the strategic importance of it at the time and abandoned it ... It was land that the allies never reclaimed and was a major factor in the "defeat " Went to the Anzac graves and there were a group of Turks there( male and female ) laughing and joking and generally being disrespectful as well as hurling abuse at the westerners present ... Disgusting behaviour , it's the only negative I could take away from my tour around Turkey and I won't condemn a nation on the actions of a few but it did make me angry at the time The Turkish history books are the reason for this. Infact I'd go as far as to say they are disgusting in their representation of events. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Truth is always the first casualty of war (etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 WW1 is still killing people- 2 Belgian men were killed on a worksite today when they struck an old shell. Scary to think how many more unexploded shells from both wars are still out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Having trenchfoot during WW1 was a fate worse than death according to those who survived Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 There are so many out there. It's mostly WW2 stuff in England because we were only subject to air campaigns but the street I live in got bombed in 1941. The street my mum lives in was partially evacuated about a week before Xmas so the MOD could destroy an unexploded WW2 bomb. (video) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 I'm working on a project on Sheppey where a trench being dug for services was stopped on three occasions for uxb's - one was a german grenade, presumed to have been lobbed out of a passing plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 20, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted March 20, 2014 The current BBC tv series on WW1 is really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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