Board index Open Forums - Start Here! Public Forum

Public Forum - Open to all! However you must register to post anything on this board.

All things from all men (and women and intelligent animals, aliens, elves, et al too I suppose)

Spam will be neutered... and the perpetrator too....

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:43 am

12th October 1973 - Day 7

The full weight of Israeli reserves is brought to bear on the Syrian front; the plan is to knock Syria out of the war without triggering armed intervention from Moscow. Israeli photo recon jets show Soviet ships unloading stores at Latakia and the United States agrees to resupply the Israelis.
President Assad (father of the current Syrian president) pleads with Egypt`s President Sadat to launch an offensive in the Sinai to draw Israeli forces from the Golan front. Sadat agrees, again, over the wishes of General Shazly who warns that the offensive will fail, thus rendering no help to the Syrians.

Audio recording of the special forces mission to rescue Lt-Col Ben Hanan, released yesterday.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4865620,00.html

Greatest Tank Battles documentary, Golan Heights. Contains interviews with veterans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxw0IAEJN_o
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby TomMcC » Wed Oct 12, 2016 8:49 pm

Cheers, Ian,

just want to say how much I've liked reading this day-by-day account. It's an era I know nothing about, so it's been enlightening to see that it wasn't the walkover I'd assumed.

As a boardgame fancier, I kinda wish I'd got some games on this a few years ago. There was Suez 73, a quite complex GDW game, and Yom Kippur a simpler game from The Gamers. And a couple of years ago, the Gamers and Multi-Man publishing put out a sister game to Yom Kippur on the Golan called Heights of Courage. I might just go off looking for them.

Thanks,
Tom
TomMcC
 
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:13 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:14 pm

TomMcC wrote:Cheers, Ian,

just want to say how much I've liked reading this day-by-day account. It's an era I know nothing about, so it's been enlightening to see that it wasn't the walkover I'd assumed.

As a boardgame fancier, I kinda wish I'd got some games on this a few years ago. There was Suez 73, a quite complex GDW game, and Yom Kippur a simpler game from The Gamers. And a couple of years ago, the Gamers and Multi-Man publishing put out a sister game to Yom Kippur on the Golan called Heights of Courage. I might just go off looking for them.

Thanks,
Tom

Cheers Tom, kind of you to say so.
I was also surprised to find that it had been a damned close run thing, and that the Israelis lost as many battles as they had won. Just so happened that they squeaked the vital actions and the initiative swung their way.
If you find some boardgames of the period, you can rely on me to give you a game.
Cheers, Ian
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:28 pm

13th October 1973 - Day 8

Iraqi forces attack the Israelis in the Golan, but drive straight into an Israeli ambush, triggered by IDF Sherman tanks. They lose around eighty tanks without hitting a single Israeli tank. The Jordanians reluctantly join the war, and go on to lose more tanks and AFVs to the Israelis, as does a Saudi Arabian contingent. Decades later it would be revealed that the Jordanians joined the attack to placate Arab neighbours, but were concurrently communicating with Israel to avoid opening a third front along their own border.
The Egyptians launch commando raids to prepare for the big offensive on the 14th, but several of the helicopters transporting the raiders are shot down, and those who land are quickly killed or captured. The armour reserves that General Shazly wanted to remain in place, complete their move to the Egyptian bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Suez for the next day`s offensive.

Modern Warfare- Yom Kippur War- Documentary with a great deal of footage from the war, and the weapons used (36mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A9rhXhdZHg
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Fri Oct 14, 2016 5:32 pm

14th October 1973 - Day 9

The Egyptian offensive into Sinai begins. Around 900 Egyptian tanks push beyond their SAM umbrella and are met by around 700 Israeli tanks. In some of the largest tank battles since Kursk, the Egyptians drive into prepared Israeli positions and lose 250 tanks in a single day to Israeli losses of just 20. The high turrets of western tanks, such as the Centurion and M48/M60, allow the gun to be depressed behind a rise or firing ramp so that only the very top of the turret can be seen. The lower profile Soviet-built T-55 and T-62 have to expose a much larger target area to fire, their lower turret actually working against them in such actions.
In the air, the Egyptian and Libyan air forces have been tasked with keeping the Israeli air force at bay in the absence of the SAM shield, but both in the air and on the ground, the Egyptians (having left the anti tank missiles and SAM behind their tank drive) have begun to fight the battle the Israelis want to fight with catastrophic consequences for the Egyptians.

Greatest Tank Battles- The Sinai (45 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tw1KpbNPps

Operation Nickel Grass, the American resupply effort, begins to offload C-5 Galaxy transports in Israel. Replacement jets are ferried in also. F-4 Phantoms, still in their dark green and brown American camoflage are pressed into Israeli service nicknamed `Toads`.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Nickel_Grass
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Sat Oct 15, 2016 8:51 pm

15th October 1973 - Day 10

After the initial Israeli intelligence disasters, jeep-borne special forces, photo-recon Phantom and Mirage jets, and overflights by American SR-71 Blackbirds, are now giving them a more comprehensive overview of the battlefield than is available to the Arabs. It allows the Israelis to identify a gap between the Egyptian 2nd and 3rd armies that extends all the way to the Suez canal. Immediately, General Sharon drives mechanised units into this gap and demands to be allowed to cross the canal. In the northern sector of the corridor, the Israelis move on an abandoned Japanese research station. The writing was mistaken for Chinese and the name `Chinese Farm` had stuck. It is now the laager for two divisional headquarters of the Egyptian army and soon dug-in infantry are taking a heavy toll of Israeli armour with anti-tank missiles as happened in the first days of the war. The Egyptian troops, once again, are proving that they are far removed from the routed army that was crushed in 1967. The infamous `Battle of the Chinese Farm` has begun.
To the South, the Israelis launch Operation `Stouthearted men` and begin to cross the Suez into Africa.
On the northern front, Israeli heavy artillery is now in range of the Syrian capital Damascus and is shelling a military airfield on the outskirts of the city.

20th Century Battlefields- 1973 Middle East (58 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGpYOyRp2gY
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Sun Oct 16, 2016 10:05 am

16th October 1973 - Day 11

Syrian, Jordanian, Iraqi, and Saudi Arabian attacks in the Golan come to nothing with heavy losses. Poor coordination results in several instances of the arab allies attacking one another on the ground and in the air.
The Battle of the Chinese Farm continues in a bloody stalemate.
The Israelis have rafted tanks over the Suez Canal which now wreak havoc in African Egypt. Unopposed, they attack SAM sites which allows the air force free reign to attack ground targets at will.

Broadcast this morning, and interview with the commander of the Israeli 77th tank battalion , Avigdor Kahalani
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/218967
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:13 pm

17th October 1973 - Day 12

The Egyptians attempt to crush the Israeli corridor to the canal with simultaneous armour attacks upon it from north and south. Poor co-ordination, however, sees the northern attack go in first and stumble into an ambush. The Israelis then have time to swing south and meet the second attack. The Egyptians lose another 140 tanks for no gain.
The Israelis push a bridge across the canal bringing down heavy Egyptian artillery and air attacks.
A furious row erupts at an Israelis HQ as officers left to fight battles on the east bank, bypassed by General Sharon, accuse him of being a `glory hunter`. Egyptian command, which described Sharon`s crossing of the canal as a `television operation` are shown satellite imagery by the Soviets showing the Israelis present on the west bank in divisional strength, and growing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_25th_Brigade_ambush
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:12 pm

18th October 1973 - Day 13

Israel pushes it`s 400 ton roller bridge across the canal allowing a non-stop flow of armour into African Egypt. The bridge has been towed across the Sinai by over twenty tanks.

Remains of bridge in Israeli tank museum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CJlR1jCmes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_904866&feature=iv&src_vid=2CJlR1jCmes&v=Q0KoU_oyUPI

Artists impression of the drive to the canal.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f2/13/0c/f2130cb39c265922849a87695f915645.jpg

Background including picture of bridge in place.
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=1381
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Stouthearted Men; Yom Kippur War Diary

Postby WingAttackPlan-R » Wed Oct 19, 2016 7:43 pm

19th October 1973 - Day 14

The Israelis begin to fan out from their bridgehead over the Suez.
America announces $2.2 billion in military aid to Israel, provoking an oil embargo from the oil-rich gulf Arab states against western nations they accuse of aiding Israel. An energy crisis develops in the west, helping cause the `three-day week` in Britain, and similar domestic problems for the other nations affected. The west subsequently re-focuses attempts to develop renewable energy sources to lessen the reliance on middle-east oil.

1973 Oil Crisis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_oil_crisis

Unedited and unbroadcast silent footage from British Pathe. (9mins)
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/egypt-israeli-war/query/jets
"Across the Federation, Federation experts agree that: A: God exists, B: He's on our side, C: He wants us to win."
-Federation Announcer
WingAttackPlan-R
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 7:04 pm

PreviousNext

Return to Public Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


cron