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Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery
Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery is a burial ground for military personnel who died in Egypt and Libya during the World War II, Second World War. It is located in Egypt, near the Egypt–Libya border, border with Libya. It is administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There are 2,046 military personnel of the Second World War interred in the cemetery, including 238 that remain unidentified. History There was extensive fighting between Allies of World War II, Allied and Axis powers, Axis forces in Egypt and Libya during the Western Desert campaign from 1940 to 1942. Halfaya Pass, about from Sallum, Sollum was the scene of major engagements in 1941 and 1942. After the war, several interments from the battlefield and nearby locations, including Fort Capuzzo, Bardia, Minquar el Zannan, and Camerons Burial Ground were consolidated to Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery. Cemetery The Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery is located in Sallum, Sollum, Egypt, on the coastal road running between ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars. The commission is also responsible for commemorating Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action during the Second World War. The commission was founded by Sir Fabian Ware and constituted through Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission. The change to the present name took place in 1960. The commission, as part of its mandate, is responsible for commemorating all Commonwealth war dead individually and equally. To this end, the war dead are commemorated by a name on a headstone, at an identified site of a burial, or on a memorial. War dead are commemorated uniformly and equally, irrespective of military or civil rank, race or creed. The commission i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemeteries In Egypt
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth or the common wealth – echoed in the modern synonym "public wealth"), it comes from the old meaning of "wealth", which is "well-being", and is itself a loose translation of the Latin res publica (republic). The term literally meant "common well-being". In the 17th century, the definition of "commonwealth" expanded from its original sense of " public welfare" or "commonweal" to mean "a state in which the supreme power is vested in the people; a republic or democratic state". The term evolved to become a title to a number of political entities. Three countries – Australia, the Bahamas, and Dominica – have the official title "Commonwealth", as do four U.S. states and two U.S. terr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VCs Of The First World War
''VCs of the First World War'' is a series of books that list the Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War. The series consists of 13 books written by four different authors, first published under the label Sutton Publishing Limited, part of The History Press. A new paperback edition of the series was commissioned in 2010 under The History Press imprint. Books Gerald Gliddon Gerald Gliddon wrote eight of the books and has therefore written the majority of the series: *''VCs of the First World War: 1914'' *''VCs of the First World War: The Somme 1916'' *''VCs of the First World War: Arras & Messines 1917'' *''VCs of the First World War: Cambrai 1917'' *''VCs of the First World War: Spring Offensive 1918'' *''VCs of the First World War: The Road to Victory 1918'' *''VCs of the First World War: The Final Days 1918'' covers the end of the First World War with the telling of the Battle of the Canal du Nord by seven Victoria Cross recipients, the battle led to the conquest of Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain. The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flying Ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually considered to be five or more. The concept of the "ace" emerged in 1915 during World War I, at the same time as aerial dogfighting. It was a propaganda term intended to provide the home front with a cult of the hero in what was otherwise a war of attrition. The individual actions of aces were widely reported and the image was disseminated of the ace as a chivalrous knight reminiscent of a bygone era. For a brief early period when air-to-air combat was just being invented, the exceptionally skilled pilot could shape the battle in the skies. For most of the war, however, the image of the ace had little to do with the reality of air warfare, in which fighters fought in formation and air superiority depended heavily on the relative availabili ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Derek Harland Ward
Derek Harland Ward, (31 July 1917 – 17 June 1942) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with six confirmed victories and one probable. Born in Whangarei, New Zealand, Ward joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1937. Gaining his pilot's wings by the end of the year, he then obtained a short service commission in the RAF. He flew Hawker Hurricanes with No. 151 Squadron during the early part of the Second World War. He then joined No. 87 Squadron while it was engaged in the Battle of France and the subsequent Battle of Britain. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October 1941. The following month he was appointed commander of No. 73 Squadron, based in Egypt. He led the squadron in numerous operational missions during the North African campaign, escorting bombers and carrying offensive sweeps on enemy airfields and installations. He was awarded a bar to his DFC in May 1942. Ward was shot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Squadron Leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. An air force squadron leader ranks above flight lieutenant and immediately below wing commander and it is the most junior of the senior officer ranks. The air force rank of squadron leader has a NATO ranking code of OF-3, equivalent to a lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy or a major in the British Army or the Royal Marines. The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980) was "squadron officer". Squadron leader has also been used as a cavalry command appointment (UK) and rank (France ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) was a corps of the British Army. At its renaming as a Royal Corps in 1918 it was both a supply and repair corps. In the supply area it had responsibility for weapons, armoured vehicles and other military equipment, ammunition and clothing and certain minor functions such as laundry, mobile baths and photography. The RAOC was also responsible for a major element of the repair of Army equipment. In 1942 the latter function was transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and the vehicle storage and spares responsibilities of the Royal Army Service Corps were in turn passed over to the RAOC. The RAOC retained repair responsibilities for ammunition, clothing and certain ranges of general stores. In 1964 the McLeod Reorganisation of Army Logistics resulted in the RAOC absorbing petroleum, rations and accommodation stores functions from the Royal Army Service Corps as well as the Army Fire Service, barrack services, sponsors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded by countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command. No civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace. The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Only 15 medals, of which 11 to members of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Graham Thomson Lyall
Graham Thomson Lyall VC (8 March 1892 – 28 November 1941) was an English-born soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He received the award for his actions on the Western Front in the final months of the war, while serving as an infantry officer. After the war, Lyall remained in the United Kingdom and returned to civilian life. Throughout the inter-war years, he served in the Territorial Army, in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and during the Second World War, he served in the British Army. He died of a heart attack at the age of 49, while on active service in Egypt. Early life Graham Thomson Lyall was born on 8 March 1892 in the village of Chorlton, near Manchester. His father, R. H. Lyall, was a reverend and in 1894, moved his family to Farnworth when he became vicar at St. Jo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of a regiment in an army. Modern usage varies greatly, and in some cases, the term is used as an honorific title that may have no direct relationship to military service. The rank of colonel is typically above the rank of lieutenant colonel. The rank above colonel is typically called brigadier, brigade general or brigadier general. In some smaller military forces, such as those of Monaco or the Vatican, colonel is the highest rank. Equivalent naval ranks may be called captain or ship-of-the-line captain. In the Commonwealth's air force ranking system, the equivalent rank is group captain. History and origins By the end of the late medieval period, a group of "companies" was referred to as a "column" of an army. According to Ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
