Originally Posted by perseus

How about, Engels the city in Saratov Oblast, Russia?

Bingo!!!

This city has been renamed from Pokrovsk to Engels and has become a capital of the Volga German Autonomous Republic.
In 1942, when the German forces have come close to the area, NKVD had deported all the local Germans in 24 hours to Siberia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzia. The German republic has been disbanded and Engels has become an ordinary city.
The Germans were not allowed to return until 1980-s. Almost all of them have emigrated to Germany now.

On April 12, 1961 the first cosmonaut Yu. Gagarin has landed near Engels.

Your turn, Perseus!

All I can think of is Saint Petersburg. When WWI broke out in August 1914 it was decided to change the name of the Russian capital from the Germanic St. Petersburg to the more Russian equivalent, Petrograd. Shortly after the Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin died, the city was renamed Leningrad (supposedly by public demand). In 1991, after a city-wide referendum, the city of Leningrad returned to its original name - St. Petersburg.

Originally Posted by MontyB

I dont disagree with your assessment of western knowledge of Soviet education hell I freely admit I know nothing of it but if we follow this path to its conclusion how much would others know of say New Zealand WW2 involvement and we have the major advantage of not being easily googled (I am pretty sure I could get this place tied up for months with Maori placenames and figures but what good would that do to the thread) this is one of the reasons I tend to ask questions that are reasonably generic as it allows the maximum possible participation.

I dont see any reason to post new questions I am just hoping we can get things moving a bit quicker and hopefully encourage a few more people to participate.

See?
The answer has been found very soon!

And I am waiting for your ANZAC questions!
What I have tried to do is to avoid "googleable questions".
There is some logic had to be applied first, beyond "who did what".
For example, a simple question, what type of a German person would be worthy enough for the Soviet autorities to name a city after him(her)?
The choice would be very narrow - 4-5 names at the most!
Now Google will help.

Sorry, If I have offended you in any way!

Originally Posted by Missileer

All I can think of is Saint Petersburg. When WWI broke out in August 1914 it was decided to change the name of the Russian capital from the Germanic St. Petersburg to the more Russian equivalent, Petrograd. Shortly after the Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin died, the city was renamed Leningrad (supposedly by public demand). In 1991, after a city-wide referendum, the city of Leningrad returned to its original name - St. Petersburg.

Sorry, Perseus has answered it.

This is a link to wilkipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engels_%28city%29

Originally Posted by boris116

On April 12, 1961 the first cosmonaut Yu. Gagarin has landed near Engels.

Not really all that remarkable Boris116. I thought you were getting at something that was history making, like the Berlin wall going up for example.

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

Not really all that remarkable Boris116. I thought you were getting at something that was history making, like the Berlin wall going up for example.

It depends on how you view the events.
The first manned space flight was a remarkable event in my book

Originally Posted by boris116

It depends on how you view the events.
The first manned space flight was a remarkable event in my book

Sure that was but Engles has a tenuous link with that event at best. The space flight was officially launched from Baikonur. But anyway I understand why you're trying to go for obscure questions that need a little more effort than Google. That is what I've tried to do also.

There was an occasion during WW2 were large numbers of British veteran (experienced full time) troops mutinied by sitting down and three times refused to report to their assigned units. Where, when, why, how many, and what eventually happened to them?

Originally Posted by perseus

There was an occasion during WW2 were large numbers of British veteran (experienced full time) troops mutinied by sitting down and three times refused to report to their assigned units. Where, when, why, how many, and what eventually happened to them?

51st Highlanders and the 50th Northumbrians

Where - Salerno Italy

When - September 1943

Why - They believed they would be joining their old units in Sicily, and it was not until they were at sea that they learned that they were in fact going to join the 46th Division, fighting alongside the American 5th Army at Salerno. Many were dumbfounded by the news and felt they had been tricked.

How many - Roughly 300 men.

what eventually happened to them - 108 of them eventually followed orders and joined their alloted units, 192 continued to disobey and charged with mutiny, they were all found guilty. Three sergeants were sentenced to death, all corporals were given ten years' penal servitude and privates were given seven years.
Fortunately, on 15 November, administration officer Sir Ronald Adam arrived in North Africa and asked to see the court martial transcripts. The background facts appalled him and he ordered the release of the men.

However, although their sentences were now suspended, they faced further ignominy by being sent to join unfamiliar units in the Eighth Army, while their own division went home. They were plunged into a vindictive atmosphere, where their previous good conduct and bravery counted for nothing. Eighty men found this too much to take and absconded. They were eventually captured and spent the rest of the war behind bars. There is evidence that some men were victimised by being given continuous front-line duty without rest or leave, or were sent on dangerous patrols. Others were later stripped of their bravery medals, had their war pensions cut and their campaign medals withheld.

I would like to post the source but it came from a commemorative book on the New Zealand Div Cav and I cant find a link to it on the net.


***As previously stated if I get this or any other question correct I would like to pass on asking the next question as I am limited on my internet access currently.***

Very comprehensive answer MontyB. Rather more detail than I have in fact. I assumed the sergeants were executed but it appears not

the forum is open for questions.