My vote still goes to the divorce hearing, you had to be there, that woman could have killed Hitler AND Stalin both with one finger and a high speed wedding ring

Then get her signed up - don't need soldiers (time to beat your swords into ploughshares), just a couple of angry women, at a certain time of the month, wind up and watch the entertainment.

she was already signed up...

The woman I was referring to is currently a LT in the Navy, and still is

What about the battle for the Seelow Heights, 1 Russian Army against a scratch brigade?

Originally Posted by Partisan

What about the battle for the Seelow Heights, 1 Russian Army against a scratch brigade?

Personally I think the Seelow heights really showed the quality of Gotthardt Heinrici as a defensive tactician.

Originally Posted by MontyB

Personally I think the Seelow heights really showed the quality of Gotthardt Heinrici as a defensive tactician.

Very true, but the battle was brutal as well. It showed that Zhukov was an ambitious, but not necessarily gifted general, relying on the machine and human wave to overwhelm a tactically and terrain gifted leader.

Originally Posted by MontyB

Personally I think the Seelow heights really showed the quality of Gotthardt Heinrici as a defensive tactician.

As a defence tactician, Lt Chard at the battle of Rorkes Drift would take some beating. Although he was a Royal Engineers officer, he had a sound knowledge of infantry tactics. Having seen the actual site of the battle, I'd say his was a brilliant defence. He quite rightly deserved his VC.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

As a defence tactician, Lt Chard at the battle of Rorkes Drift would take some beating. Although he was a Royal Engineers officer, he had a sound knowledge of infantry tactics. Having seen the actual site of the battle, I'd say his was a brilliant defence. He quite rightly deserved his VC.

No dounbt that all concerned deserved their VC's. However I would like to point out that most historians credit James Langley Dalton, Commissariat and Transport Department (the forbears of my Corps) for intiating the defence of Rorkes Drift.

His citation in the London Gazette of 17 November 1879 reads:

"For his conspicuous gallantry during the attack on Rorke's Drift post by the Zulus on the night of the 22nd January 1879, when he actively superintended the work of the defence, and was amongst the foremost of those who received the first attack at the corner of the hospital, where the deadliness of his fire did great execution, and the mad rush of the Zulus met with its first check, and where, by his cool courage, he saved the life of a man of the Army Hospital Corps, by shooting the Zulu who having seized the muzzle of the man's rifle, was in the act of assuaging him. This officer, to whose energy much of the defence of the place was due, was severely wounded during the contest, but still continued to give the same example of cool courage."

Originally not awarded the VC, he received it after a huge public outcry about his treatment. The public became aware of his bravery when the soldiers broke ranks, to salute him, during their parade through London.

The film Zulu, also doesn't do him much credit - but it's still a great film.

As fierce battles go, Assaye, in India 19th c. could come into consideration. This was a winning battle of the young Wellington, but it seems he was never able to overcome the devastation he experienced.

Towards the end of his glorious career, whenever questioned regarding what he considered his greatest victory, his grim response was always the same ; one grunted word - 'Assaye'.

It is very well recorded.