I have been thinking about a quite fun thread in which we discuss military mistakes/failures. Not political mistakes, but military mistakes.

I am thinking about mistakes and failures quite similar to this one. When the RN was hunting down the battleship Bismarck, the Swordfish torpedo bombers accidentally attacked the Cruiser HMS Sheffield. Fortunately all the torpedoes missed

Do you know about other blunders like the one above?

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I have been thinking about a quite fun thread in which we discuss military mistakes/failures. Not political mistakes, but military mistakes.

I am thinking about mistakes and failures quite similar to this one. When the RN was hunting down the battleship Bismarck, the Swordfish torpedo bombers accidentally attacked the Cruiser HMS Sheffield. Fortunately all the torpedoes missed

Do you know about other blunders like the one above?

I have a German leaflet dropped over the Allied forces in Italy that basically says:
When the RAF flys over the front Germans take cover.
When the Luftwaffe flys over the front British take cover.
when the Americans fly over the front everyone takes cover.

It always amuses me.
Along those lines would the bombing of Monte Casino be considered a huge blunder as it turned an empty building into the strongest defensive point on the Gustav line?

One of the biggest mistakes committed by British forces was the defence of Isandlwana.

There were numerous errors carried out, the firing lines were positioned too far out, tents were not struck giving cover to the Zulu, heavy weapons were situated wrongly among other massive errors. I am convinced that if a square was formed with 200 men on each side of the square, with a F Group situated in the center, able to plug and gaps, giving all round defence the Zulu could not have come in behind the troops.

Originally Posted by MontyB

I have a German leaflet dropped over the Allied forces in Italy that basically says:
When the RAF flys over the front Germans take cover.
When the Luftwaffe flys over the front British take cover.
when the Americans fly over the front everyone takes cover.

It always amuses me.
Along those lines would the bombing of Monte Casino be considered a huge blunder as it turned an empty building into the strongest defensive point on the Gustav line?

Hehe, It was funny. I have heard quite similar jokes about the artillery. I have heard something about a Lancaster accidentally dropping its cargo on a British city

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

Hehe, It was funny. I have heard quite similar jokes about the artillery. I have heard something about a Lancaster accidentally dropping its cargo on a British city

I did a search on the Lancaster dropping on a British city, but could not find anything, unless it was a captured Lancaster flown by the Luftwaffe .

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I am thinking about mistakes and failures quite similar to this one. When the RN was hunting down the battleship Bismarck, the Swordfish torpedo bombers accidentally attacked the Cruiser HMS Sheffield. Fortunately all the torpedoes missed

At one point they thought they had the Bismarck on radar in the fog. They were about to open fire when the fog suddenly lifter revealing a US Coast Guard Cutter, tiny compared to the Battleship.

It must have been stressful for the US submariners during WWII when their early torpedoes had some quality issues.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

It must have been stressful for the US submariners during WWII when their early torpedoes had some quality issues.

yes, apparently the Germans had problems also (fuses). Read about a U Boat that had 3 Battleships in sight and the torpedoes malfunctioned. R. N. Battleships didn't do well when torpedoed and later examination of records show that the 1st Sea Lord, Winston Churchill, was aboard. What a history changer that could have been.

Originally Posted by BritinBritain

One of the biggest mistakes committed by British forces was the defence of Isandlwana.

There were numerous errors carried out, the firing lines were positioned too far out, tents were not struck giving cover to the Zulu, heavy weapons were situated wrongly among other massive errors. I am convinced that if a square was formed with 200 men on each side of the square, with a F Group situated in the center, able to plug and gaps, giving all round defence the Zulu could not have come in behind the troops.

Would the square have been necessary had the firing lines been positioned properly especially since they were equipped with the Martini Henry rifle who's firing rate really only required an adequate supply of ammunition.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

Hehe, It was funny. I have heard quite similar jokes about the artillery. I have heard something about a Lancaster accidentally dropping its cargo on a British city

It is one of the items we donated to the army museum as they have the capacity to conserve it properly.

Originally Posted by MontyB

Would the square have been necessary had the firing lines been positioned properly especially since they were equipped with the Martini Henry rifle who's firing rate really only required an adequate supply of ammunition.
.

One of the main problems was the black powder ammunition, which fouled the chamber, making it difficult to extract a fired cartridge. Troops were found tryiing the pry a case out of the chamber with a bayonet, whereas with a square the only weapon needed was the bayonet. It must also be remembered what heavy weapons that were issued were placed ineffectively, making them all but useless. Studies have found that there was plenty of ammunition was available to the firing line.