Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/News/November 2017/Articles


 * Mells War Memorial (HJ Mitchell) : The latest in Harry Mitchell's series on war memorials designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens covers a modest memorial in the village of Mells. In the nomination statement Harry noted that he'd been "saving this one" as the history of this memorial "poignantly tells the story of Britain in the First World War. People from all walks of life went off to the front, 21 of them never to return; Arthur Asquith (the prime minister's son, no less) had the unenviable task of unveiling a memorial on which his own brother and brother-in-law were listed". The article passed MilHist ACR earlier the same month that it achieved FA status.


 * Operation Inmate (Nick-D) : Operation Inmate was an unusual operation conducted by the British Pacific Fleet in June 1945. It involved attacks by a British aircraft carrier and four cruisers against an isolated Japanese base in the central Pacific, with the main goal being to provide the ships involved with combat experience. This proved successful, though the cruiser bombardment was farcical and the Allied losses which were considered acceptable by 1945 standards would be a scandal today. Nick took the article through GAN and ACR prior to FAC.


 * Balfour Declaration : This article covers covers the controversial statement issued by the British government during World War I that supported a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Its cited effects have included increasing popular support for Zionism, and the establishment of Mandatory Palestine, which eventually became Israel and the Palestinian territories. Special congratulations to nominator Onceinawhile for this, their first FA.


 * Alfred Shout (Abraham, B.S.) : Bryce Abraham's latest article on Australian Victoria Cross recipients focuses on a New Zealand-born soldier who took part in the Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915, was awarded the Military Cross for his "conspicuous courage and ability" two days later, and soon after mentioned in despatches. His VC was posthumously awarded for his actions at the Battle of Lone Pine in August 1915. Shout was the most highly decorated man in the AIF at Gallipoli, and his VC sold for a world record auction price in 2006. The article passed GAN and ACR before its successful FAC.


 * S-50 (Manhattan Project) (Hawkeye7) : Hawkeye's latest article on the Manhattan Project covers its effort to produce enriched uranium by liquid thermal diffusion. While the technology it used was passed over in favour of more practical methods, it eventually played an important part by supporting two other uranium enrichment plants which used different methods. Hawkeye sent the article through GAN and ACR before FAC.


 * Battle of Groix : Nominator Jackyd101 describes this 1795 action as "a largely-forgotten naval battle of the early French Revolutionary Wars. By earlier standards it was a significant victory for the Royal Navy, but by the standards of the war to come it rather paled in comparison." The article is Jackyd's first FA in seven years, and marks a welcome return to these pages for the MilHist veteran.


 * Manchester Cenotaph (HJ Mitchell) : Another article in Harry's series on Edwin Lutyen's war memorials, this describes a monument  in the centre of the major city of Manchester. Harry described the article as "among the higher-hanging fruit" on this topic given the memorial's prominence and the extensive range of sources available. The article features an interesting range of photos, including of the process through which the memorial was relocated in 2014. Harry negotiated GAN and ACR before putting the article through FAC.


 * Lesley J. McNair : This article is a biography of a senior US Army officer who served during both world wars. His experience led to his selection as commander of Army Ground Forces in World War II, giving him overall responsibility for training and making him the "unsung architect of the U.S. Army". He was killed by friendly fire during the Battle of Normandy in 1944; a lieutenant general at the time of his death, he was posthumously promoted to general. Special congratulations to nominator Billmckern, another FA debutante.


 * SMS Brandenburg (Parsecboy) : SMS Brandenburg was the first ocean-going battleship built by the German Empire. Commissioned in 1893, she rarely ventured far from home waters. The highlight of her career was a deployment to China during 1900 and 1901 as part of the international response to the Boxer Rebellion. Brandenburg was obsolete by 1914, and was used mainly as a coastal defence vessel until being reduced to a barracks ship the next year. This article also forms part of a series Parsecboy has been working on, and he brought it to GA class back in 2010 before recently taking it through ACR and FAC.


 * Maurice Wilder-Neligan (Peacemaker67) : Maurice Wilder-Neligan rose from the rank of private to command the South Australian-raised 10th Battalion during the latter stages of World War I. He was an eccentric soul, well known for embarrassing his officers and carrying out various "stunts", but also highly regarded for looking after his soldiers' needs. His tactical skills were impressive, one of his operations being described as "the best show ever done by a battalion in France". He survived the war only to die in New Guinea, apparently as a result of his war wounds. The article passed GAN and ACR on its way to achieving FA status.


 * Allied logistics in the Kokoda Track campaign (Hawkeye7) : Hawkeye's first entry on this month's list is a very wide-ranging article covering the extensive logistical efforts needed to sustain the Allied forces during the 1942 Kokoda Track campaign. These efforts ranged from rapidly constructing an extensive port and airfield complex to transporting supplies to forward troops through the use of carrier parties.


 * British hydrogen bomb programme (Hawkeye7) : The latest in Hawkeye's series on the development of nuclear weapons covers the ultimately successful British effort to develop hydrogen bombs between 1952 and 1958. The British Government embarked on this technically challenging program in an attempt to keep up with American efforts. The first British hydrogen bomb test was a failure (though the British Government allowed the press to portray it as successful), but after a series of tests the British had a useable hydrogen bomb design.


 * South China Sea raid (Nick-D) : The South China Sea raid was among the most successful aircraft carrier operations of World War II. In mid January 1945 the US Navy's main strike force ran riot in the sea, sinking large numbers of Japanese cargo ships, tankers and warships. A raid on Hong Kong ended in failure though, and the US Government had to pay reparations to Portugal for attacking Macau.


 * Operation Grapple (Hawkeye7) : Operation Grapple was the series of weapons tests carried out as part of the British hydrogen bomb programme. The tests were conducted on Malden Island and Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean, and involved large numbers of British military personnel and units. In the nomination statement, Hawkeye noted that he developed this article after having gathered a large amount of material on the subject while working on the British hydrogen bomb programme article.


 * Boeing CH-47 Chinook in Australian service (Nick-D) : Nick's second entry on this month list covers the lengthy and surprisingly complex history of the Australian Defence Force's use of Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters. These helicopters were originally operated by the Royal Australian Air Force, but were transferred to the Army after a short and ill-advised period where they were retired from service. They have been used for a wide variety of tasks, ranging from assisting with civilian construction projects to combat in Afghanistan.


 * Mells War Memorial (HJ Mitchell)


 * Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz (Auntieruth55) : Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz was was one of Frederick the Great's foremost cavalry generals, responsible for the organization. As well as developing the Prussian Army's cavalry prior to the Seven Years' War, von Seydlitz proved to be a highly successful commander in the war's battles.