Rons of Hurricanes. These formations were substantially reinforced when the German attack began, but Barratt never had a chance of realizing the objects of his command. His Battles, Blenheims and Lysanders were outnumbered and comprehensively outclassed by the opposition and his Hurricanes had to operate without the radar direction which Fighter Command enjoyed over England. Nevertheless, Barratt caused some delay to the German advance and contributed to the escape of the bef from Dunkirk. ANF.
Bastico, Marshal Ettore (18761972). Italian, c-in-c Italian Armed Forces in North Africa, July 12 1941-February 15 1943.
Bastogne, Battle of see ardennes OFFENSIVE.
Bataan-Corregidor campaign
(1942). Following air bombardment on December 8, the initial Japanese landings in the Philippines were made on December 10 1941. The main invasion force. Fourteenth Army (Homma), landed at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, December 22. Wainwright's North Luzon Force opposed the Japanese advance while MacArthur drew back to prepared positions on the Bataan Peninsula, west of Manila Bay. By January 7 1942 MacAr-thur’s force, some 80,000-strong, occupied a formidable stronghold, but with little hope of a relief force. The first Japanese assaults, from January 9, were halted by concentrated artillery fire along the main defence line, but ferocious infantry assaults, supported by Japan’s total air superiority, steadily drove the US-Philippine forces back down the peninsula. Wainwright assumed overall control when MacArthur was evacuated in March. Food and ammunition shortages forced the defenders of Bataan to surrender on April 9, but resistance continued on the island fortress of Corregidor, off the southern tip of Bataan. After several weeks’ relentless bombing and shelling, a Japanese amphibious assault forced the 15,000-strong garrison to surrender on May 6. MS.
Battalion. 1) (British Army). Infantry unit organized into Companies, with its own complement of support weapons. Commanded by a Lt Col. 2) In most other armies, all combat arms are organized in battalions.
Battenberg, Prince Louis of see
MILFORD HAVEN ADM OF THE FLEET.
Battery (British Army). Sub-unit of an artillery regiment. The US equivalent is a company sub-unit of an artillery battalion.
Battle, Fairey (Br, WWII). Light bomber; crew 3. Prototype flew March 10 1936; first deliveries to No. 63 Squadron, raf. May 1937; by May 1939, 17 Battle squadrons equipped. To France with aasf September 2 1939; two raf vcs for attack Veldwezelt bridge May 12 1940. Few to saaf; 366 to Australia; many conversions to trainers/ target tugs. Production 2,197. One l,440hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine; max. speed 257mph (414kph); l,0001b (450kg) bombs, two 0.303in machine guns.
Battlecruiser. The first battlecruisers were developed from armoured cruisers - more lightly armed and armoured, but faster and therefore larger, versions of contemporary battleships. They were intended for the destruction of smaller enemy cruisers, the protection of commerce, and scouting for, but not fighting with, battleships. The British Invincible-class battlecruisers were longer than the Dreadnought, though with one turret less. Unfortunately there was one basic flaw in the concept in these new ships. Their guns were of the same calibre (12in) as the battleship, ensuring that they would be used in the main battle, but with only cruiser armour. The sensible course would have been to give them smaller calibre guns, which would keep them on the fringes, or to take the alternative which the Germans were to adopt, i. e. to build what were in effect, fast battleships armoured to battleship standards. .
British battlecruisers justified themselves in destroying German cruiser forces at the Falklands and the Heligoland Bight but then were trapped in a major battle and met their nemesis at Jutland. It was a controversial and short-lived type. The later French Dunkerque,
German Scharnhorst and, certainly, the American Alaska were really a reversion to the large armoured cruiser concept. DJL.
Battleship. The most powerful unit in the surface navy, combining the heaviest possible guns and protection with reasonable speed and endurance, the “capital ship” of the world’s navies until supplanted by the aircraft carrier. The word came into use in the 1880s, replacing the earlier “ironclad” and harking back to the old sailing “line-of-battle ship”. After the experimental uncertainty of the ironclad period, battleship design had settled down by 1900 to a fairly standard pattern. What were later termed “pre-dreadnoughts” were of about 15,000 tons and 16-18 knots, with two twin heavy gun turrets, one at either end of the superstructure. In between were heavy secondary and tertiary batteries (usually of 6in and 3in calibre). Later examples tended to have fewer but heavier guns in the secondary battery (8-lOin). These ships were to give good service in secondary roles during World War I, often seeing more action than their more modern sisters.
However, the real answer was longer-range guns firing in salvoes. The biggest guns had the greatest range and hitting power, so what was needed was the largest possible number of big guns mounted in one ship. Most of the major navies were working towards this solution when the demoniac energy of Adm Fisher, combined with the efficiency of Portsmouth dockyard and the availability of guns and mountings intended for other ships, stole a march on the rest of the world for Britain. The Dreadnought was completed in just over a year (a record that still stands) with five twin 12in turrets, no secondary armament, and an unprecedented speed of 21 knots, thanks to the daring step of making her the first large ship fitted with turbines. She was larger than any previous battleship.
World History
