World War 2: British Army Oddest Things

 

Here are some of the oddest aspects of the British Army in World War II.

Hobart's Funnies: The Weirdest Tank Fleet

Major-General Percy Hobart developed a bizarre collection of modified tanks known as "Hobart's Funnies" for the 79th Armoured Division. These included: Crab (flail tanks with spinning chains to clear mines),Crocodile (flamethrower tanks towing fuel trailers),Duplex Drive (DD) swimming tanks with canvas skirts, ARKs (bridging tanks) and others for laying roadways or clearing obstacles.

Exploding Rats

The Special Operations Executive created "rat bombs"—dead rats stuffed with explosives, meant to be hidden in German coal supplies and explode in furnaces.

Elaborate Deceptions

Deception ops like Operation Mincemeat (using a corpse with fake documents) and Operation Cornflakes (fake mail drops) showed the British love for clever psychological warfare.

If Germany Won World War II

Nuclear War 1962 (Alternate History)

Top Ten Victorian Era British Military Paintings

 

The Victorian era (1837-1901) witnessed Britain's imperial expansions, inspiring military paintings that glorified heroism while hinting at war's toll. Artists like Lady Elizabeth Butler dominated, depicting Crimean, Napoleonic, and colonial battles with realism and emotion. Based on historical acclaim and collections, here are ten standout works.

One: Calling the Roll: (1874) by Elizabeth Butler: Exhausted Grenadier Guards after a Crimean battle, emphasizing human endurance.

Two: Scotland Forever! (1881) by Elizabeth Butler: The Scots Greys charging at Waterloo, capturing cavalry's thunderous momentum.

Three: The Thin Red Line (1881) by Robert Gibb: Highlanders repelling Russian cavalry at Balaclava, symbolizing steadfast defense.

Four: The 28th Regiment at Quatre Bras (1875) by Elizabeth Butler: British square formation under French attack, highlighting discipline amid chaos.

Five: The Remnants of an Army (1879) by Elizabeth Butler: Lone survivor Dr. Brydon reaching Jalalabad after Afghan retreat, evoking tragedy.

Six: Balaclava (1876) by Elizabeth Butler: Wounded Light Brigade survivors after the charge, blending valor and sorrow.

Seven: The Defence of Rorke's Drift (1880) by Alphonse de Neuville: British soldiers fending off Zulu warriors, a heroic stand post-Isandlwana.

Eight: The Capitulation of Kars (1856) by Thomas Jones Barker: Ottoman surrender in Crimea, depicting diplomatic closure to siege.

Nine: The Charge of the Light Brigade (1894) by Richard Caton Woodville: Doomed cavalry assault at Balaclava, immortalizing Tennyson's poem.

Ten: The Dawn of Waterloo (1895) by Elizabeth Butler: Scots Greys awakening before battle, foreshadowing the day's drama.

History's Ten Worst Generals

Sneak Attack! (Four Alternative History Stories)