So you're a platoon commander in Normandy, you've got your three infantry sections, and you need to quickly confer with your company commander. You're wireless op is ready with his WS No. 38.

Easy right?

Well... read on. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History

The WS No. 38 set was a compact wireless set (hence WS) assigned at the platoon level, allowing communication to headquarters, who used the bulkier and more powerful as WS No. 18.

A dedicated wireless operator controlled the set at platoon HQ, speaking via the throat mic. /2
WS No. 38 was usually controlled by Wireless Op's throat mic. Mounted on the chest with a nifty webbing cradle.

Aerial: three piece 12' aerial or 4' 'battle' aerial
Power: 0.2 Watts
Frequency: 7.4 - 9 MHz
Weight: 6kg
Battery: 20 - 35 hrs
Range:
You've probably noticed the set was under powered for the intended role, 0.2 Watts didn't really cut it.

The design also came under heavy criticism for unreliability as the key junction box and six point lead connector was known for a troubling propensity to break. /4
These were not pieces of kit used lightly, as you'd have to dodge, duck, dip, dive and... dodge, on a regular basis.

If the junction box broke, it rendered a serviceable set completely and utterly useless. /5
Extended use was tricky as batteries offered between 20 and 35 hours life, which required careful monitoring as optimal recharging was rarely viable in the field.

Something that was somewhat taken for granted during earlier exercises. /6
Range was another challenge, the best set up utilised the 12' F type aerial to broadcast about a mile, probably less, maybe more on a good day.

The problem was this also provided the enemy with a rather large target to direct fire at... denoting platoon headquarters. /7
Long before 1944 the risk posed by such aerials were highlighted in myriad complaints, dating back to Dieppe in 1942.

Operational research investigated but found no eye witness accounts of this *ahem* and felt it anecdotal information at best. /8
I mean, this was a very specific complaint and somewhat discarded.

But it's the sort of the inverse blindside that assumed the enemy could discern stretcher bearer's arm bands at range.

In short, observers could quite clearly discern 38 set aerials in action. /9
So a 4' rod of the F type aerial saw use as a 'battle' aerial in many units, which helped the operator remain more indistinct but sliced range down to about half mile...

Whether it did much is debatable as experiments found 38 set operators were clearly visible at 250 yards./10
The WS No. 38 set's low power and propensity to use shorter aerials saw it often become a burden to users.

Skip zones were a real challenge, as were trees, and woods, and tanks - and it was used to talk to tanks but couldn't as... for another day.

You could shout further. /11
The biggest problem was a serious shortage of trained wireless operators as this kit was finicky, nuanced, temperamental in addition to being rather vulnerable.

If the wireless op became a casualty, which lets face it he has a big target painted on him, it was a big problem. /12
The subaltern could operate the set, but then can't properly dedicate the time to commanding and leading his platoon.

He also makes himself an even larger target. Any replacement was unlikely to be as good as the original w/op. /13
So you quickly suffered diminishing returns with good wireless ops being highly prized technical specialists who were bloody hard to replace in action.

This led to the 38 set earning a very patchy record in action, and not being particularly popular for good reason. /14
Ultimately it fulfilled a important comms role but was too much of a hangar queen for tough infantry work, requiring careful maint, diligent charging, and delicate handling.

Characteristically erratic and constantly exposing the valuable operator to extreme danger. /thread

More from Jonathan Ware

More from War

New mass missile test of Zolfaqar and Dezful BMs, as well as use of suicide drones and Shahed-161 UCAVs.

Reporter in video claimed the BMs have ability to maneuver "outside the atmosphere" but since these missiles are quasi-BMs and don't leave the atmosphere, they may have...


...gas thrusters for extra maneuvering ability at very high altitudes where their control surfaces have less use in the thin air. This will make it much harder for ABMs to intercept.

Now into the images; first up is the 8x8 TEL for Zolfaqar/Dezful missiles first seen in 2019. Proof here it's operational and being made in numbers


Another video showing a lot of very precise impacts from different angles


Here are 4 (visible) targets in close proximity with missiles (numbered according to target) going for each of their designated impact points. Incredible accuracy.
[THREAD] On the recent ISIS Sinai video.

This is done with help from @war_noir, go follow.

As the ISIS insurgency in the Sinai continues, this video shows a very interesting mix of SALW, with some usual suspects appearing, but also more interesting things...

1/


First, the most prominent feature of the video is (as always), large IEDs blowing up army vehicles, with varied effectiveness. This has been a constant for years by now.

IS Sinai retain substantial IED expertise, with these...

2/


Also being laid in an anti personnel manner. Multiple targets are seen hit. Conventional close-range attacks are seen also.

3/


Now, let's turn to small arms. As usual, we see a mix of typical AKs, FALs, etc.

These include Type 56-1 and 2, FN FAL 50.00, FAL Para, AKM variants, and the ever present Libyan AK-103-2 (See thread here). We also see AMD-65.

https://t.co/CLIyU64RUD

4/


When it comes to heavier weapons, the commonly seen DShK/M and Type 54 are seen. These are common.

It is notable that IS Sinai have the operational freedom to use these on Technicals, despite the presence of the Egyptian Air Force. Oh, and 81/2mm mortar (Helwan M-69?)

5/

You May Also Like

I just finished Eric Adler's The Battle of the Classics, and wanted to say something about Joel Christiansen's review linked below. I am not sure what motivates the review (I speculate a bit below), but it gives a very misleading impression of the book. 1/x


The meat of the criticism is that the history Adler gives is insufficiently critical. Adler describes a few figures who had a great influence on how the modern US university was formed. It's certainly critical: it focuses on the social Darwinism of these figures. 2/x

Other insinuations and suggestions in the review seem wildly off the mark, distorted, or inappropriate-- for example, that the book is clickbaity (it is scholarly) or conservative (hardly) or connected to the events at the Capitol (give me a break). 3/x

The core question: in what sense is classics inherently racist? Classics is old. On Adler's account, it begins in ancient Rome and is revived in the Renaissance. Slavery (Christiansen's primary concern) is also very old. Let's say classics is an education for slaveowners. 4/x

It's worth remembering that literacy itself is elite throughout most of this history. Literacy is, then, also the education of slaveowners. We can honor oral and musical traditions without denying that literacy is, generally, good. 5/x
1/ Some initial thoughts on personal moats:

Like company moats, your personal moat should be a competitive advantage that is not only durable—it should also compound over time.

Characteristics of a personal moat below:


2/ Like a company moat, you want to build career capital while you sleep.

As Andrew Chen noted:


3/ You don’t want to build a competitive advantage that is fleeting or that will get commoditized

Things that might get commoditized over time (some longer than


4/ Before the arrival of recorded music, what used to be scarce was the actual music itself — required an in-person artist.

After recorded music, the music itself became abundant and what became scarce was curation, distribution, and self space.

5/ Similarly, in careers, what used to be (more) scarce were things like ideas, money, and exclusive relationships.

In the internet economy, what has become scarce are things like specific knowledge, rare & valuable skills, and great reputations.
The chorus of this song uses the shlokas taken from Sundarkand of Ramayana.

It is a series of Sanskrit shlokas recited by Jambavant to Hanuman to remind Him of his true potential.

1. धीवर प्रसार शौर्य भरा: The brave persevering one, your bravery is taking you forward.


2. उतसारा स्थिरा घम्भीरा: The one who is leaping higher and higher, who is firm and stable and seriously determined.

3. ुग्रामा असामा शौर्या भावा: He is strong, and without an equal in the ability/mentality to fight

4. रौद्रमा नवा भीतिर्मा: His anger will cause new fears in his foes.

5.विजिटरीपुरु धीरधारा, कलोथरा शिखरा कठोरा: This is a complex expression seen only in Indic language poetry. The poet is stating that Shivudu is experiencing the intensity of climbing a tough peak, and likening

it to the feeling in a hard battle, when you see your enemy defeated, and blood flowing like a rivulet. This is classical Veera rasa.

6.कुलकु थारथिलीथा गम्भीरा, जाया विराट वीरा: His rough body itself is like a sharp weapon (because he is determined to win). Hail this complete

hero of the world.

7.विलयगागनथाला भिकारा, गरज्जद्धरा गारा: The hero is destructive in the air/sky as well (because he can leap at an enemy from a great height). He can defeat the enemy (simply) with his fearsome roar of war.