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The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

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  • The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

    The film is on You Tube

    The battle of fortress Eben Emael in 1940 was a game changer in military history, the first time a small number of Airborne troops, (using 11 gliders) take a huge fortress with 1100 soldiers. The fort was completed 5 years before the war, and ready for battle yet some things went wrong, on both sides, but before the German assault could have taken place a few really odd coincidences had to occur first, I have never seen this side of the story told. And thanks to local historians at the fort I can share the full story of the battle.

  • #2
    Re: The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

    The first use of shaped charges to breach the steel turrets and doors of the fortress I seem to remember!

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    • #3
      Re: The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

      A bit like the Maginot Line of fortified gun positions, all that technology and the Germans went round it through the Ardennes. Make you wonder when the powers what be say they wouldn't attack through the Ardennes, yet they did it not just once but twice, again in 1944 !
      Bob (geordie) Watts

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      • #4
        Re: The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

        I remember reading about Eben Emael, think the German in charge of the unit at the time was a bloke called Witzig, mind could be wrong on that one !
        Bob (geordie) Watts

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        • #5
          Re: The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

          Think it was Whizzkid Bob. Its on Youtube from the Paras parade in their hanger in the early hours, through to their flight and drop, and then taking the fort, I do not think many were killed in the battle, but then one is too many

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          • #6
            Re: The Battle of Fortress Eben Emael

            Until the latter end of the war German Paratroops were the finest infantry in the German Armed forces,however as the war drew to a close the standards of entrants were not up to the mark as recruitment incorporated element of the Luftwaffe such as flack gunners and other ground staff. In fact the Wermacht generally grabbed sailors, airman, and anyone else who could hold a weapon to attempt to halt the Allied advance into Germany,even children and old men were incorporated into the Volksturm with little if any training whatsoever. We all know the end result, which shows basically that even with enthusiasm ,you can't win a war on hope !
            Bob (geordie) Watts

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