2nd WW2 Cumulative History Quiz

[cidknee]

i do believe it was air power. Air power was a huge factor in the end of the italians. So that would have been my guess. But Im no professor

 

[privatehudson]

It's a valid point Cruddy, but there was another very specific reason the Italians were afraid to attack that was to do with more traditional naval matters.

 

[Serutan]

The waters around Alexandria Harbor were shallow enough
the Italian ships could ground?

 

[privatehudson]

Nope

A clue would be that what prevented their attack was a ship later scuttled in 1944.

 

[Serutan]

The harbor was mined?

 

[privatehudson]

No, getting cooler

 

[Serutan]

The British had few surface ships, but plenty of subs?

 

[privatehudson]

Fraid not either, this was a surface vessel that caused the problem, but not a carrier before anyone asks.

 

[wildWolverine]

They were afraid of a counter attack from Malta, the ship that caused the problem being the SS Ohio?

 

[privatehudson]

Nope, ok another clue.

The answer is related to a KGV class ship but remember the part about being scuttled, for the clue is slightly misleading.

 

[cidknee]

if my research is correct, and it probally isnt, Im going to say the " white elephant" HMS Magnificent.

Magnificent was escorting Arkangelsk-bound convoys when the German battlefleet made its last great sortie into the North Sea, so she missed out on one of the few opportunities to prove herself. She went to the Far East with the fast carrier Malta, but she suffered a collision with another warship and her hastily-repaired hull was badly torqued in a Pacific typhoon's rough seas. She ended up spending considerable time in port instead of meeting the Japanese giants in battle. Regarded as a "white elephant" by the Admiralty, Magnificent was broken up for scrap shortly after the War ended.

 

[privatehudson]

Nope, HMS maginificent was not a KGV class ship, nor was she scuttled in 1944 and unless I'm mistaken the only Magnificent I can from WW2 find was a carrier built after that date.

One last clue then, the fate of this ship was linked to fruit

 

[YNCS]

I know which ship you're referring to. HMS Centurion, built in 1911, was a King George V (World War I flavor) battleship. She was sunk as a breakwater for the Normandy Mulberry.

Centurion was demilitarised in 1925 and used as a radio controlled target ship. In 1940, she was converted into a dummy King George V (World War II flavor) battleship. She was finally expended on June 6, 1944 as a part of the artificial harbor at Arromanches.

HMS King George V. Launched 1911, scrapped 1926​

 

[privatehudson]

At last!

The Italians were afraid of HMS Centurion which had been placed in the harbour to defend it. The only problem was Centurion, like the rest of the dreadnought class KGV ships had been taken out of service, but unlike her sisters remained in use as a target and training ship, though her arnament and turrets had been removed. When the RN were up a certain creek without a paddle in the Med she was hauled out of retirement, fitted with wooden guns and turrets and sent to Alexandria. Her disguise was that of the more modern KGV class. She was used to protect convoys and even sortied every so often, using her very real AA guns to defend those around her. She ended her days as one of the 'Gooseberries' or ships sunk off normandy to provide a breakwater, but her AA guns remained in action as they still remained above water.

In other words, the 4 battleships of the Italian navy were scared off by a Jutland veteran with about as much ability to harm them as a fly

 

[YNCS]

So it's my turn now. I'll make this one fairly easy, because I'll be gone for two weeks starting on Saturday.

American and British submarines returning from successful war patrols (when they had sunk at least one ship) would tie a broom to a periscope indicating a "clean sweep." Who originally instituted this ritual? (Note: He was not a submariner.)

 

[CruddyLeper]

Not sure if he was an Admiral - Blake? Dutch-Anglo wars, 17th century.

 

[privatehudson]

Sir Francis Drake?

 

[YNCS]

You're both wrong on the names, but the Anglo-Dutch Wars are a good place to look.

 

[cidknee]

wow... i got that info on the Magnificent from a usually trustworthy source. But wow. ok im wrong, Ill admit it. And thats actually kind funny.

 

[privatehudson]

You're both wrong on the names, but the Anglo-Dutch Wars are a good place to look.

Well unless it was Howard or Grenville that's stumped me.