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| View of the Martian desert seen by the robotic rover Spirit in 2004 (Source) |
No, wait, that's the surface of Mars.
There's a lot more going on there than in my head right now.
Yup, the well done run dry. But rain is in the forecast. I expect to be introducing an Australian contingent into the North African part of the book. 9th Division to be exact.
Did some quick research, based on Sgt 73rd Regt's comment, his uncle was in the 9th Division at the siege of Tobruk, and decided the 9th was just the thing. If I ever do a Pacific theater account, there's a natural lead in right there.
While in the book it's too late to cover the 1st Siege of Tobruk, it's not to late to cover the Battles of El Alamein, in which the 9th paid a key role.
My research showed the Australian 9th Division was withdrawn from Tobruk in October/November of 1941, leaving a single battalion behind, at the request of the Australian government. Those of you who know your history will realize that that government was growing more concerned with every passing day at the actions of the Japanese.
War hadn't broken out yet, but would, and soon.
The 9th was redeployed to Syria, to keep an eye on the Turks. In 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the fall of the Philippines, the Aussies wanted their army back home. Quite rightly.
So most of the army was sent back home, the 9th Division was left behind at the request of the British. An American division being promised to head Down Under to backstop the Aussies.
So the 9th stayed in North Africa until January of 1943, they took heavy casualties in the decisive fighting around El Alamein. We will meet some of them in the not-too-distant future. So at least that's one good idea from this week, wasn't mine, props to Sgt 73rd Regt, I'm going to run with your idea. I just hope I can do the Diggers¹ justice! (And get some of this lingo into the story!)
Well, I guess the well wasn't that dry!
Tuna should be along, maybe this weekend, with tales of the Emerald Isle. Yep, him and his Missus visited the Auld Sod recently and it's apparently sparked the urge to write in him. He's our peripatetic political correspondent and has done tales of travel before as well.
So that's upcoming. Juvat might be out of pocket for a bit, so we shall have to see who's got Monday.
I'm hoping my writing slump ends this weekend. A bit o' sleep would be helpful.
It's in the plan ...
Kein Operationsplan reicht mit einiger Sicherheit über das erste Zusammentreffen mit der feindlichen Hauptmacht hinaus.²
Be seeing you.
¹ What's a Digger? Glad you asked, mate, it's a military slang term for primarily infantry soldiers from Australia and New Zealand. You can read about it here, fair Dinkum!
² That's your homework, give me a translation. Should be easy for a clever lot such as you.
'No plan survives first contact with the enemy', literally 'no plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force'.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteAussies! Sounds good Sarge, fair dinkum....... :D
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to it!
DeleteA story...on a trip roughly 20 years ago I met an Aussie at a bar in Ypres, Belgium. He was a Digger at Tobruk during the war, was in Ypres to see where is father was gassed in WW1. He had a great story about a Stuka that always bombed them at a certain time then waved at them as he pulled out of his dive and flew home. Perhaps work this into your story about the Stuka pilots in the desert?
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be the first time I included an actual event related by a reader. I like those.
DeleteI think, if so inclined, an repost from the very early days from either yourself or your comrades would suffice for Monday
ReplyDeleteWe've got it covered. I might have gone that way but there's no need now.
DeleteI almost got most of that last quote. Thanks, Frau G (my high school German teacher)!
ReplyDeleteI think is not a dearth of material as it is there is so much - and deciding what to do next.
It is deciding what to do next, you see through the fog better than I.
DeleteSarge, I confess about three months ago I actually had to create a spreadsheet with different categories of writing to start to map things out. I do not know that I am inherently better than before, other than it gives me a place to put everything that comes into mind into one place. I am trying to do some element of date planning, but it is "fluid" at best...
DeleteI started down that path, I need something to keep my ducks in a row!
DeleteUsually, my spreadsheets have three or four (or more) false starts until I realize what I really need to show. Time thinking about it saves lots of effort.
DeleteYup, sounds about right.
DeleteCrusty Old TV Tech here. Mars, one day, yes, one day we will be there in person. Until then robotic cameras will have to do.
ReplyDeleteAs for Deutsch, my favorite quote is "Abends Bit, Morgens Fit"! Or "Ein Bier, mit dem Man, Freundschaft schließt"!
Bitburger, my go to beer in Deutschland! How can you not become friends after having a beer with a fellow?
DeleteCrusty Old TV Tech again. The second quote was the slogan of Parkbrau Pils, from Pirmasens. Really good brew, encountered it on a TDY to Zweibruecken AB. And yeah, beer doth friends make!
DeleteI never got down that way, being stationed in NATO land.
DeleteFlying out to Norfolk tomorrow morning- I'll try to write more on the plane.
ReplyDeleteRoger that, no rush.
DeleteNo plan survives...
ReplyDeleteFor "dry as a bone" seems more like coniferous forest. Well done.
Well, when I sat down to write, there was nothing, then I did the Aussie research. You could say that it started raining at that point.
DeleteSometimes I find, that if I put pen to paper with the intent to just write something, words will flow that don’t look like garbage.
ReplyDeleteSometimes!
I have experienced that very thing!
DeleteThe change of pace and scenery is fuel for the mind. I've done similar. In college, we had to read The Scarlet Letter. I hated that sorry book in high school. Could NOT get started on it. Found a Cliffs Notes for it and read through that two days before our quiz. That piqued my interest. Check the book out of the library, sat under a tree on campus and read that thing through the day before the quiz. It ceased to be an anvil on my chest and became a piece of literature. Just needed a boost and some clean air.
ReplyDeleteGrapes of Wrath, required for freshman English in college. Started reading it the summer before school, enjoyed it. Once it became required reading, I lost all interest in finishing the book.
DeleteI believe the Aussies wanted their ships back as well!
ReplyDeleteWith most of their forces in Africa assisting the British, there was very little between them and the rampaging Japanese. Who could blame them?
DeleteEh, it is what it is. I'll check in at midnight and post if needed.
ReplyDeleteThat would be good, I've got nothing tomorrow as well ...
DeleteWe all need beans, er Beans, every now and then. 😉
Well Sarge, my comment about the Aussies was a bit tongue in cheek but I am excited about your decision to write about the 9th Division!! Let me know if you need any material or help with the slang. You are dead right about Australia being worried about the Japanese, in December 1941 our front line fighter at home was the Wirraway, a two seat trainer (based on the North American NA-19) armed with three .303 machine guns, and our only bomber was the Lockheed Hudson. Most of the airforce, army and navy were in England, or North Africa, my grandfather in country NSW was busy digging slit trenches and preparing defensive positions around his farm!
ReplyDeleteforgot to say this is Sgt 73rd regt.!!, can't seem to sign in for some reason.
DeleteGives me hook if I decide to go to the Pacifc Theater some day!
DeleteYeah, Gargle is strange like that.
ReplyDelete