"The British Tommy would only fight after frequent cuppa..." Topic

… breaks and the SS were sadistic fanatics: Britain's leading war historian tackles the greatest myths of WW2.

Old… but still interesting to read…

See here
link

Amicalement
Armand

I hope he writes about all those gorgeous French resistance babes.

The latest is that the Germans had to get high on drugs to do their Blitzkrieg. I guess it is healthier to drink Tea then to get high on Methamphetamine.

Beevor's books are coffe-table history simplified for the masses. In no way is he a serious military chronicler.

The tea drinking thing isn't a myth- Tea is a natural Source of Moral Fibre and regular doses make the British Soldier superior to his foreign counter parts.

Well known fact.

I have a vague recollection that it was something to do with water allocation?

So the British Army runs on tea, and the Royal Navy runs on rum (or at least used to). I shudder to think what the RAF runs on…

Tea with rum in it………..

It's not just the army, I thought the whole island would grind to a halt without tea. Just like America would fall into a stupor without coffee.

I thought the quote re the RN was sodomy, rum and the lash!

"I shudder to think what the RAF runs on…"

Bacardi Breezers…

The RAF runs on bryllcream

Was it true in a bridge too far that the brit tankers stopped for a cuppa while our paratroopers were fighting to hold hells highway, if so, doesnt say much for the brits and their tea

doesnt say much for the brits and their tea

Says a lot about those who get their history from Hollywood.
Who can forget the film about the US-only invasion of Normandy where the only Commonwealth mention is a drive-by traduction of Monty

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Corporal Bill Bailey's section of 25 platoon was allowed to go back to the bridge; They took up position near the gun emplacement on the eastern side of the canal. He had had nothing to drink for fourteen hours:
At this stage we got the first inkling of Commandos coming through, some with bicycles, and I thought this was a good time to make some tea. So I took my 'Tommy cooker' down into the position between the gun. Little primus stove with a little block and meths and tin water and a little mix of sugar and you're away. Takes six or seven minutes.
I think it was wally and Gus I saw sitting on the bunk watching and the bubbles had just started to came up. I'd just dropped the tea in and there was a God Almighty crash aver my head. Charlie Gardner was up on the gun, and they fired this bloody thing whiIe I was down there and of course all the sand from China came crashing down an our heads!

Bailey came up from the area beneath the gun.
Wally Parr:

He just looked at me and said Parr; don't fire that bleedin' gun again will you till I've had my cup of tea, theres all falling on top of me. 'I said 'Yeah, alright alright. ' So the war stopped for about fifteen minutes as far as the gun was concerned but they [the Germans] were creeping up and creeping up. It was over on the right hand bank, there was space between some bushes and another clump, and one shot across, [another] one shot across. Now there was already two there we knew, so that made four. And then two more came scurrying across because the gun was quiet and they were doing alright. There were six of them and I swung the gun round I'd got six of them behind this clump of bushes. I suppose it was a ten-yard clump give or take a thou; and I just aimed the gun and I fired The next thing you knew there was a terrible scream fom somewhere outside and I thought 'some poor bastards got it. ' Then, believe it or not I saw two hands, big hands…….. pulling himself up the two steps inside the gun pit. It was Bailey. His face was livid his cup of char had just come to the boil He'd put his powdered milk and his sugar in it and I fired the bleedin' gun and the whole of the roof fell in on top of it and turned it into mud! Bailey came into there, and I left my post and I run round the front end of the gun. He chased me round there. He eventually gave up the chase and he went off swearing and cursing; without his cup of tea.

The Pegasus And Orne Bridges, Neil Barber 2014 page 234 235

British tankies learned that whenever they got the order to stop, to take the chance get a brew on, because they never knew when they'd next get an opportunity to have something to eat and drink. That's a long way from crews taking an unauthorised break during an advance, which is something one would think their officers might just notice…

Gary

And yes, my household at least still does run on tea.

"Was it true in a bridge too far that the brit tankers stopped for a cuppa while our paratroopers were fighting to hold hells highway, if so, doesnt say much for the brits and their tea"

Oh good grief- if you're going to get your history from hollywood at least listen to the dialogue:
the tank commander explains exactly why they can't advance- their tanks are high up on an exposed road, facing a treeline full of german anti tank guns who have a very clear field of fire. If the 3 shermans and their 6 american friends advance they'll be picked off long before they get close enough to shoot back. They need infantry/arty support to come up but its all a bit busy trying to clear the town behind them. They've been ordered to hold the bridge so jerry can't blow it , theres no immediate threat so might as well take the opportunity for a brew.

I mean, honestly…

Come on, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story……

Probably worth noting that A Bridge Too Far was directed by Richard Attenborough, someone who was anti-war and more particularly anti establishment. What better icon of the establishment to ridicule than the military? I can point to no better evidence than his 'other' war film Oh What a Lovely War. A Bridge Too Far is a great story, but very flakey history.

Jesus…..the reason guards armoured couldn't advance was because they were under command from 82nd airborne ( or "our paratroopers") so, it had nothing to do with tea, and everything to do with helping 82nd clear the town and following their orders..nothing to do with a lot of nonsense made up by Gavin to cover up his woeful performance both in the planning and execution of the attack.