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Charles Beck Hornby
Charles Beck Hornby, (7 February 1883 – 10 January 1949) was a British cavalryman. While serving as a captain in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, he is reputed to have become the first British soldier to kill a German soldier in the First World War, at around 6:30 am on 22 August 1914, near the Belgian village of Casteau. Early life and career Hornby was born in Bangalore, British India, on 7 February 1883. His father, Colonel John Frederick Hornby, served with the 12th Royal Lancers. Hornby was educated at Harrow School and was commissioned as an ensign in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards in 1901. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1903, and captain in 1909. He served in the Second Boer War and was the regiment's adjutant from January 1911 to January 1914. First World War Following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Hornby was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), as second-in-command of C Squadron of the 4th (Royal Irish) Drago ...
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Charles Mills Sheldon
Charles Mills Sheldon (24 June 186614 March 1928) was a war correspondent, artist, and book illustrator, born in the United States, who moved to Europe in 1890. Early life Sheldon was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, on 24 June 1866 to George Wilbur Sheldon (11 November 18433 January 1922) and Jeanette Mills (c. 18472 February 1929). He was educated at public schools in Lawrenceburg and Des Moines. The 1880 census found him living at home with his parents at age 14, in Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. While Hogson states that his father was a publisher, the census return for both 1880 and 1910 gives his father's trade as a Tinner, in a Tin shop. Work After initially travelling the Southern United States to illustrated articles for the Associated Press in 1889, Sheldon moved to Paris where he studied at the Académie Julian under Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant and Jules Joseph Lefebvre. From Paris he provided illustrations of happenings there for the ''Pall Mall Budget''.As th ...
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Adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commissioned officer rank similar to a staff sergeant or warrant officer but is not equivalent to the role or appointment of an adjutant. An adjutant general is commander of an army's administrative services. Etymology Adjutant comes from the Latin ''adiutāns'', present participle of the verb ''adiūtāre'', frequentative form of ''adiuvāre'' 'to help'; the Romans actually used ''adiūtor'' for the noun. Military and paramilitary appointment In various uniformed hierarchies, the term is used for number of functions, but generally as a principal aide to a commanding officer. A regimental adjutant, garrison adjutant etc. is a staff officer who assists the commanding officer of a regiment, battalion or garrison in the details of regimental, g ...
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Edward Thomas (British Army Soldier)
Ernest Edward Thomas, Military Medal, MM (16 December 1884 – February 1939) was an Irish cavalryman in the British Army and Drummer (military), drummer. While serving with the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards he fired the first British shot of the First World War, at 7am on 22 August 1914, Battle of Mons, in an engagement outside Mons. Early life Although it has been reported that Thomas was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, it has now been established that he was born in London of Irish ancestry. Thomas joined the British Army as a drummer in the Royal Horse Artillery, but transferred to the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards before the outbreak of hostilities. First World War It was while serving as a corporal in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards that Thomas is reported to have fired the first British shot of the First World War. He was promoted to sergeant on 5 November 1915 and transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1916. Thomas was also mentioned in dispatches for brave ...
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Adrian Gilbert
Adrian Gilbert is a British author and historian who writes primarily on the subject of military history – particularly relating to wars of the 20th century. Although most of his work is published for adults, he has also written several non-fiction books for children. After studying history at Lancaster University he spent several years working in book publishing. Gilbert has also contributed to television documentaries and written pieces for newspapers and magazines, including ''The Sunday Times'', ''The Guardian'', '' ''Gramophone'''' and ''The Good Book Guide''. Among his books are ''Britain Invaded'', an imaginary account of a German invasion of Britain in 1940, ''POW: Allied Prisoners in Europe 1939–1945'', a day-to-day account of the lives of Allied prisoners of war captured by Axis forces during the Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the ...
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Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (abbreviated YORKS) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, created by the amalgamation of three historic regiments in 2006. It lost one battalion as part of the Army 2020 defence review. The regiment's recruitment area covers the ceremonial counties of the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire; areas near Barnsley are recruitment area for the Rifles. Formation The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry. It was formed from the merger of three regular battalions, plus a reserve battalion: *1st Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (previously: 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire) *2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) (previously: 1st Battalion, Green Howards) *3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington's) (p ...
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Pattern 1908 And 1912 Cavalry Swords
The Pattern 1908 cavalry trooper's sword (and the 1912 Pattern, the equivalent for officers) was the last service sword issued to the cavalry of the British Army. It has been called the most effective cavalry sword ever designed, although its introduction occurred as swords finally became obsolete as military weapons. In use, it, like other thrust-based cavalry swords, is best described as a one-handed lance, due to its complete lack of utility for anything but the charge. In fact, the closely related US Model 1913 Cavalry Saber was issued with only a saddle scabbard, as it was not considered to be of much use to a dismounted cavalryman. Colonial troops, who could expect to engage in melee combat with opposing cavalry frequently carried cut and thrust swords either instead of, or in addition to, the P1908/1912. In military circles, there had long been the debate over whether the use of the point or the edge was the better method of attack for a cavalryman. In the Napoleonic peri ...
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1st Army (German Empire)
The 1st Army (german: 1. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 1 / A.O.K. 1) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the VIII Army Inspectorate. The army was dissolved on 17 September 1915, but reformed on 19 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. It was finally disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war. History First formation The 1st Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914. Commanded by General Alexander von Kluck, the 1st Army's job was to command the extreme right of the German forces in attacking the left flank of the French Army and encircling Paris, bringing a rapid conclusion to the war. His army had the greatest striking power of the offensive, a density of about 18,000 men per mile of front (about 10 per metre). The First Army captured Brussels on 20 August and was almost successful in ...
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Alexander Von Kluck
Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck (20 May 1846 – 19 October 1934) was a German general during World War I. Early life Kluck was born in Münster, Westphalia on 20 May 1846. He was the son of architect Karl von Kluck and his wife Elisabeth, née Tiedemann. He was a pupil at a school called Paulinum in his hometown of Münster. In 1874 he married Fanny von Donop (1850–1938); they had three sons and one daughter. Military career He enlisted in the Prussian army in time to serve in the seven-week Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War, where he was wounded twice in the Battle of Colombey-Neuilly, and awarded the Iron Cross (second class) for bravery. He was made a general of infantry in 1906, and in 1913 was appointed Inspector General of the Seventh Army District. World War I With the outbreak of World War I, Kluck was placed in command of the German First Army. According to the Moltke revisions of the Schlieffen Plan, the First Army was part ...
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9th Cavalry Division (German Empire)
The 9th Cavalry Division (''9. Kavallerie-Division'') was a unit of the German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was dissolved in March 1918. Combat chronicle It was initially assigned to II Cavalry Corps, which preceded the 1st and 2nd Armies on the Western Front. On 27 November 1914, it was transferred to Russia. It was dismounted in October 1916 and dissolved on 3 March 1918. A more detailed combat chronicle can be found at the German-language version of this article. Order of Battle on mobilisation On formation, in August 1914, the component units of the division were: *13th Cavalry Brigade (from VII Corps District) ** 4th (Westphalian) Cuirassiers "von Driesen" ** 8th (1st Westphalian) Hussars "Emperor Nicholas II of Russia" *14th Cavalry Brigade (from VII Corps District) ** 11th (2nd Westphalian) Hussars ** 5th (Westphalian) Uhlans *19th Cavalry Brigade (from X Corps District) **19th (Old ...
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4th (Westphalian) Cuirassiers "von Driesen"
The 4th (Westphalian) Cuirassiers “von Driesen” was a heavy cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed in 1717. The regiment fought in the Silesian Wars, the War of the Sixth Coalition, the Austro-Prussian War, the Franco-Prussian War and World War I. The regiment was disbanded in 1919. See also *List of Imperial German cavalry regiments This is a List of Imperial German cavalry regiments before and during World War I. In peacetime, the Imperial German Army included 110 regiments of cavalry. Some of these regiments had a history stretching back to the 17th century but others w ... References {{DEFAULTSORT:4th (Westphalian) Cuirassiers von Driesen Cuirassiers of the Prussian Army Military units and formations established in 1717 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919 1717 establishments in Prussia ...
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Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the military headquarters of the NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) that commands all NATO operations worldwide. ACO's and SHAPE's commander is titled Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), a U.S. four-star rank, four-star general officer or flag officer who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command. SHAPE is situated in Mons, Belgium. Under the 2002 Berlin Plus agreement, SHAPE may also take part in the European Union's (EU) Command and control structure of the European Union, command and control structure as an operational headquarters (OHQ) for EU List of military and civilian missions of the European Union, missions. In such an instance, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe#Deputy, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), who is always a European, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr). This use of SHAPE by the EU is however subject to a "right of first ...
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Soignies
Soignies (; nl, Zinnik, ; pcd, Sougniye; wa, Sougniye) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It consists of the following districts: Casteau, Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies and Thieusies. Casteau is known worldwide because SHAPE, the military headquarters of NATO, has been based at the village since 1967. The name of Soignies comes from the Latin word ''suniacum'', which means "on the Senne". The spring of the Senne is near Soignies. After Soignies, the river flows through Brussels. Soignies is also well known for its blue limestone (from the ''Carrières du Hainaut'') and its glass industry (Durobor). History Saint Vincent The known history of the region starts in the 7th century. The Frankish merchant Samo, who founded an empire in Central Europe, may have come from Soignies (Latin: ''pagus Senonagus).''Chronicle of Fredegar, 4.48, edited and translated in J.M. Wallace-Hadrill, ''The Fourth Book ...
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