Aye, but after a diet of double Big Mac [TM] and fries they'd need a new set of plate armour. :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost
Printable View
Aye, but after a diet of double Big Mac [TM] and fries they'd need a new set of plate armour. :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost
In all seriousness, this is almost a non-issue. After all, were there ever a war involving Switzerland (or Liechtenstein, for that matter), we would be protecting that lot.
Accidentally stepping over the border is not all that uncommon. In one of the excercises I took part (many moons ago) we ended up in France. We were eventually called back by our commander after a very confused French citizen seemed to have had our APC crossing his field with some lunatics storming out the back. No need to say, we had a blast and a good laugh at our misguided corporal.
There have been incidents much more serious in the past years such as artillary shells being directed at a patch in France and so forth...
As to the running around with armed rifles: it would be lunacy to have our rifles loaded while doing exercises as described above. The mentioned troops were most probably recruits anyway.
Apart from guarding duty (embassies, WEF, airports, bases etc.) and the actual designated life-fire exercises our weapons are never loaded. It would really be pointless and dangerous at the same time. Germany and Austria would never invade anyway because they would have ther arses handed to them ;).
Quid
EDIT: ...and just to rule out any misconceptions...we do get issued a Swiss Army Knife and we're a very mean force with them...
Not sure if this is classified, but anyways:beam: :
When I was in the military last year, we went on an exercise far away from our garrison. While we were flown there, our supply trucks drove there, and on their way there, they drove through Finland... The battalion headquarters were in full panic, and prepared to explain it if anyone found out. Fortunately for all of us, nobody saw the trucks and nothing happened...
However, a few years ago, a similar thing happened, with a personell truck full of soldiers taking a stop at a gas station to buy sweets, with everyone jumping out and going to the store. Unfortunately, this was within the borders of Sweden... Things escalated, until the point where our prime minister had to excuse to the prime minister of sweden on a diplomatic level, the "invasion of Sweden"...
Yeah, I can relate. Accidental invasions happen sometimes. A few years back, our guys on the way to Afghanistan for exercises, accidentally crossed over into Iraq. Man, the misunderstandings flew, I can tell ya. Some of them are still there, trying to find their way out.
Maybe if they donned striped blousy uniforms and medieval helmets, they could tap-dance their way out of there. Whatcha think?
Not if they are in the Papal uniforms... I don't think it would help diminish the idea that it is a crusade.
:laugh4: :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by KukriKhan
:wall: :shame:
Some EU soldiers invaded Norway a few years ago. They were aiming for a port with a very long and complex name in Sweden or somewhere, near the border. Just over the border was a very similar sounding port, which just so happened to be on the crease of their map so they couldn't read the name properly. Hilarity probably didn't ensue.
I sort of feel left out now .... all our neighbours are separated by a large stretch of liquid so we never have any incidents like that. Not that we even have much of an army to exercise... ~:mecry:
EU soldiers? :inquisitive: Do you mean NATO? In which case Norway is a member.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDC
Yes, and Greece and Turkey are NATO members too, but I don't think that they would like the others troops on their land.
Well I have to say that you got me there. :laugh4:
Maybe those were ERRF soldiers on manouvers. There is a pool of 60000 troops since january to use for the European Rapid Reaction Force.Quote:
Originally Posted by InsaneApache
http://www.answers.com/topic/europea...reaction-force
Some years ago russian fighters were kept flying around Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. German and American fighters who were defending that countries into NATO were doing nothing so Russian happily crossed borders without any risk. Situation changed when they moved there polish fighters. No Russian planes cross border now:)
Hehe, what did you tell the citizen? 'Hallo! Da sind wie wieder! Schade, aber wir brauchen doch ja wirklich dein Lebensraum'? :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Quid
I liked this bit from the link in the article:
Quote:
An attempt to show off their prowess at dawn assaults went badly wrong for a unit of heavily armed British Royal Marines at the weekend when they accidentally invaded the wrong country.
The platoon of some 30 marines stormed from a landing craft on to the San Felipe beach in the Spanish town of La Linea, carrying 60mm mortars and SA80 assault rifles, and took up defensive positions on the sand.
Instead of being fired on with blank rounds by fellow British soldiers pretending to be the enemy, the marines found themselves being stared at by startled local fishermen. The enemy, when they appeared, turned out to be two blue-uniformed officers from La Linea's municipal police force, who informed the detachment of marines that they were not, as they had thought, in Gibraltar.
The marines beat a hasty retreat and went off to find the real Gibraltar. This, locals observed, was easily recognisable because it had a 1,398ft high rock sticking out of it.
I have such confidence in the British armed forces.Quote:
The marines beat a hasty retreat and went off to find the real Gibraltar. This, locals observed, was easily recognisable because it had a 1,398ft high rock sticking out of it.
Since Basic Training in '72, and repeated almost weekly by someone during my entire Army career, it must therefore be true:
The Army's most dangerous weapon?
One Second Lieutenant + one map.
There's GPS now though. Just hope they bother to enter those accented characters correctly...Quote:
Originally Posted by KukriKhan