Did his Mars bar come out okay? I certainly hope it was not severely damaged.

Subby,

In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary... come again?

Sincerely,

specialk111

Ken VeryBigLiar: He was laying the ground for a comedy tour.

In 1945, peace broke out. It was the end of the Joke. Joke warfare was banned at a special session of the Geneva Convention, and in 1950 the last remaining copy of the joke was laid to rest here in the Berkshire countryside, never to be told again.

While the sausage roll, the crisps and the ginger biscuit were unscathed.

My lack of God, it's Trotsky!

Oh, zat vas a gut hetline, zubby! PLUS EIN!

Came in for Spode and Python, leaving happily and goosestepping.

6655321: They might have gone unnoticed but one member of the team left incriminating papers behind when they stayed in a small hotel in Torquay. A Spanish porter/waiter turned over the documents to MOD.

Don't mention the War!

FrancoFile: Don't bring up the war!

I did once, but I think I got away with it.

Ken VeryBigLiar: He was laying the ground for a comedy tour.

How does he smell?

SonOfSpam: FrancoFile: Don't bring up the war!

I did once, but I think I got away with it.

Big_Thumb: Ken VeryBigLiar: He was laying the ground for a comedy tour.

How does he smell?



Terrible!

You know who else liked grit in their fruitcake?

I'mmm jusst aaaa...Jack In the Box...I'm just a Jack In The Box, I'm gonna bounce up and down on my spring...

Bicycle infantry was used during WWII.

But usually by the other side.

The Japanese used bicycles quite effectively in China and in Malaysia.

Consider that a bicycle, even on a rural dirt road, could move at easily twice the speed of a soldier on foot, and use only half the amount of calories per mile traveled. Any obstacles that would stop a normal truck, a bicycle could be carried over, around, or through. Not a bad deal by WWII standards.

To Wish Impossible Things: Bicycle infantry was used during WWII.

But usually by the other side.

The Japanese used bicycles quite effectively in China and in Malaysia.

Consider that a bicycle, even on a rural dirt road, could move at easily twice the speed of a soldier on foot, and use only half the amount of calories per mile traveled. Any obstacles that would stop a normal truck, a bicycle could be carried over, around, or through. Not a bad deal by WWII standards.

You can also pack about 300 lbs of stuff on it and push. One soldier could transport a lot of ordinance and general supplies this way. Imagine 5000 people doing this a day.

The Japanese were doing this in Cochin China (Vietnam) in the early 1930's, and the Vietnamese used this method to transport goods down the Ho Chi Minh trail in their wars with the French and Americans.

If it hadn't been for their brave work, this (new window) could have become the British national anthem.

nicksteel: There were plenty of people in England in 1937 that would gladly have provided Hitler with any information he wanted. He didn't need to send a bunch of kids on a bike tour.

He could have just used Google Street View, for example...

I had an Astin Martin but it had trouble with the surface-to-air missiles, so, it's in the shop. They got us on these bikes now...

King Richard approves.

I'm just your jack-in the box!
Link (new window)

Deathfrogg: You can also pack about 300 lbs of stuff on it and push. One soldier could transport a lot of ordinance and general supplies this way. Imagine 5000 people doing this a day.

The Japanese were doing this in Cochin China (Vietnam) in the early 1930's, and the Vietnamese used this method to transport goods down the Ho Chi Minh trail in their wars with the French and Americans.

The Swiss had bicycle units until quite recently.

When compared to the infantryman's eternal alternative - boots - it is not a bad piece of (admittedly low-tech) gear.

For observation patrols (not in direct combat zones, obviously) you can cover much longer distances while still able to use eyes and ears, it's quiet and doesn't consume fuel. If needs be, you can string a rope off the back of a jeep and pull 50 bicyclists. And you can repair it yourself, you don't need to wait for the battalion bicycle repairman who'll always be somewhere else.

No, this is a map of Stalingrad! You wouldn't want to go there. Not much fun in Stalingrad.