The WWI era elephant is just a 20th century version of this earlier tactical use of elephants in warfare
Posted on 02/15/2013 8:38:17 PM PST by DogByte6RER
The WWI era elephant is just a 20th century version of this earlier tactical use of elephants in warfare
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Throwback Thursday: Elephant Mounted Machine Gun
http://www.guns.com/2013/02/14/throwback-thursday-elephant-mounted-machine-gun/
Maybe this should be the new logo for the GOP!
They also have their uses in the penal system...
Possible armored field transportation to repel the Anti US Constitution Hordes as they try to Occupy the huge storage sites for Social Security Stockpiles of live Ammunition.
Pachyn heat.
Not an elephant you would like to hang around with if he developed a liking for popping people’s noggins.
It still only counts as one!
In Thai warfare, the elephant's greatest use was that of a war mount, for kings and commanders of armies. When employed in battle, the war elephant carried three persons on his back. The king or commander, who sat alone on the elephant's neck in order to fight the enemy commander in direct mortal combat. This was a little like the individual contests between warriors in the "Heroic Age" of Ancient Greece or the jousts between knights in armour in Medieval Europe.
The tactical commander sat in the middle of the seat, strapped to the animal's back, handling either two flags or peacocks tails to signal directions of movement to the soldiers below. A third soldier sat on the elephant's hind quarters, in order to drive the animal and take care of the weapons attached to the middle seat.
The war elephant was surrounded at all times by a bodyguard of up to eight foot soldiers, known as "Chaturonkbath". It was their duty to protect the elephant's legs from a surprise attack or other cowardly maneuver by a dishonorable enemy.
The sight of the king or commander of the armies, seated on the back of the elephant and overlooking the battlefield, must have been truly magnificent and a great inspiration to his soldiers. But he would also have been highly conspicuous and vulnerable to enemy projectile weapons.
This vulnerability and indeed the role of the elephant on the battlefield began to be questioned in the seventeenth century, when large numbers of Europeans began to arrive in South East Asia. The reason for this questioning was because these Europeans brought with them, new and terrifying weapons, efficient hand held firearms.
lol
I think this is a BS publicity shot, not something you would actually try to employ.
The 1895 was the result of a Navy inquiry. They asked Colt if they could develop a machine gun capable or raking an opposing ship’s decks or superstructure for 5 minutes solid.
Colt asked Browning if he could develop a machine gun which would do that. Browning came up with the model 1895.
The gun was tested in Colt’s basement with John doing the firing using belted ammo that was long enough to cover the entire 5 minutes.
At the end of 5 minutes the gun had performed perfectly but everyone there said they believed Browning had raised all the ghosts in the area from the noise.
Personally, I think Alexander had a trick to keep them alive when crossing the Alps. Possibly involving wine and small rodents. Just my theory.
/johnny
Browning was the eccentric guy with the ice skating rink in his living room?
Want!
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