War movie clichés

“It’s gonna blow!”

“We got company!”

After the big motivational speech a character will cock his gun and say: “let’s go.”

The squad needs to move under fire, a squad member will step out of cover usually carrying a heavy machine gun, start blazing away and shout to the rest “Go! Go! Go!”

During mission critical setting of explosives a character will say “I just need one more minute” another character will respond: “we don’t have another minute!”

 

"I thangyew"

I Thank You (film) - Wikipedia

 

Absolutely true. He kicked the habit and has outlived most of his boozy contemporaries. His autobiography is a fascinating read.

 

The officer sent to knock the platoon/squadron of misfits into shape will not be recognised by the men at first. The new officer will instantly restore discipline by having a bit of shout at them.

Any RAF fighter pilot who bales out will recieve a jaunty salute from a Luftwaffe pilot as he flies past.

The POW Escape Committee (usually British) will constantly frustrate the efforts of the lone maverick escaper (usually American) by insisting on doing things “by the book”.

German officers will always speak very good English - “Yes, I studied there before the war,” they will explain.

 

What does the American pilot who bales out receive from a Zero pilot?

 

Usually a strafing while in descent.

 

"German officers will always speak very good English - “Yes, I studied there before the war,” they will explain." Reminded me of this:

 

Cliché or not, sometimes things like this actually happened - as an example from Brigadier Russell's contemporary account of an incident in Italy in October 1943 - also recorded in the war diaries:

"The London Irish were firmly established in Petacciato by the morning of the 20th, and their patrols were hunting for the enemy that night along the river, with one satisfactory clash.

The next night, a full scale effort was made, complete with Sapper Recce, to find out something about the bridge.

After an advantageous night in which Jack White shot a Bosche Officer at a range of two feet – and they had quite a major little scrap – the patrol reported that the bridge was intact and was not prepared for demolition.

I did not believe that report for one moment. I did not consider that the Sappers had enough time to examine thoroughly a 500 yard bridge – and the night was very dark. But it had to be reported. This was done, together with my doubts. I then prepared for the worst.

All through the Sicilian campaign and the present campaign the 'powers that be' have been hoping against hope to capture one bridge before the Bosche could blow it up. That hope beckoned like a bright star, or like a carrot – – no, perhaps not like a carrot.

The steady eruption of bridge after bridge failed to dim this hope.

And now, here was the Trigno bridge, one of the largest and finest and this report – I prepared for the worst.

In the meantime, I had sent a rifle company to keep the bridge under small arms fire and instructed my gunners to plaster it all day – to discourage work on it – if so be work was required. Which I doubted.

At 1400 hrs, the Divisional Commander arrived – slightly out of breath – with orders for me direct from the highest source, 'To capture the bridge intact and forthwith.'

To my remark, 'But the ruddy thing will go up,' my General had sufficient breath left to tell me to get on with it.

The plan had been made so I only had to give out the dope ie

a) The London Irish to occupy a commanding ridge on the right of the bridge; and on our side of the river.

b) The Faughs to force the crossing, with three companies in the bridgehead.

c) Bulldozing parties, just in case, the anti tank guns could not motor over the bridge.

d) The Skins stepping up from San Giacomo to the Petacciato ridge.

The two attacking Battalions slipped silently forward as dusk was failing.

It was a difficult four mile approach march over heavy country – and a few MG posts, which were foolish enough to stay on our side of the river, had to be mopped up. But all went well until Tommy Wood, of the Faughs, and his stout company got a foot on the bridge and up she went like Vesuvius at the top of her form. In addition, a couple or three culverts followed suit. It was a fine demonstration of demolitions at their best; and five hundred feet of bridge now nestled in the river..."

 

And perhaps making the original point, actual events could be much more arresting than the fiction...

this clip of Brigadier Pat Scott from his account of June 1944:

"Two amusing incidents occurred about this time.

A bold Fusilier from the Skins was bringing back a German officer prisoner. This Bosche spoke English quite fluently and was having a conversation with his captor. After a bit, the German enquired where the Skin came from. He told him that he was native of Dublin. This information caused the German a certain amount of surprise, and he asked why, if he came from Dublin, he was fighting at all. The reply was typical ‘Ah, we’re no particular who we fight for’. Not long before a rather similar incident had occurred where the reason the Irish fight was given as ‘Sure, we didn’t want to see the English beat”.

The other amusing incident which occurred happened with the Faughs. The hero of this episode was Fusilier Hobden, a native of Dublin, who was a 38 WT Set operator in C Company. During their attack on the 24th, when things had got rather confused from enemy shelling, dust and the general fog of war, Hobden had been doing some great work on his own, keeping his company in touch with the tanks. In the course of his activities, he got separated from the rest of his platoon. He looked into the house hoping to find them, but instead of his platoon being there, he was met by seven armed Hun, one of whom, at once, covered him with a pistol. Nothing daunted, he at once brought his 38 Set and aerial to the ‘on guard’ position, threatening this nasty looking bunch. Goodness knows what they thought he had on, but they dropped their weapons and surrendered to a man. One up to Dublin..."

Hobden was awarded the MM and his oral account can be found at the IWM

 

This excerpt from the North Shore Regiment is tragically humorous.

"In the attack on Tailleville, LT. C.F. RICHARDSON, of 'B' Company, had many reinforcements in his platoon and found it very hot as machine gun fire swept the woods and field." The Highlanders were giving as much gun support as they could but were having carriers knocked out by shelling. Lt. George Fawcett had his men help to relieve 'C' Company, and close by two Cameron Carriers that enemy fire had blasted.

At that point, a jaunty English Major, asked who was in charge and Major Forbes (who was leading 'B' Company) said he was the one responsible. The English Major asked what was slowing them, and Major Forbes replied that it was because of all their casualties. The English Major declared "We'll soon fix that, Bring Up a Petard!
Forbes and Richardson both cautioned the Major that he wouldn't be able to cross the open ground but the Major got into the Churchill tank and it began rolling across the wheat field. His obvious intention was to use the high explosive charges to blow down walls and buildings." The next instant, there was a grand blast. When the dust had settled the grain was flowing in the breeze and there was absolutely no sign of the tank. A German 88 had hit the Petard squarely and the explosion wiped out the tank totally.
From then on a classic saying among the North Shores was 'Bring Up a Petard!'

 

The young Japanese officer telling the POWs that he learned English while at UCLA

University of California, Los Angeles - Wikipedia

 

All RAF squadrons required to have an older officer with a wooden leg.

Watching High Flight at the moment. Very good with a lot of Vampire footage.

 

German sentries on bridges, railway lines etc are always recruited from the deafest most short sighted soldiers available

 

That's okay. They were always knifed shortly after their first appearance.

 

And if they had a companion he only got one line such as "Are you alright Heinz arrgggh"

 

Not generals but the easy going one is Oberst Kurt Steiner from The Eagle has Landed. The guy who flies into a rage is obviously Major Hochstetter from Hogan's Heros. The pervey one is Col Hans Landa from Inglorious Bastards or possibly SS-Sturmbannführer Von Hapen in Where Eagles Dare. Still thinking about the others. Such a great skit.

 

It’s fabulously well observed isn’t it?

 

It is brilliant but there are a few shortcomings. When have you ever seen that many Germans in one scene and not a single Schmeisser?