About the sinking of the Blücher - the main guns of the fort that were used were 280mm German built guns from around the turn of the century / around 1900. The torpedos were of Austrian -Hungarian type and fired from a battery from 1901. Also a lot of AA guns and other shoredefense artillery were used although these caused damage the " 3 major damage results " came from the old guns and the torpedos. Reportedly a forums members grandad had some information about the event:
The reservists manning the shore batteries were teachers, carpenters, farmers ages 20 - 40 and raw recruits of 18-19 years, they were shocked by the ferocious action, and their positions were unsustainable due to enemy fire and the encircling German infantry. In front of their positions was the pride of the Nortseeflotte burning and thousands of German sailors and troops were alterantely burning, bleeding or sinking to their deaths. ( ranges were relatively short - a few hundred meters to a couple of clicks). Overhead were the Luftwaffe and news of German landings everywhere came through the radio. In short it was time to hightail it. In Norway in 1940 this meant using public transport. They hopped on the local train to Oslo, and as they arrived at the station they were promptly rounded up by a company strength Wehrmacht welcoming party who had gotten there before them. Fearing the reprecussions of the Germans the men shakingly gave their names and ranks. They were asked at gunpoint if they had taken part in the action zat had sunk ze BlÜcher..JA? We knof zat you did ja! Fearing the worst many still admitted that they had taken part. The Germans - in a typical methodical and übercorrect manner took their names and interred them in a school gynasium. Shortly after they were made to sign a statement on their honour that they would never take up arms against the Reich again and let loose. In short they were let go with a stern warning to "never do that again"!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canadian Army
During the early stages of World War II, the Norwegians sank the heavy cruiser Blücher with weaponry which they'd bought decades before, and which was obsolete even then. The Norwegian commander wasn't sure that his fifty-year-old torpedoes would even work. They did.
During Homeland War, some Croatian units used M4 Sherman tanks and US WWII M36 Jackson tank destroyers. They proved effective in infantry support.
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I inspected a few weapon caches and ammo dumps in Bosnia. Many had green spam cans of US marked ammo of various calibers. At one facility we found US made mountain howitzers from WWII. Allied gear from the war was prolific. ( We even found Italian WWII machineguns - poor sods having to use those).