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Originally Posted by kronckew
Whatever happens, we have got
The Maxim gun, and they have not.
around the same time period, the spanish-american war, the battle of san juan hill saw the americans facing the well trained and experienced spanish dug in on the heights, who had ' modern' mausers and maxim (spandau version) machine guns as well as support from breech loading artillery. the american rough riders had inferior krag rifles, and four .30 gatling guns (700rpm), supported by old fashioned bagged black powder cannon. the spanish lost.
Whatever happens, we have got
Teddy Rooseveldt, and they have not.
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...well yes indeed to 'quote' that most 'English' of writers and satirists Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc . Oddly enough my daughter's hero is Teddy Roosevelt .
My favourite Sudan inspired verse however is Newbolts :
The sand of the desert is sodden red,—
Red with the wreck of a square that broke; —
The Gatling's jammed and the Colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed his banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks:
'Play up! play up! and play the game! '
...although the reference to the Gatling gun is incorrect , it was a Gardner gun.