Best orders in the history of warfare

Rome Existed · #1 by **Rome Existed** » Sep 05, 2011 11:22 pm

Special Orders to No 1 Section 13/3/18
(1) This position will be held, and the Section will remain here until relieved.
(2) The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with this programme.
(3) If the Section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead, but in any
case it will remain here.
(4) Should any man through shell-shock or other cause attempt to
surrender, he will remain here dead.
(5) Should all guns be blown out, the Section will use Mills grenades and
other novelties.
(6) Finally, the position, as stated will be held.
F.P. Bethune Lt
O/c No 1 Section.

Imagine getting those orders!

Ironclad · #2 by **Ironclad** » Sep 05, 2011 11:47 pm

We should take off and nuke the entire site from orbit; it's the only way to be sure.

That works too.

NineOneFour · #3 by **NineOneFour** » Sep 06, 2011 2:16 am

mizvekov · #4 by **mizvekov** » Sep 06, 2011 3:19 am

Related to the OP, found this interesting page:
http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/1918/soldier/diggers.asp

Excerpt:

Even though Bethune may not have expected his orders to have been obeyed to the letter, he had enough knowledge of and confidence in his men to be able to write such an order:

… not only was such a thing as surrender to the enemy an impossibility to such men as these, but … they knew that I knew they could not consider such a possibility, and so between us we enjoyed, in silence, the joke that, to an outsider, might have seemed a little grim.

Fenrir · #5 by **Fenrir** » Sep 06, 2011 5:51 am

mizvekov wrote:Related to the OP, found this interesting page:
http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/1918/soldier/diggers.asp

Excerpt:
Even though Bethune may not have expected his orders to have been obeyed to the letter, he had enough knowledge of and confidence in his men to be able to write such an order:

… not only was such a thing as surrender to the enemy an impossibility to such men as these, but … they knew that I knew they could not consider such a possibility, and so between us we enjoyed, in silence, the joke that, to an outsider, might have seemed a little grim.

Bethune's section held for 18 days until they were relieved. The orders were obeyed to the letter.

Tracer Tong · #6 by **Tracer Tong** » Sep 13, 2011 2:22 am

"Not one step back!"

U-96 · #7 by **U-96** » Sep 22, 2011 3:43 am

From Blackadder Goes Forth:

George: "If we do happen to step on a mine, Sir, what do we do?"
Captain Blackadder: "Normal procedure, Lieutenant, is to jump 200 feet in the air and scatter oneself over a wide area."

Rome Existed · #8 by **Rome Existed** » Sep 23, 2011 1:17 pm

U-96 wrote:From Blackadder Goes Forth:

George: "If we do happen to step on a mine, Sir, what do we do?"
Captain Blackadder: "Normal procedure, Lieutenant, is to jump 200 feet in the air and scatter oneself over a wide area."

I don't remember much from Blackadder, but that I do. Hilarious.