The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-06
HISTORY SHOWS
CHANNEL SCENE
OF 3 INVASIONS


Allied assault troops are writing
q new chapter In history today as
leaders Of the fourth major In
vasion thrust across the English
Channel.
During nearly 900 years, their
predecessors have met with both
success and failure In the great
amphlblous operation. II usually
has depended on the strength or
weakness Of their military or naval
strategy.
The first large-scale attempt was
made from Normandy by william
the ConQueror, seeking In 1855 10
enforce his claim to the Grown Of
England. His troops landed tnopo
posed on the southwest coast. but
had II not been for the inexperi.
ence Of King HaroldS English yeos
men, their advance would have
been smashed for good q few miles
inland.
Lined up In a solid phalanx, the
English had entrenched themselves
on the side Of Q hill near Hastings.
Neither the arrows Of the Norman
archers nor the charges Of their
mail-clad -foot-soldiers could bulge
them.
Finally the Norman cavalrymen
brought out . trick that turned the
tide Of battle. Feigning headlong
flight, they turned their backs md
galloped down the hill. The uxasuS-
pecting English, seeming complete
victory, broke ranks and rushed
pell-mell after them. Once out IN
the open, the heavily-armed cav
airy turned on theri victims and
slaughtered them. King Harold was
wounded mortally and the success
Of the Norman conquest was as.
sured.
In the summer Of 1885, King
Philip n Of Spain attempted to
repeat the feat with the aid OF the
Spanish or Invincible Armada. But
this time British seAnanship and
craftsmanship Soiled the move be.
fore It got fairly started.
Numbering 1870 vessels - mostly
lofty, high-pooped gaelleons - the
Spanish fleet far outweighed, out
manner and outgunned the light
British squadrons. But the defend
ers were commanded by the veteran
English sea-hawks Sir Francis
Drake, Sir John Hawkins, SIR Mar.
ttn Frobisher and Charles, Lord
Howard. Sighting the invaders off
Plymouth July 81, the British fleet
joined battle.
The engagement was fought In q
rising gale which served TO empha-
size the skill Of the British sailors.
Able to keep constantly to wind"
ward, they hammered the neemy
vessels mercilessly in long-range
exchanges. For several days the
rout Of the SpaniardS was delayed
only by a shortage Of British am
munition. Victory was clinched on
the ninth day when the British
ignited dozens Of fire-shipS and
sent them blazing down among the
close packed enemy galleons. Be-
tween the British and the storm,
less than half Of King Philips
Wanted armada survived the de-
bacle.
In 1908, 1t was the British who
launched Q thrust across the water,
invading the Spanish peninsula I'M
der Sir Arthur Wesseley, Lord We'll
lington. His victory over vastly
superior French forces raised the
British military reputation to q
new high and FASTENED the down.
fall Of Napoleon.
It took Wellington six years to
clear the French from Thine entire
Iberian peninsula. He accomplished
the feat with an interminable series
Of painStaking ynareuverS capital
izing on the French army procedure
Of living off an invaded country.
Fortifying Q given area heavily,
the British then would 90 and seek
the enemy. After establishing con-
tcat, they would fall back to their
prepared lines and dig In for q long
siege.
Eventually the French, exhaust
ing the resources Of the neighbor.
hood, would become q starved and
demoralized rabble. As they COM
menced to beat retreat through
the already stripped country, the
British, rested and carrying their
own food. would spring forward
and annihilate them.
The war ended In April, 1914.
when wellington chased the last
disorganized French unit across the
Pyrenees.