In any war, unexpected events occur.It is also known, and many strange and sometimes mysterious accidents.Some of them are written by eyewitnesses, and others are transferred to the folk tales.And war is always - a place of terrible events.Many of the dead and wounded, pain, suffering, hunger and disease is often ... But there are times when there are altogether inexplicable tragic events.A striking example - the story of one of the units of the Royal Norfolk Regiment.Our article is devoted to the theme: "The disappearance of the Norfolk Regiment (1915)."
Norfolk Regiment
Royal Norfolk Regiment was part of the British troops.It was created after the reform of the British Army in the late 19th century, in 1881.Command headed by Lieutenant General Hamilton.
regiment consisted of six battalions and was a member of the 163rd Brigade of the 54th Division.He was considered the backup part of the British Army.Front-line soldiers often called the soldiers that were part of this regiment, "Saturday Night warriors."One of his battalions, and became famous for his incomprehensible disappearance during the fight, which was not even in sight.The unit Norfolk Regiment was subsequently listed as "missing."
There are many legends and versions about how British soldiers were killed.However, two of them considered to be essential, they are used in a variety of common sources.Nevertheless, the fact which of them is true, still remains a mystery.The disappearance of the Norfolk Regiment unit occurred during the Gallipoli campaign under.
Gallipoli campaign
Gallipoli campaign - the most difficult period for British troops in this war.The soldiers tried to persuade themselves that they could get out of this infernal hell.Terms were not just bad but terrible.In the trenches the soldiers feel like in a hot oven.Wind burned face, above the valley is constantly rose clouds of dust.All latrines were filled with flies, dead bodies decompose in the sun.From this plain was spread across a terrible stench.
wounded soldiers not receiving the normal care of their wounds festered and flies aggravate the situation, hordes of draping on the sick.There is a very dangerous form of dysentery.She did not spare anyone, and soldiers are increasingly beginning to look like a walking skeleton.After the epidemic troops were terribly exhausted.Among the soldiers there was an atmosphere of hopelessness and despair.
But Hamilton felt the need to introduce fresh troops in the main direction, to change the course of the campaign in his favor.To choose the battle area near the height of 60, which subsequently disappeared and sent a battalion of 1/5.He commanded them to Colonel Bosh.
place battle
place battle was selected Norfolk Regiment is not accidental - at Gallipoli.The Turks, with whom he fought the British army, the defense has been adjusted well, and the British army has been weakened - it lacked ammunition, food and drinking water.So Hamilton decided to strike at the weakest points of the enemy.
Norfolk Regiment 29 July 1915 entered in Gallipoli.He had to exercise control over the Dardanelles.It is a long narrow channel that connects the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.Its length - almost 65 kilometers along the Gallipoli Peninsula.
The landing of the Royal Norfolk Regiment decided to produce in the bay Sulva.August 10 soldiers were already in place.It was a terrible summer heat.The soldiers saw the place of hostilities.Not far from the bay is located salt lake.In the summer it dries up, formed as a result of the salt crystals that sparkled in the sun unbearable.
For a small strip of beach was a large plain Sulva, which was supposed to be a place for a decisive battle.It is bordered by a chain of hills that stretches from south to north.It made plain in a giant arena.
mysterious disappearance of the Norfolk regiment in the area Sulvy
military operation began August 12, 1915 in 16.00.First produced powerful artillery.It took 45 minutes.Ties almost was not.As a result, the artillery opened fire without a clear agreement with the commanders, at a specified earlier time.After that, according to the plan Hamilton, the battalion, consisting of 267 persons, successfully entered the ravine.It hung a thick fog, which hid and detachment.Up to the top of the 60 battalion never got norfolktsev there so no one saw.After a short time the fog lifted, but Glen was empty.It was neither alive nor dead soldiers.
But numerous witnesses describe what they saw in a different way.Mysterious mist there appeared right in front of the battalion.Besides it is not cleared, and swam away as a cloud.
description of the battle in a letter to the Minister of Hamilton Kitchener
Sir Beauchamp, who led a battalion of 1/5 Norfolk Regiment of the British army, in spite of the hottest battle, moved forward with his division.He was an experienced officer, a well-proven in combat.The battle was hot, hard battalion moved forward, ousting the enemy.250 soldiers and 16 officers entered the forest.And then they are no longer seen.Back has not returned one.267 people disappeared without a trace.
How to describe the disappearance of the 1/5 battalion involuntary witnesses
22 NZ infantry from the 3rd platoon describe what he saw amazing disappearance of 1/5 Battalion's not like Hamilton, in his letter.All of them claimed that as long as the soldiers climbed, climbed gusty wind and there was an unusual noctilucent clouds.It was very thick and reaches a length of up to 800 feet in height - 200, and a maximum width - 300.
For the record: some witnesses claimed to have seen on the field of a strange glowing object in the shape of a cigar, it emits strange sparks.There were more indications 50. However, the British government decided that the soldiers happened clouding mind the heat, so such evidence were not even considered.
Battalion 1/5 systems went into the cloud, but on the other hand did not come out of any one person.It disappeared after about an hour, slowly rising and swam towards Bulgaria, to the north.But the open space, there is not one person - either live or dead.Sounds fight or shots when the 1/5 battalion entered the cloud, no one heard.Too strange and mysterious disappearance of 267 people Norfolk Regiment Command explained in his own way - all soldiers captured by the enemy.Just how - remains unknown.
There classified documents that are specified - no one knows.Some people believe that the UK government has concealed an extremely important facts.However, it is to this day one could not prove.In England, there is a volunteer group formed in the 20s.The purpose of its activities - the investigation of this strange incident.Some of the statements indicate that the government knows more than he tells the public.However, no specific evidence is not.
number of dead soldiers
Different sources mention several figures of dead soldiers of the battalion 1/5 Norfolk Regiment.And many of them are quite contradictory.For example, one source claimed that 145 people disappeared.And in others - 200, even 2,000 British soldiers.But most sources indicated 267 people.
mysterious disappearance
mysterious disappearance of the Norfolk regiment covered with darkness.Following the tragic events, when a battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment disappear in a strange cloud of mist, Britain was firmly convinced that the soldiers are held captive by the Turks, with whom they were at war at the time.
After the capitulation in 1918, Britain demanded the return captured, they believed, the battalion.But the Turks, who had fought previously with Norfolk Regiment, made an official statement that the conduct of military operations at the Gallipoli battles in the Bay area Sulva not made, and has not been captured by a single British soldier in the area.
As a result, the fate of the men remains unknown before they found the bodies of half a battalion.But not here to blame the Turks?Too many inexplicable was that day.The battalion has disappeared before our eyes from a plurality of infantrymen.
Mysterious clouds
more details about the unusual cloud, which disappeared 1/5 Battalion Norfolk Regiment, told several observers, who were instructed to monitor the soldiers let out of hiding.Divide them just 150 meters away.
As described by the observers, the weather that day was splendid.The day was very clear.The picture of a bright sky broken only by a few odd-shaped clouds.There have been seven.Surprisingly - they all have the same shape as the loaf of bread, and identical in size.Strange clouds hovered just above the height of 60, where the 1/5 battalion and directed, that is, directly over the Norfolk Regiment.In addition, the wind was blowing pretty strong - at a speed of 5 miles / h, but the strange formations in the sky did not change its shape and does not shifted from the place.
One of these clouds suddenly dropped straight on the road, in the way of the battalion, the soldiers climbed the hill.The length of it was 240 meters, height - 65, width - 60. The cloud was very dense, thick, its structure appeared homogeneous.One had the feeling that it is even hard to the touch.Cloud very much reflected the rays of the sun, and shine their eyes blinded observers, because even a barrage ensure it was not possible.
About an hour after the last soldier disappeared into the dense fog, the cloud slowly off the ground and climb up.Observers have noticed that the top six was the same strange nebulous entities.And despite the strong wind, they remained in place until the cloud did not rise from the ground to their level.After that, all seven countries of fog began to move simultaneously in the direction of Bulgaria and 15 minutes later disappeared from his eyes.
Who is to blame for the deaths of units Norfolk Regiment: basic version
is still an unsolved mystery - where disappeared Norfolk Regiment? Naturally, in mysticism, few believed, so we decided that the whole battalion was quietly taken prisoner by the Turks.But as it turned out, they claimed that they did not know about the existence of this unit Norfolk Regiment.And the strange clouds hear the first time.
second version of what happened - the machinations of the aliens.In addition, according to rumors, and locations of the Turkish troops in the day there were four such strange clouds.They were perfectly round and did not obey the impulses of a strong wind.But the Turks, none of them later.Ufology with this hypothesis willingly agree, arguing that the cases of kidnapping extraterrestrial intelligence was very high.They believe that a force could easily move them even in another dimension or a parallel world.
How and where to find the lost soldiers
only in 1918, new details emerged about the disappeared battalion.The British were at this point already as winners.During bypass the battle was found the royal badge of the regiment.Began polls, and found that a Turkish farmer complained about the bodies of British soldiers, who in the past just suddenly flooded his site.He had to throw them into the ravine.
Is there oddity, which has long kept silent official sources.The farmer who found the bodies of the soldiers claimed that they were terribly mutilated, with broken bodies.One had the feeling that they are dropped from a great height.The farmer was afraid of evil spirits and tried to quickly get rid of the body, throwing them together into a ravine.
Found the Lost Battalion of the
23 September 1919 officer who found the bodies of soldiers from Norfolk Battalion 1/5, presented in the report sad figures.He reported that it was found just 186 bodies, and of them 122 norfolktsa.We identify, unfortunately, only two - Barnaby and Carter.But many have gone missing, and their fate is unknown until now.
Another mystery of the missing battalion
disappearance Norfolk Regiment is a lot of controversy.All found the body of soldiers missing mysteriously in the ill-fated misty cloud, found outside the Turkish defense.This place is not a battlefield.Yes, and it is located about a kilometer from the time spent on military operations.
was assumed that gradually destroy the enemy fighters.But if you remember the testimony of all the witnesses, the shots and the screams of the fight was not heard - this is the first.And secondly, very much confused by the fact that this area was far behind the front line, which means that there should not be a major battle of the Turkish units that can destroy a battalion of 267 men.
"top secret»
mysterious story of the disappearance of the Norfolk regiment still raises more questions than it answers.The sudden loss of a battalion in front of many witnesses were kept secret for a long time.And only in 1965, information reached the public.In 1916, the government has appointed a state commission, which was to investigate the circumstances of the defeat of the army and the loss of a battalion.
All data were classified.Trying to figure out were unsuccessful until 1919, when, at last, was found half of the missing soldiers.But the rest of the data so far and no.Either they are there, but they were also classified and emerge only after many years.
