Latest news with #WW1
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mirror
China develops cyborg bees to find disaster survivors
Controllers which weigh less than a pinch of salt are strapped to the back of a worker bee and connected to the insect's brain through small needles in Chinese scientists'' bid to turn bees into cyborgs for special missions It sounds like science fiction but it's become science fact. Chinese experts have created the first 'cyborg bee'. Insects are fitted with abrain controller and receive in flight commands via tiny eclectic pulses. According to the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, the development opens up the possibility of bees serving as military scouts. But the use of the animal kingdom by the military is nothing new. From the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses going into battle with his pet lion to a US project which planned bomb carrying bats our four legged and feathered friends have fought - and died - alongside humans for centuries. Dogs Our canine friends have been used for decades by the military in a variety of roles. Thanks to their keen smell, they can locate mines and concealed IEDs - they were regularly used in Afghanistan - and have played vital roles in search and rescue operations being sent out into No Man's Land during WW1 to wounded men. During WW11 dogs were parachuted behind enemy lines to accompany D Day troops. Others were employed on the Home Front to find people buried under rubble after bombing raids. Among the most famous is Rip, a terrier, who is credited with saving the lives of more than 100 people and was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery in 1945. Horses and camels When WW1 broke out both sides in the combat had large cavalry and horse and camel mounted troops were sent into battle. nHorses were also used to pull ambulances and evacuate wounded men, particularly when vehicles couldn't get through mud-laden roads and battlefields. In the desert, camels could carry two injured men at a time - one either side of its hump. In 2014 a horse called Warrior was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal after serving the entire campaign and being nicknamed the 'horse they couldn't kill' by Tommies. Mice and canaries Poisonous gas was a real threat to troops so canaries and mice, often housed in cages in the trenches, were kept by WW1 soldiers. Their reaction - and death - was an early warning sign of the presence of toxic fumes. Dolphins Both Russian and US navies have experimented with the use of marine animals, training them to rescue lost naval swimmers, guard ships against enemy divers, locate mines and help recover lost equipment on the sea bed. While dolphins are often acknowledged for their intelligence, seals and sea lions have also been deployed. Whales In 2019, a Beluga whale was found off the coast of Norway wearing a harness labeled Equipment of St. Petersburg . This led to speculation he had been trained by the Russian Navy as a 'spy'. The latest thinking is that the whale, called Hvaldimir, did belong to the military and was being trained to guard a Russian naval base in the Arctic Circle. He had, in fact, abandoned his duties and had swam off seeking freedom. Pigeons These feathery messengers were trained to carry information particularly in WW1 when other forms of communication were difficult. Their role was deemed so crucial that anyone caught killing a pigeon could be imprisoned or fined. The birds were also used in surveillance with the CIA attempting to use pigeon cameras'. A CIA pigeon camera dating from the 1970s is displayed in the CIA Museum in Virginia. Elephants Two circus elephants, Many and Kiri, were used during WW11 in Germany to clear wreckage in the aftermath of Allied bombing raids. Using their huge strength to move debris in order to rebuild the nation, the pair, who had performed in the big top in Hamburg, carried on their work after the war. Both died in the 1960s. Elephants were also used to carry ammunition in the Far East conflict. Cats Ships' cats have long been used in the Royal Navy to control vermin on ships and as acting as mascots. Black and white puss Simon of HMS Amethyst received the Dickin Medal in 1949 after surviving injuries from an artillery shell, raising morale - and killing off a rat infestation on board.
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Misplaced belt finds way home
The mystery surrounding a World War 1 soldier's army money belt has come full circle. It began when Oamaru genealogist Faye Ormandy found the well-loved belt at the Waitaki Resource Recovery Park shop last November. Two medals attached to the belt dated to 1904 and 1921. Along with the medals were pre-1936 coins, an Otago Boys' High School button, and badges for the Long Range Desert Group, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, the Ancient Order of Foresters, collar pins, and a New Zealand Army medic's badge. Mrs Ormandy donned her sleuth's hat and with the help of Toitu Otago Settlers Museum curator Sean Brosnahan, it was determined the 1904 medal inscribed to a G. Robertson (possibly Gunner Robertson) might be from an artillery shooting competition for army volunteers held in Port Chalmers in 1904. Last month Mr Robertson's granddaughter made contact with Mrs Ormandy about the soldier's belt, and her grandfather's attached medal, after seeing the story in the Oamaru Mail . The soldier's army belt, which they believe belonged to Mr Robertson who served in WW1, had accidentally been misplaced in a move and the family were happy to have it returned, Mrs Ormandy said. "They are thrilled to have it back. It's gone back to where it needed to go," she said. "The granddaughter was excited to learn more about the Robertson family heritage discovered in my research but preferred to stay anonymous," Mrs Ormandy said. A member of the Waitaki Society of Genealogists, Mrs Ormandy also traced the other medal to a Corporal Henry Percival Dickel (known as Percie) for the 880 yards relay race at St Bede's College in Christchurch in 1921. She returned the "priceless" medal to his son Noel Dickel and his family in Dunedin last Christmas, and saw a photo of Percie, in his 1921 sports relay team at the college. Percie had been a member of the Scottish Battalion and a quartermaster sergeant and served in Egypt in World War 2. Although questions remain about any connections between the two soldiers, Mrs Ormandy was satisfied with the result of her search. "It closes the story for me. "It's just good to know that one medal has gone back to the Dickel family, and I know how much it meant to them. "And the same, with the family, for the Robertson medal and belt," she said.
Scotsman
05-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Inside the dreamy East Lothian seaside home on the market for offers over £1,550,000
If The Stables were a horse, it'd be a glossy thoroughbred. This lovely slate-roofed property is situated at the Marine Hotel end of North Berwick, and, as its name suggests, is a converted B-listed former stable block. Among other things, there are five bedrooms, three living rooms, three bathrooms, a games room, 0.75 acres, and a self-contained studio across two levels, and it's yours for offers over £1,550,000 via estate agent Rettie. We asked the current owner, Emma Govan, to tell us more. Why are you moving on and how long have you been at the property? We bought The Stables just under seven years ago with a view to bringing this beautiful home back to life, as it was a little tired and unloved. Now that we have finished, it feels like the right time to pass it on to the next owners to enjoy while we move to our next project. We believe you are only ever the custodian of a property like this and my husband likes to quote the All Blacks who endeavour to leave the jersey in a better place. I like to think we have done that here. Tell us about the building's history The property was the stable block for Carlekemp Mansion House. It was built in 1898 for James Craig - a paper manufacturer - as his holiday home. The west wing has always been a cottage, hence the postal address Stables Cottage. The kitchen was the Coach House, the principal bedroom was the hayloft and the east wing was the stables and tack room. You can still see the hooks for the hay bales in the attic. Carlekemp was used as a convalescent home during and after WW1 and subsequently was a priory school. I believe the stable block was used as science classrooms at one time. In the Nineties it was converted from three holiday lets to one family home. What have you done to the property since moving in? We have successfully managed holiday rentals from the property while we upgraded the space. Over the years we have worked our way round each room decorating and enhancing them. We had doors commissioned to separate the lounge and games room, replaced a decorative open fire with a Charnwood Aire Woodburning Stove, and installed large custom-made storage cupboards in the hall. We replaced the main family bathroom and also created a practical utility/boot room. Externally we added a fence, upgraded the pathway and installed a patio to give the house a defined entrance way. We simplified the lawns to accommodate a robot lawnmower for ease of maintenance. Finally, we uncovered and restored a hidden raised garden with views out to the sea. Did you install the kitchen, and does it have any interesting features? The kitchen was handmade by Michael Hart Cabinet Makers and it is a testament to his craftmanship that it has stood the test of time. We have maintained and upgraded the space to accommodate an American style fridge freezer, added panelling and replaced the floor. The round island is a great talking point and holds more than you would expect. However, you will always find me next to the four oven gas-fired AGA, this is truly the heart of our home. Any interesting architectural features? The leaded windows and surrounding exposed stonework are my favourite features. The detailed carvings that adorn the main house and the gate house are mirrored here. You will find the initials JC carved above the hayloft below the original weather vane. On an autumn morning the sun shines though the kitchen and catches the Cotswold stone turning it pink and making it sparkle – it is a magical moment. Which are your favourite rooms and why? It is honestly so hard to choose, we have such happy memories in every room of the house. During the day, the kitchen is truly the heart of our home - there are always people coming and going. The studio radiates a stillness and gets the sun in the afternoon. On a winter evening I love curling up in front of the fire in the cosy lounge. Also, the enclosed, sheltered courtyard feels positively Mediterranean on a summer's day. What have been your happiest moments at the property? Bringing our babies home here and all of the birthday parties that followed. Summers spent on the deck sunbathing and watching the children run through the sprinklers. Christmas and New Year round the dining table with friends and the best Burns' Supper this year. Seeing the photographs after the hard work was finished, as we really are proud of what we have achieved. What are the views like? My favourite view is out past Carlekemp House to the sea, the building is truly magnificent and the water is idyllic, it is like going back in time. It is amazing to find such peace and quiet so close to the town. The sunset through the trees is exceptional. What's the area like to live in? We adore living in North Berwick, there is a wonderful welcoming community, a great array of independent shops, restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries. The Stables is ideally located to benefit from the peaceful surrounding while the centre of town and the train station is a comfortable walking distance. A morning walk into town for breakfast at Cake or a coffee at Steampunk; a stroll round the Victorian lodge park with a Bostock pastry; lunch at Herringbone and walking it off on the beach; picking up local produce from Anderson's Butcher and Wilson's Fresh Farm Produce Store; an afternoon play on the beach or golf course finishing up at the Marine Hotel where we can enjoy a glass of wine in the bar and watch the sunset over Fidra and Yellowcraig beach. It is no wonder North Berwick is such a desirable place to live and visit. 3 . Another view of the living room Contributed Photo: Contributed Photo Sales
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Arrests as stolen WW1 plaque found in scrapyard
Two men have been arrested following the theft of two WW1 plaques from a Kent war memorial, police have said. Two military memorial plaques disappeared from the grounds of Christ Church Luton in Chatham between 22:00 BST on Friday and 10:00 on Saturday. Kent Police said one of the plaques was recovered from a scrapyard in Essex on Wednesday. The force said it has arrested a 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, both from the Dartford area. Christ Church Luton's priest in charge, the Reverend Andrea Leonard, told BBC Radio Kent on Thursday that she remains hopeful the other plaque will be found. She said: "Hats off to the person, who wants to obviously remain anonymous, but who had the integrity to phone the police and say 'I've got something here that you want'. "He actually spoke to me and he said he looked at the list and thought 'those poor lads that gave everything, they don't deserve this'." Kent Police said it is trying to find the second plaque and appealed for anyone with information about the missing plaques to get in touch. The plaques commemorate 163 people from the Chatham area who died in WW1 and each weigh 93kg. The memorial, which has been in place for 105 years, is "priceless" to the parish and relatives of the soldiers, Ms Leonard said. She believes there has not yet been time for the still-missing plaque to be melted down, but that they will find a suitable replacement if they have to as "it just wouldn't be right" to a have a memorial with names missing. "It was terrible when we discovered that they were gone," she said. "We just could not believe it because it's not only the church, it's the whole wider community." Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Military memorial plaques stolen from churchyard Kent Police
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Arrest as Chatham church's WW1 plaque found at Essex scrapyard
Two men have been arrested following the theft of two WW1 plaques from a Kent war memorial, police have military memorial plaques disappeared from the grounds of Christ Church Luton in Chatham between 22:00 BST on Friday and 10:00 on Police said one of the plaques was recovered from a scrapyard in Essex on force said it has arrested a 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, both from the Dartford area. Christ Church Luton's priest in charge, the Reverend Andrea Leonard, told BBC Radio Kent on Thursday that she remains hopeful the other plaque will be said: "Hats off to the person, who wants to obviously remain anonymous, but who had the integrity to phone the police and say 'I've got something here that you want'."He actually spoke to me and he said he looked at the list and thought 'Those poor lads that gave everything, they don't deserve this'."Kent Police said it is trying to find the second plaque and appealed for anyone with information about the missing plaques to get in touch. The plaques commemorate 163 people from the Chatham area who died in WW1 and each weigh memorial, which has been in place for 105 years, is "priceless" to the parish and relatives of the soldiers, Ms Leonard believes there has not yet been time for the still-missing plaque to be melted down, but that they will find a suitable replacement if they have to as "it just wouldn't be right" to a have a memorial with names missing."It was terrible when we discovered that they were gone," she said. "We just could not believe it because it's not only the church, it's the whole wider community."
