Firsts on the Battlefield by Avi Heiligman

The Jewish Home | AUGUST 25, 2022 Forgotten Her es Firsts on the Battlefield

By Avi Heiligman

A Swiss army knife from World War II

Throughout history, armies have always looked for innovations, new technology, and better weapons to give themselves an advantage on the battlefield. Not all of these innovations go well at first and, in some cases, took centuries to perfect. The history behind many military inventions is quite fascinating, and the first time these inventions were in combat often produced unexpected results. Here is the history behind some inventions and innovations and their first time in battle.

Gunpowder is believed to have come from China somewhere in the 9th century. The first documented case of it being used in battle was in 1132. A Chinese general used hand cannons called huochong to capture a city. More practical cannons that were wheeled around were used in the 13th century, with one historian detailing the Mamluks’ use of cannon against the Mongols in 1260. The first European use of big cannon was during the Hundred Years War at the Battle of Crecy when the English used a volley gun for the first time in battle.

By the end of the Middle Ages, in the 1500s, firearms were fairly new and not always reliable. As time went on, inventers came up with better firearms. Flintlock firearms first appeared in 1547 and became popular among armies who used them to replace replaced handheld cannons. During the American Civil War, rifles saw an upgrade to increase the rate of fire and repeating rifles first saw action in battle.

The sword was becoming less popular at that time, but that didn’t mean that sharp metal weapons were abandoned. Bayonets are a knife, sword or a spiked weapon that can be fitted onto the end of a rifle or firearm. The first use of the bayonet was in 1606 by the Chinese, but the results were underwhelming as the bayonet could easily break or Swiss inventor Karl Elsener’s new gadget was in the hands of military personnel. The first edition only came with four tools: a knife, a reamer, screwdriver and a can opener. However, when officers complained about the blade and its lack of other practical tools, Elsener redesigned the blade and added a corkscrew and a razor blade. The famous red grips were soon added to be easier to spot if it landed in the snow. It was dubbed the Swiss Army Knife by American GIs

Today, Swiss Army knives can have up to 181 different functions including MP3 players and USB drives, although the knives issued to soldiers are much more modest.

damage the gun. New types of trench knives that were an upgrade from other stabbing weapons were used during World War I during bitter fighting that often resulted in hand-to-hand combat. Not all weapons used on the battlefield were designed to hurt the enemy. In the 1880s, the Swiss military decided they needed a multi-tool, and in 1891, during World War II who struggled to pronounce its original name. Today, Swiss Army knives can have up to 181 different functions including MP3 players and USB drives, although the knives issued to soldiers are much more modest. X-rays were discovered in 1895 and in the years leading up to World War I were further developed to be used on a wide-scale basis. Their first military use was during the 1896 Abyssinian War. Italian Lieutenant Colonel Giuseppe Alvaro successfully used x-rays twice to determine the position of bullets on two different soldiers that had been shot in the forearm. During World War I, efforts by leading scientists including Noble Prize laureates were put into creating the first mobile x-ray units that were sent to the frontlines. Vehicles were outfitted with x-ray machines and darkroom equipment to process the x-rays. An electric generator was put into the vehicles so that x-ray machine could run. These vehicles helped battlefield doctors and surgeons quickly diagnose a soldier’s conditions and operate more efficiently.

Before the 20th century, militaries avoided fighting at night due to the darkness causing confusion and difficulties in communicating properly. Two World War II inventions sought to solve this problem. Night vision technology was being developed by both the Germans and Americans. German Panther tanks had night vision and rangefinder devices mounted that the tank commander would operate. At the same time, American inventors were coming up with inferred night-sighting devices called sniperscopes. During the next two decades, this technology was advanced, and by the Vietnam War, Starlight

A x-ray machine on a hospital ship in 1918 A soldier wearing a SCR-300

scopes could be fitted onto a M16 rifle and relied on ambient light from the moon to operate.

One of the devices created to solve communication issues is known today as the walkie talkie. Two-way communication devices that did not use wires were invented by Canadian Don Hings in the late 1930s. By the end of World War II, the SCR-300 was in the hands of American GIs in both Europe and the Pacific. It was carried in a backpack that weighed 40 pounds, had a range of five miles, and, while in use in the Pacific, could reach up to 15 miles over water. The SCR-536, known as the “HandieTalkie,” resembles the modern-day walkie talkie. Developed by the Galvin Manufacturing Company (Motorola) and the U.S. Army, it was the first hand-held portable two-way radio and was used in many operations including the landings at Normandy. It came in a waterproof case weighing less than six pounds and was distributed on a wide-scale basis.

As one could imagine, anything to do with GPS (global positioning system) can be traced back to the military. In fact, the study of satellites in orbit transmitting data back to Earth dates to the 1960s. Over the next two decades, several satellites were launched into space. The first handheld unit was available for military use in the late 1980s and was used to direct troops to their intended targets during the night or inclement weather. It proved to be a game changer during Desert Storm as the American troops used GPS to outmaneuver the Iraqis in all types of weather and terrain. After the war, Corps Commander Lieutenant General Frederick Franks noted, “They [GPS receivers] were invaluable in avoiding fratricide (friendly fire incidents) and allowing accurate navigation and artillery fires.”

Inventors and innovators are always looking for ways to improve something or fix a problem. During wartime, they often come up with ingenious ideas out of necessity. Not all of these ideas come to fruition, but if they do see the battlefield, they often become history makers.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

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