The Doomed Soldiers of the Forlorn HopeA popular term during used by the British in the 18th and ear
The Doomed Soldiers of the Forlorn HopeA popular term during used by the British in the 18th and early 19th century, a “Forlorn Hope” was a unit of soldiers tasked with being the first to storm a breech in a fortification’s walls. Being ordered to the Forlorn Hope was a very gloomy situation as the odds were great that one would not survive. The soldiers of the Forlorn Hope faced a formidable ordeal as the breech would be covered by every cannon and musket in the fort in order to repel the assault. The first soldiers in would face the brunt of the first volley and most certainly would be cut down. It was not uncommon for entire units of the Forlorn Hope to be utterly annihilated; killed to the last man. It was hoped that at least enough men would survive to seize a foothold or weaken the enemy’s defenses for a successful second attack.Despite the dangers there was never a shortage of volunteers. While the Forlorn Hope mean’t certain death for many, those who survived were awarded medals, commendations, promotions, and large cash bonuses in pay. Taking part in the forlorn hope also offered a high degree of honor and respect in the army. Often the men who would take part in the Forlorn Hope were new recruits and junior officers who felt they needed to prove themselves in combat.Most of the grizzled veterans who had experienced bloody combat were smart enough to stay behind. -- source link
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