89 - Artillery at 2nd El Alamein

89 - Artillery at 2nd El Alamein

Author: James Eling June 14, 2022 Duration: 35:13

This episode looks at the development of artillery doctrine leading up to 2nd Battle of El Alamein.

2nd Alamein was the apogee of Australian Artillery in the Second World War and we will look at the role that BRIG Ramsay from 9th Div Arty built a team and capability to support the 9th Div and MAJ GEN Morshead.

  • The lessons learnt from Ex Bumper - the largest exercise ever conducted by the British Army in preparation for a German invasion of England.
  • The required improvements in artillery C2
  • Centralisation at the Divisional and higher level.
  • The lack of the AGRA - the Army Group Royal Artillery.

Montgomery, who had fought in WW1, understood the impact that artillery can have and was keen to restore it's capability to delivery decisive effects on the battlefield.  How did he do this?

Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast.


Hosted by James Eling, The Principles of War-Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership is a deep dive into the timeless patterns of conflict. This isn't just a recitation of dates and troop movements. Instead, each episode takes a pivotal historic battle and examines it through the lens of enduring military principles, extracting practical insights on strategy, combined arms, and command. The discussions are structured to serve as a resource for professional military education, condensing complex analyses into focused, thirty-minute sessions. You'll hear how decisions made centuries ago still resonate within modern doctrine, offering lessons on leadership and tactical execution that are applicable far beyond the battlefield. The aim is to provide these lessons in a compelling narrative format, moving beyond dry after-action reports. For anyone fascinated by how history informs present-day thinking in governance, organizational leadership, and strategic planning, this podcast functions as a regular, thought-provoking seminar. Tune in to explore the fundamental concepts that have shaped outcomes throughout military history and continue to define success in high-stakes environments.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.
Podcast Episodes
139 - Guadalcanal - Edson and the defence of Bloody Ridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:11
This is the fifth episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episodes discusses: Why was Henderson Field the single piece of decisive terrain on Guadalcanal? How did Edson know the mai…
137 - The Marines' Assault on Guadalcanal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:22
This is the third episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episodes discusses: How the Marines seized conducted the landing and seized Guadalcanal's decisive terrain. Red Beach landi…
132 - Ten Battlefield Disruptors for Tomorrow's Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:37
How is the modern battlefield changing? What role is technology like Artificial Intelligence, drones, precision strike and electronic warfare changing command and control, ISR and combined arms? This is the first of 3 ep…