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Frank Messervy

General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second World Wars. Following its independence, he was the first commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army from August 1947 to February 1948. Previously, he had served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, India in 1946 and 1947.

Early life
Messervy was born in Trinidad on 9 December 1893, the oldest child of Walter John Messervy (born in Jersey in the English Channel), a bank manager in the colony (and later England) and his wife Myra Naida de Boissiere from Trinidad.

Early career
Sent to England from Trinidad, Messervy was initially educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the Indian Army in January 1913 and in 1914 joined 9th Hodson's Horse. which later became part of the 4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse. He would see action in the First World War in France, Palestine and Syria from 1914 to 1918. He later served in Kurdistan in 1919.

After attending the Staff College, Camberley, from 1925 to 1926, Messervy was appointed as an instructor at the Staff College, Quetta from 1932 to 1936, where Bernard Montgomery was among his fellow instructors. He was made commanding officer of the 13th Duke of Connaught's's Own Lancers, then in British India, during 1938 and 1939.

East Africa
In September 1939, Messervy was promoted to colonel and became a General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) of the 5th Indian Infantry Division, which was about to be formed at Secunderabad. In mid-1940, the division was sent to the Sudan to counter the threat from the Italian forces based in Italian East Africa. Messervy was appointed commander of Gazelle Force. Created on 16 October 1940, it was a mobile reconnaissance and strike formation of expanded battalion size created from elements of 5th Indian Division. During the ensuing East African campaign, Messervy commanded Gazelle Force with notable success, latterly attached to the Indian 4th Infantry Division. By 13 February 1941, the campaign had become static and Messervy's formation was disbanded.

In early March 1941, Messervy was promoted acting brigadier to command the Indian 5th Infantry Division's 9th Indian Infantry Brigade and played a significant role in the third Battle of Keren during the second half of March 1941. His promotion was in part related to his actions during the advance from Kassala through Agordat to the early fighting at Keren during February.

When Major-General Noel Beresford-Peirse, then commander of the 4th Indian Infantry Division, was promoted to command XIII Corps in North Africa Messervy, a brigadier for only six weeks, was appointed to take his place. He was promoted to the acting rank of major general as a result of his new appointment.

Western Desert – North Africa

Messervy took his division to North Africa in April 1941, taking part in Operation Battleaxe in June. During Operation Crusader in November that year, 4th Indian Division, dug in on the Egypt–Libya border, played a key role in repelling Rommel's tanks after they had defeated the British armour at Sidi Rezegh. The division's battle groups took part in the Eighth Army's pursuit when Rommel withdrew from his defensive positions at Gazala in December, ending the year at Benghazi.

In early January 1942 Messervy had received orders to depart for India where he would assume command of the 31st Indian Armoured Division. He was instead appointed to replace Major General Herbert Lumsden, the wounded commander of the 1st Armoured Division which had recently arrived in the desert. During Rommel's attack from El Agheila in late January 1942, the division was outmatched by the Axis armour and heavily defeated. Upon Lumsden's return in March, Messervy was moved to command the 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") which had just lost its newly appointed commander, Major General Jock Campbell, who had been killed in a motor accident, shortly after being awarded the Victoria Cross (VC). This made Messervy the only Indian Army officer to command a British Army division during the Second World War.

When division HQ was overrun by the Germans at the start of the Battle of Gazala, Messervy was captured on 27 May 1942; but, removing all insignia, managed to bluff the Germans into believing he was a batman and escaped with other members of his staff to rejoin division HQ the following day.

Messervy knew little about tanks and was not considered a great success commanding armoured divisions by his superiors. He was dismissed from command of 7th Armoured Division by Eighth Army commander Neil Ritchie in late June 1942 following the severe defeat the division had sustained at the Battle of Gazala. He transferred to Cairo as Deputy Chief of General Staff, GHQ Middle East Command 1942 and was sent to India a few months later to raise 43rd Indian Armoured Division as its commander. Originally intended for service in Persia, the division was disbanded in April 1943 when the threat to Persia was removed by the Soviet victory at Stalingrad.

India and Burma

Much to his horror, Messervy was then made Director of Armoured Fighting Vehicles, General Headquarters, India, in 1943, where he argued successfully against the then prevailing view that anything other than light tanks could not be used in Burma. This was to have a significant impact in the next two years when medium tanks were used to telling effect against the Japanese.

In July 1943, Messervy was appointed GOC of the 7th Indian Infantry Division, in succession to Major-General Thomas Corbett, which, although an improvement above his old position, was not initially greeted with much enthusiasm by the division's officers, who all admired Corbett.

The division had been created some three years before Messervy's assumption of command and originally contained many professional soldiers in its ranks. However, many of these men had been, in the usage of the day, "milked" to help create other new units then being formed in the huge expansion of the Indian Army, with the situation being so severe that the division had at one point resembled a training formation rather than a combat division. This all changed in the summer of 1942 when serious training began to take place and which started to absorb the many lessons learned from fighting in the jungle and the Japanese. This would serve the division well when it did enter combat the following year.

The division was sent to the Arakan in Burma to join XV Corps in September. In the Japanese offensive in February 1944, despite having his headquarters overrun and scattered and his supply lines compromised, Messervy's brigades conducted a successful defence whilst being supplied by air (Battle of the Admin Box). After going on the attack in late February, 7th Indian Division was relieved in mid-March.

In March 1944, Messervy lost two brigades sent to reinforce the hard-pressed defences at Imphal and Kohima in India. By May, the whole division was back in the front line in the Kohima sector, fighting a key five-day battle at the Naga Village. It then advanced towards the Chindwin river, combining with Indian 20th Infantry Division to inflict a heavy defeat on the Japanese at Ukhrul.

In December 1944, Messervy was appointed to command IV Corps, which he led in the 1945 offensive during which, he captured the key communications centre at Meiktila in Burma and advanced to Rangoon between February and April. When Messervy returned from home leave hostilities had ceased. He was made Commander-in-Chief Malaya Command in 1945 after the Japanese surrender.

Pakistan and Kashmir
Close to the Partition of India, Messervy was made General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, India from 1946 to 1947. Finally when Pakistan came into being on 15 August 1947, he was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army.

On 20 August, a letter signed by Messervy went out to all the brigade headquarters in northwest Pakistan, attaching plans for a certain Operation Gulmarg. According to the plan, 20 lashkars of Pashtun tribesmen were to be armed and trained in various brigade locations in northwest Pakistan for an armed invasion of Kashmir. The information leaked out, one of the letters having fallen into the hands of an Indian officer Major Onkar Singh Kalkat. Kalkat was put under house arrest, but he escaped and made his way to India. By the D-day of 22 October, when the attack was launched, Messervy was away in London, leaving General Douglas Gracey, the Chief of General Staff, as the Acting Commander-in-Chief On his return, he stopped in Delhi, where Lord Mountbatten made him swear that he had not been asked for, nor had he provided, any help to the tribesmen. But within a week he was found providing arms and ammunition to the Pakistani invading forces. He complained to Governor George Cunningham of the NWFP that Mountbatten had gone over to the side of the "Hindus".

Pakistani officers narrate that both Messervy and Gracey were involved in running the day-to-day operations of Pakistan's Kashmir War. Officers were loaned out for commanding the rebel forces and shown on records as being absent. Nevertheless, Messervy issued a statement on 12 November 1947, denying that any "serving Pakistan Army officers are directing operations in Kashmir", which was cited by Pakistan in the UN Security Council debates as proof of Pakistan's innocence.

Messervy was relieved of his post on 15 February 1948, leading to his retirement on 22 August that year. He was granted the honorary rank of general. Later, he wrote an influential article on Kashmir in the Asiatic Review, where he alleged that India had planned to militarily intervene in Kashmir several weeks before the event. He opined that if the pro-India National Conference party was allowed to hold power in Kashmir, India would likely win a plebiscite, but if Pakistan was allowed to hold on to the areas that it had captured, a Pakistan win was 'even more certain'. He had 'few doubts' as to which dominion most people of Kashmir would choose. Historian Gowher Rizvi states that influences of this kind persuaded the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs Philip Noel-Baker to ensure that Pakistan's viewpoint was "not ignored" in the UN Security Council.

Messervy died at home in the small village of Heyshott, in the south of England, on 2 February 1974.

Family
In 1927 Messervy married Patricia Waldegrave Courtney daughter of Lt Col Edward Arthur Waldegrave Courtney. They had a daughter and two sons.

Career

 * Commissioned into the British Indian Army (1913)
 * Commissioned into the 9th Hodson's Horse (1914)
 * Brigade Major – (1928–1932)
 * Instructor (GSO2) at Command and Staff College, Quetta (1932–1936)
 * Commanding Officer, 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (1938–1939)
 * General Staff Officer 1, Indian Infantry Division, East Africa (1939–1941)
 * Commanding Officer Gazelle Force, Sudan and Eritrea (1940–1941)
 * Commanding Officer, 9th Indian Brigade, Ethiopia (1941)
 * General Officer Commanding, Indian Infantry Division, North Africa (1941–1942)
 * General Officer Commanding, 1st Armoured Division, North Africa (1942)
 * General Officer Commanding, 7th Armoured Division, North Africa (1942)
 * Deputy Chief of the General Staff, HQ Middle East Command (1942)
 * General Officer Commanding, Indian 43rd Armoured Division (1942–1943)
 * Director Armoured Fighting Vehicles, India (1943)
 * General Officer Commanding, 7th Indian Infantry Division, India (1943–1944)
 * General Officer Commanding, IV Corps, Burma (1944–1945)
 * General Officer Commander-In-Chief, Malaya Command (1945–1946)
 * General Officer Commander-In-Chief, Northern Command, India (1946–1947)
 * Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (1947–1948)
 * Retired (1948)

Promotions

 * Second Lieutenant-22 January 1913
 * Lieutenant – 22 April 1915
 * Captain – 22 January 1917
 * Acting Major – 23 November to 27 December 1918
 * Brevet Major – 1 July 1929
 * Major – 22 January 1931
 * Local Lieutenant-Colonel – 1 September 1932
 * Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel – 1 July 1933
 * Lieutenant-Colonel – 10 April 1938
 * Colonel – 19 April 1940
 * Acting Major-General (Temporary Brigadier) – 14 April 1941
 * Temporary Major-General – 14 April 1942
 * Major-General – 17 April 1943
 * Acting Lieutenant-General – 8 December 1944
 * Lieutenant-General – 1 June 1945
 * Acting General – 15 August 1947
 * Honorary General – 1948

title: Frank Messervy


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Morph

Morph may refer to:

Biology

 * Morph (zoology), a visual or behavioral difference between organisms of distinct populations in a species
 * Muller's morphs, a classification scheme for genetic mutations
 * "-morph", a suffix commonly used in taxonomy

Computing

 * Morphing, in motion pictures and animations, a special effect that changes one image into another through a seamless transition
 * Gryphon Software Morph, morphing software
 * Morph target animation, a method of animating computer generated imagery

Fiction

 * Morph, a British claymation character, who has featured in:
 * Morph (TV series), animated television series
 * The Amazing Adventures of Morph, a British stop-motion clay animation television show
 * Morph (comics), an X-Men character of Marvel comics
 * Morph (X-Men '97), the iteration from the Disney+ series X-Men '97
 * In Animorphs, "morphing" is alien technology that allows one to transform into any animal or person that one touches
 * In the Power Rangers franchise, a character transforms by “morphing” from a device.

Music

 * Morph, a 2014 album by Hins Cheung
 * Morph, a 2018 album by Yentl en De Boer
 * "Morph" (song), a 2018 song by Twenty One Pilots

Other uses

 * Morph (video game), a 1993 SNES, Amiga and Amiga CD32 puzzle game
 * Morphs collaboration, a collaboration that studied the evolution of spiral galaxies using the Magellan and the Hubble Space Telescope
 * Nokia Morph, a bendable concept mobile phone

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Morph


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1966 New Zealand general election

The 1966 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 35th term. It saw the governing National Party win a third consecutive term in office. It was also the first time since the 1943 election that a minor party won a seat in Parliament.

Background
The National Party had established its second administration following the 1960 elections, and had been re-elected in the 1963 election. Keith Holyoake remained Prime Minister. The Labour Party experienced a leadership change shortly before the 1966 elections: Arnold Nordmeyer, who was closely associated with an unpopular previous Labour government, was replaced by the younger Norman Kirk. Labour remained disunited, however, with ongoing leadership problems undermining Kirk's position. Disagreement between unionists and non-unionists regarding economic policy also weakened the party.

One significant issue that divided National and Labour in the 1966 elections was the question of New Zealand's participation in the Vietnam War. Under National, New Zealand contributed a small number of troops, which Holyoake strongly defended during the election campaign. Labour, by contrast, made the recall of troops one of its key policies; former Labour leader Walter Nash was a particularly strong critic of the war. Nash believed that Labour's failure to win the election was because of its principled anti-Vietnam war policy, despite voters preferring Labour's economic policy to National's.

MPs retiring in 1966
Eight National MPs and two Labour MPs intended to retire at the end of the 34th Parliament.

The election
The date for the main 1966 elections was 26 November. 1,409,600 people were registered to vote. Turnout was 86.0%, a number relatively low for the time. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902. It was, however, the last election in which the number of seats was set at this level.

Party standings
The 1966 election saw the governing National Party retain office by an eight-seat margin. It had previously held office by a ten-seat margin — the drop was a result of losing the Hobson seat to Social Credit's Vernon Cracknell. National won a total of forty-four seats, while the Labour Party remained static on thirty-five. In the popular vote, the parties were closer — National won 43.6% to Labour's 41.4%. The Social Credit Party won 14.5% of the vote and one seat.

Initial MPs
The table below shows the results of the 1966 general election:

Key

|colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates

| Hauraki | style="background-color:;" | | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:;" | Arthur Kinsella | style="text-align:right;" | 2,336 | style="background-color:;" | | style="text-align:center;" | Henry Uttinger

|colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates

 * }

title: 1966 New Zealand general election


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Kolo (dance)

Kolo (Коло) is a South Slavic circle dance, found under this name in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. It is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intagible Cultural Heritage for Serbia.

History
According to Wilkes (1995), the kolo might have evolved through cultural inheritance between South Slavs and Illyrians. However, Wilkes also mentions that this claim is less documented.

Description
The circle dance is usually performed amongst groups of at least three people and up to several dozen people. Dancers hold each other's hands or each other's waists. They form a circle, a single chain or multiple parallel lines.

Kolo requires almost no movement above the waist. The basic steps are easy to learn. Experienced dancers demonstrate virtuosity by adding different ornamental elements, such as syncopated steps. Each region has at least one unique kolo. It is difficult to master the dance and even most experienced dancers cannot master all of them. Kolo is performed at weddings, social, cultural, and religious ceremonies. Some dances require both men and women to dance together, others require only the men or only the women.

Music
The music is generally fast-paced. The dance was used by Antonín Dvořák in his Slavonic Dances – the Serbian kolo is the seventh dance from opus 72.

Traditional dance costume
Traditional dance costumes vary from region to region. Bordering regions are mostly more similar to each other.

Various kolos are performed at social ceremonies. Often traditional clothing, which is unique to a region, is worn. The most common kolo is the narodno kolo or drmeš; a standard step followed by accordion music.

Other South Slavic circle dances
Elsewhere in South Slavic countries, there is horo (хоро) in Bulgaria and oro (оро) in North Macedonia and Montenegro.

title: Kolo (dance)


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Concha Meléndez

Dr. Concha Meléndez (January 21, 1895 – June 26, 1983) was an educator, poet, and writer. She was the first woman to belong to the Puerto Rican Academy of Languages.

Early years
Meléndez was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, where she received her primary and secondary education. After graduating from high school she enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico where she earned her teacher's certificate.

Meléndez taught at the University's high school while she continued to pursue her University studies. In 1924, she received her bachelor's degree and soon after went to New York City where she obtained her master's degree in 1926 from Columbia University. She returned to Puerto Rico where she became a professor at the University of Puerto Rico.

Meléndez later went to Mexico where she enrolled in the National University of Mexico (UNAM). In 1932, she became the first woman in the history of Mexico to earn a Doctorate in philosophy and letters.

Professor Emeritus
When she returned to Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico bestowed upon her the title of "Professor Emeritus" in Hispanic-American Literature. She was named director of the Hispanic Studies and Humanities Faculty Department at the University, a position she held between 1940-1959. Meléndez also founded a tenured chair on Hispanic-American Literature in the University. In 1964, Meléndez acted as visiting professor at the Middlebury School of Languages in Vermont. Concha Meléndez died in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 26, 1983.

Written works
Melendez's works have been compiled into 15 volumes by the Editorial Cultural. Amongst these are:

 * "Amado Nervo",
 * "La Inquietud Sosegada: Poética de Evaristo Ribera Chevremont",
 * "Various Hispanic-American Poets",
 * "The Act of Storytelling in Puerto Rico",
 * "Signs from Iberoamerica",
 * "Entrance in Peru",
 * "Figuration of Puerto Rico and other studies",
 * "Jose de Diego in my Memory",
 * "Hispanic-American Literature",
 * "Words for Listeners",
 * "People and Books",
 * "Fiction Literature in Puerto Rico",
 * "Poetry in Alfonso Reyes" and
 * "Indian Novel in Hispanic-America".

Honors and distinctions
She was the first woman to belong to the Puerto Rican Academy of Languages. Melendez was awarded many honors and distinctions in Puerto Rico and other countries. Among the awards are:
 * "Medal of Literature" from the Puerto Rican Ateneo
 * "The Diploma of Honor" from the Mexican Academy of Languages
 * the "Order of Andres Belloy"
 * the "Award of Honor" from the Puerto Rican Ateneo

Legacy
A center of the Biblioteca Nacional de Puerto Rico del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña is named after her. It is located in the Casa Dra. Concha Melendez Ramirez, her home from 1940 until her death, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Every year the Coalition of Hispanic American Women of Miami, selects five high school graduates, who will receive the Elena Mederos/Concha Melendez Scholarship for their outstanding academic records. Puerto Rico has a school in San Juan named after her and in Virginia there is also a high school named after her.

title: Concha Meléndez


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Rudolf Medek

Rudolf Medek (8 January 1890 in Hradec Králové – 22 August 1940) was a Czech poet, army-related prose writer, and a general in the Czechoslovak Legions in Russia. In 1919 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order by George V which he sent back after the Munich Agreement, as he did with his Légion d'honneur insignia.

He was the father of the musician and journalist Ivan Medek, and the painter Mikuláš Medek.

Partial bibliography

 * Rokoko - poem
 * Půlnoc bohů (English: Midnight of Gods) (1912) - book of poetry
 * Anabáze - army document
 * Plukovník Švec - army drama

title: Rudolf Medek


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User:Minuteman~enwiki

The User:Minuteman works for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee in The Hague, the Netherlands.

af:Gebruiker:Minuteman de:Benutzer:MinutemanNL es:Usuario:Minuteman fr:Utilisateur:Minuteman it:Utente:Minuteman li:Gebroeker:Minuteman nl:Gebruiker:Minuteman scn:Utenti:Minuteman

title: User:Minuteman~enwiki


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Seventh son of a seventh son

The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. To qualify as "the seventh son of a seventh son" one must be the seventh male child born in an unbroken line with no female siblings born between, and to a father who himself is the seventh male child born in an unbroken line with no female siblings born between. The number has a long history of mystical and biblical significance, such as seven virtues, seven deadly sins, Seven Sleepers and Seven Heavens.

In some beliefs, the special powers are inborn, inherited simply by virtue of his birth order; in others, the powers are granted to him by God or the gods because of his birth order.

In many cases seventh sons (who are not born to a seventh son) are also said to have supernatural or healing abilities.

England
In Lancashire and particularly in Blackburn there was, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a tradition of calling seventh sons of seventh sons (and seventh sons) 'Doctor' (forename) because of their supposed abilities as healers.

Ireland
The seventh son of a seventh son is gifted as a healer. The seventh son of a seventh son is part of a more general phenomenon known as the "cure" (sometimes also called the "charm"). Belief in the efficacy of seventh son healers and other folklore related to healing persisted to the 20th century in parts of Ireland.

Italy
In Italian legend, "Ciarallo" was a seventh son of a seventh son who had the power to enchant and recall snakes, and who was immune to snake venom. Ciarallo was not only a seventh son, but underwent a special initiation rite called "inciaramazione". Customarily, one would ask Ciarallo's intercession when a snake was discovered in the house. Ciarallo would answer these requests by attracting the snake with a whistle. He would also perform the inciaramazione rite on other people to ensure protection from snakes by spreading a special oil on their arm. Children were led to Ciarallo by their mothers to get protection.

Latin America
In some Latin American countries, the seventh son of a seventh son is believed to be cursed to be a werewolf, lobizón, Luison (in Paraguay) or lobisomem (the Portuguese word for "werewolf"). To prevent this, the newborn should be baptized in seven different churches. Alternately, he may be baptized under the name Benito, with his eldest brother (the eldest son of their father) as his godfather. The local myth of the lobizón is not connected to the custom that began over 100 years ago by which every seventh son (or seventh daughter) born in Argentina to "legitimately married parents of good conduct and moral character" is eligible to become godchild to the president.

Romania
Raymond T. McNally and Radu Florescu describe the Transylvanian folk belief that "the seventh son of a seventh son is doomed to become a vampire."

United States
According to Edward Augustus Kendall in Travels through the Northern Parts of the United States, in the year 1807–1808, while he visited the Newgate copper mine and prison, he met an innkeeper who told him that "there was to be found in the surrounding hills, a black stone, of a certain species, through which a seventh son of a seventh son, born in the month of February, with a caul on his head, can discern everything that lies in the depths and interior of the globe." The author speculated that the importance of mining to the community gave rise to the localized belief.

Alleged real-life examples

 * James Murrell was the seventh son of a seventh son, according to investigations by Arthur Morrison.
 * Abram George (1916?–?), Mohawk faith healer from Akwesasne, claimed in contemporary news reports to have been the seventh son of a seventh son.
 * Archille Noé Baillargeon (1889–?) from Tecumseh, Ontario was the seventh son of a seventh son and was believed to have extraordinary healing powers.
 * Although singer Perry Como claimed to be a seventh son, he had two older sisters and only one older brother who survived to adulthood plus three preceding siblings who died in infancy.
 * Pro football Hall of Famer Len Dawson was the seventh son of a seventh son, born the ninth of 11 children.
 * Ivor Powell, Welsh football player and manager said that "people used to keep pointing it out, but it didn't mean a lot to me"

title: Seventh son of a seventh son


text: Category:Television stations in Rhode Island


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Marathi literature

Marathi literature is the body of literature of Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Maharashtra and written in the Devanagari and Modi script.

Ancient Era
Maharashtri Prakrit was the southern Prakrit that was spoken in the banks of Narmada and Godavari. Maharashtri was an offshoot of Vedic Sanskrit. The earliest example of Maharashtri as a separate language dates to approximately 3rd century BCE: a stone inscription found in a cave at Naneghat, Junnar in Pune district had been written in Maharashtri using Brahmi script. A committee appointed by the Maharashtra State Government to get the Classical status for Marathi has claimed that Marathi existed at least 2300 years ago. Marathi, a derivative of Maharashtri, is probably first attested in a 739 CE copper-plate inscription found in Satara. Several inscriptions dated to the second half of the 11th century feature Marathi, which is usually appended to Sanskrit or prakrit in these inscriptions.

The earliest Marathi-only inscriptions are the ones issued during the Shilahara rule, including a c. 1012 CE stone inscription from Akshi taluka of Raigad district, and a 1060 or 1086 CE copper-plate inscription from Dive that records a land grant (agrahara) to a Brahmin. A 2-line 1118 CE Marathi inscription at Shravanabelagola records a grant by the Hoysalas. These inscriptions suggest that Marathi was a standard written language by the 12th century. However, there is no record of any actual literature produced in Marathi until the late 13th century.

Yadava period
Epigraphic evidence suggests that Marathi was a standard written language by the 12th century. However, the earliest records of actual literature in Marathi appear only in the late 13th century. The early Marathi literature emerged during the Seuna (Yadava) rule, because of which some scholars have theorized that it was produced with support from the Yadava rulers. The Yadavas did regard Marathi as a significant language for connecting with the general public, and Marathi replaced Kannada and Sanskrit as the dominant language of the inscriptions during the last half century of the Yadava rule. However, there is no evidence that the Yadava royal court directly supported the production of Marathi literature with state funds.

The early Marathi literature was mostly religious and philosophical in nature, and was composed by the saint-poets belonging to Mahanubhava and Warkari sects. During the reign of the last three Yadava kings, a great deal of literature in verse and prose, on astrology, medicine, Puranas, Vedanta, kings and courtiers were created. Nalopakhyana, Rukminiswayamvara and Shripati's Jyotisharatnamala (1039) are a few examples.

Bhaskarabhatta Borikar of the Mahanubhava sect is the first known poet to have composed hymns in Marathi.

Dnyaneshwar (1275–1296) was the first Marathi literary figure who had wide readership and profound influence. His major works are Amrutanubhav and Bhavarth Deepika (popularly known as Dnyaneshwari). Bhavarth Deepika is a 9000-couplets long commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.

Namdev, the Bhakti saint and contemporary of Dnyaneshwar is the other significant literary figure from this era. Namdev composed religious songs in Marathi as well as Hindi; some of his Hindi compositions are included in the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Another early Marathi writer was Mukundaraja, who wrote Vivekasindhu and Paramamrita. Both the works deal with the Advaita philosophy. Some earlier scholars dated him to the 12th century, and considered Vivekasindhu as the first literary book in Marathi, dating it to 1188. However, most linguistic historians now date Mukundaraja to 14th century or later: the Vivekasindhu was likely written after Lilacharita and Dnyaneshwari.

Deccan Sultanates period
There was relatively little activity in Marathi in the early days of the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527) and the Bijapur Sultanate (1527–1686). The Warkari saint-poet Eknath (1533–1599), the main successor of Dnyaneshwar, was a major Marathi literary figure during this period. He made available an authentic, edited version of Dnyaneshwari, which had been forgotten after the Islamic invasion of Deccan. He also wrote several abhangs (devotional poems), narratives and minor works that dealt with the Bhagavata Purana He wrote Eknathi Bhagwat, Bhavarth Ramayan, Rukmini Swayamwar Hastamalak, and Bharud. Dasopant was another minor but notable poet from this era. Mukteshwar (1574-1645), the grandson of Eknath, too, wrote several works in Marathi including a translation of the epic Mahabharata.

Krista Purana, written by the Goa-based Christian missionary Thomas Stephens, was first published in 1616. It is written in a mix of Marathi and Konkani languages, and the first copy was printed in the Roman script, and tells the story of Jesus Christ.

Maratha period

The Marathas, the Marathi-speaking natives, formed their own kingdom under the leadership of Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. The development of the Marathi literature accelerated during this period. Tukaram and Samarth Ramdas, who were contemporaries of Shivaji, were the well-known poets of the early Maratha period. Tukaram (1608–1650) was the most prominent Marathi Varkari spiritual poet identified with the Bhakti movement, and had a great influence on the later Maratha society. His contemporary, Samarth Ramdas composed Dasbodh and Manache Shlok in Marathi.

In the 18th century, several well-known works like Yatharthadeepika (by Vaman Pandit), Naladamayanti Swayamvara (by Raghunath Pandit), Pandava Pratap, Harivijay, Ramvijay (by Shridhar Pandit) and Mahabharata (translation by Moropant) were produced. The historical section of the old Marathi literature contained the Bakhars and the Katavas. Krishna Dayarnava and Sridhar were other leading poets during the Peshwa rule. Mahipati, the author who wrote the biographies of the Bhakti Saints also belonged to this era.

British Period
The British colonial period saw standardisation of Marathi grammar through the efforts of the Christian missionary William Carey. Carey's dictionary had fewer entries and Marathi words were in Devanagari script instead of the Modi script prevalent at that time. Carey also translated the new and old testament of the bible into Marathi in 1811 and 1820 respectively. The most comprehensive Marathi-English dictionaries was compiled by Captain James Thomas Molesworth and Major Thomas Candy in 1831. The book is still in print nearly two centuries after its publication. The colonial authorities also worked on standardizing Marathi under the leadership of Molesworth. They used Brahmins of Pune for this task and adopted the Sanskrit dominated dialect spoken by this caste in the city as the standard dialect for Marathi. The Christian missionaries introduced the Western forms to the Marathi literature.

Marathi at this time was efficiently aided by Marathi Drama. Here, there also was a different genre called 'Sangit Natya' or Musicals. The first play was V.A. Bhave's Sita Swayamvar in 1843. Later Kirloskar (1843–85) and G.B. Deval (1854-1916) brought a romantic aroma and social content. But Krishnaji Prabhakar Khadilkar (1872-1948) with his banned play Kichaka-Vadh (1910) set the trend of political playwriting. These were followed by stalwarts like Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Prahlad Keshav Atre. The plays based on historical events linked with Maratha Empire begin with Bashir Momin Kavathekar's popular drama's 'Bhangale Swapna Maharashtra' & 'Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat' which hit the theater in 1970s and then came epic 'Janata Raja' from Babasaheb Purandare in 1980s.

The modern poets like Keshavsuta, Balakavi, Govindagraj, and the poets of Ravi Kiran Mandal (such as Madhav Julian) wrote poetry which was influenced by the Romantic and Victorian English poetry. It was largely sentimental and lyrical. Prahlad Keshav Atre, the renowned satirist and a politician wrote a parody of this sort of poetry in his collection Jhenduchi Phule.

Sane Guruji (1899–1950) contributed to the children's literature in Marathi. His major works are Shyamchi Aai, AstikandGode Shevata. He translated and simplified many Western Classics and published them in a book of stories titled Gode Goshti (Sweet Stories).

Beginning of journalism
On January 6, 1832, Balshastri Jambhekar of the Elphinstone College began Darpan, the first Marathi-English fortnightly magazine.

On 24 October 1841, Govind Vithal Kunte began Prabhakar. Kunte was the first professional Marathi journalist. Prabhakar eulogised Indian art and culture. American missionaries started a marathi magazine called Dnyanodaya in 1842 which denigrated Hindu religion but also had articles related to science and technology. The magazine is still in print today. Jnyan Prakash was started on 12 February 1849 in Pune. In its early years, It was edited by Krishnaraj Trimbak Ranade. It was published weekly till 1904, when it became a daily. It ceased publication in 1951.The journal advocated education and social reform. Hari Narayan Apte, a popular Marathi novelist also served as its editor. Some of its contributors included Mahadev Govind Ranade and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.In 1862, Induprakash, a bilingual journal, was founded in Bombay. It was edited by M.G. Ranade.It criticised orthodoxy in hinduism and called for social reforms. In 1877, Jyotiba Phule and Krishnarao Bhaskar began Deenbandhu, as part of the Dalit upliftment movement. Deenabandhu was the organ of the Satyashodhak Samaj founded by Phule. Other notable early Marathi periodicals include Jaganmitra (from Ratnagiri), Shubh Suchak (from Satara), Vartaman Dipika, and Vartaman Sangrah.

On 4 January 1881, Bal Gangadhar Tilak began Kesari, along with Gopal Ganesh Agarkar. In 1887, Agarkar left to start sujeet Sudharak (bilingual) along with Gopal Krishna Gokhale. After Agarkar's death in 1895, it ceased publication. In 1889, K. Navalkar started the weekly Vartahar to highlight atrocities committed by the ruling British and other Europeans. In 1890, Hari Narayan Apte began Karmanuk, a family entertainment paper. It contained articles on science. Also in 1890, Anandrao Ramachandra Dharandhar started Bhoot published every new and full moon day. It was the first Marathi paper to carry cartoons on political and social matters. It was very popular but ceased publication in 1904.

Present times (1947- till now )
Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (1889–1976)'s Yayati won him the Jnanpith Award for 1975. He also wrote many other novels, short stories, essays etc. His major works are Don Dhruv (Two Poles), Ulka (Meteorite), Krounchavadh, Jalalela Mohar, Amrutvel.

Marathi drama flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, with literary figures like Vasant Kanetkar, Kusumagraj and Vijay Tendulkar.

The major paradigm shift in Marathi literature sensibilities  began in the forties with the  modernist poetry of B.S. Mardhekar. In the mid fifties, the little magazine movement gained momentum. It published writings which were non-conformist, radical and experimental. Dalit literary movement also gained strength due to the little magazine movement. This radical movement was influenced by the philosophy of Babasaheb Ambedkar and challenged the literary establishment which was largely middle class, urban, and upper caste people. The little magazine movement threw up many noted writers. Bhalchandra Nemade is a well-known novelist, critic and poet. Sharad Rane is a well-known child literary figure. The notable poets include Arun Kolatkar, Dilip Chitre, Namdeo Dhasal, Vasant Abaji Dahake and Manohar Oak. Bhau Padhye, Vilas Sarang, Shyam Manohar, Suhas Shirvalkar and Visharm Bedekar are well known fiction writers.

During this period, Maharshtra's traditional form of theatre 'Tamasha' saw rise of Bashir Momin Kavathekar, a prominent poet & writer who wrote Lavani & Vag-Natya for entertainment of rural masses. However, his folk songs on the prevailing social issues like dowry, female foeticide, alcohol addiction, superstition helped in increased social awareness whereas his short-plays, street-plays promoted government initiatives towards sanitation, literacy, water conservation missions.

Another major shift sensibility began in the nineties with the poems and criticism of Shridhar Tilve and the  poetry of poets associated with Saushthav, Abhidhanantar and Shabadavedh. In the post nineties, this 'new little magazine movement' gained momentum and poets like Shridhar Tilve who stood against postmodernism and nativism and poets like Manya Joshi, Hemant Divate, Sachin Ketkar, Mangesh Narayanrao Kale, Saleel Wagh, Mohan Borse, Nitin Kulkarni, Nitin Arun Kulkarni, Varjesh Solanki, Sandeep Deshpande, Vasant Gurjar who touched the new areas of post-modern life. The poetry collections brought out by Abhidhanantar Prakashan, Time and Space, Popular Prakashan, Navta Prakashan and the regular issues of the magazine Abhidhanantar and IRREGULAR issues of Saushthav, Shabdvedh are taking Marathi poetry to the global standards. Another leading wave in contemporary Marathi poetry is the poetry of new dalit wave poets like Arun Kale, Bhujang Meshram and new deshi wave poets like Pravin Bandekar, Shrikant Deshmukh and Veerdhaval Parab.

Science fiction
Marathi science fiction has a rich heritage and a wide enthusiastic readership. In the early 20th century, Marathi science fiction work was more aligned to fantasy. After 1950, several writers started translating classic English science fiction literature and also contributed independent work.

The modern Marathi science fiction took off after technology started playing a major role in providing a rich context for speculating about the future. From 1975, modern Marathi science fiction has been regularly published in mainstream magazines and also in publications devoted to science and technology.

Marathi Vidnyan Parishad has been consistently at the forefront for modern Marathi science fiction, contributing through multiple channels – publications, translations, critique, writing workshops, and its annual science fiction competition. Many modern writers have emerged from this prestigious competition running uninterrupted since 1970.The first wave of writers includes B R Bhagwat, D P Khambete, Narayan Dharap, D B Mokhashi, Gajanan Kshirsagar, and Yashawant Ranjankar. The modern writers are: Jayant Narlikar, Bal Phondke, Niranajan Ghate, Lakshman Londhe, Subodh Jawdekar, Arun Mande, Madhuri Shanbhag, Shubhada Gogate, Sanjay Dhole, D V Kulkarni, Arun Sadhu, Meghashri Dalvi, Sudha Risbud, Smita Potnis, Prasanna Karandikar, Ashish Mahabal, D V Jahagirdar, Yashawant Deshpande.

Encyclopedia
Over the last century or so, a number of producing encyclopedias have been produced in marathi. These include. Shreedhar Venkatesh Ketkar's 'Dnyaankosh', Siddheshwarshastri Chitrao's 'Charitra Kosh', Mahadevshastri Joshi's 'Bharatiy Sanskrutikosh', and Laxmanshastri Joshi's 'Dharmakosh' and 'Marathi Vishwakosh'.

Dalit Literature
It was in 1958, that the term "Dalit literature" was used for the first time, when the first conference of Maharashtra Dalit Sahitya Sangha (Maharashtra Dalit Literature Society) was held at Mumbai, a movement inspired  by 19th century social reformer,  Jyotiba Phule and eminent dalit leader, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.

Baburao Bagul (1930–2008) was a pioneer of Dalit writings in Marathi. His first collection of stories, Jevha Mi Jat Chorali (जेव्हा मी जात चोरली) (When I Concealed My Caste), published in 1963, created a stir in Marathi literature with its passionate depiction of a cruel society and thus brought in new momentum to Dalit literature in Marathi. Gradually with other writers like, Namdeo Dhasal (who founded Dalit Panther), these Dalit writings paved way for the strengthening of Dalit movement. Notable Dalit authors writing in Marathi include Arun Kamble, Shantabai Kamble, Raja Dhale, Namdev Dhasal, Daya Pawar, Annabhau Sathe, Laxman Mane, Laxman Gaikwad, Sharankumar Limbale,  Bhau Panchbhai,  Kishor Shantabai Kale, Narendra Jadhav, and  Urmila Pawar.

Awards
Four Marathi writers have been honored with the Jnanpith Award:

 * Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar
 * Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj)
 * Vinda Karandikar
 * Bhalchandra Nemade

Every year, Sahitya Akademi gives the Sahitya Akademi Award to Marathi writers for their outstanding contribution to Marathi literature. See the List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Marathi.

title: Marathi literature


text:
User talk:Zellin

Hannah Kearney
Why did you delete a whole section without any explanation?

First of all, I didn't delete a whole section. Second, I figured it would be uncontroversial since the information removed was either incredibly trite or not cited. I have made my edits again (including moving one line which may be of some interest to a section where it makes sense) with an explanation. Please sign your posts in the future.  zellin  t  /  c   06:49, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

Empty Articles
Please don't create empty articles, which only contain a category. Such articles are a bad thing - they hide the fact that an article still needs to be written, and are thus speedy deletion candidates. If you want to have the complete list of articles for a category which are not yet written, simply edit the category and add a to-do list there. andy 20:34, 19 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Papa John's Pizza
Thanks for your edits to this article... I agree with them. However, they were marked as "minor". Usually "minor" is applied to spelling corrections or minor formatting changes. Removing a clause in the content isn't generally considered to be minor. Just wanted to give a little constructive feedback. Thanks! — Stevie is the man!  Talk 02:30, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

VfD Nomination
Just so you know, you can withdraw your nomination on VfD, and as far as I know, it becomes an automatic "Keep". That's not saying someone else won't nominate it next, though. --Unfocused 14:43, 18 May 2005 (UTC)

Hey Zellin, thanks for the info. I appreciate your help! Could you show me how to make a tag? Thanks!

Do I know you?
So...? :) Your user page says you go to North Canyon and are in IB. I just graduated last year! I couldn't think of any "Zellin"s I knew there, but if you know me, you'll definitely recognize me from my user name and short bio. I was quite shocked when I saw "North Canyon" written on your user page, I mean, what a small world! Dmcdevit·t 04:40, September 1, 2005 (UTC)

No, sorry... zellin 20:18, 2 September 2005 (UTC)

Phoenix - Stockton
I don't see any press releases announcing a Phoenix Coyotes <-> Stockton Thunder affiliation. Do you have a reference? ccwaters 13:00, 15 September 2005 (UTC)

 * Thanks. Just checking. You would think the ECHL and Thunder would have announcements about it. ccwaters 22:47, 15 September 2005 (UTC)

 * re: Stockton Thunder - I just saw an anon deleting content without explanation or edit summary. Had no chhoice but to assume vandalism. I have restored your edit. ≈ jossi fresco ≈ 22:46, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

Potential Vanity
If I was certain the page was vanity, I would have nominated it for deletion, however PotentialVanity is a subset of Cleanup and is more specific. Basically I applied it because the page's problem was that it appeared somewhat like a vanity page, and that is the specific problem that needs correction. Paul 20:28, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

No, I'm saying that this one needed cleaning up because it looked somewhat like a vanity page. Paul 20:45, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

Looking for an honest opinion
I'm working on the article motorized bicycle. I created a timeline. It is nominated for deletions. I was wondering if you could give me your opinion of the subject either at Articles for deletion/Timeline of Motorized bicycle history or on my user talk page. Thank you. (p.s.: love the some of your categories, I stole you idea and put some on my user page.  --CyclePat 02:57, 21 November 2005 (UTC)

== Baseball on Wikicit ies ==

Hello Zelin, Googie Man here and I want to ask you something as a fellow baseball fan on Wikipedian. Jimbo and Angela have made a new webstie called Wikicities. This link in particular will take you to the baseball Wikicity. As you'll see it's similar to Wikipedia, but my hope is this will allow baseball fans to do more and different things, like reporting on games, in depth statistics, create mulitple pages for pictures, and whatever else baseball fans care to create. You've done great work on Wikipedia and I was hoping you could help get this baseball Wikicity off the ground. Please let me know what you think either at my talk page, or you can email me at terry@wikia.com. Thanks!  Googie Man ( Talk), 21:09, 4 January 2006 (UTC).

NFL Europe alumni
Thanks for adding the NFL Europe alumni category - that sure brings back a lot of good memories.

--85.210.38.191 16:47, 14 January 2006 (UTC)
 * Actually, I have two comments about the NFL Europe alumni cat.
 * First, we already have a similar cat at Category:NFL Europe players.
 * Secondly, as we have been doing with the NFL and AFL player cats, I've been trying to clear out the broad NFL Europe cat and put players in individual team cats (Category:Berlin Thunder players, Category:Rhein Fire players, etc.). I appreciate the initiative, and if you'd like to help out, please think of joining WikiProject NFL.  But I've brought your action up at the talk page, and I'm going to suggest deleting the category, since it goes against what we were aiming for in the first place.  Please don't take my comments as harsh criticism; you didn't know what we were doing at WP:NFL.  I do sincerely hope you join us, we have lots of work to do and it makes it easier with everyone who joins. Anthony 20:06, 14 January 2006 (UTC)

Babe Ruth
I'm posting this message on you Talk Page either because you've contributed to the article Babe Ruth, or because you've edited other baseball or sports related articles. I've recently completed a revision of this article at Babe Ruth/rewrite. If you have the time, I'd appreciated it if you'd compare the articles and leave any feedback you might have on the rewrite discussion page. I'd like to reach a consensus before makeing major changes to the main article. Thanks for your help. --djrobgordon 20:11, 4 February 2006 (UTC)

Boris Diaw-Riffiod
Hello,

I allowed myself to revert your move of this article. Boris Diaw-Riffiod is famous in the States under the name Boris Diaw, but before that, when he was in France, he was known as Boris Diaw-Riffiod. Furthermore, it's his real name, so I think it's better to name this article using the full name. I hope it's fine with you. Poppypetty 01:12, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

IB category
I took the freedom of editing your user page to include the category as I noticed you linked to it on your user page. I hope you don't mind :) O bli (Talk) 20:54, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

our First Single................
Hii..

I am in band called "Cosa Nostra"..... We have only 3 members and we are still looking for a drummer..... We just recently recorded our first single....we had to record in my house on a comp..... we only had a single mic so sorry about the sound quality......i would really appreciate it if u could download the song and tell us your opinion on it....heres the link to the song....

[]

And please dont hesitate to ask for the lyrics if you want them..... and please pass the song around to your friends if you can....

Thanks a lot....

Jayant, 17 Years, India|(Talk) 06:30, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

P.S. By the way...i played the bass..;)

Arrested Development
Thanks for your help on the episode pages we've made so far. I agree that a WikiProject would be ideal for what we want to do, but it seems a little confusing. I was able to make templates by copying The Simpsons's really awesome formatting, but I'm still a little confused as to what needs to be done to make the whole thing into a WikiProject. Also, are the current articles at a more acceptable length? The plot intricacy and the referential nature of the jokes make it fairly complex to deconstruct.--Vcalzone 17:57, 26 February 2006 (UTC)

New Sports Wiki/Community
I noticed you were a Diamondbacks Fan. My friends and I started a sports wiki/community that you may be interested in. It uses Wikipedia's software but we made a lot of technological improvements to allow for more news, opinion articles, and better integration of sports statistics. The site is located here:

linkspam removed. If you would like to review the links, they are available in the page history here:

When you get the chance, let me know what you think.

Thanks!

--Awrigh01 20:53, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

P.S. Arrested Development is the most underrated show on T.V.

Fair use on user pages
Hi Zellin, I just wanted to let you know that the use of fair use images on user pages is prohibited by Wikipedia policy. It would be great if you could remove all such images from your page, i.e. the tv show logos. Christopher Parham (talk) 07:35, 11 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Just wanted to reiterate the above message, in case you had missed it. Christopher Parham (talk) 06:52, 13 March 2006 (UTC)

Why did you edit out my comment in Alex Rodriguez: Talk regarding the spelling of his surname? It was simply a helpful response to a question about the written accent and therefore legitimate.Alloco1 16:40, 14 March 2006 (UTC)
 * I think you are confused, I didn't edit your comments.  zellin  t  /  c   22:33, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

Candace Parker
Zellin, I made a note in the talk section there stating that the use of just the word "reported" was confusing and to please clarify the meaning. Not because I'm a CP fan, but because it read like vandalism, not like the point you were actually trying to make. aww 13:46, 29 March 2006 (UTC)

Proposed Deletion
I've added the "prod" template to the article Annual Agawam Invitational Tennis Tournament, suggesting that it be deleted according to the proposed deletion process. All contributions are appreciated, but I don't believe it satisfies Wikipedia's criteria for inclusion, and I've explained why in the article (see also What Wikipedia is not and Importance). Please either work to improve the article if the topic is worthy of inclusion in Wikipedia, or, if you disagree, discuss the issues raised at Talk:Annual Agawam Invitational Tennis Tournament. If you remove the dated prod template, the article will not be deleted, but note that it may still be sent to Articles for deletion, where it may be deleted if consensus to delete is reached.

Category:Baseball_players_who_have_hit_for_the_cycle
 I've created and populated as per your request. Rich Farmbrough 22:34 11 June 2006 (GMT).

Fair-use images removed from your user page
Hello, Zellin. I've removed some images from User:Zellin/Userboxes, as they are copyrighted images that are being used under claims of fair use. Unfortunately, by Wikipedia policies, no fair-use images can be used on user pages; please see the ninth item of the Wikipedia fair-use policy and Removal of fair use images. These images have not been deleted from any articles. If you have any questions, please let me know. —Bkell (talk) 05:36, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys
This is three months late, but I've just noticed that you moved Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys to Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?. I must request that you move this page back - the EP does not have a question mark in its name whereas the song does. The article is about the EP, and therefore should exclude the question mark. Due to the target page being a redirect, it will need to be deleted before this move can be made. Regards,  DJR  ( T ) 19:15, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Actually, I believe (as does Pitchfork) that the question mark is correct.
 * Please consult the actual CD. Pitchfork is often wrong about details such as these.   DJR  ( T ) 18:00, 24 September 2006 (UTC)
 * The title listed on/in the CD is not always the official title.
 * When other sources disagree, it is the only reliable thing you can go by. Amazon, for example, has no question mark.   DJR  ( T ) 19:10, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

Amy LePeilbet
Amy LePeilbet has been proposed for deletion. An editor felt this information might not be verifiable. Please review Verifiability for the relevant policy. If you can improve the article to address these concerns, please do so, citing reliable sources.

If no one objects to the deletion within five days by removing the "prod" notice, the article may be deleted without further discussion. If you remove the prod notice, the deletion process will stop, but if an editor is still not satisfied that the article meets Wikipedia guidelines, it may be sent to Articles for deletion for consensus. NickelShoe (Talk) 02:38, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

 * Thanks for pointing out the website for verifiability if Amy LePeilbet, I am not opposed to removal of the prod and will not pursue an AFD. -- Chrislk02 (Chris Kreider) 12:05, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Black-White.jpg
Thanks for uploading or contributing to Image:Black-White.jpg. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in Wikipedia articles constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use. Suggestions on how to do so can be found here.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If you have uploaded other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on those pages too. You can find a list of 'image' pages you have edited by clicking on the "my contributions" link (it is located at the very top of any Wikipedia page when you are logged in), and then selecting "Image" from the dropdown box. Note that any non-free media lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you. MER-C 05:53, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

Unreferenced BLPs
Hello Zellin! Thank you for your contributions. I am a bot alerting you that 1 of the articles that you created  is tagged as an Unreferenced Biography of a Living Person. The biographies of living persons policy requires that all personal or potentially controversial information be sourced. In addition, to ensure verifiability, all biographies should be based on reliable sources. If you were to bring this article up to standards, it would greatly help us with the current Category:All_unreferenced_BLPs article backlog. Once the article is adequately referenced, please remove the unreferencedBLP tag. Here is the article:

Thanks!--DASHBot (talk) 07:54, 25 January 2010 (UTC)
 * 1) Rob Evans -

You are now a Reviewer
Hello. Your account has been granted the "reviewer" userright, allowing you to review other users' edits on certain flagged pages. Pending changes, also known as flagged protection, is currently undergoing a two-month trial scheduled to end 15 August 2010.

Reviewers can review edits made by users who are not autoconfirmed to articles placed under pending changes. Pending changes is applied to only a small number of articles, similarly to how semi-protection is applied but in a more controlled way for the trial. The list of articles with pending changes awaiting review is located at Special:OldReviewedPages.

When reviewing, edits should be accepted if they are not obvious vandalism or BLP violations, and not clearly problematic in light of the reason given for protection (see Reviewing process). More detailed documentation and guidelines can be found here.

If you do not want this userright, you may ask any administrator to remove it for you at any time. Courcelles (talk) 18:29, 17 June 2010 (UTC)

Belle & Sebastian Write About Love
In regards to your recent edit to the Belle & Sebastian Write About Love article, of which your changes have been reverted:

I'd just like to point out that Belle & Sebastian Write About Love is actually the correct title and not, as you said, Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian, as pointed out by B&S' Sarah Martin herself on the official Q&A section of their website (http://www.belleandsebastian.com/qasearchk.php?searchterm=write+about+love)

" From: C Q.Aw man, write about love, that song is something else! What an organ solo, definitely Alan price or Rod Argent worthy. But has the album released been pushed back from the 11th of October to the 25th? Gutted.

A. i think it's 'write about love' the single that comes out on 25th; the LP belle and sebastian write about love is still due on the 11th i'm sure.

Sarah - 06/09/10"

"From: margot Q.so will the album title be properly listed as "Belle and Sebastian Write About Love" or just "Write About Love"? In 2005 when Franz released their second album, they called it "You could have it so much better with Franz Ferdinand" but the magazines and shops called it "You could have it so much better with.." I wonder if the same will happen here!

A. It should be Belle and Sebastian Write about Love - as in 'Val Doonican Rocks but Gently'.

Sarah - 14/08/10"

Whenbongoscollide (Talk) 13:36, 19 October 2010 (UTC)

Orphaned non-free image File:Pro Football HoF logo.jpg
 Thanks for uploading File:Pro Football HoF logo.jpg. The image description page currently specifies that the image is non-free and may only be used on Wikipedia under a claim of fair use. However, the image is currently not used in any articles on Wikipedia. If the image was previously in an article, please go to the article and see why it was removed. You may add it back if you think that that will be useful. However, please note that images for which a replacement could be created are not acceptable for use on Wikipedia (see our policy for non-free media).

Note that any non-free images not used in any articles will be deleted after seven days, as described in the criteria for speedy deletion. Thank you. Skier Dude ( talk ) 04:08, 12 October 2011 (UTC)

Unexplained deletions in Sufjan Stevens
Thank you for your contributions to Wikipedia. Before saving your changes to an article, please provide an edit summary, which you forgot to do before saving your recent edit to Sufjan Stevens. Your edits will not be reverted for now, but removal of material with citations should be explained. Dl2000 (talk) 00:06, 29 December 2011 (UTC)
 * I'm surprised anyone thinks the edit needs to be justified. Clearly unencyclopedic material was removed. zellin t / c 00:28, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

Apology
I wanted to undo your edit to Charlotte Gainsbourg, but my Internet provider doesn't allow me to view the edit page at work, so I used to rollback button. Please let this not offend you.

As to the reason I reverted. 1. "singer-songwriter" for me has no connotations that I think are inappropriate in relation to Gainsbourg 2. "musician" is far too modest a description for Gainsbourg. 3. Gainsbourg's Wikipedia article calls him a "singer-songwriter" as well, amongst other things, but not musician.

In your place I would have applied the KISS rule here, meaning that the text as it was, was clear and simple and basically true, so why touch it? Debresser (talk) 10:21, 5 January 2012 (UTC)

 * I changed the page to now say "singer and songwriter". In English, singer-songwriter carries an entirely different connotation than "someone who sings and write songs". You say that musician is too modest, but I would say singer-songwriter is actively insulting. zellin t / c 16:21, 5 January 2012 (UTC)
 * I'm okay with your last change. Debresser (talk) 17:09, 5 January 2012 (UTC)

Disambiguation link notification
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Category:500 home run club
Category:500 home run club, which you created, has been nominated for discussion. If you would like to participate in the discussion, you are invited to add your comments at the category's entry on the Categories for discussion page. Thank you. Mike Selinker (talk) 15:15, 12 May 2012 (UTC)

RE: Trilogy
If you believe the songwriter of the song is different from the one credited, please find a source that supports both its sampling and its writing credit. We cant synthesize an unsourced claim and cherrypick one part of the liner notes source. Dan56 (talk) 18:44, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * I dont get the example of "Here Comes the Sun"; everything needs to be cited. The liner notes for Trilogy says that the song "contains elements of", so perhaps those elements it happens to use were those written by Gall, not Gainsbourg. My point was we cant synthesize one part of the liner notes (that it contains elements of that song) with another source's claim that the "interpolated" song was written by someone different, contradicting what the former source says about who actually wrote the song (Cherrypicking). Allmusic wouldnt be a more reliable source than liner notes, which conform to accurate publishing credits for legal reasons; Allmusic is an online database that faces little or no circumstances for erroneous information. They happen to have completely different writing/composer credits for Trilogy and its songs here. Dan56 (talk) 19:30, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * Yes, verifability and not "truth" is prioritized. Dan56 (talk) 19:46, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Please refrain from changing or removing genres, as you did to Trilogy (The Weeknd album), without discussing or establishing a consensus on the article's talk page first. Genre changes to suit your own point of view are considered disruptive. Thank you. Dan56 (talk) 19:46, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * Back to the writing credits, where are there inaccuracies "such as misspelled names" in the liner notes? What citation are you referring to when you say "look at the citation"? The Allmusic citation, which I previously explained is not too reliable for its questionable credits? Dan56 (talk) 19:49, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * Actually an image of an original 7" is available at Discogs (here), verifying what you're telling me (was busy while talking to you, looking for the most reliable source, which would be that). However, how do you propose the writing credits in the track listing, which credit "Motreal" with Gall? Removing "Gall" from the "sample credits" below the track listing makes sense. Dan56 (talk) 20:00, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * I removed the writing credits for the samples. "Gall" should still stay in the track listing for "Montreal", as they are writing credits and that's how the song is credited. Dan56 (talk) 20:04, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

 * If it's notable enough, a reliable source would have published an article saying that "this track incorrectly credits...". Otherwise, readers can go to "Laisse Tomber Les Filles" (available under the "sample credits"; "contains elements of"/interpolation is directly related and close enough) and see the relevent credits to that song. "Montreal" is credited how it is credited (hence the "writing credits" parameter) Dan56 (talk) 20:19, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

Speedy deletion nomination of The Ascension (professional wrestling)

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"Figurines(band)" listed at Redirects for discussion
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User:Tompaine

discussion on isnad--tompaine 08:11, 3 Dec 2004 (UTC)

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Battle of Khafji

The Battle of Khafji was the first major ground engagement of the Gulf War. It took place in and around the Saudi Arabian city of Khafji, from 29 January to 1 February 1991.

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who had already tried and failed to draw Coalition forces into costly ground engagements by shelling Saudi Arabian positions and oil storage tanks and firing Scud surface-to-surface missiles at Israel, ordered the invasion of Saudi Arabia from southern Kuwait. The 1st and 5th Mechanized Divisions and 3rd Armored Division were ordered to conduct a multi-pronged invasion toward Khafji, engaging Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti, and U.S. forces along the coastline, with a supporting Iraqi commando force ordered to infiltrate further south by sea and harass the Coalition's rear.

These three divisions, which had suffered significant losses from attacks by Coalition aircraft in the preceding days, attacked on 29 January. Most of their attacks were repulsed by U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army forces but one of the Iraqi columns occupied Khafji on the night of 29–30 January. Between 30 January and 1 February, two Saudi Arabian National Guard battalions and two Qatari tank companies attempted to retake control of the city, aided by Coalition aircraft and U.S. artillery. By 1 February, the city had been recaptured at the cost of 43 Coalition servicemen dead and 52 wounded. Iraqi Army fatalities numbered between 60 and 300, while an estimated 400 were captured as prisoners of war.

Although the invasion of Khafji was initially a propaganda victory for the Ba'athist Iraqi regime, it was swiftly recaptured by Coalition forces. The battle demonstrated the ability of air power to support ground forces.

Background
On 2 August 1990, the Iraqi Army invaded and occupied the neighboring state of Kuwait. The invasion, which followed the inconclusive Iran–Iraq War and three decades of political conflict with Kuwait, offered Saddam Hussein the opportunity to distract political dissent at home and add Kuwait's oil resources to Iraq's own, a boon in a time of declining petroleum prices.

In response, the United Nations began to pass a series of resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Afraid that Saudi Arabia would be invaded next, the Saudi Arabian government requested immediate military aid. As a result, the United States began marshalling forces from a variety of nations, styled the Coalition, on the Arabian peninsula. Initially, Saddam Hussein attempted to deter Coalition military action by threatening Kuwait's and Iraq's petroleum production and export. In December 1990, Iraq experimented with the use of explosives to destroy wellheads in the area of the Ahmadi loading complex, developing their capability to destroy Kuwait's petroleum infrastructure on a large scale. On 16 January, Iraqi artillery destroyed an oil storage tank in Khafji, Saudi Arabia, and on 19 January the pumps at the Ahmadi loading complex were opened, pouring crude oil into the Persian Gulf. The oil flowed into the sea at a rate of 200,000 oilbbl a day, becoming one of the worst ecological disasters to that date.

Despite these Iraqi threats, the Coalition launched a 38-day aerial campaign on 17 January 1991. Flying an estimated 2,000 sorties a day, Coalition aircraft rapidly crippled the Iraqi air defense systems and effectively destroyed the Iraqi Air Force, whose daily sortie rate plummeted from a prewar level of an estimated 200 per day to almost none by 17 January. On the third day of the campaign, many Iraqi pilots fled across the Iranian border in their aircraft rather than be destroyed. The air campaign also targeted command-and-control sites, bridges, railroads, and petroleum storage facilities.

Saddam Hussein, who is believed to have said, "The air force has never decided a war," nevertheless worried that the air campaign would erode Iraq's national morale. The Iraqi leader also believed that the United States would not be willing to lose many troops in action, and therefore sought to draw Coalition ground troops into a decisive battle. In an attempt to provoke a ground battle, he directed Iraqi forces to launch Scud missiles against Israel, while continuing to threaten the destruction of oilfields in Kuwait. These efforts were unsuccessful in provoking a large ground battle, so Saddam Hussein decided to launch a limited offensive into Saudi Arabia with the aim of inflicting heavy losses on the Coalition armies.

As the air campaign continued, the Coalition's expectations of an Iraqi offensive decreased. As a result, the United States redeployed the XVIII Airborne Corps and the VII Corps 480 kilometers (300 mi) to the west. The Coalition's leadership believed that should an Iraqi force go on the offensive, it would be launched from the al-Wafra oil fields, in Southern Kuwait.

Order of battle
The Iraqi Army had between 350,000 and 500,000 soldiers in theater, organized into 51 divisions, including eight Republican Guard divisions. Republican Guard units normally received the newest equipment; for example, most of the estimated 1,000 T-72 tanks in the Iraqi Army on the eve of the war were in Republican Guard divisions. The Iraqi Army in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations (KTO) also included nine heavy divisions, composed mostly of professional soldiers, but with weapons of a generally lesser grade than those issued to the Republican Guard.

Most non-Republican Guard armored units had older tank designs, mainly the T-55 or its Chinese equivalents, the Type 59 and Type 69. The remaining 34 divisions were composed of poorly trained conscripts. These divisions were deployed to channel the Coalition's forces through a number of break points along the front, allowing the Iraqi Army's heavy divisions and the Republican Guard units to isolate them and counterattack. However, the Iraqis left their western flank open, failing to account for tactics made possible by the Global Positioning System and other new technologies.

In Saudi Arabia, the Coalition originally deployed over 200,000 soldiers, 750 aircraft and 1,200 tanks. This quickly grew to 3,600 tanks and over 600,000 personnel, of whom over 500,000 were from the United States.

Iraqi forces
Earmarked for the offensive into Saudi Arabia was the Iraqi Third Corps, the 1st Mechanized Division from Fourth Corps and a number of commando units. Third Corps, commanded by Major General Salah Aboud Mahmoud (who would also command the overall offensive), had the 3rd Armored Division and 5th Mechanized Division, as well as a number of infantry divisions. Fourth Corps' commander was Major General Ayad Khalil Zaki. The 3rd Armored Division had a number of T-72 tanks, the only non-Republican Guard force to have them, while the other armored battalions had T-62s and T-55s, a few of which had an Iraqi appliqué armor similar to the Soviet bulging armor also known as "brow" laminate armor or BDD.

During the battle of Khafji, these upgraded T-55s survived impacts from MILAN anti-tank missiles. These divisions also had armored personnel vehicles such as the BMP-1, scout vehicles such as the BRDM-2, and several types of artillery. Also deployed along this portion of the front, though not chosen to participate in the invasion, were five infantry divisions that were under orders to remain in their defensive positions along the border.

U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance estimated that the Iraqi Army had amassed around 60,000 troops across the border, near the Kuwaiti town of Wafra, in as many as 5 or 6 divisions. Infantry divisions normally consisted of three brigades with an attached commando unit, although some infantry divisions could have up to eight brigades–however most infantry divisions along the border were understrength, primarily due to desertion.

Armored and mechanized divisions normally made use of three brigades, with each brigade having up to four combat battalions; depending on the division type, these were generally a three to one mix, with either three mechanized battalions and one armored battalion, or vice versa. Given the size of the forces deployed across the border, it is thought that the Iraqi Army planned to continue the offensive, after the successful capture of Khafji, in order to seize the valuable oil fields at Dammam.

The attack would consist of a four-prong offensive. The 1st Mechanized Division would pass through the 7th and 14th Infantry Divisions to protect the flank of the 3rd Armored Division, which would provide a blocking force west of Khafji while the 5th Mechanized Division took the town. The 1st Mechanized and 3rd Armored divisions would then retire to Kuwait, while the 5th Mechanized Division would wait until the Coalition launched a counteroffensive. The principal objectives were to inflict heavy casualties on the attacking Coalition soldiers and take prisoners of war, who Saddam Hussein theorized would be an excellent bargaining tool with the Coalition.

As the units moved to the Saudi Arabian border, many were attacked by Coalition aircraft. Around the Al-Wafrah forest, about 1,000 Iraqi armored fighting vehicles were attacked by Harrier aircraft with Rockeye cluster bombs. Another Iraqi convoy of armored vehicles was hit by A-10s, which destroyed the first and last vehicles, before systematically attacking the stranded remainders. Such air raids prevented the majority of the Iraqi troops deployed for the offensive from taking part in it.

Coalition forces
During the buildup of forces, the U.S. had built observation posts along the Kuwaiti-Saudi Arabian border to gather intelligence on Iraqi forces. These were manned by U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance and Army Special Forces personnel. Observation post 8 was farthest to the east, on the coast, and another seven observation posts were positioned each 20 km until the end of the "heel", the geographic panhandle of southernmost Kuwait. Observation posts 8 and 7 overlooked the coastal highway that ran to Khafji, considered the most likely invasion route of the city. 1st Marine Division had three companies positioned at observation posts 4, 5 and 6 (Task Force Shepard), while the 2nd Marine Division's 2nd Light Armored Infantry Battalion set up a screen between observation post 1 and the Al-Wafrah oil fields. The U.S. Army's 2nd Armored Division provided its 1st Brigade to give the Marines some much needed armored support.

The Saudi Arabians gave responsibility for the defense of Khafji to the 2nd Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade, attached to Task Force Abu Bakr. The 5th Battalion of the 2nd Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade set up a screen north and west of Khafji, under observation post 7. At the time, a Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade could have up to four motorized battalions, each with three line companies. The brigade had a nominal strength of an estimated 5,000 soldiers. The Saudi Arabians also deployed the Tariq Task Force, composed of Saudi Arabian marines, a Moroccan mechanized infantry battalion, and two Senegalese infantry companies. Two further task forces, Othman and Omar Task Forces, consisted of two Mechanized Ministry of Defense and Aviation Brigades, providing screens about 3 km south of the border. The road south of Khafji was covered by one battalion of Saudi Arabian National Guard supported by one battalion of Qatari tanks. The country's main defenses were placed 20 km south of the screen.

The majority of the Arab contingent was led by General Khaled bin Sultan. The forces around Khafji were organized into the Joint Forces Command-East, while Joint Forces Command-North defended the border between observation post 1 and the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border.

Battle
On 27 January 1991, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein met in Basra with the two Iraqi army corps commanders who were to lead the operation, and Major General Salah Mahmoud told him that Khafji would be his by 30 January. During his return trip to Baghdad, Saddam Hussein's convoy was attacked by Coalition aircraft; the Iraqi leader escaped unscathed.

Throughout 28 January, the Coalition received a number of warnings suggesting an impending Iraqi offensive. The Coalition was flying two brand-new E-8A Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft, which picked up the deployment and movement of Iraqi forces to the area opposite of Khafji. Observation posts 2, 7 and 8 also detected heavy Iraqi reconnoitering along the border, and their small teams of air-naval gunfire liaison Marines called in air and artillery strikes throughout the day. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Barry, commander of the forward headquarters of the 1st Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Intelligence Group, sent warnings about an impending attack to Central Command. CentCom leaders were too preoccupied with the air campaign to heed them however, and so the Iraqi operation came as a surprise.

Beginning of Iraqi offensive: 29 January
The Iraqi offensive began on the night of 29 January, when approximately 2,000 soldiers in several hundred armored fighting vehicles moved south. Post-war analysis by the US Air Force's Air University suggests Iraq planned to utilize the 3rd Armored Division and 5th Mechanized Division to make the actual attack on Khafji, with the 1st Mechanized Division assigned to protect the attacking force's western flank. The Iraqi incursion into Saudi Arabia consisted of three columns, mostly made up of T-62 tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs). The Gulf War's first ground engagement was near observation post 4 (OP-4), built on the Al-Zabr police building. Elements of the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade, ordered to take the heights above Al-Zabr, engaged Coalition units at Al-Zabr. At 20:00 hours, U.S. Marines at the observation post, who had noticed large groups of armored vehicles through their night vision devices, attempted to talk to battalion headquarters but received no response. Since contact earlier was no problem, there was a strong presumption that the reconnaissance platoon's radios were being jammed. Using runners, Lieutenant Ross alerted his platoon and continued trying to get through and inform higher headquarters and Company D of the oncoming Iraqi force. Contact was not established until 20:30 hours, which prompted Task Force Shepard to respond to the threat. Coalition soldiers at observation post 4 were lightly armed, and could only respond with TOW anti-tank missiles before calling in air support. Air support arrived by 21:30 and took the form of several F-15E, F-16C, four A-10 Tank Killers and three AC-130 gunships, which intervened in a heavy firefight between Iraqi and Coalition ground forces at OP-4. The reconnaissance platoon stationed at OP-4 was the first to come under attack, their withdrawal from the engagement was facilitated by another company providing cover fire. The attempt by the soldiers stationed at OP-4 to fend off or delay the Iraqi advance cost them several casualties, and in the face of a heavy Iraqi response they were forced to retire south, by order of its commanding officer.

To cover the withdrawal, the company's platoon of LAV-25s and LAV-ATs (anti-tank variants) moved to engage the Iraqi force. After receiving permission, one of the anti-tank vehicles opened fire at what it believed was an Iraqi tank. Instead, the missile destroyed a friendly LAV-AT a few hundred meters in front of it. Despite this loss, the platoon continued forward and soon opened fire on the Iraqi tanks with the LAV-25s' autocannons. The fire could not penetrate the tanks' armor, but did damage their optics and prevented the tanks from fighting back effectively.

Soon thereafter, a number of A-10 ground-attack aircraft arrived but found it difficult to pinpoint enemy targets and began dropping flares to illuminate the zone. One of these flares landed on a friendly vehicle, and although the vehicle radioed in its position, it was hit by an AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile that killed the entire crew except for the driver. Following the incident, the company was withdrawn and the remaining vehicles reorganized into another nearby company. With observation post 4 cleared, the Iraqi 6th Armored Brigade withdrew over the border to Al-Wafrah under heavy fire from Coalition aircraft. Coalition forces had lost 11 troops to friendly fire and none to enemy action.

While the events at observation post 4 were unfolding, the Iraqi 5th Mechanized Division crossed the Saudi Arabian border near observation post 1. A Company of the 2nd Light Infantry Armored Battalion, which was screening the Iraqi unit, reported a column of 60–100 BMPs. The column was engaged by Coalition A-10s and Harrier jump jets. This was then followed by another column with an estimated 29 tanks. One of the column's T-62 tanks was engaged by an anti-tank missile and destroyed. Coalition air support, provided by A-10s and F-16s, engaged the Iraqi drive through observation post 1 and ultimately repulsed the attack back over the Kuwaiti border. Aircraft continued to engage the columns throughout the night, until the next morning. Another column of Iraqi tanks, approaching observation post 2, were engaged by aircraft and also repulsed that night.

An additional Iraqi column crossed the Saudi Arabian border to the East, although still along the coast, towards the city of Khafji. These Iraqi tanks were screened by the 5th Mechanized Battalion of the 2nd Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade. This battalion withdrew when it came under heavy fire, as it had been ordered to not engage the Iraqi column. Elements of the 8th and 10th Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigades also conducted similar screening operations. Due to the order to not engage, the road to Khafji was left open. At one point, Iraqi T-55s of another column rolled up to the Saudi Arabian border, signaling that they intended to surrender. As they were approached by Saudi Arabian troops, they reversed their turrets and opened fire. This prompted air support from a nearby AC-130, destroying 13 vehicles.

Nevertheless, the Iraqi advance towards Khafji continued on this sector, despite repeated attacks from an AC-130. Attempts by the Saudi Arabian commanders to call in additional air strikes on the advancing Iraqi column failed when the requested heavy air support never arrived. Khafji was occupied by approximately 00:30 on 30 January, trapping two six-man reconnaissance teams from the 1st Marine Division in the city. The teams occupied two apartment buildings in the southern sector of the city and called artillery fire on their position to persuade the Iraqis to call off a search of the area. Throughout the night, Coalition air support composed of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft continued to engage Iraqi tanks and artillery.

Initial response: 30 January
Distressed by the occupation of Khafji, Saudi Arabian commander General Khaled bin Sultan appealed to U.S. General Norman Schwarzkopf for an immediate air campaign against Iraqi forces in and around the city. However this was turned down because the buildings would make it difficult for aircraft to spot targets without getting too close. It was instead decided that the city would be retaken by Arab ground forces. The task fell to the 2nd Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade's 7th Battalion, composed of Saudi Arabian infantry with V-150 armored cars and two Qatari tank companies attached to the task force. These were supported by U.S. Army Special Forces and Marine Reconnaissance personnel.

The force was put under the command of Saudi Arabian Lieutenant Colonel Matar, who moved out by 17:00 hours. The force met up with elements of the U.S. 3rd Marine Regiment, south of Khafji, and were ordered to directly attack the city. A platoon of Iraqi T-55s attacked south of the city, leading to the destruction of three T-55s by Qatari AMX-30s, and the capture of a fourth Iraqi tank. Lacking any coordinated artillery support, artillery fire was provided by the 10th Marine Regiment.

An initial attack on the city was called off after the Iraqi occupants opened up with heavy fire, prompting the Saudi Arabians to reinforce the 7th Battalion with two more companies from adjacent Saudi Arabian units. The attempt to retake the city had been preceded by a 15-minute preparatory fire from U.S. Marine artillery. However Iraqi fire did manage to destroy one Saudi Arabian V-150.

Meanwhile, 2nd Saudi Arabian National Guard Brigade's 5th Battalion moved north of Khafji to block Iraqi reinforcements attempting to reach the city. This unit was further bolstered by the 8th Ministry of Defense and Aviation Brigade, and heavily aided by Coalition air support. Although fear of friendly fire forced the 8th Ministry of Defense and Aviation Brigade to pull back the following morning, Coalition aircraft successfully hindered Iraqi attempts to move more soldiers down to Khafji and caused large numbers of Iraqi troops to surrender to Saudi Arabian forces.

That night, two U.S. Army heavy equipment transporters entered the city of Khafji, apparently lost, and were fired upon by Iraqi troops. Although one truck managed to turn around and escape, the two drivers of the second truck were wounded and captured. This led to a rescue mission organized by 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment, which sent a force of 30 men to extract the two wounded drivers. Although encountering no major opposition, they did not find the two drivers who had, by this time, been taken prisoner. The Marines did find a burnt out Qatari AMX-30, with its dead crew. In the early morning hours, despite significant risk to their safety, an AC-130 providing overwatch stayed beyond sunrise. It was shot down by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile (SAM), killing the aircraft's crew of 14.

The interdiction on the part of Coalition aircraft and Saudi Arabian and Qatari ground forces was having an effect on the occupying Iraqi troops. Referring to Saddam Hussein's naming of the ground engagement as the "mother of all battles", Iraqi General Salah radioed in a request to withdraw, stating, "The mother was killing her children." Since the beginning of the battle, Coalition aircraft had flown at least 350 sorties against Iraqi units in the area and on the night of 30–31 January, Coalition air support also began to attack units of the Iraqi Third Corps assembled on the Saudi Arabian border.

Recapture of Khafji: 31 January – 1 February
On 31 January, the effort to retake the city began anew. The attack was launched at 08:30 hours, and was met by heavy but mostly inaccurate Iraqi fire; however, three Saudi Arabian V-150 armored cars were knocked out by RPG-7s at close range. The 8th battalion of the Saudi Arabian brigade was ordered to deploy to the city by 10:00 hours, while 5th Battalion to the north engaged another column of Iraqi tanks attempting to reach the city. The latter engagement led to the destruction of around 13 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers, and the capture of 6 more vehicles and 116 Iraqi soldiers, costing the Saudi Arabian battalion two dead and two wounded. The 8th Battalion engaged the city from the northeast, linking up with 7th Battalion. These units cleared the southern portion of the city, until 7th Battalion withdrew south to rest and rearm at 18:30 hours, while the 8th remained in Khafji. The two Qatari tank companies, with U.S. Marine artillery and air support, moved north of the city to block Iraqi reinforcements.

The 8th continued clearing buildings and by the time the 7th had withdrawn to the south, the Saudi Arabians had lost approximately 18 dead and 50 wounded, as well as seven V-150 vehicles. Coalition aircraft continued to provide heavy support throughout the day and night. A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War later mentioned that Coalition airpower "imposed more damage on his brigade in half an hour than it had sustained in eight years of fighting against the Iranians." During the battle, an Iraqi amphibious force was sent to land on the coast and moved into Khafji. As the boats made their way through the Persian Gulf towards Khafji, U.S. and British aircraft caught the Iraqi boats in the open and destroyed over 90% of the Iraqi amphibious force.

The Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti units renewed operations the following day. Two Iraqi companies, with about 20 armored vehicles, remained in the city and had not attempted to break out during the night. While the Saudi Arabian 8th Battalion continued operations in the southern portion of the city, the 7th Battalion began to clear the northern sector of the city. Iraqi resistance was sporadic and most Iraqi soldiers surrendered on sight; as a result, the city was recaptured on 1 February 1991.

Aftermath
During the battle, Coalition forces incurred 43 fatalities and 52 injured casualties. This included 25 Americans killed, 11 of them by friendly fire along with 14 airmen killed when their AC-130 was shot down by Iraqi SAMs. The U.S. also had two soldiers wounded and another two soldiers were captured in Khafji.

Saudi Arabian casualties totaled 18 killed and 50 wounded. Two Saudi main battle tanks and ten lightly armored V-150s were knocked out. Most of the V150s were knocked out by RPG-7 fire in close-range fighting inside the town of Khafji. One of the two main battle tanks was hit by a 100mm main gun round from a T-55.

Iraq listed its casualties as 71 dead, 148 wounded and 702 missing. U.S. sources present at the battle claim that 300 Iraqis lost their lives, and at least 90 vehicles were destroyed. Another source suggests that 60 Iraqi soldiers were killed and at least 400 taken prisoner, while no less than 80 armored vehicles were knocked out; however these casualties are attributed to the fighting both inside and directly north of Khafji.

Whatever the exact casualties, the majority of three Iraqi mechanized/armored divisions had been destroyed.

The Iraqi capture of Khafji was a major propaganda victory for Iraq: on 30 January Iraqi radio claimed that they had "expelled Americans from the Arab territory". For many in the Arab world, the battle of Khafji was seen as an Iraqi victory, and Hussein made every possible effort to turn the battle into a political victory. On the other side, confidence within the United States Armed Forces in the abilities of the Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti armies increased as the battle progressed. After Khafji, the Coalition's leadership began to sense that the Iraqi Army was a "hollow force" and it provided them with an impression of the degree of resistance they would face during the Coalition's ground offensive that would begin later that month. The battle was felt by the Saudi Arabian government to be a major propaganda victory, which had successfully defended its territory.

Despite the success of the engagements between 29 January and 1 February, the Coalition did not launch its main offensive into Kuwait and Iraq until the night of 24–25 February. The invasion of Iraq was completed about 48 hours later. The Battle of Khafji served as a modern example of the ability of air power to serve a supporting role to ground forces. It offered the Coalition an indication of the manner in which Operation Desert Storm would be fought, but also hinted at future friendly-fire casualties which accounted for nearly half of the U.S. dead.

title: Battle of Khafji