Italian para-sheep

[Wirelizard]

"Twenty-five planes carried water, ammunition and rations for the Italians as they advanced on Emperor Haile Selassie's Army of the Ethiopian Empire. As they supposedly refused to eat the standard pre-packaged processed food that accompanied most armies and because fresh meat would spoil in the extreme temperatures of Danakil, the supply planes dropped living animals for the troops to butcher and cook." (Full article in The Atlantic, via BoingBoing)

So, all you Ethiopian war gamers, we want to see parachuting sheep added to your Italian armies pronto! They can serve as really, really unique resupply counters for your gourmand Italian troops!

[commissarmoody]

BRILLIANT!

[mondria]

aaah poor sheep the shock of being dropped cant be good for the taste of meat after that
didn't the US drop pack mules by parachute in WW2 in Asia

[Arlequín]

I suspect that the missing word is 'Officers' in 'refused to eat'. No need to let standards drop though. When you have gone to the expense of twenty trunks worth of 'essential' campaign equipment and have the best camping silverware packed away, why settle for a pot noodle for the evening meal? 

[area23]

  boingboing is always good for demented historical facts!

[leadfool]

Wirelizard,
Nice historical bit,  I guess no one can pull the wool over your eyes.  . 

[James Morris]

Wonderful!  Having completed hyenas and mules, para-sheep must follow soon!