Following the tanks

[tanks3]

Gwyn,

Please do go ahead and produce the revised listing for Cambrai. I am sure you are correct in assuming there is a demand for this. I for one would welcome it!!

Tanks3

[squirrel]

Moi aussi.

[Sidearm]

OK - it's on my "Must do!" list...

Gwyn

[Todd Starkey]

Hello,

As a new member I dont have the ability to PM yet, but i am very interested in securing a copy of "Following the Tanks" so if any member knows where I can locate one for a resonable price (not 100 pound plus) please contact me or please have Mick who stated in an earlier post of knowing a source do so. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

Todd

todd_starkey66@yahoo.com

[Battle Bowler Bill]

Yes, you are right to say that Foster made tank 2308 was lost at Ypres in July 1917, but that was not the end for this particular machine. As with many machines used in the Third Ypres, it was subsiquently recovered, repaired and reused for Cambrai in November 1917. It was lost when it became bellied on a tree stump at Cambrai and could not be recovered.

[Sidearm]

What is the source of your information BBB? Are you working from a primary source or from Richard Pullen's "Landships of Lincoln"? If you're using Pullen's book I think you're making the same mistake he has.

Whilst I accept that tanks were recovered from the battlefield at Third Ypres, repaired and re-issued, the fact is that if a tank needed recovering that was beyond the ability of the crew the tank would be struck off charge of the fighting battalion and taken on by a Tank Salvage Company. Once recovered it would be handed over to Central Workshops for repair, then Central Stores for re-issue to a fighting battalion. Thus for tank 2308 to be G2 "Grouse" on 31 July 1917, to be burnt out and then pass through a Salvage Company, then Workshops, then Stores to be reissued to the same company of the same fighting battalion and to be given the identity G2 "Grouse" once again is just too incredible to be believed.

Pullen makes his mistake, I believe, because he has ignored the warning in G&G that their identification of 2308 as G2 Grouse is based on a list compiled before the Battle of Cambrai - unfortunately they don't make clear just how long before the battle. I believe they have used a list from July 1917!

On the other hand of course, if you have some primary evidence that 2308 was indeed G2 Grouse at Cambrai I would be delighted to see it as it would increase our knowledge of tanks at the battle.

Gwyn

[Battle Bowler Bill]

The works I.D. number of an individual tank always stayed with that machine throughout its life. If a tank was destroyed beyond repair it would be stripped for parts and a new tank with a new I.D. number would take its place. The four figure works I.D. number, such as 2308, would only ever appear on the tank to which it was allocated on the shop floor and would never be painted on the side of any other machine. This gave the military authorities tracability, so that they could follow any problems or mechanical failings back to the particular factory that produced the tank in question. If we are only interested in speaking about Male Mk IV 2308, I have a photograph showing 2308 at the factory, one of it on the battlefield after the Third Ypres and one of it being inspected by the Germans in the woods after Cambrai.

[J T Gray]

Months late as usual, I too would be interested in a revised order of battle, seeing as my grandfather was with the 11th Essex at Ribecourt.

(the preceding regiment had already gone through the village, so I don't know how much resistance there was - the casualty figures suggest relatively little. Pity they weren't so lucky on March 21st...).

Adrian

[Sidearm]

The works I.D. number of an individual tank always stayed with that machine throughout its life. If a tank was destroyed beyond repair it would be stripped for parts and a new tank with a new I.D. number would take its place. The four figure works I.D. number, such as 2308, would only ever appear on the tank to which it was allocated on the shop floor and would never be painted on the side of any other machine. This gave the military authorities tracability, so that they could follow any problems or mechanical failings back to the particular factory that produced the tank in question. If we are only interested in speaking about Male Mk IV 2308, I have a photograph showing 2308 at the factory, one of it on the battlefield after the Third Ypres and one of it being inspected by the Germans in the woods after Cambrai.

I agree with your understanding of serial numbers so that's great. I am interested in hearing that you have a photo of 2308 in woods after Cambrai. This is new to me and is the sort of primary evidence I was hoping you had. Are you able to post this photo, please? Or if not please send me a PM. The others are also of interest of course but they don't immediately add anything to what we already know - i.e. that 2308 was built at Fosters and that it was burnt out during Third Ypres. Thanks.

Gwyn

[Guest]

Stu

 

I would have sent a PM but unable to as a new user.

 

I know you posted this a long time ago but Pte Dove was my great grandfather and I am trying to find out as much as I can about his very interesting life. You mentioned in an earlier post that you have his hand written report of the action he encountered when he received his M.M. Would you be willing to perhaps send me a photocopy of the report.

 

Many Thanks,

Michael 

[stu]

Hello Michael,

Luckily I've just seen you post.

I have just sent you a message.

 

Regards

Stuart