Pat Twomey Posted 14 June , 2008 Share Posted 14 June , 2008 It may be a long shot but does anyone know if the 17th Battalion of the Tank Corps. served in Ireland at the end of hostilities in France and Belgium? Maybe sometime between late 1918 and July 1919. Thanks Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 14 June , 2008 Share Posted 14 June , 2008 Yep, they were in Dublin in June 1919 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piley Posted 14 June , 2008 Share Posted 14 June , 2008 Pat, I can also confirm, as I have a County Borough of Dublin Motor Licence named to Frank Nichols 17th Tank Battn. Marlboro' Barracks, date of issue 7-3-1919. Inside the Licence it states. Licence 12373 Frank Nichols 17th Tank Corps Marlboro' Barracks, Dublin. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 15 June , 2008 Share Posted 15 June , 2008 Tank Corps in action in Ireland in Cork in 1921... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 16 June , 2008 Share Posted 16 June , 2008 Tanks Corps participating in Victory Parade in Dublin on 11/11/1919. Tanks in photo are "FANNYS SISTER", "GOLIKELL" (A378) "GOFASTA" and what looks like "IKAND(???)". First of the other type is "MALVER(D?)" Someone might be able to tell by the names of the tanks which battalion they are. I don't know if the first four are classed as tanks? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Twomey Posted 16 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2008 Thanks Rob, Simon and Mark for the info and pictures. It is most informative and I really appreciate it. Is it possible to let me have the source of the information as I would like to refer to same? Again thanks for going to the trouble. Best Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 17 June , 2008 Share Posted 17 June , 2008 Thanks for posting the photo of the parade (or show of strength). It is a new one to me. The four smaller tanks (they are tanks) at the front of the procession are Medium A tanks aka "Whippets". The others I think are Mark V (I think - my eyesight's not what it was). The Medium As were used by B Company, the Mark Vs by C Company, 17 Battalion. 'Fanny's Sister' (A289) is a known 17 Battalion tank, as are 'Golikell' (A378) and 'Gofasta' (A230). There was also 'Fanny Adams' (A351). A possible name for one of the Mark Vs is 'Mindyernut'. Unlike other Tank Corps Battalions of this time 17 Battalion did not follow the Corps convention of having all tank names start with the same letter, possibly because the 17th letter of the English alphabet is Q. At one time I thought the Battalion's tanks retained the names given by the Battalions that had the tanks before the 17th, as both Fannys (if I can put it that way) are ex-6th Battalion, but this doesn't fit. 'Golikell' and 'Gofasta' also both belonged to 6th Battalion (so should have had F names) before being transferred to 17th Battalion. All four tanks are recorded as being moved from Erin on 18 January 1919 for "special duty". Next thing they all pop up in Ireland with 17th Battalion. Given that some of the names are a little humorous (not Fanny Adams - she was a murder victim, but the name did spawn some unsavoury jokes at the time) I would suggest that IKAND... might be something like IKANDOIT. I'd be interested in knowing more about this Battalion's tanks. I've included just about all I know in this post. Also, Kildaremark, can you tell me which tank in the photo carries which name? Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 June , 2008 Share Posted 17 June , 2008 Thanks for posting the photo of the parade (or show of strength). It is a new one to me. The four smaller tanks (they are tanks) at the front of the procession are Medium A tanks aka "Whippets". The others I think are Mark V (I think - my eyesight's not what it was). The Medium As were used by B Company, the Mark Vs by C Company, 17 Battalion. You can just make out that they've got a commander's turret so Mk Vs Also I think that all the Mk IVs had been 'retired' by then. Actually looking at the photo, is it a trick of perspecttive or are they Mk V"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 18 June , 2008 Share Posted 18 June , 2008 What I found interesting in this photo is the compartive size of a "heavy tank" (MarkIV/V) and a light tank (Whippet). Whippets appearing longer and taller Fascinating - must go and check the relative measurements S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 18 June , 2008 Share Posted 18 June , 2008 Tanks are from front of parade: "FANNY SISTER", "GOLIKELL" (also has A378 written on the side), "GOFASTA" and "IKAN??IT" (Possibly Ikandoit) Next type starts with "MALVER(?)" Can't make out the next two - too small. Mark Photo is from "The Irish Civil War" by Tim Pat Coogan & George Morrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 18 June , 2008 Share Posted 18 June , 2008 Thanks for that, Kildaremark. The deck (upper surface) markings on Golikell and Gofasta are interesting. White/Red/White stripes on the engine deck and fuel tank of Golikell and the engine deck,fuel tank and cab of Gofasta. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike papa Posted 26 March , 2020 Share Posted 26 March , 2020 On 14/06/2008 at 20:58, Pat Twomey said: It may be a long shot but does anyone know if the 17th Battalion of the Tank Corps. served in Ireland at the end of hostilities in France and Belgium? Maybe sometime between late 1918 and July 1919. Thanks Pat Hi Pat See attached from National Museum of Ireland, lt Batty with tank battalion in Ireland 1920 regards Stephen Lt W, Batty 17 Tank battalion in Ireland.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 5 April , 2020 Share Posted 5 April , 2020 Thanks very much for posting that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike papa Posted 9 April , 2020 Share Posted 9 April , 2020 No problem I hope its of help to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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