goldeagle1939 Posted 16 August , 2009 Share Posted 16 August , 2009 Hello everyone, This is my first post to the Great War Forum, I have been going over all the wonderful information on here. Anyway, I was wondering about any tentage used by the british Army during the Great War. Of course there is the Bell tent, but did they use any other kind of tentage? I would be safe to assume they would be well behind the front lines. Also what where the dimensions of Bell tents? I have been trying to figure it out using period photographs but I think my math might be off somewhat. Thanks for your help. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Wilson Posted 16 August , 2009 Share Posted 16 August , 2009 For size and dimensions of tents - see Field Service Pocket Book 1914 page 46, issued by War Office printed by HMSO, price one shilling in 1914. Yes Circular Tents - singles or doubles. Plus various sizes of G.S.Tents varying from 160 1bs to 21 1bs. There are also instructions as how to assemble. Circular Tents (Bell tents) accommodation being: 15 men to a tent, Sergeants 7 per tent, WOs 5 per tent, Officers 3 per tent, Generals, Colonels and CO's 1 per tent. The Field Service Pocket Book - provides information on how to build Bivouacs, Shelter Tents and other forms of improvised accommodation in the field. You should be able to view this book on line - copies are available for sale on the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldeagle1939 Posted 16 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2009 For size and dimensions of tents - see Field Service Pocket Book 1914 page 46, issued by War Office printed by HMSO, price one shilling in 1914. Yes Circular Tents - singles or doubles. Plus various sizes of G.S.Tents varying from 160 1bs to 21 1bs. There are also instructions as how to assemble. Circular Tents (Bell tents) accommodation being: 15 men to a tent, Sergeants 7 per tent, WOs 5 per tent, Officers 3 per tent, Generals, Colonels and CO's 1 per tent. The Field Service Pocket Book - provides information on how to build Bivouacs, Shelter Tents and other forms of improvised accommodation in the field. You should be able to view this book on line - copies are available for sale on the internet. Thanks a lot. That really helps. I really had no idea where to look. I'll be looking that up then. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 16 August , 2009 Share Posted 16 August , 2009 Many years ago in my student days I was in a cottage hospital recovering from a minor op, across the single mens ward was a veteran of Salonika, a garrulous veteran of Salonika. He told a tale of his company being given bell tents. The OR tents were light coloured but the company commander had a bell tent made of a darker material. He insisted on following "the rules" so that his company's tents formed a ring (or rings) around his. The weather was hot and humid and the Germans were carrying out night bombing raids on the British camps, the ORs left their tents to sleep dispersed out in the open leaving their company officer blissfully sleeping in a bulls eye. This might suggest that there was a material difference between officers and other ranks tents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldeagle1939 Posted 17 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 August , 2009 That is intersting. I shall have to do more research Now was the bell tent the only tent in use by the British Army? Or did they make use of other means when supplies weren't so good? Sorry to have so many questions, I have just been looking for quite some time and I have found little to nothing on the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 I've heard of white bell tents being stained with tea in an attempt to camouflage them, mainly from the air - does anyone know when this started to be done, and how? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 Nice view of a tented camp 1914. Mainly bell tents but a couple with 'walls and possibly a pair of ridge tents in the background. http://www.cmhslivinghistory.com/images/1p...6_sept_1914.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 Hello, Bell tents were still in use, at least for the JTC, I remember sleeping in one at Aldershot and again at Warminster in, 1948/49. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 The U.S. Army had pale off-white tents until about the time of the Second World War, when the ubiquitous olive drab color began to be used. The pale color is much cooler in hot sunny weather. The two-man "dog" tent of the American Civil War was made by buttoning together two shelter halves that were issued one per soldier. The height of the tent was that of the length of the Model 1861 .58-caliber Springfield rifle-musket, two of which which could be used as poles. The height of the smaller "pup" tent in use from the Great War until the present time is that of the length of the old Model 1903 Springfield rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 The late Roman army had a simillar arrangement (but without Springfield rifles - now there's an idea for time traveling/alternative history SF buffs - although thinking about it "The General" series more or less does this). The military tent has a loooonnnng history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 17 August , 2009 Share Posted 17 August , 2009 I've read about shelter halves being used during the Waterloo campaign, so they've been around for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rosy.walsh Posted 14 September , 2011 Share Posted 14 September , 2011 Dear all I am facinated by the military use of conical/bell tents and trying to research them in history. I have found pictures of them used in both the Zulu and Crimea war campaigns. If anyone has images of their use in the Great war i would greatly appreciate your pictures and experience of living in them. Sadly i can not open the link suggested above (pasted below) if anyone knows how to open it? many thanks Best wishes Rosy Nice view of a tented camp 1914. Mainly bell tents but a couple with 'walls and possibly a pair of ridge tents in the background. http://www.cmhslivinghistory.com/images/1p...6_sept_1914.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 14 September , 2011 Share Posted 14 September , 2011 The late Roman army had a simillar arrangement I assume this is quoted with reference to what are usually known as 'shelter-halves - can you give me a precise reference for this? The only tents I know about for the Roman legions were of the ridge-tent variety, suitable for the standard 8-man section in a century. Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 14 September , 2011 Share Posted 14 September , 2011 rosy Quite a number of older images were lost some years ago for technical reasons beyond my knowledge. Some others can be based on external links that are no longer valid. I'm afraid that unless one of the original posters sees the thread and posts the images again they must be regarded as unavailable. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudcatsgt Posted 10 June , 2013 Share Posted 10 June , 2013 I would like to hitch on to Mike's question. While the Field Service book has the weight, space needed between tents, how camps are set up and even how to put up the conical tent....What were the dimensions? Total height, height of wall, height of "door", who wide (be it radius or diameter). Any information on this? Thanks, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 Does anyone know the location of or have detailed drawings or pictures of British Bell-Tents -- in particular the construction details (down to use of grommets/locations of seams etc) A friend of mine is seeking to reproduce them as exactly as possible. Drawings/plans/Patterns would be fantastic Detailed photos would be good too - especially those showing the construction details as mentioned above. I have trawled through my photo collection for him and got decent detail on doors etc- but other detail would be useful. TIA Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulfrik-the-wanderer Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 this comes from my own collection, tented camp of 3rd volunteer battalion durham light infantry. stamped to back July 7th 1907. enjoy . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 Thanks - I have lots like that. I actually need CLOSE UPs of the construction details of the tents....like this but of other parts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteStarLine Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 Not the best photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 My bell tent is 9' high at the pole, you use the pole to peg out the primary pegs giving a diameter to the peg line of 18', and there are four canvas sections between each primary rope. Pole to side wall is about 6' or 6'-6", side walls are I think 24" high. Every section has a rope eye for the line to a peg, with a corrisponding rope loop at the bottom of the side wall. There are three ventilators around the top. Side wall access flap has large brass hook and eye closing (4) and some have Dutch lacing as well, which is a continuation of the Dutch lacing clousure of the main access panel. All edges which have rope eyelets are heavily reinforced with hessian webbing of about 3" width. All tent lines, rope loops and other movable lashings have a wooden button of about 1" diameter x 1/2" thick to reinforce the knots. Modern repro bell tents, currently available in the Uk are too short, by at least a foot. G G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 28 June , 2013 Share Posted 28 June , 2013 Thanks very much Gareth. That will help. Thanks too for the pic WhiteStarLine. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 5 October , 2018 Share Posted 5 October , 2018 I think Bell tents had a long life. Definitely tan coloured too, perhaps with age. In the mid 1960's the Air Training Corps Squadron I was with used them in an overnight camp at Biggin Hill Airfield. 12 to a tent - feet towards the centre post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 5 October , 2018 Share Posted 5 October , 2018 There is also another topic about tents "British and Empire Tents and Shelters of the Great War" Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrisc8 Posted 1 September , 2022 Share Posted 1 September , 2022 Photos taken from my original negs 1917 of Army Bell tents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linkert Posted 19 September , 2022 Share Posted 19 September , 2022 Hello all. Last Saturday I was at the Heilly Station cemetery in the Somme region and I went on to the fields where the Casualty Clearing Station was. I found some stuff there but no idea this might have something to do with the CCS? The pin on the right was found in a field not far from Quarry cemetery, but it looks like a pin they now use to hang a tag on with the name of the vegetable in that particular field written on it. Was this kind of pin used in WW1 too (for any purpose)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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