WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[GRANVILLE]

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

2

It would be fascinating to watch the mechanism at work. I assume the handle is simply operated a short distance from side to side as opposed to all the way round otherwise it's rotation would foul with the feed of the belt going through the mechanism?

David

[Andrew Upton]

It would be fascinating to watch the mechanism at work. I assume the handle is simply operated a short distance from side to side as opposed to all the way round otherwise it's rotation would foul with the feed of the belt going through the mechanism?

It's a 360 degree turn of the handle - the belt actually doesn't foul the mechanism as it is empty at the point, and goes behind the handle. If you look the belt is fully filled already, they are just getting a few shots. This is a Russian belt filler, not quite the same, but the principle and general workings are identical:

[Lancashire Fusilier]

It's a 360 degree turn of the handle - the belt actually doesn't fool the mechanism as it is empty at the point, and goes behind the handle. If you look the belt is fully filled already, they are just getting a few shots. This is a Russian belt filler, not quite the same, but the principle and general workings are identical:

Andrew,

Many thanks for the post, which gives a good indication of the general workings of a machine gun ammunition belt filler/loader.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Interestingly, it was not the British Army's Motor Machine Gun Service who were the first to use the ' Scott ' motorcycle machine gun combinations, but rather the Admiralty, who at the start of WW1 equipped their Royal Naval Division and the Royal Naval Air Service with Scott motorcycle machine gun combinations.

This first photograph shows an early WW1 version of a Royal Naval Air Service Scott motorcycle and machine gun combination.

Note the small Royal Navy's White Ensign flag mounted on the Scott's handlebars, and the O.H.M.S. marking on the front mudguard.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another photograph showing the early WW1 ' Royal Naval Air Service ' use of the Scott motorcycle as a Motorcycle Ammunition Carrier combination, with the Scott's sidecar carrying the ammunition boxes loaded with machine gun ammunition belts, atop of which are several motorcycle spare tyres, which along with the seat-back support, formed a seat on which one of the unit could ride if required ( as shown in post 4012 ).

This Scott Motorcycle Ammuntion Carrier combination, being the same model as that used by the Motor Machine Gun Service.

Also of note, are the R.N.A.S. lapel badges being worn by the rider, the Royal Navy White Ensign small flag mounted on the Scott's handlebars, and the O.H.M.S. marking on the front mudguard.

LF

War Cars - D. Fletcher - This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

My final post on the Scott motorcycle, shows an experimental Scott motorcycle machine gun combination developed by the Royal Naval Air Service at their Barlby Road/Wormwood Scrubs Depot, using a Scott motorcycle towing a two-wheeled trailer fitted with a Maxim machine gun and also carrying two ammunition boxes.

This experimental version of the Scott motorcycle machine gun combination, was not adopted by the Navy or the Army.

LF

War Cars - This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The town of Rang-du-Fliers in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France, was the location of a RFC/RAF Aerodrome and also a large aircraft maintenance and repair depot.

Over the next few days, I shall be posting a series of photographs showing the important work carried out by the RFC/RAF at Rang-du-Fliers.

The first photograph shows intense activity at the RFC/RAF aircraft maintenance and repair depot, with aircraft mechanics stripping damaged aircraft for their valuable spare parts.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[mark holden]

Some RGA pictures dating from January 1919.

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[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Excellent postcards Mark.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Some RGA pictures dating from January 1919.

Mark,

Excellent photographs of the heavy steel wheeled ' Travelling Trailers ' purpose built for transporting the various dismantled parts of large Howitzers etc., typically drawn by Holt or Foster Daimler tractors.

The earlier ' Travelling Trailers ', had large heavy wooden wheels.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

RAF aircraft mechanics working on wrecked aircraft fuselages at the RAF maintenance and repair depot at Rang-du-Fliers in July 1918, damaged aircraft were either repaired or stripped for their valuable spare parts.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Some RGA pictures dating from January 1919.

Mark,

Here is a photograph of Royal Garrison Artillery ( R.G.A.) Howitzers on their Travelling Trailers drawn by a Foster-Daimler Tractor, being moved through the town of Hazebrouck, which was some 34 miles S.E. of Calais in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France.

A local boy, is pointing in awe and amazement at the wheeled monsters moving through his town.

This photograph, is dated in March 1915.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[mark holden]

Great photo LF!

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A salvaged Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a aircraft ' C1902 ' fuselage is brought by trailer to the RAF's maintenance and repair depot at Rang-du-Fliers, where it will either be repaired or stripped for it's spare parts.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a aircraft.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[BSM]

Re post #4058....great pics Mark for those of us particularly interested in matters Artillery and the means to get "it" there. Nice image of the 120hp Holt. Any chance of a more detailed pic please? Rod

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An extremely interesting aircraft turntable, in use at the RAF Aerodrome and maintenance and repair depot at Rang-du-Fliers in Northern France.

This aircraft turntable, on which is mounted a Sopwith Camel, can rotate the aircraft through 360 degrees, and is used to check, adjust and re-set the aircraft's navigation compass utilizing the compass points marked around the large dial painted on the ground .

This photograph is dated 12th July, 1918.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[David Filsell]

Anyone know the story of C 1092?

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Anyone know the story of C 1092?

David,

I read that SE5a ' C1902 ' was from 32 Squadron, and flown by Lt. F. J. Connelly.

Apparently, it made a heavy landing after a flight on 9th July, 1918, and after inspection was considered too badly damaged for repair, was struck off, and salvaged for it's spare parts.

That report, ties in with the photograph in post 4064, which is dated 12th July, 1918.

Regards,

LF

[David Filsell]

LF

As ever you are a fund of information. Thanks

David

[MikeyH]

Attended a very interesting talk today on 'Motorised Transport of the Great War'. This organised by the Friends of our local Museum.

The presenter had an extremely rare item, a brass subsidy plaque (unused and unissued) as fitted to vehicles purchased under the Subsidy Scheme in the years leading up to 1914.

One fact that emerged was the vast majority of the vehicles used were right hand drive, regardless of their country of origin.

Also that apparently practically no examples survive of German or Prussian vehicles of the period.

Mike.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

One fact that emerged was the vast majority of the vehicles used were right hand drive, regardless of their country of origin.

Also that apparently practically no examples survive of German or Prussian vehicles of the period.

Mike,

That talk must have been most interesting, and the lack of surviving German WW1 vehicles, is probably not too surprising given the massive destruction that took place throughout Germany during WW2, when I am sure most WW1 vehicles stored in Museums were destroyed.

Also, due to the dire shortage of German transport towards the end of WW2, many of the earlier WW1 vintage vehicles were probably pressed into service and subsequently destroyed.

With regard to the brass ' Subsidy Scheme ' plaque, was this a plaque or plate attached to each Subsidy Scheme vehicle, or was it the large 8 x 6 inch ornate brass plaque presented to manufacturers involved in the War Department's vehicle Subsidy Scheme ( see attached example ) ?

Regards,

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Part of the important work carried out at RAF Rang-du-Fliers, was the salvaging, repair and restoration of aero engines taken from damaged or destroyed aircraft.

The attached photograph, shows RAF mechanics removing the aero engine from a damaged aircraft's fuselage using a block and tackle hoist gantry, the same type of hoist as that used by Army Service Corps mobile vehicle repair units as shown in post 3997.

Having raised the heavy aero engine using the block and tackle hoist, it could then be lowered down onto the wheeled trolley already in position under the hoist, and wheeled to the engine repair shop.

Whenever possible, the aero engines were repaired, restored and returned back into service.

This photograph, was taken in July, 1918.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Mike,

... the lack of surviving German WW1 vehicles, is probably not too surprising given the massive destruction that took place throughout Germany during WW2, when I am sure most WW1 vehicles stored in Museums were destroyed.

Also, due to the dire shortage of German transport towards the end of WW2, many of the earlier WW1 vintage vehicles were probably pressed into service and subsequently destroyed.

LF,

Do you know how many of the surviving vehicles would have been destroyed/confiscated by the Allied Powers under the demilitarisation terms of the Versailles Treaty in the early 1920s?

[Lancashire Fusilier]

LF,

Do you know how many of the surviving vehicles would have been destroyed/confiscated by the Allied Powers under the demilitarisation terms of the Versailles Treaty in the early 1920s?

The formal war reparations agreements and treaties such as the Treaty of Versailles, deal mainly with the financial reparations imposed on Germany and the restrictions placed on the number and size of their armed forces etc., however, the Armistice Agreement required Germany to immediately surrender to the Allies all sorts of military equipment, including motor vehicles.

In the attached photograph, we can see substantial numbers of German military vehicles surrendered to British forces under the Armistice Agreement and held in just one of the vehicle assembly/storage points in the city of Cologne.

Perhaps these surrendered German military vehicles were shipped back to Britain, distributed to other Allies, sold off, or destroyed ?

The Armistice Agreement, certainly accounted for vast numbers of German military vehicles being surrendered to the Allies at the end of WW1.

This photograph, is dated 26th February, 1919.

Regards,

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.