WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Great photos as always LF, but immeasurably enhanced by the addition of your background notes.

Dai,

Many thanks, and your interest in this Thread is much appreciated.

Researching the background to these photographs, is the interesting fun part.

Regards,

LF

[GRANVILLE]

I'll wager the outline of the eye is just visible behind the officers left elbow (post 4775).

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

I'll wager the outline of the eye is just visible behind the officers left elbow (post 4775).

David

David,

You may very well be correct, as there appears to be something on the Austin's bodywork, mostly hidden behind the 17th ACB Captain.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Male Tank No. 2341, is shown undergoing trials at Fosters in Lincolnshire after it's completion on March 10, 1917.

This photograph, shows a nice view of the crew's access door on the Mark IV Tank's Sponson

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]

Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Male Tank No. 2341, is shown undergoing trials at Fosters in Lincolnshire after it's completion on March 10, 1917.

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]

Wishing you a safe, peaceful and happy Easter.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Coloured artwork showing Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Male Tank No. 2341.

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]

Artwork showing details of the ' Seeing Eye ' painted on Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Male Tank No. 2341.

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.

[Scalyback]

Thank you LF something to do with my airfix tanks. Any pictures of the antenna tanks? I'm hankering after the matador kit. Happy Easter.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Thank you LF something to do with my airfix tanks. Any pictures of the antenna tanks? I'm hankering after the matador kit. Happy Easter.

Scalyback,

Here are two photographs of Communication Tanks fitted with wireless aerials, the first photograph of a Mark I Communications Tank, gives good details of the Tank's twin aerials, their design and construction.

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]

Any pictures of the antenna tanks?

Here is a rare close up view of a Communications Tank, this photograph was taken on 7th July, 1917 during a visit by Queen Mary to the Tank Corps' Central Workshops at Erin in Northern France.

This photograph gives excellent details of the Communication Tank's converted sponsons, and also details of the Tank's twin aerial masts anchor points.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A closer view of the Communication Tank's converted sponson.

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]

The British WW1 Wireless Communication Tank was fitted with a 50 watt wireless ' Trench Set Mark III ' morse key operated transmitter ( see attached photographs ) with a range of 7000 yards operating on a wavelength 350-550m.

The wireless equipment was fitted in one of the Tank's converted sponsons, with the other converted sponson being fitted with a small operations desk.

The Wireless Communication Tank's twin wireless aerial was approximately 200 feet long and was supported on a 15 foot mast, which was stowed atop the Tank when not in use. When transmitting/receiving the Wireless Communication Tank would be stationary with the aerial mast fully erected.

To power the wireless equipment, the Wireless Communication Tank was fitted with two additional 10-volt accumulator batteries.

Photographs of a WW1 Wireless Communication Tank are extremely rare, and a battlefield photograph even rarer, and one existing photograph ( post #4785 ) shows that a Wireless Communication Tank was in use at Neuve Eglise ( Nieuwkerke ) 7 miles South of Ypres in the West Flanders region of Belgium in June 1917, and Wireless Communication Tanks were also known to have been used during the Battle of Cambrai ( November 20 - December 7, 1917 ).

However, an important photograph exists, which appears to show a Mark IV Tank being used as a Wireless Communication Tank during late September 1917 in the Menin Road, Hooge area just 2 miles East of Ypres, in the West Flanders region of Belgium.

In this particular photograph, rather than the wireless aerial being mounted on top of the Tank, the mast has been erected alongside the Tank.

These two photographs show Wireless Communication Tanks being used operationally in the Ypres area during mid/late Summer 1917.

Attached are two photographs showing the 50 watt wireless ' Trench Set Mark III ' morse key operated transmitter with a range of 7000 yards operating on a wavelength 350-550m, fitted into the Wireless Communication Tank's converted sponson.

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 additional view of the Wireless Communication Tank's 50 watt wireless ' Trench Set Mark III ' morse key operated transmitting/receiving equipment housed in the Tank's converted sponson.

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]

An extremely interesting photograph taken at Inverness Copse in the Menin Road area just 2 miles East of Ypres on 20th September 1917, which appears to show a Mark IV Wireless Communications Tank. However, rather that the Tank's aerial mast being fitted to the top of the Tank, the mast has been erected alongside the Tank.

Also seen in the photograph, are German prisoners carrying wounded troops on stretchers.

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]

In addition to Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Tank No. 2341, and the Mark V Tank No. 9171 on display at the Imperial War Museum, another WW1 Tank, a Mark V Male Tank No. 9199 currently on display at the Bovington Tank Museum, is known to have also been painted at one time with a ' Seeing Eye '.

The Mark V Male Tank No. 9199 went into service on 8th August 1918, and at the end of WW1, was one of the hundreds of WW1 Tanks shipped back to Bovington for either repair and refurbishment or scrapping. No. 9199 was repaired and refurbished and was subsequently selected to be on permanent display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

Attached is a coloured photograph of the Mark V Male Tank No. 9199 taken sometime in 1960/1970s prior to it being placed on display, and painted in it's post WW1 camouflage colours, and with a ' Seeing Eye '.

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]

The Mark V Male Tank No. 9199 seen on display at Bovington Tank Museum, painted in it's original camouflage paint scheme, complete with ' Seeing Eye '.

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]

The Mark V Male Tank No. 9199 shown on display at Bovington Tank Museum painted in it's current ' H41 ' paint scheme.

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]

The painting of a ' Seeing Eye ' on the bodywork of a British Armoured Vehicle, which began with the ' Seeing Eye ' painted on Mr. Tong Sen's donated Mark IV Male Tank No. 2341, was continued after the end of WW1.

In the attached photograph of a WW2 vintage A11 Mark I ' Matilda ' Tank No. T 8106, first produced in 1937 ( only 139 manufactured ) and used in France at the start of WW2, the A11 Tank's turret has been painted with a ' Seeing Eye ', this particular A11 is on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

Other examples of British Armoured Vehicles painted with a ' Seeing Eye ' also exist, including a ' Centurion ' Tank.

The first photograph, shows details of the ' Seeing Eye ' painted on the A11's turret.

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]

A WW2 vintage A11 Mark I ' Matilda ' Tank No. T 8106, first produced in 1937 ( only 139 manufactured ) and used in France at the start of WW2, the A11 Tank's turret has been painted with a ' Seeing Eye ', this particular A11 is on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

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.

[Scalyback]

Thank you LF. Very nice write up, makes perfect sense to me being a scalyback. To split hairs, Antenna is the correct term. Aerial can be used but I was informed Antenna is correct for military use. The same goes for Gas mask/ respirator. Technical use v normal use I guess.

What I can figure out is the first picture the pole is connected to the tank, with the link to the radio unit going in via the front driver eye hatch. with the transmitting/reciving wire then rigged off said pole transversing down the back of the tank. All secured to the tank, all well and good until they pull off. Even 15ft of fibreglass pole will then move about in an alarming manner.

The battlefield photo with the pole ground mounted shows that lessons have been taken on board. Stop, erect, transmit!

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Thank you LF. Very nice write up, makes perfect sense to me being a scalyback. To split hairs, Antenna is the correct term. Aerial can be used but I was informed Antenna is correct for military use. The same goes for Gas mask/ respirator. Technical use v normal use I guess.

Scalyback,

Many thanks for the interesting information, and for the correct ' Antenna ' term.

I was interested in the ' Scalyback ' name, and found this interesting information :-

" Lovable regimental nickname given to The Royal Signals. The modern variant is simply 'Scaleys'.

The name allegedly comes from WW2 radio operators who would have a scale-like skin on their backs due to the leaking battery acid from the primitive radio battery packs of the day.

However, the real reason for the term comes from 'Scale E', which was the pay band that sigs were originally given, to differentiate from ordinary cannon fodder pay levels.

The term was also used in the RAF to describe individuals living in MQs, though quite why had never been ascertained. "

Regards,

LF

[MikeMeech]

Thank you LF. Very nice write up, makes perfect sense to me being a scalyback. To split hairs, Antenna is the correct term. Aerial can be used but I was informed Antenna is correct for military use. The same goes for Gas mask/ respirator. Technical use v normal use I guess.

What I can figure out is the first picture the pole is connected to the tank, with the link to the radio unit going in via the front driver eye hatch. with the transmitting/reciving wire then rigged off said pole transversing down the back of the tank. All secured to the tank, all well and good until they pull off. Even 15ft of fibreglass pole will then move about in an alarming manner.

The battlefield photo with the pole ground mounted shows that lessons have been taken on board. Stop, erect, transmit!

Hi

'Antenna' may be a 'correct' term, however, in the official reports of 'Wireless Telephone' Tests, for air/tank co-operation, during July 1918 'Aerial' is used consistently, eg. 10.7.18. Wireless Telephone Tests:

"Three kinds of aerial were tried. i. Fishing Rod Type. ii. Balanced aerial. iii. Trailing aerial. The results of these aerials were about equal and were fairly good."

Mike

[MikeMeech]

Scalyback,

The term was also used in the RAF to describe individuals living in MQs, though quite why had never been ascertained. "

Regards,

LF

Hi

If I remember correctly from my RAF days (1970s), the term was used because when conscription ended there were different pay rates depending if you were married or not and 'Scale E' was for married airmen. That ended when 'proper' pay came in and you were paid for your 'trade' and 'rank', but there was still marriage allowances I think.

Mike

[Lancashire Fusilier]

'Antenna' may be a 'correct' term, however, in the official reports of 'Wireless Telephone' Tests, for air/tank co-operation, during July 1918 'Aerial' is used consistently, eg. 10.7.18. Wireless Telephone Tests:

"Three kinds of aerial were tried. i. Fishing Rod Type. ii. Balanced aerial. iii. Trailing aerial. The results of these aerials were about equal and were fairly good."

If I remember correctly from my RAF days (1970s), the term was used because when conscription ended there were different pay rates depending if you were married or not and 'Scale E' was for married airmen. That ended when 'proper' pay came in and you were paid for your 'trade' and 'rank', but there was still marriage allowances I think.

Mike,

Many thanks for the interesting information.

Regards,

LF