? Ranging Table, Survey Equipment by Houghton-Butcher London 1915 Who

[SueWW]

Can you please help us. This artefact is in Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum in Norfolk, it is about 10 x 8 inches in size. The body is a smooth flat wooden board with a metal roller on each side for winding on a length of paper/drafting linen or a map of some kind, which could be held taught on the board. It is has a protractor that can be zeroed on one side under glass, on the same side there is a leather strap fixed to the centre of the board, for attaching the item to something else. A long the bottom it is stamped E.C.S.Monson. IV Houghton-Butcher London - 1915 7394 with the the army double arrow mark. I have included a photo. It has been suggested it is a ranging table of the type used by the RFC and RE.

Can anyone tell us what it was used for and by who please, we want to display it but we need to know what it is and explain it to others.

[johnboy]

WWI RFC Pilot's Knee Board - 1916

SKU: 17-MISC-00009

Pilot's knee board for use in the Royal Flying Corp cockpit, WWI. Bottom of front has stamped in the wood: "Houghton-Butcher, London, 1916" along with broad arrow proof. Wind drift protractor under celluloid on the front has a locking pin that is still fully functional. Leather strap still intack for holding maps and flight plan/notes. Reverse has a compass at the top, an inch ruler at top and centimeters at bottom. Rods left and right are for a rolling map. Included is a small map of the Amiens area with airfields noted and a printed note pad sheet for making aerial observations.

It seems it may be missing the compass at the top.

[Chris Henschke]

This is not a "Pilot's knee board", although later used by aircrew.

It is a Cavalry Sketching Board, used for sketching a route, in a similar manner to a plane table. Designed to be used on horseback, the leather strap was use to secure it to the arm. I believe the image SueWW posted is a Mark IV version.

[MikeMeech]

Hi

There is a short article on the origins of the the cavalry sketching board 'The damnable Cavalry Sketching Board' by Jane Insley, in the National Army Museum publication 'The Victorian Soldier', 1993.

Mike

[MikeMeech]

Hi

Further to last post. The 1913 Army Form G 1098-33-C, 'Mobilization Store Table for the Expeditionary Force' for a 12 Aeroplane Squadron of the RFC states that 9 Boards, sketching, cavalry, would be on establishment. Part of the relevant page of this document is below.

Mike

[SueWW]

Thank you all for your valuable input, it is so good to be able to identify the artefact and do justice to it in our museum display.

Owen Thompson in Norfolk also passed this link on to me http://britisharchaeology.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/highlights/crawford-log.html

[SueWW]

The sketching board has E.C.S. Monson is stamped on the bottom of the board, it belonged to 2^ndLieutenant Edward Charles Sutton Monson, RFA, landed in France 19 Feb 1918 & died of wounds on 15 Jun 1918 Serving with A Battery 331 Brigade and is laid to rest in Pernes British Cemetary V. B. 4. Honors/awards: M C. He Born 1898 Brentford/Chiswick Middlesex

Father Major Edward C P Monson – Architect in Acton London.

1911 Pupil Boarder at Broadhurst & Grammar School, Skelmersdale Rd,

Clacton On Sea.

http://britisharchaeology.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/highlights/crawford-log.html

http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1977-09-32-1

Thank you to Steve Smith and Owen Thompson for their help.

[rflory]

Lieutenant Edward Charles Sutton Monson, MC, RFA

Military Cross (GV)

British War Medal (Lieut.)

WW1 Victory Medal (Lieut.)

M. C. LG 16 September 1918

Monson was born at Chiswick, Middlesex on 5 June 1898, the son of Major Edward Charles Philip Monson, architect, President of the Society of Architects, and Captain in the Volunteer Forces and Marie Louise Monson, who lived at “Fremington”, Creswick Road, Acton, London West. He attended Radley School from 1st Quarter, 1912 until 2nd Quarter, 1915 and was a member of the football XI in 1913 and the football XV in 1914. Monson passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1916 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 26 August 1916. He embarked for France on 19 February 1918 and was initially posted to headquarters, 66th Divisional Artillery on 24 February 1918, but two days later he was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to “A” Battery, 331st Brigade, R. F. A. He was gassed on 29 February 1918.

He received the Military Cross “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty [Domguerre, 21 March 1918). This officer volunteered for special service, he and another officer (Lieut. Douglas Blyth) at dawn taking two guns [500 to 800 yards] in front of the infantry line without escort and engaging the enemy, bringing back the limbers for more ammunition, and using it up. This action checked the enemy advance and afforded time for the withdrawal of the infantry.” His cross was sent to his next of kin on 27 March 1919.

“On 13 June 1918 the HQ and all batteries of 331st Brigade, RFA moved into action under the orders of CRA, 3rd Divsional Artillery. ‘A’ Battery occupied positions about 1000 yards due west of Oblingham. The batteries were told not to register fire until the operations on the morning of 14/15 June.”

On 14 June 1918 “one battalion of the 9th Infantry Brigade and 2 battalions of the 46th Infantry Brigade attacked at 11:45 pm on a front of about 3500 yards. The batteries of the brigade supported the attack and continued firing for about 3 ½ hours. The attack was entirely successful and our line was advanced to a depth of 500 yards and about 200 prisoners were captured. 2nd Lieut. Monson was wounded along with one OR and two ORs were killed." Monson was wounded by a piece of shrapnel from the explosion of an enemy shell that penetrated his steel helmet. He never recovered consciousness and died of his wounds at the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at 1:30 pm on Saturday, 15 June 1918. He was buried in Pernes British Cemetary at Pas de Calais, France.