pgardiner1418 Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 I am helping Liverpool Museum sort through some photographs in their collection and am trying to pin as many as possible down to specific locations. I feel the attached picture was taken post war as it is included in a group depicting the unveiling of the 55th Division Memorial. I also feel it was taken on the Somme battlefield though cannot be sure. The picture shows a ditched tank which seems to display the marking C 25. Anyone venture a location for the picture? All the best, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 It looks more like C25 to me which was Curiosity. C55 was Carnousty (A241). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgardiner1418 Posted 4 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2014 Gareth, Thanks for responding. Yes the tank is C 25. Could you help with the location of where it met its end? All the best, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 Paul Sorry, that's all I can offer at this stage but I will check my notes when I get home. That said I suspect the real experts such as Sidearm and Delta to name a couple will have given you a better steer by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgardiner1418 Posted 4 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2014 Gareth, Thank you for takeing the time to respond. All the best, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 The original Sep 1916 C25 appears to have been left behind when the rest of the company went into action, alongside D company, on 15 Sep 1916. There doesn't appear to have been a C25 at Cambrai in Nov 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanks3 Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 Paul That tank is a MKIV female so wouldn't have been around for Flers in Sept 16. Probably lost in 1917 prior to Cambrai. Tanks3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1917/3rdypresnarratives/3rdypresnarratives-byunit/8company22august1917 The ground conditions look like the Salient to me. Rob Martin's website shows that C25 became ditched on a couple of occasions and had to be abandoned near the Pommern Redoubt. One of her crew, Sgt Jimmy Dodds who was one of the First Tank Crews, was wounded as the crew tried to get back to safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 C Battalion were operating on the right flank of F Battalion on August 22nd 1917 around Somme farm, Gallipoli, Martha House and others. Section Commander Capt Richardson on board F41 Fray Bentos reveals in his action report that C Battalion tanks were operating on his right flank. This being between Somme farm and the Pommern Castle area. C Battalion lost several tanks that day in this area so perhaps C25 was one of those? The image possibly suggests 3rd Ypres also..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 4 April , 2014 Share Posted 4 April , 2014 I agree the identification of this as C25 'Curiosity', which ditched at Pommern Redoubt on 22 August 1917. It was a tank of 5th Section, 8th Company C Battalion Tank Corps under the command of 2/Lt H.F Nicholson. It couldn't be recovered by the crew as the unditching gear broke. It was handed over to No. 2 Salvage Company on 7 September 1917. I have no history of it after that. The suggestion that the photograph was taken post war (which is quite possible) is interesting therefore. The tank's serial number was 2507, a very early Metropolitan built Mark IV Female. Many thanks for posting the photo, it is quite new to me. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgardiner1418 Posted 4 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 April , 2014 Gentlemen, Thank you all for the input. I think we are getting somewhere with the location. The man who took the photograph was the C.O. of 7th Liverpool's, they were involved in the action of 20th - 23rd September 1917 in the area mentioned in Chris's post so it would make sense for him to re visit that area post 1919. The main problem with the photographs is the fact that though some are annotated on the back they are mixed in with others that are not so trying to get some sort of time line is difficult. All the best, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbox Posted 5 April , 2014 Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Surely if it was a post-war photo, the area would already show extensive vegetation growth? Presumably the photo would have to be before spring 1919? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 5 April , 2014 Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Good point about the vegetation - or lack thereof. Have the guns been removed? Could it be, say, immediately after November 11 1918? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 5 April , 2014 Share Posted 5 April , 2014 The guns were probably removed when the crew abandoned the tank. I am not sure if this was an SOP but it was certainly common practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgardiner1418 Posted 5 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Gents, Thank you again for all your input. I have checked the War Diary for 7th King's and find that they are relieved on 22nd September 1917 by the 2/5th South Staffs the relief being completed by 1.30am on 23rd heading to Fourth Camp, Watou by the afternoon of that day, they then leave the Ypres area on 26th September never to return. Looking at the above dates I feel it gives a very narrow window of opportunity for the picture to have been taken in September but I suppose everything is possible. Potter the C.O. of 7th King's (the man who took the photos) attended the unveiling of the 55 Div memorial in May 1921 and undertook an extensive battlefield tour at that time but I take the point made by Thunderbox that the battlefield looks very fresh in the picture. At least I can put a note as to where the picture was taken if not when. Thank you all for contributing. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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