Tank Corps- Major Laurence Pierce Brooke Merriam

[JulianB]

Thank you Mark, This map was pasted - on the first page (!) - in my G'father's 'war album'. I can see MG positions quite some way north of Cox & Box.   I had always thought that this position was something to do with his MC action ?!

 

[delta]

He would have seen tanks on their first action on 15 Sep 1916; 41st Div were allocated ten tanks and 14th Div (on their right) another four.

.I have never found where the MG sections of 14 and 41 Div were located on 15 Dec 1916; I expected that there were in the northern edge of Delville Wood which would have been a superb place from which to provide 

Edited 4 August , 2019 by delta

[MBrockway]

2 hours ago, JulianB said:

Thank you Mark, This map was pasted - on the first page (!) - in my G'father's 'war album'. I can see MG positions quite some way north of Cox & Box.   I had always thought that this position was something to do with his MC action ?!

 

 

 

41st Div got as far as BOX and COX on the 15/16 Sep, some way to the south.

 

The four MG fire arcs shown on your grandfather's map are on the right (E) edge of the 41st Division sector right on the boundary with 12th Division.  Nos 3 and 4 are even within the 12th Div sector. 

 

By 29 Sep 1916 the British front line was at GIRD SUPPORT, however I suspect these marked MG positions are those to which 123 MG Coy moved during the 07 Oct attack and for which 123 Bde were in Reserve..

 

The First Objective of this attack was just to the north of your grandfather's map at SCABBARD and BAYONET trenches.  122 Bde on the left and 124 Bde on the right.  As I said, 123 Bde were in Reserve.

 

I have no corroboration yet, but I strongly suspect these MG positions would be those taken up by 123 MG Coy as their brigade moved forward to consolidate.

 

On 15/16 Sep, all these positions were well behind enemy lines.

 

Mark

 

 

[delta]

Thank you for sharing the 26 Sep map which gives more locations for dead tanks from the first tank actions 

[stiletto_33853]

Stephen,

You might find this map of interest. Comes from the WO153 maps at the TNA covering the area.

 

Andy

Edited 26 August , 2019 by stiletto_33853

[delta]

That's extremely generous.

Not all locations match the records but the records are not perfect

 

The position of the tank to the north of Flers is the most interesting . It is located much closer to Factory Corner than in other records but it reflects the position of the tank as seen in photos taken in summer 1918.

Edited 28 August , 2019 by delta
Further analysis of the maps against other contemporary records

[Hugh2]

This won't add much, but he was mentioned several times in the letters home from my grandfather, also in the 7th bn Rifle Brigade.

13 Dec. 1915 at ‘Willow Walk’ by the Morteldje salient:
Merriam is back: he was wounded about Hooge time.  He is posted to D Coy.

16 Jan. 2016 on the Yser canal: Merriam runs the mess now.

28 Jan. 2016: Merriam gave a dinner, it being his birthday.

4 Feb. 2016, in a French tunnel dugout: Merriam with his banjo voice, chanting ‘ragtime’ tunes

10 Apr. 2016: I saw Merriam – now M.G.

 

 

Edited 29 March , 2022 by Hugh2
typo

[stiletto_33853]

Interesting,

Who was your grandfather Hugh??

 

Andy

[Hugh2]

My grandfather was (Richard) Cecil Brown of the Indian Civil Service.  He was told he could not be spared from his job in India, but pestered his superiors until he was finally released for military service in March 1915.

He was an acting temporary Captain from Sep. 1916 and won the MC about that time.  In May 1917 his knee was shattered by a shell and the leg amputated.  So that was the end of his war -- and also his career in India, but at least he survived.  He then copied his letters home into a scrapbook, with a few photos and other things stuck in.  I have a transcript made by a cousin and am adding footnotes for things that I feel may need explanation for a later generation.  It's not always easy to find out who the people mentioned (mainly fellow officers) were, but the search led me here.