trajan Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 Lunch-tıme-at-desk-readıng gave me this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3824281/British-soldiers-survived-Ypres-happened-went-home.hl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 It's an improvement on the first article they ran on @johntaylor's excellent book - they managed to get his name right this time round. Tank spotters among you will notice that the tank with the Ser No 9891 is a Mk V*. The tank was part of the 301st US Tank Battalion and it took part in the 2nd Battle of Cambrai in Oct 18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 Thanks for posting this - I've actually done the same on the Soldiers section of the Forum. Gareth, you're right that they got my name right first time (John Taylor isn't exactly the most exotic name in the world). However in fairness I should point out that they did correct it last time when I pointed out the mistake. The main thing is, it's great that they've featured the photograph, and our research, in this way. All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 John, Out of idle curiosity, who was the 1950s "Tank" correspondent? Was he an officer? I wonder whether the version of the photograph that was published in the RTR Journal was printed in a poor quality. I feel sure that he could have identified no.14 if he had seen this version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 Hi IPT, that's a very good point. The letter was sent by Eric Owen, who was actually in No. 12 Company (though all the officers shown were in No. 11 Company). He mentions that he saw it in 'I Was There' so it would have been in extremely poor quality - and fact most of Officer no. 14's face is cropped off at the side. I've attached a high quality screenshot and I'm sure he would be identifiable... though sadly I can't place him. As I said in the other thread on this subject, Stephen Pope from the First Tank Crews website was very helpful in this research - in fact he originally pointed out the article by Eric Owen in The Tank. I will draw his attention to this and see if he can place him. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 I have a similar version but I don;t have details of the man you identify I believe it was taken at the same time as this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 Hi Stephen, thanks for your help with this with was invaluable. They've chosen to show the names in a different order, but these are entirely consistent (except 'Strothers' should be 'Struthers'). Incidentally the Mirror have also run this on their website: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/amazing-story-how-soldiers-photograph-8992946 I'd love to identify no. 14 and I'm sure it's not impossible. We know many of No. 11 Company's officers at the time. Surely.... Thanks again, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 (edited) If it's any use, "A Company of Tanks" identifies the dachshund as Susie. Edited 6 October , 2016 by IPT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 6 October , 2016 Share Posted 6 October , 2016 2 hours ago, delta said: I believe it was taken at the same time as this Well that's still King reading his paper, and is that the same chap still also reading it? Could be F.C. Talbot. Any chance the collar badge is 4th Dragoon Guards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 (edited) Fred Talbot was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment before he went to the Heavy Branch. Edited 7 October , 2016 by Gareth Davies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 3 hours ago, Gareth Davies said: Fred Talbot was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment before he went to the Heavy Branch. Thanks for that. The MIC was misleading. Talbot should have been there at the time, but he could be the photographer for all we know. Still, I think we'll have this solved soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 Talbot was one of the section commanders until his death on October 9 - the other section commander, Skinner, is shown in the first photo. However from what I can tell this doesn't look like him. Plenty more possibilities though. Shaw, Willis, Benn, Grant, Lloyd to name but a few. Unfortunately I don't think I've seen photos of any of them. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 East Surrey? Captain? Come on detectives. Final furlong. http://zoom.iwm.org.uk/view/355062&cat=photographs&oid=object-205191796 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 This is Captain Wilfred Wyatt. He's named in the Mail article, and in Stephen's photo above. They're all identified except no. 14 - even the dog! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 We know the Dachshund was called Susie but what was the terrier called? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 7 October , 2016 Share Posted 7 October , 2016 7 minutes ago, johntaylor said: This is Captain Wilfred Wyatt. Of course it is. He's even sitting in the same place! Back to the drawing board. I was all excited too. 11 minutes ago, Gareth Davies said: We know the Dachshund was called Susie but what was the terrier called? Walker, whilst very fond of Susie, appears to remain silent on the matter of the terrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 8 October , 2016 Share Posted 8 October , 2016 Actually there is one more problem apart from Officer no. 14 (and the terrier!). If you look at the full version posted by Stephen, you can see one more officer at the extreme right who wasn't shown in the version used by the Mail and Mirror. He isn't named in the letter which identified the others, and he is therefore also a mystery, though he would be highly recognisable to someone who knew him. Let's call him Officer no. 15.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 8 October , 2016 Share Posted 8 October , 2016 (edited) On 10/7/2016 at 07:45, Gareth Davies said: Fred Talbot was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment before he went to the Heavy Branch. I didn't know that! So he possibly knew Dick Haigh before they were together in 11 company Edited 8 October , 2016 by delta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted Wednesday at 10:37 Share Posted Wednesday at 10:37 (edited) On 08/10/2016 at 18:10, delta said: I didn't know that! So he possibly knew Dick Haigh before they were together in 11 company I am pretty sure that knew each other. I have just looked at 'Life in a Tank' and Haigh mentions Talbot - in fact there is a whole chapter on Talbot from him volunteering for the tanks and all through his initial training. I have inferred from this that they were in the same R Berks Bn. I may of course be very wrong! Edited Wednesday at 10:39 by Gareth Davies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now