DAVE PLATT Posted 17 January , 2017 Share Posted 17 January , 2017 Putting together a tank tour on the Somme, I was following the routes of C1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, as many of you know C1 was Champagne, much has been written and the action of the 15th Sept with the death of Horace Brotherwood and his grave just down the road at Pozieres. So I'm out on a mission following the route exactly and using my GPS, Linesman and other researched information, maps, photos etc. So trudging though the ploughed field (bit harder with the frost) on to the position that was Sugar Trench and the position C1 got bogged in, I placed a marker and started doing circles extending out looking for any evidence etc. The usual items showing, like rounds, 3 buckles, a button, piece of SRD, half a bayonet (British) Shrapnel balls etc, then saw what looked like part of a toothed gear, extracted it from the ground and was amazed at the piece. It looks like the stub shaft has been snapped off the drive as it shows damage, but the chain teeth are intact, I'm thinking if the pitch is the same as the chain drive on the tank it could be a match? The measurement from the centre of one tooth to another is 1 1/4 inch So the question, is it part of a WW1 tank, or is it some old piece of French farm equipment?? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 17 January , 2017 Share Posted 17 January , 2017 HI Dave think Dom has some tank parts in his museum have you compared cogs with his? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 17 January , 2017 Share Posted 17 January , 2017 9 hours ago, DAVE PLATT said: I'm thinking if the pitch is the same as the chain drive on the tank it could be a match? Suggest that you wonder across to the Tank Corps memorial and do a check against the drive chains there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE PLATT Posted 18 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 18 January , 2017 12 hours ago, KIRKY said: HI Dave think Dom has some tank parts in his museum have you compared cogs with his? Tony Roger that Tony, I will pop in at some point and see him. Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE PLATT Posted 18 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 18 January , 2017 12 hours ago, delta said: Suggest that you wonder across to the Tank Corps memorial and do a check against the drive chains there I think that chain is for the final drive? and may be a larger link mechinism than the wheel I have, but you never know, I shall pop across this morning and have a look Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 18 January , 2017 Share Posted 18 January , 2017 Looking forward to the results of your research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towisuk Posted 19 January , 2017 Share Posted 19 January , 2017 (edited) Just out of interest I looked on-line to see if there was a map reference for where Champagne was ditched, and from "Surrey in the Great War" site the map reference was given as R 25a 3.9. This is nowhere near Sugar trench so whoever wrote the piece is well out with his abandoned C1 tank position... I took an interest because a number of years back on my way to Paris I took a detour via the Bapaume - Albert road, stopping at the Tank and Australian memorials. From the Australian memorial I saw a hole in the newly ploughed field adjacent to it, wandering over I looked down and saw that the farmers plough had caught a large lump of metal buried about 12 inches down from the surface. Having been around tracked vehicles a lot in my working life it looked very much like a roller shaft that supported a track, I was in two minds whether to recover it...but that would have meant leaving either the wife or young daughter behind as there was very little room in the car...so I did the next best thing and made a video of what was laid in the hole. On my return home I showed it to a friend who worked with me for 40 years, and he immediately confirmed it was from a tracked vehicle. So I've often wondered where it ended up...maybe even in Dom's museum as it was only a few hundred yards from his establishment... regards Tom Edited 20 January , 2017 by towisuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 19 January , 2017 Share Posted 19 January , 2017 The remains of the tank you saw near the Australian memorial was probably Chablis which failed to get into action and was later blown up. I have Champagne ditched at R35a 3.9; which is about 150 yards north of Sugar Trench. Surrey in the Great War got the bulk of their info from me so it is probably a typing error. if mine, i sincerely apologise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towisuk Posted 19 January , 2017 Share Posted 19 January , 2017 Many thanks for the update Stephen, all these years I wondered which tank it had come from, and ok on the correct location of Champagne. Don't apologise mate...without the interest and work that you tank lads put in, we would be in a far worse place regarding information on the men and machines of the Tank corps. best regards Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidearm Posted 25 January , 2017 Share Posted 25 January , 2017 I'm afraid I'm going to be a party-pooper and express my scepticism that this is from a tank's final drive. I know of pinions in Mark I tanks that had 13, 16 and 23 teeth, but this has 15. It also doesn't look like the parts I've seen. It might be from another component. What size is it? Can any manufacturer's marks or serial numbers be found on it anywhere? Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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