Old Owl Posted 23 July , 2017 Share Posted 23 July , 2017 Hi All, Just wondered if anyone had come across an image of this tank, either before or after it was knocked out at Bourlon on 27/11/17. Many thanks, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 23 July , 2017 Share Posted 23 July , 2017 There is one in this thread: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 23 July , 2017 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2017 4 hours ago, Gareth Davies said: There is one in this thread: Many thanks Gareth--that's brilliant with three different photos and an ariel view showing 'Fearnaught' almost up to the German trenches before it was knocked out by a direct hit. Cheers, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 16 November , 2018 Share Posted 16 November , 2018 Message for 'Old Owl' Hi Robert, May I ask about your interest in F31? My great uncle was the driver of F31 winning the MM for his actions on the 20th & 27th November 1917 and winning a Bar to his MM on the 8th October 1918. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 16 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2018 8 hours ago, Allan1892 said: Message for 'Old Owl' Hi Robert, May I ask about your interest in F31? My great uncle was the driver of F31 winning the MM for his actions on the 20th & 27th November 1917 and winning a Bar to his MM on the 8th October 1918. Allan Hi Allan, My interest stems from my research into 2/Lt Frederick George Eckley, the commander of F31 'Fearnaught' at Cambrai on 20/11/17 and then through to 27/11/17 when he was killed. F31 received a direct hit on 27/11/17, 2/Lt Eckley was Kia and all his crew were wounded, I assume that your great uncle was one of these men? It is very interesting that your uncle won his MM for these two dates when it seems F31 was very heavily involved in action. I would be most interested to hear if you have any further info or photos relating to F31 and 2/Lt Eckley. Regards, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 Hi Robert, I assume that you have seen the photo taken when F 31 ( and 4 others) were disabled and also the aerial photo of the 5 disabled with F31 almost on top of the German trench. I don't know if you have seen a photo of 2nd Lt. Eckley but in case you haven't, I have attached a copy for you. I have also attached images from the book 'Tank Corps Book of Honour' which shows the citations for my great uncle (Benjamin Hunter) for his MM and Bar. (The award of his Bar was as a result of his actions on the 8th October 1918). Ben's medals were passed to his daughter when he died and at some stage ended up in the private collection of a Bill Green who eventually put them into auction and it was at this stage that the tank museum at Bovington stepped in and purchased them. I would be interested in anything that you may have with regard to F31 as I am in the middle of writing up his story which will be added to other stories of family members that fought in WW1. Best wishes, Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 17 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2018 Hi Allan, It seems that you have pretty much all, and possibly more information than that which I have on F31--most of which has come via this forum. I was fortunate to purchase the BWM & VM to 2/Lt F.G.Eckley from a dealer some years ago and even more fortunate to purchase his Memorial Plaque from a collector a few months later. I must say that I was intrigued by the name given to F31 as 'Fearnaught', which of course was later (1923) to become the motto of the Royal Tank Corps. Quite special I thought! Here is a short biography of Frederick George Eckley which may be of interest--I already had found the photo of him but many thanks anyhow: "Frederick George Eckley was older than most of the 'F' Battalion Tank commanders. He was born in 1886 in Pennsylvania, he later lived in Brislington on the eastern outskirts of Bristol. He was a commercial clerk, who later worked in a tobacco manufacturers. Frederick, who originally served with the North Somerset Yeomanry, transferred to the MGC and was then commissioned on the 23rd November, 1916. He joined the 17th Company of 'F' Battalion and commanded 'Fearnaught', a male tank, during the battle of Cambrai. On 20th November the tank destroyed two German machine guns on the Hindenburg line; the first by using its 6lb gun; the second by crushing the gun with its tracks. The tank then supported the infantry in the assault and mopped up the Germans on the La Pave road capturing a further machine gun and 80 soldiers. The following day the tank was again in action at Rumilly. On the 27th November when 'F' Bn was in support of the 62nd Divison in a final attempt to take the village of Bourlon, Fearnaught was hit at point blank range by a German anti-tank gun; Frederick Eckley was killed and all his crew injured. His body was recovered later and is now buried in the Lowrie Cemetery near Havrincourt." That is pretty much all I have, Best Wishes, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 18 November , 2018 Share Posted 18 November , 2018 Morning Robert, Many thanks for your reply. For a long time I wondered who was the CO of F31 then from various searches I came up with Eckley but couldn't be 100% sure, your reply above confirms the fact. Brilliant that you have been able to purchase his 'death penny', so many have been lost over the years. Once again, many thanks for the info. Kind regards, Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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