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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

TANK STORAGE SHED PHOTO


INW

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I am in contact with the relatives of a WW1 Tank Corp Mechanic who we think was stationed at the main workshops at Erin.

This rather poor quality image is with his this papers.

Does any one have a better version of it or something similar?

 

He was  HAROLD STANLEY JAMES TOMPKINS 201071   (known as Harry)

He has a service record on Ancestry. He was a skilled fitter / mechanic working for Lea Francis the cycle and car makers in Coventry before enlisting.

 

INW

tank picture.jpg

Edited by INW
name corrected
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Is this it?

898f83db62484871f7066f1ee2d62651--armored-vehicles-wwi.jpg

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Mark, Thanks for the prompt !

 

I had a go awhile ago but this time with some success !

 

There is a good stereo image of the same sheds:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205247223

Also a nice one of the officers, NCO's and men at Erin October 1918.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205245398

Please note the sheds are behind the men.

 

Any further images would be gratefully received....

 

INW

 

 

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Many Thanks Gareth 

That is perfect! Your image must have been taken in deepest winter judging by the trees. The black and white silhouette image is sufficiently clear to show good leaf growth on the trees.

In the first image I think the first two bay are number 24 and 25.  In your image the number bay numbers end at 40 on the right.

 

INW

 

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I have found this newspaper article about a tribunal in which Harry's employer's requested that he stayed with them as his civilian work as a mechanic was vital for the war effort.

Lea and Francis made Cycles and Motorcars in Coventry.

No doubt his skills were put to great use in the workshops. The efforts of all the mechanic's there were every bit as vital to getting the tanks into battle as those of the men in the front line.

 

Coventry Evening Telegraph Thursday 2 March 1916

 image.png.8d5a718a0362605e53fab8c00c0861db.png

 

INW

 

 

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Reversing one of those cumbersome beasts into that rather flimsy structure must have kept nerves on edge. I'm not all that adept at reversing my Golf, I certainly wouldn't have cared to have been responsible for putting that lot away!

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The reversing it in is the easy bit.

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