horrocks Posted 14 April , 2022 Share Posted 14 April , 2022 18 hours ago, Old Forge said: Thanks @horrocks - fascinating views and the pics are very atmospheric. Years ago I read Henry Williamson’s autobiographical novels, A Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight. Gut feeling says Jacob’s Ladder featured during his time on the Somme. Will have to check! Cheers, Richard Thanks Richard. Williamson has slipped past me, for some reason. I must right that wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 14 April , 2022 Share Posted 14 April , 2022 10 hours ago, Don Regiano said: Well, as we seem to have morphed into photos of the countryside , here's one I took this morning. Fairly easy really but, if you need a clue, it is "parking place" I feel I shouldn't be struggling with this. Am I even remotely warm if I were to wing it and say Pusieux/Gommecourt, somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 14 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2022 1 hour ago, horrocks said: feel I shouldn't be struggling with this. If you are struggling with this Toby what chance have the rest of us got? I was thinking of cheating and trying to place it by reference to the path of the pylons and the wind turbines. It makes me think of the other side of Ginchy but I don't know that area well enough to be confident. I certainly haven't got a clue about the clue. What's the French for parking space? Probably place de parking knowing the creeping march of Franglais.... Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Moore Posted 15 April , 2022 Share Posted 15 April , 2022 16 hours ago, Don Regiano said: Well, as we seem to have morphed into photos of the countryside , here's one I took this morning. Fairly easy really but, if you need a clue, it is "parking place" Rideau de Filoires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 15 April , 2022 Share Posted 15 April , 2022 (edited) On 14/04/2022 at 22:51, horrocks said: Pusieux/Gommecourt, On 15/04/2022 at 00:01, Fattyowls said: Ginchy On 15/04/2022 at 05:29, Gerald Moore said: Well, you were closer than Toby on this occasion Pete (and both not far away), but the prize goes to Gerald. The reference to "parking place" was indeed related to where Stuart Hastie parked up tank D17 (Dinnaken) after his day trip to Flers on the opening day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Gerald's photo, I believe, is taken looking back towards the Flers-Longueval road which can just about be seen (it's clearer in other photos taken at the time) in the middle background from where I took the photo. Reg Edited 16 April , 2022 by Don Regiano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 15 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2022 A good one Reg, and congratulations to Gerald for a good spot. I do like a good then and now comparison. Kwolity with a capital K. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 15 April , 2022 Share Posted 15 April , 2022 I was thrown by the apparent proximity of the turbine triffids behind Ginchy, but yes, familiar enough for me to have got it. As an aside, I didn't actually realise that Dinnaken had come this far back from Flers, I thought her parking place was closer to the village and the Flers-Ginchy road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 16 April , 2022 Share Posted 16 April , 2022 21 hours ago, horrocks said: I didn't actually realise that Dinnaken had come this far back from Flers, I thought her parking place was closer to the village and the Flers-Ginchy road Unfortunately, my copy of Trevor Pidgeon's book is back in England so I can't check all the details. However, there is a note on my Linesman maps that states that Stuart Hasite parked up D17 at S. 12. b. 60. 83. I also recall the commentary that becaise of engine problems he was on his way back to Longueval but as engine failure was imminent, he pulled off the main road just before a large right hand bend and parked up againdt the embankment out of sight of enemy artillery on the left of the road. IIRC, D3 was also parked up against the embankment. Amongst, the others that didn't return there was a D tank somewhere near the Flers-Ginchy road (I believe) but I can't remember its name or number. Reg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 16 April , 2022 Share Posted 16 April , 2022 Was the latter knocked out by artillery fire? I recall that someone found some artefacts from the hull some years ago. Was this the one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 16 April , 2022 Share Posted 16 April , 2022 The only tank knocked out in the environs of the Flers to Ginchy road was Dolphin but she was hit well to the north at T1a 9,9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 17 April , 2022 Share Posted 17 April , 2022 22 hours ago, horrocks said: Was the latter knocked out by artillery fire? D3 had its steering knocked out by artillery. It had already veered to the west of its planned route and ended up taking shelter at the embankment near D17 in 41 Division's area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 17 April , 2022 Share Posted 17 April , 2022 The D Company War Diary has slightly different info on D3 (Male 728) but it is contradicted by a later citation: "Tank crossed starting line near DELVILLE WOOD. At TEA SUPPORT tank was hit by HE shell and it appears that splinters of the shell became wedged in the track and when the tank was moved, track was damaged. As efforts to repair damage were unsuccessful, the tank took no further part in the action on Sept 15th. Tank was eventually brought in by ASC mechanics." The Adjutant's correspondence book includes citation for two of the D3 Crews ( 2544 Cpl William McNICOLL and 2625 Pte William Frank STEER) dated 29 Sep 1916 "When the car became ditched these two men worked from 7.30 a.m. till 8 p.m. continuing under heavy shell fire, digging and repairing and it is only due to their efforts of these two men that the car got clear." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 19 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2022 Where am I and what am I pointing the camera at on the horizon? Bonus points for naming the three hills that run across the photo just below the horizon. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverforget Posted 20 April , 2022 Share Posted 20 April , 2022 I don't know Pete, but that road that appears in the distance between the two large clumps of trees (technical term) and then sweeps round to the left reminded me of the bit of Somme film where you see a long line of troops/horses snaking down the road. I can almost visualise it taking place right there. That said, I do realise that I'm way off the mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 20 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 20 April , 2022 1 hour ago, neverforget said: I do realise that I'm way off the mark. The hills in the distance had an impact on the Somme, of that there is no doubt; and interestingly the photo I took immediately after this one has a 1st July 1916 connection too when I digitised it. If you use the word interesting in it's loosest sense of course. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 20 April , 2022 Share Posted 20 April , 2022 are you on Mont des Cats or Kemmelberg looking at the "hills" of Loos??? Just the first thing that comes to mind because we talked about that... ... and it's my cue for just butting back into the conversation... ***... Nice couple of pictures we had here the last weeks... I really need to find the time to get you some pics... M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 20 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 20 April , 2022 57 minutes ago, Marilyne said: are you on Mont des Cats or Kemmelberg looking at the "hills" of Loos? I'm not but it is an interesting suggestion; I can remember coming over the top of the Mont des Cats and seeing the salient in the distance but I can't think of anywhere on the Kemmelberg where you can get a full view like that. This is further south, which isn't much of a clue because there is nothing much high to the north of the Flanders Alps. The triangle of masonry in the bottom right corner is a clue, and your first guess has one syllable that is correct...... And feel free to but back into the conversation any time you want; I can imagine you've been a bit busy with planning to move the boys and girls east at short notice. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 21 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2022 A clue for my grainy black and white vantage point: it has some things in common with the Ulster Tower........ Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 21 April , 2022 Share Posted 21 April , 2022 I think I can guess but I don't want to spoil it for anyone else. Taken from Montfaucon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 22 April , 2022 Share Posted 22 April , 2022 Oh well, as no one else is replying, I'd say it's a view from the tower at Montfaucon looking towards the Right Bank and (possibly) the Ossuary tower. The 3 hills are famous landmarks on the Left Bank. Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 22 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 April , 2022 Absolutely correct Christina. The tower of the Ossuary is just visible in the enlarged version I had done 25 years ago but the scan of the negative is too grainy to pick it out. The monument is currently closed and can't be climbed rather like the Ulster Tower. There is a follow up question which might interest the Somme specialists: does anyone recognise the rightmost gentleman walking down the steps from the memorial? Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 23 April , 2022 Share Posted 23 April , 2022 THAT was a good one, Pete!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 23 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2022 1 hour ago, Marilyne said: THAT was a good one, Pete!! Can I just get this correct for the record? Are you saying that a photo of mine is good? Which one, or is it both? Either way I may have to print your post off, frame it and put it on my wall. The chap walking down the steps on the right of the three is a famous author and a pioneer of an approach to WW1 research which is no longer possible. Anyone got any guesses? Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripeyman Posted 24 April , 2022 Share Posted 24 April , 2022 18 hours ago, Fattyowls said: Can I just get this correct for the record? Are you saying that a photo of mine is good? Which one, or is it both? Either way I may have to print your post off, frame it and put it on my wall. The chap walking down the steps on the right of the three is a famous author and a pioneer of an approach to WW1 research which is no longer possible. Anyone got any guesses? Pete. Martin Middlebrook ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 24 April , 2022 Share Posted 24 April , 2022 19 hours ago, Fattyowls said: Can I just get this correct for the record? Are you saying that a photo of mine is good? Which one, or is it both? Either way I may have to print your post off, frame it and put it on my wall. The "where is this" is very good... But your picture too... M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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