delta Posted 18 May , 2022 Share Posted 18 May , 2022 (edited) Several years ago, Sue Chifney - a member of the FTC research group - located a report in the Thames Star (a NZ newspaper) which stated that a tank named Damn was operating near Flers on 15 Sep 1916. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS19161215.2.40?fbclid=IwAR3ck7cRVj1L6Vmz8kuRyY8YiUGwpEarbSu2dihsU8WpfkTR3zwAWmQChGM The name of the tank, which was presumably operated by D Coy HS MGC, was unknown to us so we added it to our list of "unidentified tanks". I can now confirm that the tank was in fact commanded by 2Lt Leonard Bond from Gravesend. His tank crew was number D18 and they manned Male tank no 743. The evidence for this is two reports about Bond being awarded the MC for the action in his local newspaper; the Kent Messenger and Gravesend Messenger dated 18 Nov 1916 and 3 Mar 1917. Edited 18 May , 2022 by delta drafting error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 18 May , 2022 Share Posted 18 May , 2022 What a great discovery Stephen - well done, and thanks for sharing this. Despite the light-hearted tone of the newspaper accounts, I'm sure you know that Leonard Bond was repatriated for medical treatment following the attack on September 22 - his service record shows he suffered "splinters, head; shell shock". He returned to France in May 1917 and was assigned to F Bn, but suffered a shrapnel wound to the lung while moving up for the Third Battle of Ypres on July 30. Fortunately he made a good recovery and joined the Indian Army at the end of the war. All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 18 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2022 (edited) John Thanks for the info about his being repatriated on 22 Sep; any more details would be greatly appreciated. Leonard was, of course, claimed by Lt Col Frank Summers, the newly appointed CO of F Bn, when he was fit for duty. Edited 18 May , 2022 by delta spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 18 May , 2022 Share Posted 18 May , 2022 Hi, I have a copy of his Indian Army service record from the British Library which has quite a lot of useful information about his WWI service. It's around 29Mb of pdfs but happy to send if it would be useful. Please send a PM to confirm I've got your latest email address. All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 18 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 18 May , 2022 (edited) John That would be very kind; I did extract info from the British Library back in 2013 but could well have missed something. My FTC email is firsttankcrews@outlook.com Edited 18 May , 2022 by delta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 19 May , 2022 Share Posted 19 May , 2022 Well done on some sterling research! Tanks aren't my thing, although my granddad ended his war service in 1918 at Bovington with the TC, but I can appreciate the work put into discovering information that fills in the gaps in the record! Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 20 May , 2022 Share Posted 20 May , 2022 Stephen, I've sent the files via WeTransfer. Please let me know if they don't arrive. All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 20 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2022 They have arrived and now I have lots to add to my current notes - I can see I missed some very interesting detail. Thanks for your continued support. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjwmacro Posted 20 May , 2022 Share Posted 20 May , 2022 Great stuff @johntaylorand @delta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 21 May , 2022 Share Posted 21 May , 2022 Always a pleasure! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 7 March Share Posted 7 March Here is Leonard Bond MC who commanded Damn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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