mtaylor Posted 19 December , 2022 Share Posted 19 December , 2022 The attached is a crop from a pic that shows German guns on railway trucks for transport (Some Br kit is also present). I do not know what this is. Not(?) a field kitchen or a water cart? Any suggestions welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War Truck Posted 20 December , 2022 Share Posted 20 December , 2022 I think it is an engineers cart. A bit like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted 20 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 20 December , 2022 Thank you. I think the shape is v near. The original photo seems to show riveted construction and what are the strange cylinder and access points I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 20 December , 2022 Share Posted 20 December , 2022 On 19/12/2022 at 15:59, mtaylor said: The attached is a crop from a pic that shows German guns on railway trucks for transport (Some Br kit is also present). I do not know what this is. Not(?) a field kitchen or a water cart? Any suggestions welcome Please ... So as to give us a better chance of perhaps identifying ... Any chance of not quite so cropped? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted 20 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 20 December , 2022 Not sure that this will help but less cropped view attached. Whatever it is it is on a French railway wagon along with a captured German 77mm Field Gun. There is also British kit on the same train so could be Br or German. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 (edited) I think the ‘lid’ is curved as opposed to faceted, I realise this doesn’t help. I too am drawn to the two cylinders that look (on my phone) as if they have bolt down lids, I’m mystified. The other horizontal cylinder appears to me to have some form of plumbing attached which follows the body line of the cart which also puzzles me. I hope an answer is forthcoming so it won’t keep me awake for nights on end! Simon Edited 21 December , 2022 by mancpal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasemuseum Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 Hi, I think everyone is making the presumption that the cart is British. Given that it is on a railway wagon with a captured German 77mm c96 n/A field gun, there is always the possibility that it could be an item of captured equipment. Unfortunately, the wheels are not definitive. During WW1 Britain was transitioning from and exposed hub on wheels with the lynch pin exposed and retaining washers and drag links, to the use of cast brass hubcaps over the lynch pin and capturing the drag link onto the hub with the hubcap. By comparison German hubcaps were mostly a small hubcap held in place by the lynch pin and incorporating the drag links in the hub cap. The photo is not clear enough to confirm which configuration is used other than it is not a British cast brass hubcap. Of course the big difference between British and German wheels is the taper on the axle stub 15 deg compared to about 1 degree. But you can only see this when the wheel is off the axle. Cheers Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War Truck Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 Yes you are right. Rivetted construction and probably German in origin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 The horizontal cylinder looks like the filter housing on water carts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 21 December , 2022 Share Posted 21 December , 2022 I hadn’t initially seen the rivets, combined with the straps I’m inclined to think it is some sort of bowser or perhaps a fuel tanker. Museumtoms filter photos seem a good match, even down to the storage box. The only problem is I’ve googled images from various nations and they all seem based on an oil drum type design. simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted 28 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2022 Thanks Gents for your contributions - I did wonder about a water cart but can't find a German example like this. The filter is perhaps the clue needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 28 December , 2022 Share Posted 28 December , 2022 I looked at German, French and British carts and found nothing like it. Perhaps it will remain a mystery. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted 28 December , 2022 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2022 Very likely Simon but thanks for looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjutant Posted 25 January Share Posted 25 January It is a Cart, Water Tank, Mk II, and it is British Army. The cylinder you can see is the left hand water filter. The 77mm FK 96 Na gun appears to be a trophy, with 1st Bn Lincoln chalked onto the gun shield. Museumton's colour pictures are the remains of two Carts, Water Mk VI. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtaylor Posted 30 January Author Share Posted 30 January Thank you. Its great to get the conformation. The train carried the German battery captured by the Lincolns and some (presumably damaged) British guns. So, the presence of a (again, presumably damaged) British water cart is ok. I expect the train was loaded to maximise space and not keep German/British equipment separate. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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