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Remembered Today:

"Deborah" Tank at Flesquieres


Terry Carter

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  • 3 weeks later...
hi all

does'nt time fly. I started this topic in 2002!

Towards the end of April, this year, 2005, I will be amongst a party from Knowle making a trip to the Somme for a long weekend. There will be around 20 of us. I have been told by my friend, Mike, who is organising the tour that we will be visiting Flesquieres to see the Tank and also the trench system used in the BBC series 'The Trench'. I will find out a bit more info, tomorrow, must go, on nightshift.

Regards

Terry

Got in touch with Mike.... he has had no reply from Phillipe, so the visit is probably off.

did this visit in may this year, phillipe's a damn hard man to track down,so any one wishing to do so best have lots of pateince,but a very very good man when you do see him,we did the whole cambrai battlefield thing,the latest thing to be partly completed is the new memorial that he is involved with,the R.E did so ground work for him nr Flesquires ridge, the tank trackls are now in place and awaiting flag pole etc,

i would include a few pics from my visit but it says there are to large for here?

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did this visit in may this year, phillipe's a damn hard man to track down,so any one wishing to do so best have lots of pateince,but a very very good man when you do see him,we did the whole cambrai battlefield thing,the latest thing to be partly completed is the new memorial that he is involved with,the R.E did so ground work for him nr Flesquires ridge, the tank trackls are now in place and awaiting flag pole etc,

i would include a few pics from my visit but it says there are to large for here?

I`ve just got back from Flesquieres where I "visited" Deborah. She is amazing. I saw her by floodlight and I felt like I was witnessing something magical. She definately has a soul.

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I`ve just got back from Flesquieres where I "visited" Deborah. She is amazing. I saw her by floodlight and I felt like I was witnessing something magical. She definately has a soul.

as a matter of interest did you get a chance to put your hand on her and did you get any feelings, as we have a very strange story to go with a few visits to her !

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as a matter of interest did you get a chance to put your hand on her and did you get any feelings, as we have a very strange story to go with a few visits to her !

"Quatermass and the Tank!!!!!"

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Please tell me the story. I am very curious.

I asked Phillipe to show me the number 1 that helped with her identification. It is most certainly nor painted on, as some sceptics claim. I visited her with some veterans from The Royal Tank Regiment and we stayed at The Beatus.

The photos(slides) should be ready tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed.

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Please tell me the story. I am very curious.

I asked Phillipe to show me the number 1 that helped with her identification. It is most certainly nor painted on, as some sceptics claim. I visited her with some veterans from The Royal Tank Regiment and we stayed at The Beatus.

The photos(slides) should be ready tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed.

well last time i went across a number of us touched the Deborah, and all us felt either sick or had a very uneasy feeling,also if you are stood facing the front of the tank,where the front right visor is (commanders visor), we took aload of piccys and there was a white mark that moved left to right in the commanders small visor slot,it doesnt sound atlot just describing it but when we sat down and looked at all the pics there were a few "mmmm" moments.

very strange and odd

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  • 2 years later...

Finally got to visit the tank, I would suggest to anyone in the Somme/Cambrai area to make the effort to get there & visit the tank and the graves of the crew buried closeby.

Mick

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I have recently discovered the barriers to visiting the tank. I will be guiding the Cambrai battlefield next Saturday and seeing the tank would have been a bonus for my coach load of OTC students.

I tried the e-mail on the main Deborah web site - no reply

I e-mailed Philippe's hotel in Cambrai - no reply

I was given Philippe's mobile number by his hotel this morning when I phoned - he was out. I left a message - no reply.

Even a 'not available reply' would be helpful instead of not knowing. This is very frustrating.

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It did take quite a few e-mails to get a mutually acceptable time !

I even found a note pinned to the door of the barn when I got there, which I thought was for me asking me to contact him on a number. My phone would not connect to it and I thought all was lost, but Phillippe arrived as promised on time.

Mick

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All is happily resolved. I have had a confirmation e-mail from Philippe and my group will visit Deborah on Saturday afternoon. That is if we can cross the Channel on Friday morning!

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Phillipe and his beloved Deborah late last Saturday afternoon. A wonderful experience.

post-17223-1240252283.jpg

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