Light Bob Posted 19 June , 2005 Share Posted 19 June , 2005 Hi Came across this photo in an old album entitled Presidents Wilsons Postbox Ploegsteert February 1916 It dosen't look much like a post box to me - has anyone idea what it was - where it it was or what its purpose was Hope you can opent the attachment Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 19 June , 2005 Share Posted 19 June , 2005 Brian This looks like a camouflaged armoured observation post, painted to look like a tree. I think it was more usual for a larger tree to be replaced with a dummy one with the OP as its core. The first one of that type was erected on 11/3/16 near Bridge No 4 on the Canal north of Ypres. Perhaps this is an early prototype. 'President Wilson's Postbox' is presumably facetious - referring to the President of the USA. Hopefully a Ploegsteert expert can give us more info. The album looks very interesting – any more details Brian? Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcerha Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 If I'm not mistaken there is one of these "rtificial tree" OPs in the WW1 exhibit in the IWM in London. As far as I remember they were not that "armoured" to be honest and more often resembled two 45 galllon oil drums, one on top of the other with anopening at the back or from underneath. Whilst from a distance they may have looked relatively convincing the number of shrapnle holes and bullet strike marks in the one I saw would testify that it was not "the safest place to be". David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 22 June , 2005 Share Posted 22 June , 2005 The trees were built around an armoured core – it’s sometime since I saw the one at the IWM, but I assume the bullets holes are in the cladding rather than the core. Either that or they never collected the core. The Miscellaneous volume of The Work of the Royal Engineers in the European War, 1914-1918 (1927) states that the before July 1916 the French pattern metal interior was used, of ½ inch mild steel built up on panels, bolted to upright Ts. The drawing below shows the British pattern used after that date described as ‘Miris steel, .28in thickness, made and supplied by Messrs. Roneo’ and only bullet proof on the front. On the whole, the trees were not considered a success. I wish we knew more about what the photo shows. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Mitchell Posted 25 June , 2005 Share Posted 25 June , 2005 Wow there were armoured observation trees! And to think some authors still insist there was no ingenuity within the BEF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Bob Posted 3 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 July , 2005 Simon Thanks for info. Photo was in an album at the Somerset Record Office This belonged to unnamed offier of 2/4th S L I. I came across one page of photos taken in France during 15/16. The rest of the album as you would expect covers the 2/4th in India, Palestine and later Germany in 1918/9. The Battalion did not reach France until Spring 1917. The others on the page are typical ruins of Ypres, trench scenes etc. I don't suppose anyone has idea of the location. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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