Raster Scanning Posted 1 November , 2003 Share Posted 1 November , 2003 This rather poor picture is of Private Palmer 1st Bedfords, taken in December 1917 in the Polderhoek sector, by Captain Geoffrey Anstee. Palmer was his runner. Any ideas of when this tank may have been put out of action? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 2 November , 2003 Share Posted 2 November , 2003 I think it may be one of the four tanks used in the attack on Reutelhoek on 4 October 1917. Captain Clement Robertson won a posthumous VC in this action. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 2 November , 2003 Share Posted 2 November , 2003 I've been pondering this question all morning. Maybe it's my screen, but I can't see any identifying marks on this tank. If there are any, sing out. So how, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, can you narrow this tank down to an action in October?? Is Polderhoek the clue?? I have looked through most of the photos at the IWM - albeit two years ago - and it's not a photo I recognise (shell hole on left hand side and damage to the top of the male Mk IV). I take my hat off to you if you are right. But please humour me and tell me why it is not from the Cambrai action in November 1917, where more tanks took part. My reasoning is that the battle damage looks VERY recent. The tank appears to be in a 'safe' area, so with Cambrai about to be launched, you would have thoguht that (if the tank was damaged in October) the guns would, at least, have been removed/saved....?? I am ashamed to say that my reference material on the Tanks is very limted (just four books), so I would like to learn more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 2 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2003 This picture is not widely known, it comes from the private collection of Captain Anstee, and was captioned by him. The collection is held by Bedford and Luton Archive and Record Office. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 2 November , 2003 Share Posted 2 November , 2003 John, I appreciate this particular photo is not well known. But there is bound to be another photo of this tank in existence. What I am trying to get at, clumsily, is that Jan has made an identification of this tank - or, at the very least, narrowed it down to one of four. Is this ident based on the caption info (which I am sure is correct, but just might be wrong) - Polderhoek, November 1917 - or has Jan based the indentification on a photo (or from the visible damage) that he has seen somewhere else...?? Or can you see markings on the tank that, on my screen, I can't?? Perhaps the lack of markings IS the reason why Jan can identify the tank. Again, what I am trying to get at is that IF it is one of four tanks, someone should be able to pinpoint - by the damage and location - exactly which tank this is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 3 November , 2003 Share Posted 3 November , 2003 I've written a book about Gheluvelt 1914-1918, so I have a lot of detailed info about the area. The 1st Bedfords were in the Polderhoek Area in November 1917. I know there was a tank there near the Reutelbeek that was there since the attack on Reutelhoek. The tank was the scene of heavy fighting in the winter 1917-1918. However, now that I think about it, it could also be the tank near Black Watch Corner, I don't know however when exactly this tank was destroyed (it must have been in the September fighting). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Simon Bull Posted 12 November , 2003 Share Posted 12 November , 2003 Can any expert tell me which Tank Corps Battalion this tank came from? Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest claeysmarcel Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Hello, I have a photo of a tank, who is simular with your photo, but without a soldier. The tanks is complete and in the far distance there is an other tank. The texst is in french : le "cimetière des tanks" : les épaves enlisées en avant de Passchendaele lors de l'offensive de 1917 My language is flemisch, and I live in Passendale ( = Passchendaele ) groetjes, marcel, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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