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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Tank Week


tanks3

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Thanks for the photo of the original PD tank; it looks like a mark IV female - is that right?

As for Mark I's I was very saddened to learn that Mother had been presented to Bovington and was scrapped during the second world war

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The overwhelming majority of presentation tanks were Mk IV females.

The scapping of tanks at Bovingdon in WW2 was ordered from Whitehall.

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The picture I have attached is a well known photograph of 119 Old Bill at Birmingham Tank Bank week, recorded at Birmingham Library archives. The picture is quite unique as it also shows the crew. My grandfather George Beer is the tall man stood to the right of the Officer. He was over 6 feet tall so I presume he must have banged his head a few times.

Mike

post-16480-1179052915.jpg

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Hello Martin,

Thanks for the info. Interested to read about "88-Albert". I assume this was in all respects a tram that travelled along the tramway and was mearly constructed to look like a WW1 tank. Are there any pictures of it in the local rag?

Thanks again

Tanks3

I believe a picture did appear in the paper - I've seen one that made it into a book on seaside tramways and looked like newsprint.

It was built on an obsolete tram (from the late 1880's I think) when it became apparent to to run the real thing on roads would cause too much damage.

Martin

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Thanks for the photo of the original PD tank; it looks like a mark IV female - is that right?

It is a Mk IV but a male, not a female.

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Help

On this site http://www.oldclitheroe.co.uk/oldbrungerley.htm there is a small picture that when you put your cursor over it says German Tank being taken to brungerley park. Unfortunately when I click on it the dreaded AOL just drops me out of the site. I suspect its in reality a presentation tank allocated to Clitheroe. Can any one with a more friendly ISP acess and post?

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Mike - thanks a lot

Now I can see it I find I did have a much smaller and poorer copy. It appears to be Julian, presumably during Clitheroe tank bank week

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Mike - thanks a lot

Now I can see it I find I did have a much smaller and poorer copy. It appears to be Julian, presumably during Clitheroe tank bank week

No problems glad to help

Mike (Lookingforoldbill)

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As you can see there is much confusion about Lincoln's presentation tank. I fear Centurion is right. we will not be sure until we see a picture of the tank in it's resting place. Therefore if there is anyone out there who has a copy please let me know.

Tanks3

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I wouldn't jump to any conclusion that the tank shown in Clitheroe is Julian. I assume that the i.d. is on the basis that the tank is a Male and the last digit of the Home Forces number is a three - suggesting 113 Julian. However I have a photo of a Mark IV Male number 103 in Clitheroe.

If it helps anyone the Pembroke Dock Mark IV was sited in Memorial Park, on Bush Street. I had a suspicion this was a Male - I saw a photo owned by a PD local historian sometime ago and I recalled being surprised it was a Male. PD has no real tank credentials - the Castlemartin range was established only in the 1940s. But PD was a military town with a large garrison and that must have been enough to justify a Male being presented.

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Interesting that the PD Memorial Park opened in 1925 - rather late for a first location of the PD tank. Unfortunately I'll be away from home for a while but will try to check this out on my return.

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Interesting that the PD Memorial Park opened in 1925 - rather late for a first location of the PD tank. Unfortunately I'll be away from home for a while but will try to check this out on my return.

But not untypical Worcester and Darlington appear to be two other places where the tank had a temporary resting place before being moved to a memorial park. I suspect that the same happened at Aberdeeen and Edinburgh. The Coventry tank also moved but mich later (and under its own 'steam')

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But not untypical Worcester and Darlington appear to be two other places where the tank had a temporary resting place before being moved to a memorial park. I suspect that the same happened at Aberdeeen and Edinburgh....

As did Maidstone's Mk III. It was located near Maidstone Bridge until 1927 when it was moved to Brenchley Gardens (inside or outside; I don't know) and then scrapped sometime during WWII (Quel dommage).

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The Museum of Lincolnshire Life replied to my query about Lincoln's presentation tank. Despite a newspaper appeal, the Museum has been unable to unearth a photo of the tank. I guess we shall have to wait until one emerges from a dusty album in some Lincoln attic. Many thanks to Sara Basquill, the Museum's keeper of collections, for her very prompt reply.

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Just to stir the pot see this link

http://www.tank.org.uk/newspack_0606.html

In fact it doesn't take us that much further as all we really know is that there was a male presentation tank and a male tank bank but which is which or even if they are the same - well no proof is offered

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Centurion,

You are right. It would be interesting to know on what evidence Robert Scott (mentoned in the article) bases his assumption

Tanks3

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Centurion,

You are right. It would be interesting to know on what evidence Robert Scott (mentoned in the article) bases his assumption

Tanks3

But either way it looks as if the Lincoln presentation tank was not a Mk I but a MkIV and given the date of your list (revceived with thanks) not presented until sometime in the second half of 1919

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  • 6 years later...

Realise that this thread has been silent for a while so this info may not be needed.

Am in contact with one of the relatives of Gnr Willie Shelton, one of the First Tank Crews, who fought at Flers Courcelette on 15 Sep 1916.

The family has a photo of him standing next to NELSON at Bradford on 31 Dec 1917.

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Delta,

Shelton was obviously there during Bradford's tank week. I have the start date for this as the 31/12/17 but no finish date. Are the family aware of what this was? Would it be possible to have a scan of the photo for my records?

Tanks3

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I will ask for a scan of the picture and see what happens.

He was allocated to 16th battalion the following week.

Have you any idea where the tank was in the previous six weeks?

Stephen

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