"first use of the word pill-box"

[brindlerp]

An interesting article and links I have found.

"The Oxford English Dictionary (1) states that the first use of the word pill-box was an article in the Scotsman newspaper dated 13th September 1917. Reference is made to several other later sources such as the Daily Mail for 26th February1923."

Check out >

http://www.50connect.co.uk/50c/articlepage...c=hist&aID=6888

and

http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/

Regards

Richard

[Guest Pete Wood]

Interesting. But both of these great websites say that the first official 'military' use of the word 'Pill box' was used to describe a VC action on November 27th 1917.

But I have found a previous use of the word. If you look at the London Gazette, it was used on the 6th November 1917 (do note the hyphen used in the Gazette entry), to describe the action of Captain Henry Reynolds, R Scots for which he was awarded the MC.

For most conspicuous bravery when his company in attack and approaching their final objective, suffered heavy casualties from enemy machine- guns and from an enemy "Pill-box " which has been passed by the first wave. Capt. Reynolds reorganised his men-who were scattered,, and then proceeded alone by rushes from shell hole to shell Hole, all the time being under heavy machine gunfire. When near the '' Pill-box "' he threw a grenade intending that it should go inside, but the enemy had blocked the entrance. He then crawled to the entrance and forced a phosphorous grenade inside. This set the place on fire and caused the death of three of the enemy, while the remainder, seven or eight, surrendered with two machine guns. Afterwards, though wounded, he continued to lead his company against another objective; and captured it taking seventy prisoners, and two more machine guns. During the whole attack-the company was under heavy machine gun fire from the flanks, but despite this Capt. Reynolds kept complete control of his men.

Link to Gazette of 6.11.17

[Simon Furnell]

Many thanks for the links Richard.

Where i live,in Berkshire,there are hundreds of WW2 Pillboxes,of various shapes and sizes.

I will have to go through my Great-grandads MGC war diary again,to see when they first mention Pillboxes.

The diary runs from early 1917,and the concrete defence works were known as Mebus,or Mebuses,when they were first encountered by his unit.

Will check up and let you know.

Regards.

Simon.

[Paul Reed]

I am sure I have seen the term used in war diaries during the Battle of Arras (april-May 1917), when large numbers were encountered for the first time. I don't, off hand, have a particular reference to post, but will see if I can find one.