armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 I am looking in detail at the 1st July 1916 and the attacks around Fricourt by 21st div etc. I have read about this before obviously but it has occurred to me and I have tried several books etc, that I can not see what the 'Tambour' name refers to. All books or articles seem just to refer to it as the tambour mines or craters as if the name existed before the explosion, which it may well have done. How ever can anyone tell me where the name came from? is it a type of ground or just a local name for the area? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I am sure you will be used to that by now. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Not sure how it fits in with this context, but the answer is it's a 'drum' [tambourine must have a similar root] regards Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 It's a drum and may also have been the name of a local estaminet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 drums and mines do have something in common, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Thanks so far guys. However do I take it then that they/it was named by British forces and not taken from a pre war name for the ground? regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 The Tambour was the name given to a salient in the British line some 50 yards from the Germans. It may have got its name from the Tambour Duclos which is referred to in reports of British positions mid 1915 and a divisional HQ may have been located there. The French occupied this sector at one time and started mining operations from the Tambour which appear to have been taken over by the British in August 1915. There may have been some German counter mining as there was a an explosion in the mine on Dec 21st 1915 and a number of officers and men were gassed. There is a reference to the position on the 26th of that month "The Germans were getting very heavily shelled all day at Fricourt opposite the Tambour". There are many references to 'the Tambour' well before the Somme and the triple Tambour mine explosion. Incidentally Tambour is the name for a form of crochet and embroidery made using cloth stretched over a hoop - whether it took its name from the drum or vice versa is a moot point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Further to my last posting Tambour Duclos appears to have been the name of an area near Fricourt [possibly a hamlet] and The Tambour appears to have been located in this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Sheldon Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Just to complete the picture, mining and counter-mining here as in so many other locations on the Somme front predated the arrival of the British. The Germans called this section of the front the Kniewerk. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Centurion, Many thanks for that information, it would make more sense to me if Tambour was an area, or hamlet as you say and that the name for the mines came as a result of this. I had looked in Gerald Gliddon's book on the Somme but it does not give any info. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Always good to get the German take on it as well, thanks Jack. You gave me some help sometime ago on the attacks of the 2nd/3rd July if you recall. I am working now, backwards, to day one, so shall be consulting your book once again. Regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Work was commenced at Tambour Duclos near Fricourt under the supervision of the French Commandant Thomas. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Mick, I assume you mean mining operations? regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 sorry yes, I was distracted, just re-reading something that tickled me. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 The info is in Tunnellers. the story of the Tunnelling Companies, Royal Engineers, during the World War. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Thanks, Though I am more intrigued as to what tickled you. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 It would make more sense to me if Tambour was an area, or hamlet as you say and that the name for the mines came as a result of this. "Reached HQ X Corps at 9am with transport. Company allotted to Xth Corps for work at Tambour Duclos, near Fricourt. OC visited CE Army." From the war diary of 178 mining company 4th August 1915 "Du moins j'avais pu visiter trois mines, qui s'ouvraient au tambour Duclos, et le travail des galeries m'avait vivement intéressé." Joseph Raymond. Froc et Epée As I said in my first post it would seem that Tambour Duclos was the area in which both The Tambour salient and the mines were located Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 On the same page is a story about the orderly officer of 179th Company RE inspecting a night shift at its HQ in Albert. A man reported to him that the soldier standing next to him was a woman...and it was, 'Sapper' Dorothy Lawrence was determined to obtain some first-hand information about life at the front. She obtained a british uniform off some soldiers in paris and set out to cycle to Bethune, via Amiens. She got lost and ended up in Albert. She was in albert for about 10 days before being sent back to 3rd Army HQ then back to England. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 If you remember heres the previous post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 19 April , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Ah I see. many thanks again to all contributions. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 Her book is in print - bookbutler reckons that The Book Depository is the cheapest source at $10.13 including delivery. Must show restraint, repeat, must show restraint, must.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Barbara Posted 19 April , 2008 Share Posted 19 April , 2008 I was curious and googled about, tambour can also refer to the wall of a circular structure. Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private W. P. Thurlow Posted 13 March , 2011 Share Posted 13 March , 2011 Hi, Please could you help? My grandfather Private W. P.Thurlow was involved in an incident on the 20/10/1915 at Fricourt Tambour DuClos mines. He received the DCM for this and we are very proud of him (see below). I am going to go to Fricourt in April to see for myself the area so I can take some photos for Mum. I cant find Tambour DuClos on any modern map, any Idea where or how I can find this out. I am sure it is just a field now, but I would love to know who owns it so I could ask them if I could just stand there for a while. G/5102 Private W. P. Thurlow, 8th Batta lion, East Surrey Regiment. For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the 20th October, 1915, in the Tam- bour du Clos, close to Fricourt. The Ger- mans having exploded a mine, Private Thurlow, accompanied by two Non-Oommis- sioned Officers, under a heavy machine-gun fire, went to the entrance of a mine sap which had been blocked and from which smoke was issuing. He worked a pump at the head of the mine sap whilst the Non- Commissioned Officers were rescuing the men in it. Later an Officer went down the shaft and became unconscious. Private Thurlow, with the greatest gallantry, at once went into the gallery and pulled him out. He then returned to the pump, which he continued to work until finally he collapsed from the effects of the gas fumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin Posted 13 March , 2011 Share Posted 13 March , 2011 Maybe a good place to start http://frontforum.westernfrontassociation.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=373&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=tambour&start=0 If you join the Forum at the WFA and contact Dave, i am sure he will be able to point you in the right direction. Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 3 November , 2019 Share Posted 3 November , 2019 (edited) On 19/04/2008 at 16:52, centurion said: The Tambour was the name given to a salient in the British line some 50 yards from the Germans. It may have got its name from the Tambour Duclos which is referred to in reports of British positions mid 1915 and a divisional HQ may have been located there. The French occupied this sector at one time and started mining operations from the Tambour which appear to have been taken over by the British in August 1915. There may have been some German counter mining as there was a an explosion in the mine on Dec 21st 1915 and a number of officers and men were gassed. There is a reference to the position on the 26th of that month "The Germans were getting very heavily shelled all day at Fricourt opposite the Tambour". There are many references to 'the Tambour' well before the Somme and the triple Tambour mine explosion. Incidentally Tambour is the name for a form of crochet and embroidery made using cloth stretched over a hoop - whether it took its name from the drum or vice versa is a moot point. Only just seen this! In the 'Diehards in the great' war volume 1, A very good history of the Middlesex Regiment it states. '6th September 1915,' Engaged in building trenches & clearing the Tembour Du Clos. 6.30pm the Germans exploded a camouflet wrecking the Middlesex Sap, which was wrecked, ten men were brought in suffering from the effects of gas. Germans then commenced to machine gun& mortar the trench' Prior to the above 31st August 1915, marched from La Vieville to Mericourt. 4th -5th September 1915 the 54th Brigade relieved the 55th Brigade in the front line, the 12th Middlesex took over sector 3. Edited 3 November , 2019 by Guest Further information regarding place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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