Landships II

Gibot and Gorczynski give a complete list of battalion numbers and tank names for H Bn. at Cambrai, Michel. If you send me an e-mail, I will attach the list to the reply.

No doubt he will, though he still has to start, so it might take a few years... Have a look at his Waterloo dio in the meantime: www.waterama.nl.

all the best,
Michel.

Michael
I shouldn't tout for business for them but I would have thought that your grandfather's war diary would be of real interest to the Imperial War Museum. They can take copies and return the original to you.
Even if they're not interested, I would love to know more!

There is a form on my web site (pretentious? moi?) at www.brynhammond.moonfruit.com from which you can contact me. I'd be very grateful if you'd tell me more about this diary and any insight it offers on tank operations in the First World War.

I can give you details about the IWM Dept of Documents as well.
Best
Bryn

Its a more than a year ago since I sent this posting, and I have only now sent Bryn a message on his website.
I sent a copy of the diary to Janice Tait at the Bovington library, along with various photos.
The diary has relatively few words describing each day from 21st august 1917 until 2nd October 1918.
It adds just a small piece to the jigsaw that is Cambrai... Gunner JS Cleaver was in Henry VIII and this was the only tank of the three from his 11th section 8th Battalion that survived the attack on Fontaine from the West on 23rd November 1917. One of his colleagues in Henry VIII was Gunner CE Lock who won a Military medal that day; the medal citation says that "despite being wounded in the hand Lock stood to his Lewis Gun and kept firing during the whole action, which lasted three hours". Interestingly, my grandfather's diary says the following:-

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Moved further up the line and went over again on the morning of 23rd

And we got our objective all right but we had a very hot time, machine gun and shell fire just like hell, Lock got wounded in the left hand and I took over his gun and I got a few splinters in the eye but was soon all right again arrived back at Ribicourt at 2 am

I had a few hours sleep and I can tell you it was a job to go to sleep, we had breakfast and a wash which we all needed very bad

Hi Mike
I have emailed you about the diary.
Hope to hear from you.
Best
Bryn Hammond

Yes, Brad, the dio was finished.

http://www.historyinminiature.nl/index.php?pn=cambrai&m=6

http://www.landships.net/t47842370/another-update-of-my-dio1/

Hans took some time off from painting, but I see that he is posting again on Benno's in the Great War Group Build section.

You can add HMLS "Harrogate" to your list Michel:-

 

http://www.ogdenharrogate.co.uk/downloads/8/0/Walter_Ogden_1st_World_War_Document.pdf.aspx