OK, I'm not going to have a stab at the name, but I will have a go at the location. I am sure in my own mind, even if I lack complete proof, that this photo was taken in Ireland. The building with the veranda is identical to ones that appear in the background of photos of a Mark IV Male in my collection, the precise location of which I have been trying for some years to identify. I am convinced it's in Ireland. The reason for my conviction is that in these other photos (which I can't publish here for copyright reasons) show the tank's name to start with the initials HMT - His Majesty's Tank. HMLS was used in France, but I have only ever seen HMT used on Mark IV tanks in Ireland.
This tank is NOT the one that appears in my other photos, as the name of that tank didn't have a 'Y' in it, though it did carry its name on the glacis plate as here. I don't think this is HMT Whiskey and Soda, as the letters left of the 'Y' don't look right, but I don't know what else to suggest.
A very interesting and unusual photo,by the way. Thank you very much for sharing it. And welcome to the Forum.
Gwyn
P.S. I'd be interested to hear how you came by the photo, and if there is an Irish, or possibly a Lincolnshire connection.
The person you know, any idea what unit he was in? It is not commonly known, but N Battalion (later 14th Battalion) Tank Corps deployed to Ireland in 1917.
Gwyn
-- Edited by Gwyn Evans on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:19:46 PM
At least one of the men in this photo was in 5 Company, B Battalion. He was in the Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corp in July 1917. He was my dads uncle, whom I knew as a boy.
There's no link to Lincolnshire or Ireland as far as I know.
The photo just seems very "clean", brand new rope, men watching from the balcony.
Saying that, I know he was injured at Cambrai and there are no reports of him anywhere else in mainland Europe after the injury. I'll have a look at the Irish connection, he may have gone there as part of dealing with the 'troubles'.
-- Edited by bloodstone on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 10:34:35 AM
Photo shows soldiers wearing tank arm badge and tank corps cap badge - therefore post Jul 1917.
The SNCO in the front left is wearing riding breeches and leather gaiters which indicates to me that he was originally MMGS (so a very early tanker)
The first four tanks got to Ireland around 8 Nov 17 but the crews returned home shortly afterwards
Thanks for the info Stephen. We have talked before via email, back in 2014.
I know my dads uncle signed up to the motor machine guns aged 16 (took him 4 attempts according to a newspaper article) before moving to the Tank Corp. His regimental number would suggest sometime in 1917. Hes listed as a casualty in November 20th at Cambrai. I can only place him at Ypres and Cambrai though.
Any ideas as to the very clean rope?
-- Edited by bloodstone on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 08:11:27 PM
Here's a photo I can post, of a Mark IV Male without unditching rails (like the one in post #1), and verandas and chimneys as seen in the background of the original photo. Cork and the Curragh have been suggested as possible locations, so far without any conclusive proof.
The other thing that interests me in respect of your photo in post 1 is that some of the soldiers appear to be wearing side hats which were not, as far as I know, worn in the tank corps. So who are they?
Tanks3
PS Or are they Glengarrys?
-- Edited by tanks3 on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 08:13:19 PM
My dads uncle is wearing one, and he was only mgc and tanks. He was Scots though.
Lots of things confuse me about this. Why the photo in the first place as its too many people to be one crew, why the onlookers, whats the rope doing as its clean and just dangling in front, whats the tank name and where was this taken.
Thank you all for your input though. Its not my area of expertise.
-- Edited by bloodstone on Wednesday 11th of May 2016 08:49:49 PM
Here's a photo I can post, of a Mark IV Male without unditching rails (like the one in post #1), and verandas and chimneys as seen in the background of the original photo. Cork and the Curragh have been suggested as possible locations, so far without any conclusive proof.
Gwyn
Hi Gwyn, If it helps the building in the background is a classic Napoleonic Barracks Building. The one in Brighton is a very good match but it could in all honesty be any one of hundreds as they were built to a standard design with local tweaks your only hope of narrowing it down.
