Barney

Thanks for having a go! I've discussed this with many people and the points you raised are perfectly valid. The absence of a WD arrow is particularly intriguing until you consider that it was commonplace for Officers to have their own versions of issued equipment made or adapted. So the question remains what is it? Actually this Officer was seriously wounded outside Flers in the last weeks of the war. So seriously in fact that he was left to die at the CCS. His personal effects were taken and listed but the mysterious thing remained just that, being listed as 'box with dial'. Not much help but happily the Officer eventually made a full recovery. I have contacted the MGC Old Comrades Association through the Internet and they had a go with similar results though they erred on the side of caution by not giving a definate answer but they did suggest, as did you, that it could be involved with the laying down of a barrage. They in turn have forwarded the images to the IWM for their opinion. I'll keep you posted............. Barney

Can anyone identify this piece of kit (see attached photos). It belonged to a MGC Officer with the 19th Battalion MGC (Inf). It has a box, velvet lined and leather bound but made of wood. There are no makers markings on either the box or the item itself. The item itself is approx 4" x 2" and consists of a brass plate with a white dial fixed centrally marked off in 10's up to 360 degrees. The single hand is operated by the swing bar at the foot of the piece under the face. Strangely it goes round twice. At the top of the piece is a small steel gate or sight, that is opened and closed by means of the swingbar which is itself, sprung loaded. The rear view shows the bar bending round a central return spring. You can just make out the tiny chain, very intricate for an otherwise robust looking bit of kit. The bar is hinged at the top at the point that the sight, if that is what it is, opens and closes. The whole thing is designed to lay horizontal on its three legs. Anyone got any ideas? Barney

I guess this is really directed at PIKEMEDALS Sgt 18358 Francis Daniel Bartley served with the 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham) Essex Regiment and at some point during August 1916 was gazetted for the DCM. I know this only because the fact was reported in the Stratford Express on 29 August 1916. I would guess the award was for his actions at Delville Wood in July, though it may have been for some action by him during the abortive assault on Guillemont on 8/9 August 1916. Unusually there is no mention in the War Diary of this award though the Adjt was himself killed in the former action. Bartley was subsequently Commissioned into the 1st Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (with whom the 13th were brigaded) on 28/08/1917. The DCM award is shown on his Medal Roll fiche as is the MC he was later gazetted to on 16/09/1918 however there is no fiche entry for his DCM citation in the PRO! Does Sgt Bartley appear on your Essex DCM list and do you have a copy of the Citation? Thanks in anticipation Barney

John In reply to your question there were a total of 18 Battalions of the Essex Regiment during the Great War plus two Garrison Battalions, one in Palestine and one in India. There were four 'Service' Battalions : 9th, 10th,11th and of course the 13th. A Service Battalion enlisted voluntarily for 3 years or for the 'duration'. They were all fighting Battalions in the K1, K2, K3 and K4 Armies respectively. And for PIKEMEDALS[attachmentid=59] Ray Westlake produced an excellent book BRITISH REGIMENTS AT GALLIPOLI and it contains direct lifts from the relevant War Diaries. The 7th Essex has an entry so I have attached it here (I hope because I aint too good with technical). He also produced BRITISH BATTALIONS ON THE SOMME with a 10th Battalion entry if you are interested............... Barney 7th_Essex_Gallipoli_2.doc

Hello Pikemedals Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but I have been away (again). Now, the 7th and 10th Battalions of the Essex Regiment............. I have to say I do not know that much about the 7th Battalion other that they were part of the Territorial Force with their Headquarters at Walthamstow Lodge, Church Hill, Walthamstow. The County of Essex was unusually blessed (I can say that having spent 16 yrs as a Terrier) with no less than 4 TF Battalions ; 4th at Warley; 5th at Chelmsford; 6th at West Ham; 7th as above and the peculiarity of the time the 8th who were a Cyclist Battalion based at Colchester. All were part of the 161st (Essex) Brigade of the East Anglian Division. Along with many other 1st Line TF Units this Brigade (minus the 8th Essex) were sent to the Middle East and subsequently served in Gallipoli (Sulva Bay) and thereafter in Palestine. My Grandfather served with the 4th and 'British Regiments 1914-18 by Brigadier E.A.James' states that the war service of all three Essex TF Battalions were similar. My Grandfather served all over the Middle east so I suspect did the 7th. They never served in France and finished their war in Beirut. My Grandfather by the way said that place was the most beautiful city on earth - unsurprisingly from a grocer from Southend I suppose! Calais was considered exotic........ There was a 2nd Line 7th Battalion who never left these shores and acted as a reinforcement Battalion. The 10th Battalion were a totally different kettle of fish. They were a 'Service' Battalion raised at Warley, the Regimental HQ of the Essex Regiment and as such had the pick of Officers and NCOs who were recalled to the Colours or retained in England rather than rejoining their Regiments in India and it showed. A part of Kitcheners K2 Army they were sent to France on 26th July 1915 as part of the 18th Division with who they remained throughout the War gaining a fearsome reputation as a fighting unit within a famous fighting Division. Christmas 1915 was spent in the Line at La Boiselle on the Somme - a 'quiet' sector where they could learn their trade. Learn it they did. On a visit to the Front Line Maj Gen F.J.Maxse spoke to some of the men here and gave his theories of warfare "If every man in the BEF shot four Huns we could all go home". One Pte Halsey piped up "I've shot seven - can I go home now?" Maxse's reply was not noted but Halsey was appointed L/Cpl. A bit of cheek from the Battalions best sniper! The 10th were still on the Somme on 1st July 1916. They subsequently fought in most major engagements in France, off the top of my head I cannot say whether they served on the Salient at Ypres. I can check if you like. I know they were alongside the 13th Battalion at Cambrai in 1917. They avoid the chop (disbandment) in early 1918 where they Army lost some 115, mostly Service Battalions in an entirly fatuous, politically driven, reorganisation of the Army that did not put a single extra soldier in the Line to meet the Michael Offensive of Spring 1918. Bit of a sore point West Ham wise! I know they recieved a draft of 120 men and 4 Officers from my 13th (West Ham) Battalion (they were placed in the much depleted 'B' Company - also men from Stratford by Bow) in February including the gallant Sgt Legg of 'D' Company's last stand fame who was killed in action in March 1918 as the 10th were in the forefront of the rearguard action, back on the Somme, trying to stem the tide of the German onslaught. At the wars end they were at Le Cateau. I think I am right in thinking that the first Sunday in July is Essex Sunday at the Essex Regimental Chapel at Warley where the 10th Essex in particular is remembered by a small WW1 re-enactment group who call themselves the 10th Essex (they have a website I think). Anyway the Essex Regiment Association is very helpful if you call first (01277 213051) they have an interesting if small library and they may let you in to the Chapel to see the Colours. Ian Hook, a good friend of mine, is curator of the Essex Regiment Museum (01245 615100) and is a very keen WW1 historian and a mine of information. He has an original,1922, copy of Burrows' History of the Essex Regiment 1914-1918 in which each Battalion and their war service is outlined, mostly from War Diary info. I have tried everywhere to get a copy - ?200 plus Lastly but certainly not least there is Captain R A Chell's diary account called "Trench Memories with the 10th Essex in France" Full of intimate personal stories and pictures taken by him. Long since out of print but the Essex Countryside magazine printed excerpts in July 1966 when the author attended the Essex Sunday meeting. There is an excellent photograph of the surviving veterans. I only mention this because my Dad has for some reason kept back copies of 1964-1969 and I have photocopies of those excerpts......... I hope this helps, its just off the top of my head. Anymore info required I can dig through my library Barney

Yes I,ve been there too. I found the old barrack block quite eerie, in fact the whole place has an aura about it (if you stand with your back to Woolco's and blot out the traffic noise). I picked up a leaflet with all the defenders names and Nationalties on it, in fact I've still got it. Now THAT would be one hell of a research project.................... By the way did you go to the 'other Alamo' about 15 miles away. This was the one built for the John Wayne movie. When I went about 12 years ago they they had re-enactors fighting the battle about twice a day during the main tourist season. I bought a book on Mexican Army uniforms of the period (well you've got to have'nt you). The only drawback is that it is in Spanish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

A question to all you medal buffs, and you do seem a knowledgable bunch The QCBC consists of a spray of I think Laurel leaves. It is very similar to the MID but in silver. When worn on the Tunic (remember them - when Policemen looked like Policemen and not scruffy postmen?) without other medals it was pinned directly on to the tunic. When worn with other medals RAY HOLDITCH MEDALS (just off T Square, gone now I think) stated some time ago that it should be (Court) mounted as if it were a medal, on a ribbon of dark blue - aka Khedives Star. It looks ridiculous and seems like there is a medal missing. Is he right? Apologies to all ex and budding Postmen!

Hi folks - I'm back. Whilst mooching round a graveyard during the summer (yes I know, weird isnt it?) I came upon a CWGC headstone to the splendidly named Montagu Hulton - Harrop. I couldnt help myself I had to find out who he was. Please excuse the flowery start - its gone to a couple of magazines for publication and they say it has to 'catch the imagination'! Well the headstone itself would do that........................... The Battle of Barking Creek There was a thin early morning haze laying low over the quiet west Essex fields along the length of the Roding Valley. The silence was broken by the cough of the huge Rolls Royce Merlin engines as they spluttered and roared into life. It was 06.27hrs on 6th September 1939, the third day of War and the pilots of 56 Squadron Royal Air Force stationed at North Weald Aerodrome had just been scrambled to meet reported enemy aircraft incoming from the North Sea. The pilots pulled on leather flying jackets and life vests over their crumpled blue tunics as they raced towards the line of Hawker Hurricane Fighters already fuelled and armed by the ground crews who continually fussed around the machines. Standing at the end of the line were the two ?Reserve? machines that would follow the Squadron and act as support should they meet the enemy. Pilot Officers Frank Rose and Montague Hulton-Harrop were assigned this task. At the same time as 56 Squadron were being scrambled so too were three Squadrons of Spitfires, amongst them 74 Squadron flying out of RAF Hornchurch to the south of the county. All aircraft involved were vectored to the north-eastern part of Essex between the Blackwater and the Stour estuarys. In the early months of the War positive identification and tracking of aircraft was at a primitive level and still largely relied on the eyes of the Pilots themselves. Today this would end in tragedy. As the Hurricanes of 56 Squadron arrived in the skies north east of Colchester so did the Spitfires of 74 Squadron. One can imagine the tension of those young men, keyed up and eager to meet the vaunted Luftwaffe in combat. If there was ever a German aircraft in those skies on that day it had long since fled but two of the Spitfire Pilots spotted the Hurricane Squadron. They also spotted the two dark coloured fighters trailing them???. Without waiting for proper identification Flying Officer Byrne and Pilot Officer Freeborn were ordered to attack the ?enemy? aircraft. In a tragically superb display of shooting the Spitfires fell upon the two unfortunate Hurricanes. Byrne fired a burst that shattered the instrument panel of Frank Roses? aircraft rendering it uncontrollable. Though unwounded, Rose was forced to make an extremely rough forced landing just outside Ipswich. Montagu Hulton-Harrop was not so lucky. John Freeborn?s initial burst of cannon fire riddled the fuselage of the Hurricane and hit Hulton-Harrop in the back of the head, killing him instantly. The aircraft slowly spiralled out of control crashing to the ground just outside Ipswich. The exact story of what happened that day, and why, may never be known. Commonly known as the Battle of Barking Creek, even the origin of that name is obscure, for none of the action took place anywhere near that place. There are, not surprisingly, differences in detail of what happened that day. Reports from a searchlight battery at Mersea Island as well as the RAF stations at North Weald and Hornchurch contained vastly differing versions of events. Communications at the time were also quite primitive and each was not fully aware what was happening in other areas, and there were a number of areas involved. Afterwards different parties would give their version of events. It would not be beyond the realms of possibility that sometimes these would be tailored to save reputations. Today the spectre of ?friendly fire? is a common visitor to our TV screens, it is unfortunate but it is nothing new. Nevertheless Byrne and Freeborn were placed before a Court Martial. Both were acquitted and went on to have careers of varying success. Both survived the War. Frank Rose was returned to RAF North Weald, to be amongst his shocked fellow pilots. He remained with 56 Squadron, being promoted to Flying Officer. He was shot down and killed over France on 18th May 1940. The body of Montagu Hulton-Harrop was recovered and he too was returned to RAF North Weald. His was the dubious distinction of being the first RAF Fighter Pilot to be killed in World War 11. 26 years old from a wealthy farming family in Shropshire, Hulton-Harrop was perhaps a typical ?Brylcream Boy? and it is not difficult to imagine him carousing with other young pilots in the Kings Head Pub in North Weald village. He had been a close friend and flat mate of the actor Kenneth More ( he was to play the part of Douglas Bader in the film Reach for the Sky), who at that time had been stationed at nearby RAF Coltishall as a RNVR Officer. Hulton-Harrop was buried with full military honours in the little graveyard of St Andrews Church in North Weald Bassett adjoining the aerodrome. There is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission plot at the side of the Church and he is buried in Grave 1 Row 1, the first of the eventual 50 RAF personnel to be interred there.

Yes indeed such heroism deserves the highest recognition. I have always found it incredible that given their actions there are not more than the single RAF Fighter squadrons VC awarded. I reckon enough people witnessed Ray Holmes' actions that day. Good story, reminds us of just what we owe these guys. Barney

An interesting question came up in a pub yesterday whilst a group of us like minded folk were discussing the latest disgraceful round of swingeing Defence cuts by this 'government'. Four excellent front line Battalions and now they are proposing messing with the Brigade of Guards? Glad I have a place in France to run to.....................vive la Legion! Back to the question. In a past round of amalgamations some years ago when our Cavalry Regiments were chopped up piecemeal it was common for two units to be joined under one title, numerically i.e 17th/21st Lancers. As you probably know the numbers reflected the Regiments position in the Army list, the older the Regiment the more senior it was and therefore the smaller the number the more senior the Regiment. Very important in mess circles that. Why then was the 16th/5th Lancers so called? The 5th was consderably older than the 16th. PS This is a genuine question. I do not know. Answers on a postcard please.........

PANZERKNACKER? Tell me thats a made up Rank, please! How could they have lost with such an imagination?

There was an American Division under British Command that fought alongside Anglo-French Forces during the German Offensive of 1918. There are photographs in existence of MKV tanks providing cover for the American Infantry on the Somme. Curiously one of those tanks has a "picture" painted on the nascelle - a very 'American' thing as we generally had names such as 'Creme de Menthe'(yuk). Though on loan to Haig's Army as a goodwill gesture (Pershing had originally promised the US Govt that the 'Doughboys' in Europe would never be under the Command of any General but an American, probably quite wisely given the slaughter we had inflicted on each other) the Americans tended to be self sufficient in most things and were as keen as mustard (a WW1 phrase) to get to grips with 'modern warfare' so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they crewed their own tanks. They certainly had crews training at the Tank school in France, but to my knowledge they had not yet developed one of their own. Similarly, photos of the fighting in the Argonne show Americans troops advancing alongside the new Whippet tanks. It is not clear who manned these machines. But I will find out! The only German tank was the "SturmpanzerWagon" A7V, an ungainly, under powered, undergunned useless great lump of metal that had a crew of 18 and that no-one would have as a gift! All those that reached the Front (20) were destroyed. Got their own back with the Tiger though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah. Thats an easy one............... In the summer of 1914 the French and German armies were mobilising upwards of three million Regular and Reservist troops each. The British Army sent the BEF - 100,000 strong. They did not even feature in the French Order of Battle. When Ludendorf was told of the presence of a British Army in the field he dismissed it as a "Contemtible Little Army" He soon learnt otherwise. Strangely enough, in the manner of the British Soldier through the centuries, the BEF rejoiced in the name and publicly revelled in the adversity and the name stuck. Though there are a few British WW1 survivors still living, alas it is believed no Old Contemtibles................

Not really a medal question but I have a Bronze Memorial Plaque commonly known as a Dead Man's Penny, that I wish to identify and attribute. I have a first name and a surname which I have checked against Soldiers Died and the CWGC files and have come up with 11 possibles. I can reduce this by half if this question could be answered! Does the soldier's full name i.e second and third names ever appear on the Plaque or is it just first names and surnames? Barney

We probably all know what we understand the modern term 'Dum-Dum' to mean i.e. a bullet with a cross cut in the head. But does anyone actually know what it actually is, how it came about and how it got its name? Barney

If it is anything like the MP5 it is a smashing piece of kit! Best buy the Government ever made. Almost as good as the SMLE .303 MKIII Barney

I do not collect medals for their own sake but I am an inveterate collecter of all things WW1, whether picked up from the battlefields themselves or from Collecters fairs in France or GB. But I am confused by three precious little pieces of bronze known as 'Mons Stars'. One, Court mounted as part of a trio with an unadorned ribbon, one single with the date bar on the medal ribbon and the last and my favourite a dirty battered example with a very threadbare ribbon. On it is sewn a dirty but silver rosette. A question for all you medal collecters out there, what is the correct way to wear the bar/rosette arrangement? Was it like our Falklands medal - the rosette signifying being 'under fire'?" (Not my idea but a bar room expert's theory). I could imagine that being the case because they are all to the RAMC. Barney

I have followed with interest this debate and I have to say there are pro?s and cons for all the names put up and every time I come to a decision someone comes up with a reason to the contrary. I have a name to throw into the ring, but before I do has anyone considered General Heinz Guderian. Now there was a man who understood the Art of War! My nomination comes from the blood, mud and carnage of the Great War, not a place one would normally look for a Commander to admire but General Herbert Plumer was head and shoulders above the rest. A soldier for some 40 yrs before the outbreak of War he was the most unlikely looking figure for a leader of men. Squat, red faced with a ?Mr Pastry? style moustache an almost comical appearance belied this most effective, caring and successful Commander of his time. A meticulous planner, impossible to fluster he was above all a soldiers soldier. He was sparing of the lives of his men, he was always ready to listen and examine less profligate ways to achieve his aims - and they knew it. (Haig by the way never trusted him and tried to have him removed many times, enough said). Placed in overall Command of the Messines Offensive in the summer of 1917 it was Plumer?s finest hour. All the meticulous planning and consideration was encapsulated in his ? bite and hold? tactics. He was a man with a wry sense of humour too ? 19 mines blew the top off Messines ridge at the start of the battle and Plumer turned to his staff and said ? Well Gentlemen, we may not make History today but we have certainly changed the geography?. Messines was the one complete success in Offensive terms of the Great War and one with the absolute minimum of Casualties. His men trusted him implicitly and when he extricated Gough from the deep poo he had made of Passchendale he was a reluctant hero. He led the 2nd Division to Italy where by Leadership and skill he stopped that front from collapsing after Caporetto. I do not know by which standard we judge all these leaders of men except to ask the question ?would I want him in charge of my destiny?? Herbert Plumer died in 1932 and over 100,000 ex servicemen attended the funeral. Does that make him a Great Commander? I for one believe that fact alone must put him up there Barney

I look forward to Foo Fighters input. I appreciate people may not be particularly ambivalent towards the SS in theory and I am no expert but one cannot but be impressed with Michael Wittman and his achievements. That from someone who had never heard of him until that day in France. By the way does anyone know of a WW1 tank ace?

Yes you are absolutely right, 16 May 1919. The KDG performed well that day and the account on the website reads well. I can only say that it was not the entire unit but that is irrelvent, it was a fine covering action. Did Captain Cooper receive an award for his actions?

Came across this guy whilst house-hunting in Basse Normandie earlier this year. I cannot resist a walk round a Military graveyard and La Cambe German Cemetery was nearby, so on one rainy afternoon I paid a visit. There was a guide talking to a group of people gathered around three crosses laying flat on the ground. I only caught the tale end of his story but what I heard was enthralling. So much so I decided to look up the subject of this mans oration when I got back to the UK.................... SS-Hauptsturmf?hrer Michael Wittman Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Michael Wittman was born on April 22nd 1914, in Vogelthal near Oberpfalz, in the High Palatinate region. He was the only son of a local farmer - Johann Wittman. In February 1934, Wittman joined Reichsarbeitdienst - RAD (The German Labour Corps) and served for six months, until the July when he returned to his father?s farm.He continued to work there in between stretches of military service until the call of a full time military career became too strong. On October 30th 1934, he enlisted Germany Army's 19th Infantry Regiment as a Private. Wittman left the service on September 30th of 1936, as a Junior Non-Commissioned Officer - Unteroffizier. On April 5th 1937, Michael Wittman joined No.1 Sturm of 92nd Standarte of the elite Tank Division, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In late 1937, he received driver training on Sd.Kfz.222 (a four-wheeled light armoured car) and then Sd.Kfz.232 (a six-wheeled heavy armoured car) and proved to be excellent driver. Wittman, then joined the 17th Companie which was the Panzer Scout Companie of LSSAH. In the summer of 1938, it was reduced in status to a Panzer Scout Platoon. By September 1939, SS-Unterscharf?hrer Wittman commanding a Sd.Kfz.232 of the reconnaissance elements of LSSAH rolled across the Polish border at the start of the Polish Campaign. October 1939 saw, Michael Wittman posted to the 5th Panzersp?hkompanie (the depot company of the Leibstandarte) based at Berlin (Lichterfelde), an assault gun "academy". In February of 1940, Wittmann was transferred to the newly formed SS-Sturm-Batterie (assault gun battery - Sturmartillerie) of LSSAH, equipped with Sturmgeschutz Ausf A. The reason for this transfer was that Wittman was fast becoming recognised as having great potential and was an "under-officer" with three years practical service experience on armoured vehicles. Around that time, Wittman became friends with Hannes Philipsen, Helmut Wendorff, Alfred G?nther, and other members of that unit. In late 1940, Michael Wittman started his panzer combat career in the Balkans (Yugoslavia and Greece). While in Greece, Wittman was in command of the platoon of Sturmgeschutz III Ausf As (part of LSSAH SS-Sturm-Batterie) and fought there until mid 1941. On June 11th 1941, Wittman along with LSSAH was transferred to the east, in preparations for the upcoming operation "Barbarossa", which started on June 22nd, LSSAH was order to advance into southern Russia. By July 12th Michael Wittman had received the first of his many decorations, an Iron Cross (Second Class). A short while later, Wittman was wounded, but remained with his unit and received the Wound Badge. On September 8th 1941, he received Iron Cross (First Class), and, after fighting in the Rostov area, Wittman received the Panzer Assault Badge (for destroying six Soviet tanks in single engagement) along with promotion to the rank of SS-Oberscharf?hrer. Wittman fought with his unit in Russia throughout the hard Russian winter, then on June 5th, due to his outstanding service Wittman was finally accepted as a cadet for officer training in the SS Junkerschule in Bad T?lz (Bavaria). On September 5th, he left Bad T?lz school as a Panzer instructor (SS-Panzerausbildungs und Ersatz-abteilung). On the December 21st 1942, Wittman was promoted to the rank of SS-Untersturmf?hrer and on December 24th, he joined the 13th Kompanie of Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Wittman was put in the command of Panzer III Ausf L/M platoon of Tiger kompanie. The platoon was designated to protect the back line of the Tigers from enemy infantry and other obstacles. In the early spring of 1943, Michael Wittman joined the Tiger kompanie, leaving his beloved Panzer III support section, and on July 5th 1943, he started his combat career on Tigers during the Operation Citadel (Zitadelle). LSSAH was located in the southern sector of the bulge. On the first day of action, Wittman destroyed two anti-tanks guns and thirteen T-34s, while at the same time saving Helmut Wendorff's platoon, which had run into trouble. On July 7th and 8th, Wittman destroyed two T-34s, two SU-122s and three T-60/70s. On July 12th, Wittman destroyed eight Soviet tanks, three anti-tank guns and one gun battery. This operation finished on the 17th July 1943, and included the battle of Kharkov and Kursk along with other engagements. During that time Wittman's Tiger alone, destroyed 30 Soviet tanks along with 28 guns. On July 29th of 1943, 13 kompanie was used to form schwere SS Panzer Abteilungen 101 which was then attached to LSSAH. In August of 1943, LSSAH was transferred to Italy, for refitting and occupational duties. In sSSPzAbt 101, Wittman (Tiger #1331) served with other Tiger Aces like: Franz Staudegger (Tiger #1325), Helmut Wendorff (Tiger #1321) and J?rgen Brandt (Tiger #1334). The command of this unit was given to SS-Haupsturmfuhrer Heinz Kling (Tiger #1301). In October 1943, as a result of the Soviet Autumn Offensive, LSSAH was transferred back to the Eastern Front (Kiev area). Also in October, Wittman changed his Tiger #1331 for the Tiger #S21, and got under his command one J?rgen Brandt (Tiger #S24). On October 13th, Wittman's Tiger destroyed twenty T-34s along with twenty three infantry and anti-tank guns. By December 1943, Wittman had taken part in numerous engagements and destroyed a number of Soviet tanks and guns. On January 13th of 1944, Michael Wittman received the Knight's Cross for his outstanding service to the Fatherland. On January 15th 1944 his good friend, SS-Rottenfuhrer Balthasar (Bobby) Woll received his Knight's Cross. Balthasar Woll was an excellent gunner, who was even able to fire accurately while on the move, On January 20th, Wittman was promoted to the rank of SS-Obersturmfuhrer. Two weeks later, on January 30th 1944, Wittman received following telegram from Adolf Hitler himself: "In thankful appreciation of your heroic actions in the battle for the future of our people, I award you as the 380th soldier of the German Wehrmacht, the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Adolf Hitler.". On February 2nd of 1944, Wittman received Oak Leafs to his Knights Cross from F?hrer's himself, in "F?hrerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze" (Wolfslair in Rastenburg, East Prussia). February 28th 1944 saw Wittman's unit which was under the command of SS-Hauptsturmf?hrer Heinz Kling, count five Iron Cross "Knights": SS-Untersturmf?hrer Staudegger, SS-Untersturmf?hrer Wendorf and SS-Hauptsturmf?hrer Kling. However, SS-Obersturmf?hrer Michael Wittman was the only one with Oak Leafs to his Knights Cross. During the period from February 29th to March 2nd of 1944, the larger part of the companie was transferred to Mons in Belgium. At the time of the transfer, Wittmann received the command of 2nd Kompanie of sSSPzAbt 101 of LSSAH. After leaving Eastern Front, Michael Wittman had stated that Soviet anti-tank guns were harder and were more prized targets than tanks. On March 1st 1944 Michael Wittman had married his childhood sweetheart Hildegard Burmester and his marriage witness was his gunner - Bobby Woll. At that time, Wittman became a national hero and was seen and feted everywhere. The propaganda made him into a hero of the entire German nation. In the April of 1944, Wittman visited the Henschel und Sohn factory at Kassel and spoke to the employees thanking them for their great job on producing Tiger I. During his visit he discovered the production line of Late Type Tiger I Ausf E. In May of 1944, Wittman re-joined the sSSPzAbt 101 of the LSSAH which was stationed in the area of Lisieux in Normandy, France. LSSAH was a part of panzer reserve which included 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" and the Panzer Lehr Division. At that time the command of sSSPzAbt 101 was given to Heinz von Westernhagen (Tiger #007). On the June 6th of 1944 (D-Day), Wittmann got a new late production model Tiger I #205. From 6th to 12th June, sSSPzAbt 101 moved to the invasion front in Normandy. On their way, Wittman's 2nd Kompanie was reduced to six Tigers by Allied air attacks. Wittmann's company along with the Panzer Lehr Division and the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" was part of Heeresgruppe under the direct command of Erwin Rommel. On June 12, (D-Day+6) SS-Hauptsturmf?hrer Michael Wittman, found himself in Normandy leading a group of five Tiger tanks watching the famed 7th Armoured Division advance towards the strategic hill town of Villers-Bocage. Unknown to the British, two companies of the 1st SS Panzer Corps panzer reserve had arrived in the vicinity and were already in position. That momentous day Michael Wittman would earn the praise of both friend and foe as the most acclaimed tank commander in history. Wittman and his company of four other Tigers, and one Mark IV Special, had the same mission as the 22nd Armoured Brigade - to occupy the commanding terrain around Point 213. One of the most amazing engagements in the history of armoured warfare was about to take place.At around 9am the lead elements of the London Yeomanry reached Point 213, accompanied by an advance party of infantry from "A" Company, 1st Battalion The Rifle Brigade. The combined tank/infantry column consisted of some 25 half-tracks and tanks that stopped behind a hedgerow lined section of road. As the infantry was called forward simultaneously two or three Tiger tanks were spotted moving parallel to the stopped column, screened by the hedge. As the Tigers swung around to face the column the dismounted British crews frantically scrambled back to their vehicles. Wittman had watched the column from the wooded high ground several hundred meters north from the road. He had immediately seen the column's vulnerability and when it stopped he decided to attack at once without waiting for the other Tigers to assist. Running to the left of, and parallel to, the road on which the British column lay there was a narrow cart track. Wittman decided to approach the column via this track and to destroy the personal carrier at the rear of the column, near the road and track junction at the rear of the column. The high velocity gun was laid, armed and fired The [british] half-track, swung across the road by the force of the impact, caught fire and began to pour out dense clouds of black smoke. Then the heavy Tiger thundered towards the British, shuddering only slightly as the heavy gun fired shell after shell into the mass of machines, starting with the lead Tank which erupted into flames. Thus trapped the half-tracks, carriers and tanks alike were smashed by the 88 mm shells, and then with a final burst of speed the 55 ton steel monster, destroying in its rush a British tank which it met on the narrow path, crashed through the junction, was swung in a tight arc onto the roadway and began its descent upon the vehicles lined up outside the village and along the narrow high street. Wittman's Tiger entered the main street and immediately ran into the RHQ tanks whose crews had also dismounted and were unable to react to the lone Tiger bearing down on them. Wittman knocked out three more British tanks and then withdrew into the woods southeast of Villers-Bocage. After rearming and refuelling, Wittman returned with four other Tigers, the Mark IV Special, and three other tanks plus supporting Panzer Grenadiers.The German force attacked what was left of the British force. The British lost 20 Cromwell tanks, 4 Churchill Fireflys, 3 light tanks, 3 scout cars and a half track. Almost single-handedly, Wittman, this most courageous and brilliant German tank commander, had destroyed the British advance around Villers-Bocage and forced the 7th Armoured Division onto the defensive. Thus on July 22nd, after his astounding success at Villers-Bocage, Michael Wittman received the Swords for his Knight Cross with Oak Leafs after being recommended personally by the LSSAH's commander, SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und Panzergeneral der Waffen SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich. The ceremony was on July 25th 1944 and Adolf Hitler in person decorated Wittman who then became the most decorated tank ace of World War II. At the same time he also received the rank of SS-Haupsturmfuhrer. Wittman was offered a position of an instructor at a training school but he refused and returned to Normandy.Michael Wittman fought on until August. During this time Wittman recieved a replacement Tiger ? number 007. At the beginning of August, Wittman along with sSSPzAbt 101 was transferred to Cintheaux area. At that time Germans tried to recapture Caen which was completly destroyed by ongoing fighting. On August 8th of 1944, a new battle began near Cintheaux time and luck was running out for Michael Wittman. By this time Wittman had destroyed nearly 140 tanks and almost as many anti-tank pieces. He was promoted to captain and with it command of sSSPzAbt 101. He was again offered a position at a tank school, but preferred to stay with his unit. So far-reaching was his fame that even battle hardened Allied soldiers were frightened at the thought of going up against any Panzer, let alone one under the command of the fabled German farmer. But by August 8th, the situation in France had turned desperate for the Germans in Normandy.The 101st now regrouped with the impressive 12th SS Division, clashed with Canadian armour at Cintheaux. Though the town itself was recaptured and the Canadians, (unsurprisingly) sustained heavy casualties, the German high command considered the battle a tremendous blow, for tragic news was filtering through. Michael Wittman had been killed in Action. Like a knight making his last stand, Wittman perished in a one sided combat engagement with a detachment of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division against overwhelming odds. Five tanks caught the ace?s Tiger in the open on August 8th, 1944 in the French countryside, and in the ensuing fight that followed, Wittman?s Tiger blew up and his entire crew were killed. Or so the story goes. Wittman was originally reported missing but the following day was confirmed KIA, a demoralizing defeat for his division and the entire German army. The action was witnessed by SS-Hauptscharf?hrer H?flinger - Tiger #213 which was positioned in the same field at the rear, right of Wittman's Tiger. He reported that the action occurred in a field near the road to Caen-Cintheaux, at Gaumesnil, at 1255pm on 8th August 1944. He reported too that Wittman's Tiger was certainly destroyed and its entire crew killed but they could not understand how. The destruction of Wittman's Tiger was an mystery even for crews of sSSPzAbt 101. Many sources say that it was destroyed by the "Firefly Ambush", but different units laid claim to the famous ambush and destruction of Wittman's Tiger, including those of the either 1st Polish Armoured Division, 4th Canadian Armoured Division (it was Canadian Shermans that supposedly surrounded and shot Wittman's Tiger to pieces) or 33rd British Independent Armoured Brigade. A famous picture exists purporting to be of Wittman's Tiger without its turret and with the gun barrel placed on the hull, is in fact is the picture of SS-Untersturmf?hrer Alfred G?nther's Tiger destroyed by an airplane bomb at Evrecy. Along with those three versions, some claims were made that units which were not even present in the area at the time, were responsible for destroying Wittman's Tiger, such was the feeling of relief amongst the allied Tank crews. But another version was offered in 1945, by a local farmer Mr.Serge Varin who found Tiger #007. Mr.Varin was interested in this tank because its turret was literally ripped away from the hull. Mr.Varin examined Wittman's Tiger and noticed that it was not penetrated by any shells fired at it during the fighting. The only damage to the hull was a big hole in the rear, near the engine deck. Further examination Mr.Varin concluded that the impact came from the air. The rocket that hit the Tiger's rear deck (made of 25mm thick armor), had penetrated the air intakes and exploded causing the explosion in the engine compartment which in turn ignited the stored ammunition in the fighting compartment.The second explosion instantly killed the entire crew and blew the turret into the air. It would seem that Wittman's Tiger had been destroyed by a rocket fired from a Royal Air Force Hawker "Typhoon" MkIB - attack aircraft several of which had been engaging German armour at that time. Typhoons were armed with HE (High-explosive) rockets and took heavy tow of German tanks during the Normandy battles.Typhoons were credited with destroying 135 German tanks. Among those was Tiger 007. Michael Wittman and his brave crew were killed in action on August 8th of 1944, and given a Battlefield burial in unmarked graves near Gaumesnil near Cintheaux, and in the manner of many battlefield burials the graves were lost for nearly forty years. That is until March of 1983, an unmarked field grave of four German Tank soldiers were discovered by French workmen engaged in road widening. Tiger 007's crew was discovered at long last. After examination it was possible to identify the remains of Michael Wittman by dental records and the serial number of his pistol, still in its holster. The remains of 007?s driver, Heinrich Reimers were identified by his SS identification tag. Michael Wittman and his crew were subsequently ?officially? laid to rest in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of the German Military Cemetery of "De La Cambe" in Normandy, France. Amongst those attending the Ceremony was Bobby Woll, his former gunner, friend and another Knights Cross recipient, who had lived long enough to see the body of his friend discovered and given a proper burial. Unlike many German tank men, whose reputation was that of arrogance and overconfidence, Wittman was known for his quiet, mild-mannered behaviour, even under fire. It is true that Michael Wittman?s overwhelming success during the tooth-and-nail fighting in Normandy partially came from the gross imbalance of tank quality. The Tiger tank, while a mediocre offensive weapon, proved to be excellent for the defensive strategy of the German army, with its powerful cannon and heavy armour. The American Sherman and the British Cromwell proved to be no match for the superb German Armour being too lightly armoured for such heavy close-range fighting, and their firepower was also no match against German guns. The lightness and speed that had given these two machines a distinct advantage in North Africa became a crux in Western Europe. It should also be remembered that the German tank crews, particularly the SS Divisions, were seasoned veterans almost to a man. Some of the British and Canadians had seen action in the desert or in Italy but most of the American crews had never been in combat before. These advantages would be helpful in the hands of most tank commanders. In the hands of those such as Michael Wittman, they were for so long, practically invincible. Barney

The Last British Cavalry Charge Huj, November 8th 1917 At 1.30pm on November 8, 1917, just outside Huj, a small dusty town deep in the Sinai Desert, 181 horses of the Worcester Yeomanry Cavalry ridden by men armed with sabres, galloped into a force of 20,000 Turks, 21 German field guns and three Austrian 5.9 Howitzers. It was to become the final cavalry charge of the British Army. Darcy Harold Jones was the last survivor of that incredible charge and this is his story?????.. Born in Worcester, November 26th, 1896 Darcy was the youngest of five children. His father was a Master Potter and his mother kept a spotlessly clean home that always smelt of fresh baked bread. The family were very comfortable financially, and the British Empire ruled the world. All was good and secure in the world. Darcy left school at 14 and become a laboratory technician. But Darcy craved excitement so in 1913, at the age of 17 he joined the Territorial Force (fore-runner of the TA), enlisting in the Worcester Yeomanry.There he leaned to ride a horse and fight with a sword. Life was one long game, but in 1914 storm clouds gathered across Europe. His three elder brothers, Campbell, Harry and Frank, had all enlisted, and as the Territorial Force were mobilised, signing, almost to a man, the General Service Obligation Waiver enabling them to serve overseas, Darcy had the chance of real adventure of the type he'd read about in Boy's Own paper. On April 10th, 1915, the Worcestershire Yeomanry sailed from the port of Bristol bound for Alexandria aboard the HMT Wayfarer. As it made its way through the Mediterranean the ship was struck by a torpedo. The troops on board were all rescued. But the Cavalrymen would not leave without their horses, therefore some of the men, Darcy amongst them, returned to the stricken vessel and, despite great danger, rescued all 763 horses on board. The animals were eventually sent back to Ireland, from whence came the best army horses, but the men continued on to Alexandria aboard HMT Saturnia arriving in Egypt as infantry. In protest at being dismounted, they insisted on marching everywhere in their spurs. In August 1915, they set off for the Dardanelles, to join the debacle known as the Gallipoli Campaign. A naval attack in February had been a disaster, and the ANZAC troops together with many Regular Army units lately returned from the outposts of Empire were being badly mauled. But troops continued to be poured in. Darcy and his friends landed at Suvla bay on August 6th, the Turks, beginning to smell victory, were ready for them. There, in the trenches, Darcy saw men die for the first time, but initially he was not dispirited. He got his first experience of 'Johnny Turk' and longed to be up and at him. But over the next four months, as his friends began to be shot down one by one around him, his mood changed to frustration. Sitting in a hole in the earth eating bully beef and getting his feet wet in the mud was not his idea of war. Darcy's idea of warfare were still bound up with ideas of chivalry. Horses and sword play - it was the type of combat you could only find in the desert. By Christmas a bloody episode in British military history was over and Darcy, together with the rest of the Army was withdrawn to Alexandria. Gallipoli had been comparable, in the ineptitude of its planning, to the Crimean War of 1853. Darcy was not to know it then but it was to bring him even closer to the Crimean campaign. He was about to take part in an action reticent of the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. Darcy was glad to find himself back in the saddle. He felt much better, in the desert, mounted on Blanche, his new steed. He would remember her with pride and affection for the rest of his life. Happy again, despite the heat, the flies and disease. The camp was based over some ancient catacombs, right next to an outlet of the main drains of Alexandria. Many of the men went down with jaundice. There was always the everpresent threat of malaria, white cholera, dysentry and heatstroke. The Yeomanry were happy to leave the unhealthy air of the cities and HQ life, so they escaped on patrol at every opportunity. Over the next year Darcy led the life of a desert warrior. Days and nights were spent patrolling, resting during the day at Oasis or Wadis moving only in the cool of the dark hours. Early in 1917, the Turks tried to attack the Suez Canal by going through the desert, so the Yeomanry, along with the infantry and the Camel Corps, had to form a line, blocking the coast against them. A serious desert War had begun.The tide of war ebbed and flowed until November 1917. Everyone in the Yeomanry camp sensed that there was something big in the air, but no one knew when it would happen, or what it would be. They found out at noon on November 8th. The Londoners of the 60th Division, General O'Shea's 'Cockney infantry' and the Australian Mounted Infantry, were being held up by two batteries of Austrian gunners occupying a fine position on the adjacent ridge near the village of Huj. Major General Allenby had decided that cavalry assistance was needed! The Austrians and Turks were allies. From their position on the other side of the ridge, the Yeomanry could hear enemy shells, fired at the rate of sixteen a minute, falling amongst the Londoners and Australians. To make matters worse, another battery of machine guns operating at right-angles was supplying raking fire across the British line. The recently promoted Corporal Darcy Jones, together with his friends Bill Wood and Reggie Smith, both from Malvern, had spent an enjoyable morning. The unit had been out since the early hours patrolling in strength, sent to scout further afield, now they sat looking into a little valley below them. On the side of the hill, they came upon a small hut. There seemed to be no one about; nothing stirred except for the buzzards and booted eagles always waiting above them. So, swords, drawn, they entered. Inside they found Turkish women's underwear, all good quality and heavily embroidered and men's vests and pants, probably made in Berlin. It was the boys' first reminder of anything female since they had left Blighty. Darcy began grabbing handfuls and stuffing it into his saddle bags, the others copied and, roaring with laughter, they turned back for the British camp. They galloped past the infantry, lying in long rows. The men on the ground swore bitterly at the jokers on horseback as they whipped up sand into their faces. But amid the excitement, Darcy had noticed something was up. Darcy saw that there was a great deal of frantic to-ing and fro-ing from the Yeomanry headquarters established by Lieut Colonel Hugh Cheape under a cool clump of trees. At 1.30pm Allenby ordered Cheape, and his men to take their place in history. The popular Captain Valentine, known as 'Val', and Major Bill Wiggin rode up and down the lines assembling them into two ranks. Mounted on Blanche, armed with a sabre and a rifle, Darcy was more excited than he had ever been before. Before them they could see the massed Austro-Turkish guns, they even saw the guns turn towards them. Darcy recalled it was then the penny dropped. Valentine turned in his saddle, his face flushed. Darcy heard him shout: 'It's the guns we're after, lads.' Almost simultaneously he heard Lt-Col Cheape cry: 'Chaaarrrrge!' Val galloped about a length ahead of everyone else on a huge, beautiful, grey. Behind him the cavalrymen launched a classic charge, 1,500 yards directly onto the guns. Darcy rode forward, next to his friend Bill Wood. As his sword arm came out of its scabbard up into the air and his spurs went in. Down the other end of the valley the enemy frantically adjusted their guns. Darcy cantered, then galloped at full pace, not thinking of anything, just feeling exhilarated. His horse and his drawn sword made him feel invincible. Like others, he had heard the rule a thousand times ' Just point your weapon and the speed of your horse will do the rest'. A terrific fire was opened up on them by the enemy field guns, machine guns and rifles, at short range. Captain Valentine led the Worcestershire horsemen through the enemy left-flank guard, aiming for the field and heavy artillery pieces. Later it was reported that 'every artilleryman was sabred by his piece'. Captain Val, charged through an inferno of shells right onto the Turkish field battery, which was firing at point-blank range. As his men reached the guns they sabred all the gunners before they themselves were cut down. As Captain Val and his men lay dying, Colonel Cheape rode with a troop of Yeomen galloped round to the extreme right of the ridge and captured four camel guns three 5.9 guns and many prisoners. Darcy and the centre squadron attacked down the throat of the guns, between Val and Cheape's men. It was not the kind of charge the enemy were expecting. Unlike Balaclava , the British did not ride in formation, but in twos and threes, even wide apart. They looked more like Cossacks than regular cavalry, slashing the enemy and vanishing into their own dust. Amid the noise Darcy heard a bang and realised that Bill Wood's horse had been shot from under him ad his friend was gone. Nevertheless, Darcy rode on with the rest, on through a blizzard of shot, shell and machine-gun fire. Darcy recalled that the Austrian gunners fired so many shells that they were forgetting to set the fuses and the dud shells were going clean through the horses without exploding. They reached the enemy guns with full-throated cheers, some using their swords like whips on the horses. The Turks seemed to freeze at the onslaught. As the British got among them and began to hack off heads and limbs, the guns roared and a bloody melee ensued. Any Turkish soldier who stood still was cut down. Darcy felt he couldn't stop riding, he saw men fall under his hooves and he rode them down. He saw them turn and run, abandoning their guns. As the enemy scattered the charge became a rout. The action took 20 minutes, the most exhilarating few moments of Darcy's whole life. After the charge there was silence. The Regiment re-grouped and bivouacked on the site of the captured positions for the night. Allenby sent his congratulations and men celebrated the capture of 12 guns. Others were delighted to find dumps of circular cakes of Turkish bread and sacks of compressed dates. Thirty-six Yeomen were dead and four out of nine officers, including Val and Sergeant Allen, who had been with the Yeomanry since 1896. He was found dead, still holding his sword which was buried up to the hilt in an Austrian gunner. Fifty-seven men were wounded, and 110 horses lost. The British took 100 prisoners, including a Syrian woman who was married to an Austrian officer. Turkish corpses were piled into pyramids of 30 to 40. They quickly attracted flies and, to add to the discomfort, the terrible Khamsin wind, insufferably hot, started to blow like a blast-furnace, scorching dust-encrusted skins into sores and further drying already parched throats. Some men dropped asleep, but Darcy and others set off into the desert to search for water of any kind, no matter how brackish. Five miles from Huj, at Nedjeli, some of them found foul water, full of black and yellow leeches. They gave it to the horses and drank it themselves with chlorine tablets. It reminded Darcy of his 'chem lab' back in Worcester. At 7pm water carts arrived. For the men and horses that had remained at Huj it was their first drink for 50 hours. Early on November 9th, the British began to bury their dead. The bodies were put in a large pit, one mile from Huj, and marked with a cross. Darcy was feeling numb. A common effect of such action on those who survived. Only later did he come to the conclusion: that he was glad to have been part of it, and satisfied that he and Blanche had come through unscathed. Good humour and optimism remain with Darcy to the end of his days, even though life subsequently gave him some hard knocks. Still extremely lively and cheerful to the end, at the first mention of the cavalry charge he raised his arm as he would a sabre. At a special RAF Lyneham dinner given in his honour many years later, a woman asked him how he liked spending his time and he immediately replied, 'making love'. After Huj, Darcy gave up horses and went to Cairo to learn to fly. He got a commision to fly on April 1st, 1918. Back in Britain, he was fond of flying his biplane over his girlfriend Gertrud's garden so that he could wave to her. On one occasion his plane caught the tops of the trees, came down, and he had to be rescued by some passing German prisoners of war. After the Great War, he got a job in a pathology laboratory in Lewisham, south-east London. He and Gertrude married in 1920 and had a daughter, Dorothy, now 71. Their second child, a boy, died of pneumonia, aged eight. Not wanting Dorothy to be an only child, they had another daughter, but she was born mentally handicapped. Gertrude never recovered from these tragedies and suffered a nervous collapse, at one time refusing to go out of the house for 12 months. Eventually Darcy, who was devoted to his younger daughter, retired early to look after his wife. Darcy consoled himself by collecting stamps - he collected over 40,000. He remained essentially 'a man's man', all his life playing all the sports he could, except tennis. He only gave up golf in his mid 90s. During World war II, he was commanding officer of 228 Air Training Squadron in Kent. In his advanced years he sometimes became confused and curious about why people were interested in him. When told it was because he was famous, he immediately replied, with a wicked glint in his eye "You mean infamous, don't you?" Darcy was featured in an article in the Daily Mail on December 28th 1996 but sadly this grand old man died soon after. As far as I can ascertain this was the last formal Cavalry Charge performed by the British Army unless you guys know different.................. Barney

There some photos of the crashed aircraft and I'll post them within a couple of days. They give a good idea of the location. I am having the compass scanned for those of you interested....................

I asked a friend of mine this very question. This is what he sent, no chocolate you'll notice - dreadful............. British Daily Ration, France, 1914: 1 1/4 lb fresh or frozen mean, or 1 lb preserved or salt meat; 1 1/4 lb bread, or 1 lb biscuit or flour; 4 oz. bacon; 3 oz. cheese; 5/8 oz. tea; 4 oz. jam; 3 oz. sugar; 1/2 oz salt; 1/36 oz. pepper; 1/20 oz. mustard; 8 oz. fresh or 2 oz. dried vegetables; 1/10 gill lime juice if fresh vegetables not issued;* 1/2 gill rum;* not exceeding 2 oz. tobacco per week. (* at discretion of commanding general.) The following substitutions were permitted if necessary: 4 oz. oatmeal or rice instead of 4 oz. bread or biscuit; 1/30 oz. choclate instead of 1/6 oz. tea; 1 pint porter instead of 1 ration spirit; 4 oz. dried fruit instead of 4 oz. jam; 4 oz. butter, lard or margarine, or 1/2 gill oil, instead of 4 oz. bacon. British Daily Ration, India, 1914: 1 lb fresh meat; 1 lb bread; 3 oz. bacon; 1 lb potatoes; 1 oz. tea; 2 1/2 oz. sugar; 1/2 oz salt; 1/36 oz. pepper. British daily ration, Indian troops: 1/4 lb fresh meat; 1/8 lb potatoes; 1/3 oz. tea; 1/2 oz salt; 1 1/2 lb atta; 4 oz. dhall; 2 oz. ghee; 1/6 oz. chillies; 1/6 oz turmeric; 1/3 oz. ginger; 1/6 oz. garlic; 1 oz. gur. British Iron Ration, carried in the field: 1 lb. preserved meat; 12 oz. biscuit; 5/8 oz. tea; 2 oz. sugar; 1/2 oz. salt; 3 oz. cheese; 1 oz. meat extract (2 cubes.) German Daily Ration, 1914 (measured in grams; ounce equivalent in parentheses): 750g (26 1/2 oz) bread, or 500g (17 1/2 oz) field biscuit, or 400g (14 oz.) egg biscuit; 375g (13 oz.) fresh or frozen meat, or 200g (7 oz) preserved meat; 1,500g (53 oz.) potatoes, or 125-250g (4 1/2-9 oz.) vegetables, or 60g (2 oz.) dried vegetables, or 600g (21 oz.) mixed potatoes and dried vegetables; 25g (9/10 oz.) coffee, or 3g (1/10 oz.) tea; 20g (7/10 oz.) sugar; 25g (9/10 oz.) salt; two cigars and two cigarettes or 1 oz. pipe tobacco, or 9/10 oz. plug tobacco, or 1/5 oz. snuff; at discretion of commanding officer: 0.17 pint spirits, 0.44 pint wine, 0.88 pint beer. The meat ration was reduced progressively during the war, and one meatless day per week was introduced from June 1916; by the end of that year it was 250g (8 3/4 oz.) fresh meat or 150g (5 1/4 oz.) preserved, or 200g (7 oz) fresh meat for support and train personnel. At the same time the sugar ration was only 17g (6/10 oz.). German Iron Ration: 250g (8.8 oz) biscuit; 200g (7 oz.) preserved meat or 170g (6 oz.) bacon; 150g (5.3 oz.) preserved vegetables; 25g (9/10 oz.) coffee; 25g (9/10 oz.) salt. But as someone has already pointed out - it all depends on the poor old sod detailed to carry those rations to the guys in the trenches.

There are times when research throws up strange facts that maybe you were not looking for but are intriguing all the same. The 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham) Essex Regiment was a War raised Volunteer outfit that went to France in November 1915 and served there until they were, sadly disbanded in February 1918. They never left France. So why then is there an obscure monument on a windswept headland in Italy bearing the name of a Pal from West Ham? ???????.and what were the Japanese Navy doing in the Mediterranean?????? The chap who started this line of enquiry was Pte Arthur Ley Davies. Born in Saffron Walden, deep in rural Essex Arthur moved with his parents, to 110 Studley Road in Forest Gate in 1910. He enlisted at Stratford in January 1915, and is recorded in the Battalion War Diary as ?being accidentally shot by a comrade? early in 1916. Badly wounded, he was shipped home to recover, which in time he did. His story subsequently, whilst ultimately tragic is a one of those stories that never makes it into a book but deserves telling nevertheless????.. By the way - if you guys get fed up with these West Ham snippets just let me know and I?ll just retire to the Lounge with Gollum!!!!!!!!!!! Well, Arthur never returned to the 13th Battalion. On recovery he was attached to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion stationed at Harwich in Essex. It was becoming common for wounded men to end up on a different Unit on recovery, after all, they were sent where they were most needed. Early in 1917 the 36 yr old Pte Davies found himself posted as part of a composite unit of replacements detailed for Salonika in preparation for the impending Offensive by the Allies. Shipped once again to France they were then entrained for the long journey south to the Mediterranean port of Marseilles. There on 3rd May 1917, Arthur Davies along with 2,860 men and 200 Officers boarded the hired steamship ?Transylvania? bound for the Expeditionary assembly area in Alexandria. Some 14000 tons she was only launched in May 1914 and intended for the Transatlantic routes. She was taken over by the War Office in April 1915 for use as a Troopship. Enemy U Boats operated in the Mediterranean so it became the habit of those Troopships to hug the coast of France and Italy until on the following morning they entered the Gulf of Genoa. It had came as a surprise to everyone when they learnt that their escort was to be from the Japanese Imperial Navy. They had apparently, successfully performed this duty on a number of occasions following Sir Edward Carsons? recent announcement ? Japan is co-operating with our Naval Forces in these waters??.? I didnt know they were involved let alone on our side! Anyway, off Cape Valdo, some 8 kilometres south of the Italian town of Savona, despite the best attempts at protection by the two escorting Destroyers, the Matsu and the Sakaki, the Transylvania was hit by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U63, commanded by Captain Otto Schulze. The Matsu immediately lay alongside the stricken vessel in the storm tossed waters and began to take off the British troops and Nurses at great risk to itself, whilst the Sakaki stood off and attempted to engage the U Boat. Other Japanese Destroyers from the Escort raced to the scene. However as the boats were being lowered and the troops assembling calmly on deck, a second torpedo hit twenty minutes later and the Transylvania began to sink. The Matsu took over 1000 men from the sinking ship, whilst other destroyers rescued many more from the freezing water. The Sakaki, circling the small flotilla finally chased off the U Boat. In all, 414 men lost their lives in this incident, amongst them was Arthur Davies and 21 men from the 3rd Battalion, Essex Regiment. The bodies recovered and identified on the Savona coast were buried in a small plot in the town cemetery. Though some were recovered as far off as France, Monaco and even Spain, Arthur?s body was not one of them. So that is why Arthur Davies, of the 13th Essex, is Commemorated on the Savona Memorial, along with 275 others. Almost as a postscript, the Official History adds that the Japanese Naval Officer in command of the small Flotilla placed on record his ?admiration at the silence and calmness of the men in the sinking ship and the courage of the nurses?. And I never knew they were there?????. Barney