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World War One History Magazine
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ARTICLES
H I S T O R Y | R E - E N A C T M E N T S | E X P L O R E | H E R I T A G E
HISTORY
BIOGRAPHY
THE BATTLE AT HILL 70
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA THE MAN, THE HISTORY, THE LEGEND…
www.dugout-ww1.com
THE WHIPPET TANK
VICKERS MACHINE
GUN
PLUS… FACTSHEETS: ALBOTROS D1 HMS DREADNOUGHT
AMERICAN M6 TANK.
MACHINE
GUN CORPS
THE INTERNETS LEADING MAGAZINE OF WORLD WAR
ONE HISTORY
BONUS ARTICLES
AUTOMATIC MURDER ON THE WESTERN FRONT!
FEATURED UNIT
STURM-PIONIER-BATTALION “ROHR”
This Month’s Articles
Welcome Letter Book Review DVD Review Reenactment Group History of Sturm-Batallion Rohr N.5 Whippet Tank Lawrence of Arabia Mess Hut Vickers Machine Gun Holding of Hill 70 Machine Gun Corps Factsheet…Dreadnought Factsheet…American 6 Ton Tank Factsheet…Albatros D1
JANUARY 2011
Contents Page
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© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Hi Fellow Enthusiasts
Welcome to the next edition of Dugout WW1
This period saw some of the more exotic and defining
units and figures of the First World War.
In this issue, there is a bloody and remarkable story of one
of the most famous man of WW1, Manfred Von Richtofen
aka The Red Baron. This edition also includes one of the
bravest black American units of the conflict, the 372nd
‘Red Hand’ Regiment. Further to this, a special article
focuses on one of the most ingenious weapons of World
War 1.
My interest of the battles and campaigns that were fought
with such brutality has been shown in this issue and I
hope you find this issue as gripping as I do.
Unlike printed copy magazines, this publication has
interactive videos and a range of photographs that will
give you a graphic insight into the lives of the people in
World War 1.
I hope you find this as passionate and interesting a
subject as we do,
Until the next issue
Stephanie and Simon
www.dugout-ww1.com
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
B
o
o
k
R
e
v
i
e
w
(Click on Image)
John Lewis-Stempel’s book “Six Weeks: The short life of the British
Officer in the First World War” takes a poignant look at the young
men who, through bravery, following their older heroes and
madness, led the masses who have become known as lions led by
donkeys.
Despite post-war film portrayals of these young men as privately
educated, upper class men, many were just normal boys who
stepped without a doubt to their duty in the trenches. Overall the
book is as much an emotional journey as it is historical. There is a
lot of information on how the officers lived and died as well as the
topic of poetry. In particular accounts such as men and officers
having gardens and flower beds in the trenches show how men
could find a small measure of peace in such a terrible conflict.
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
(Click Image)
On the 11th
hour of the 11th
day of the 11th
month of 1918 the Great
War ended. As with wars across the centuries, soldiers returned
home and attempt to find order in their lives that were once filled
with death, blood and tragedy.
Max Arthur emotionally highlights that although for some it was a
great time of joy, the majority of people faced severe hardships.
Ultimately there are no innocents in war. For those who returned,
some had physical disabilities whilst others had mental scars which
would never be healed. Finally when all of the few were home, work
was scarce and those and their families who had sacrificed so much
found a bitter peace and deprivation in a so called “Land fit for
heroes” promised by Lloyd George.
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
World War 1 in Colour-Complete TV
series (2003)
(Click Image)
World War 1 in Colour is a Channel 5 documentary, made up of six
50 minute episodes, in cooperation with the Imperial War Museum.
Initially designed to bring the Great War alive with the use of colour,
the production shows the true cost of war. There are moving
interviews with very elderly veterans and extracts from letters ad
memoirs. All aspects of the war are covered including Land, Air and
Sea. In particular 75% of the material has never been seen before
on Television.
D
V
D
’
s
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
WWI - The Bloody War (3-Disc Box Set)
(2008)
(Click Image)
An excellent series charting some of The Great Wars’ most
disastrous and inhumane wastages of life. The series, produced by
the History Channel, comprises of three discs and is an absolute
must for anyone interested in the Great War.
In The Next Issue...
Next Issue:
American Warbird Volunteers-Lafayette Escadrille
Manfred Von Richtofen “The Red Baron” Factsheet†Renault FT 17 Factsheet†SE5.a Factsheet†SMS Elbing (Re-enactment Group) Battle! Slaughter at Tafas Weapon! Bergmann MP18-The World‟s
first Submachine Gun Mess Hut Book Review DVD Review Mark IV „Male‟ Tank Fokker DR.1
Click To
Subscribe
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Sturm Batallion Rohr Nr. 5
Sturm Batallion Rohr Nr. 5 was
recreated in 1979 to
participate in the second WW1
reenactment event held, at
Mount St. Mary’s
College in Maryland.
We are the second
senior German unit in
the Great War
Association. The
current Great War
events are held at
“The Caesar Krause
Memorial Site” which is
located in Newville,
Pennsylvania. The GWA now
owns the site and it has been
transformed in to a realistic
WW1 battlefield complete with
trenches, shell holes, dugouts
and plenty of barbed wire. We
have, on occasion, WW1
replica aircraft that perform
dogfights and strafing
runs on the trenches.
Pyrotechnics are also
utilized at events to
simulate
bombardments.
Sturm Batallion Rohr
was chosen to be represented
by us to recreate the classic
Stormtrooper impression. Our
goal is to accurately portray
the German Stormtrooper in kit
as well as action. Unlike the
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
regular infantry units,
Stormtroopers were equipped
with carbines, long handled
shovels, wire
cutters,
grenade bags,
trench clubs,
knives and
assault packs.
As the point of
many assaults,
our aggressive
nature upon
entering the enemy trench is
essential in allowing the
follow up infantry the ability to
capture and hold sections of
the trench.
Our membership currently
stands at 20. As with most
reenactment units, the diverse
makeup of the
membership is plethora
of backgrounds. We
have businessmen, law
enforcement, firemen,
truck drivers, a dentist, a
nurse, students, former
military and just about
everything career you can
think of. Because of this with
pride ourselves with having a
great bond of comradeship that
has lasted all these years. Our
highest rank is Sergeant which
eliminates any egos who
dream of Officer Status. We
work hard on our impressions
and our section of trench. Our
dugout is typical of the behind
the lines billets generally
afforded to Storm
Units.
Contact:
Jim Michaud
18 Walnut Avenue
Rockville Centre, New York 11570
Email: [email protected]
Jim Samler
7 Van Alst Rd.
Montgomery, New York 12549
Email: [email protected]
Http://www.5throhr-kbilr.com
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Sturm Batallion Rohr Nr. 5
History of Sturm Battalion Rohr
Nr. 5 is best viewed on
http://www.kaiserscross.com/4
0029/69301.html
For the most detailed
information available at this
time. However,
I’ll give you a
short version
compiled from
numerous
articles.
Taking French
Captain
Laffargue’s
pamphlet on
newly
developed
assault tactics
to the next
level, Major
Hermann
Reddemann helped form the
base plan for what was to be
evolutionary tactics employed
by German specialist troops in
1915. Official accounts of the
war reveal the origins of a
special Combat Engineer
assault unit in May 1915 that
came under command of
Hauptmann Willi Rohr on
August 8, 1915. Rohr
organized his new unit
(comprised of mainly Pioniers)
into closely coordinated small
groups heavily armed with
machine guns, flamethrowers
and hand grenades that were
trained to advance in short
rushes from shell hole to shell
hole. Unlike conventional
infantry tactics, Rohr’s troops
took advantage of the existing
terrain for cover. The tactic of
closely following a timed
creeping
barrage of
artillery helped
to afford the
German assault
troops the
maximum
amount of
surprise when
arriving at the
enemy trench.
Rohr’s
Stosstruppen
(shock troops or
assault troops)
were later
called Sturmtruppen (storm
troops) evoking the Germanic
warriors of mythology.
Specialized equipment and
uniforms changed the look of
the German soldier from the
spike helmet wearing, sharply
dressed parade ground soldat
to a functional, practically
equipped shock trooper. Sturm
Batallion Rohr was the first
unit to receive the M1916 steel
helmet and was committed for
the first time with great
success in the Verdun battle
front. Rohr’s unit was
continually used during the
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
battle and made impressive
gains.
Commanders from neighboring
units asked for and got training
in assault tactics. A directive
from General Erich von
Falkynhayn, OHL Chief of Staff,
ordered selected unit leaders
to report to Rohr for an
intensive 2 week training
course. They were then to go
back to their commands and
train their own men. In August
1916, General von Ludendorff
replaced Falkynhayn as Chief
of Staff and in September,
visited the 5th Army
commanded by Crown Prince
Wilhelm on the Western Front.
A welcoming Honor Guard
comprised of Sturm Batallion
Rohr in full assault gear and
steel helmets. Impressed by
their look and battle honors,
Ludendorff was impressed
enough to revise current
German Army battle tactics
and to order all units trained in
assault techniques.
Sturm Batallion Rohr was
utilized as a training unit to
undertake the huge task of
retraining all units in the West
in these new and effective
tactics. Rohr’s men were
called back to the front on
occasion and used numerous
times in major offensives. The
battle successes of Sturm
Batallion Rohr Nr. 5 help
evolve the outdated 19th battle
tactics into strategy that is
still used today in the modern
military.
Jim Michaud (Sturm Batallion Rohr Nr. 5)
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
The Whippet
“Oh what a lovely War!”
The „Whippet‟ or Medium Mark A Whippet was one of the
key Allied Tanks of World War 1. Its initial role was to
support the heavier and slower
allied tanks by exploiting its
speed and mobility. The
whippet was responsible for
more German casualties than
any other allied armoured
vehicle during the First World
War.
The concept of a fast tank was
the brainchild of Col. Ernest D.
Swinton, who was the „father‟
of armoured fighting vehicles.
In February 1916, Colonel
Swinton organised a
presentation of the allies first
tracked vehicle titled „little willie‟ before the British
Governments Minister for Armament David Lloyd George
and Commander in Chief Lord Kitchener.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Birth of a weapon
„Little Willie‟ weighed 16.5 tonnes, was 5.87 metres long,
and had a width of 2.86 metres and a height of
2.51metres.
In total, the height was 9 feet with dummy turret added.
The prototype had a crew of six men and had a Foster-
Daimler Knight Sleeve valve petrol engine, which had a
horsepower of 105 and two-speed forwards and one
reverse final drive by Renolds chains. The vehicle had a
top speed of 2mph.
In terms of „Willies‟ armaments, its primary armament was
a Vickers 2-pounder gun and had a secondary armament of
6 Madsen Machine Guns.
Following the First World War, „Little Willie‟ was preserved
and was saved from being scrapped in 1940. In the
twenty-first century, „Little Willie‟ is displayed at the
Bovington Tank Museum.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Breaking the Deadlock
By the trench warfare deadlock of 1916, a breakthrough
was needed for the allies. The military required a faster
and lighter armoured machine than the then standard
tank. It was believed that such a machine should exploit
the breakthrough in enemies‟ defences by the heavy tanks
and cavalry. For the role envisaged, the typical length of a
normal tank was not considered important but lightness
and reduction in armour was favoured to maximise speed.
Following the allied Somme offensive between July and
November 1916, in which the
allies lost over 100 tanks, the
Tank Supply Department focused
on the improvement of a weapon
that had showed little progress in
the battle. During the meeting on
October 3rd
1916, William Tritton,
who incidentally designed the
Mark I tank, proposed the
concept of an armoured vehicle
that would became known as the
„Whippet‟.
The „magic‟ of Tritton
The initial design for a new tank was accepted on the 10th
November 1916 and approved by the War office on 25th
November 1916.
Sir William Tritton of William Foster & Co. Ltd. of Lincoln
undertook the design and manufacture of a prototype
vehicle to meet the requirements, incidentally known as
“Tritton‟s Light Machine” or “Tritton Chaser”, was
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
completed by February 1917. Although named after him,
Tritton renamed the vehicle “Whippet”. On March 3rd
1917,
at the Oldbury training ground Mechanical Warfare Supply
Department organised a demonstration of a Whippet Tank
for military personnel of the General Staff.
The performance of the Whippet was exceptional!,
achieving a speed of 11.5kmh whereas a Mark I tanks top
speed was only 5kmh. The following day, Sir Lawrence
Kiggell, on behalf of Marshall Sir Douglas Haig, ordered
the production of 200
whippets and first delivery
by July 1917.
In looking at the technical
aspects of the „Whippet‟
tank, in looking at the
compact designs, Tritton
placed the crew behind the
engine. In order to
achieve sufficient power
from the engines, which
tanks needed as well as
avoidance of the
cumbersome gear change,
twin Taylor commercial
vehicle engines with their own clutch and gearbox were
used. The two systems were joined at the cross shaft
from where the final drive to the tracks was by chains to
sprockets on either side. For steering the clutches joining
the cross shaft were released and one or the other
engines speeded up. In essence the turn being on the side
opposite to that of the faster running engine. The
subsequent steering effect could be increased by the use
of the brakes on one engine or another. Although this was
controlled by one man, it rested upon the skill of the driver
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
as one or both engines could be stalled if care was not
taken. In particular, to aid performance by decreasing
track friction, rollers were introduced on the top of the
tracks as well as a series of chutes along the sides to
clear the mud.
Overall it proved impossible to control the speeds of the
engines, causing the vehicle to take unexpected and
unpredictable paths. Drivers became wary and stopped
the vehicle, locked one track and slowly started again
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
before every turn. Despite this action, many tracks broke
as the movement was too abrupt.
Another feature of this new type of tank was the fuel tank,
which alarmingly was located in front of the hull.
The whippet had a crew of three: a commander, a driver,
and gunner, in some occasions a fourth gunner was taken
in order to utilise the four machine guns. Further to this, at
times, a machine gun was removed to give more room, as
the machine guns could be moved between mountings.
The whippet could cross 2 metre wide trenches, wade
through 1 metre of water, pass over 0.7m high walls and
climb slopes up to 40 degrees. The crews often eluded the
confinements of the tank to that of a Turkish bath as, poor
ventilation system, lack of light and high temperatures
made conditions practically unbearable.
In looking at the armaments, the whippets initial rotating
turret was changed for a box shaped structure armed with
four 0.303 French Hotchkiss machine guns and a total of
5400 rounds. The large number of guns was designed to
balance the vehicle as the turret was removed.
All these changes appears to have had a detrimental
effect upon the performance of the vehicle as, Tritton‟s
Chaser weighed in total 12 tonnes whereas the Mark A
Whippet now weighed 14 tonnes.
Experimental work was taken out on the Whippet during
its lifetime. Major Phillip Johnson, who was part of the
Tank Corps workshops in France, began fitting the
Whippets with leaf springs in 1918. Then later in 1918,
Johnson fitted a Whippet with a sprung track roller. The
end result being a speed of around 30mph was achieved.
Other experiments included fitting Whippets with trailing
wheels from Mark I tanks and attaching a climbing tail. It
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
appears all of the modifications and variations were an
attempt to improve the vehicles trench-crossing ability.
The German Leichter Kampfwagen „Light Cavalry Tank‟
resembled the Whippet and was developed from December
1917. It also was a turret-less tank with the engine in
front, but it was smaller and had thinner armour.
The first „Whippets‟
left the factory in
October 1917, and
two were delivered
to F Battalion of the
tank corps, who
were the first unit
to use them. In
December 1917 the
initial order of 200
was increased to 385; however this was later cancelled in
favour of more advanced types. By March 1918, 3rd
and 6th
Tank battalions were equipped with 48 Whippets each.
Combat!
The baptism of fire for the Whippets was in spring of 1918,
during the Germans spring offensive known as
‘Kaiserschlacht’.
The 3rd
Tank battalion received Whippets in Bray-sur-
Somme on March 21st
1918, at the very start of
Kaiserschlacht Two days later the battalion was forced to
withdraw destroying the newly delivered tanks which
could not evacuate due to mechanical failures.
During the offensive near Cachy, a single Whippet
company of seven tanks wiped out two entire German
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
infantry battalions, killing over 400 men. That very same
day one Whippet was destroyed by a German A7V in the
world‟s second tank battle. This is recorded as the only
time the Whippet fought an enemy tank. In another sector
of the front, Company X, detached from 3rd
Tank Battalion,
gained supremacy over German forces at Amiens. The
company which was equipped with 7 Whippets, under the
command of Capt. T. R. Price ordered his men to charge
the enemy in line formation, through the enemy, stop and
then return to friendly positions. The attack was executed
with military precision and inflicted heavy casualties to
the Germans.
The losses inflicted upon the allies during the spring
offensive were that high that plans to equip 5 Tank
Battalions with 36 Whippets each had to be shelved. In the
end, only 3rd
Tank Brigade had Whippets, 48 in each of its
two battalions (3rd
and 6th
Tank Battalion). Supported by
other allied armoured units, the Whippets took part in the
Amiens offensive of August 1918, which saw the
destruction of German fighting spirit. The Whippet‟s broke
through the German lines causing the loss of artillery in
one sector of the battle.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
The Legend of the „Musical Box‟
Although the Whippet‟s had proved themselves, the
cooperation of tanks and cavalry on the battlefield broke
down. While advancing the Whippets could not keep pace
with the cavalry and when the Whippets were attacked,
the cavalry could not support them. Tanks of the 6th
battalion gathered at Marcelcave in the evening of the
first day of battle. From the original compliment of 48
tanks, 40 were still in running order. Whilst accounting for
the losses, Whippet number 344 named „Musical Box‟ was
missing. The story of this tank and its crew is the greatest
single tank action of the entire war.
The crew of Whippet number 344 under the command of
Lt. C. B. Arnold performed the greatest mechanical cavalry
charge of the war. Moving off at zero hour on the 8th
August with the rest of the troops across that sector, they
passed the railway at Villiers-Bretonneux and somehow
became detached from the main force. Arnold became
aware of a force of Mark V tanks and Australian Infantry
under fire from German artillery. Arnold attacked without
hesitation, first passing in front of the German guns and
then to the rear peppering the gun positions with machine
gun fire. The timely attack by Arnold allowed the
Australian infantry to move forward. For the next 9 hours
Arnold and his crew attacked German rear positions,
infantry, and wagons. They dispersed a whole battalion of
infantry in a camp between Bayonvillers and
Harbonnieres, destroyed an observation balloon and a
transport column of the German 225.Division.
Following unremitting attack upon the Germans, the
conditions inside Arnold‟s Whippet became so difficult
that the crew used the mouthpieces of their gasmasks for
breathing. The destruction of „Musical Box‟ came when the
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Germans cornered Arnold‟s tank and set it ablaze with
artillery fire. Baling out of the burning wreck, the driver
was shot and Arnold and the remaining crewman were
taken prisoner.
(Whippet in action 1916-1918)
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
VC‟s
During the course of the First World War, two Victoria
Crosses were awarded to Whippet officers. The first was
Lt. Sewell who on the 29th
August,
was leading an attack east of
Favreuill when tank number A233
slipped into a deep shell crater,
overturned and caught fire. Sewell
got out of his tank and came to the
aid of the stricken crew. Digging an
entrance to the hatch which was
embedded in the side of the crater,
Sewell was able to get the crew to
safety. However Sewell was shot
whilst attempting to return to his
tank.
The second man awarded a VC was the commanding
officer of the 6th
Tank Battalion, Lt.
Col West. On September 18th
1918
whilst reconnoitring on horseback,
West came upon the front line at
Lagincourt where the Germans
were pressing a counter attack.
British casualties were high and
there was disarray and confusion.
West rode his
horse in front
of the retreating British soldiers,
under intense gunfire and rallied the
troops. West was subsequently shot
and died on the battlefield.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Camouflage:
The exact camouflage patterns of First World War tanks
are hazy at best. The individual colour schemes used on
the first tanks began to be replaced by dark Khaki brown
by 1917. Surviving Whippet tanks appear to have had a
colour scheme of green; however the exact shade is
uncertain.
Markings:
The use of nicknames for individual tanks was standard
during the First World War, as it was during the second.
Nicknames were mostly painted on the front of the tank.
Call signs began appearing as markings during the First
World War. In 1916 all A-Companies used call signs “C”
and followed in numerical sequence.
In particular national markings or ID bands were used at
the end of the war. As a direct order from GCHQ, from
June 1918, British tanks were ordered to have such
stripes. This was a direct result of the Germans capturing
and using allied tanks in the field. Thus, to avoid
confusion, allied tanks
were marked. The
stripes colours ran
white-red-white
indicating that they
were tanks of the
cavalry corps. With
regard to Whippet‟s,
national markings
were often put on the
front of the vehicle. There are also examples of Whippet‟s
carrying ID markings on engine covers.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Post-War
In the aftermath of the November armistice the Whippet
continued to see action across the milito-politico
countries of Europe. Whippets were sent to Ireland during
the Anglo-Irish War (1913-1921) serving with the 17th
Battalion, Royal Tank Corps.
During Russia‟s Civil War (1917-1923) following the
October Revolution, British Whippet tanks were sent with
allied Expeditionary forces in support of the White
Russians against the Bolsheviks
(White Russian Forces using Whippet tanks circa 1920)
In the midst of the political and military chaos of post-war
Germany, allied tanks captured by the Germans were used
extensively in the infighting between communists or
supporters of communism and those forces on the right
i.e. Freikorps.
©Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Renowned for their determination and brutality, the
Freikorps used modern warfare methods i.e. Tanks,
Flamethrowers and assault tactics to crush pockets of
supporters of the left in cities such as Berlin, Munich and
the Ruhr pocket.
Even though the Germans believed the „Whippet‟ was the
only allied tank worth copying, the German forces during
and immediately after the war, never used them in
combat. Although two whippets were captured by German
forces, they were soon discarded as not being vital as the
German LKII was being constructed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_-Jk0H5RWA
Archive Footage of Whippet Tanks ▲
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Lawrence of Arabia "I deem him one of the greatest beings alive in our time...
We shall never see his like again. His name will live in
history. It will live in the annals of war... It will live in the
legends of Arabia."-Winston Churchill
Thomas Edward Lawrence or „Lawrence of Arabia‟, known
professionally as T.E.Lawrence was one of the most iconic
figures of the First World War. To this day, Lawrence has
become a household name conjuring images of adventure,
sweeping deserts and the image of a mysterious figure
that has never been fully understood. Renowned for his
liaisons with the warring Arab tribes against the Ottoman
Empire, Lawrence became one of the leaders of the Arab
revolt which began in 1916.
Lawrence‟s image with the
public was due in part to the
great reportage of Lowell
Thomas who, during the war
photographed and filmed
Lawrence on campaign in
Palestine. Following the war
Lowell toured the world
showing and narrating his
film “Allenby in Palestine”
and “Lawrence in Arabia”,
making both himself and
Lawrence household names.
In the wake of Arab nationalists after World War 1,
Lawrence used his newly gained public fame to further
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
support the promises made to the Arabs during the First
World War, which were then betrayed by imperial powers.
The Great War
In the summer of 1914, Lawrence was a university post-
graduate who had travelled extensively throughout the
Ottoman Empire. In travelling across the Middle-East,
Lawrence became known to Turkish and German officials.
Furthermore Lawrence came into contact with German
and Ottoman technical advisors who were building the
Berlin to Baghdad railway, which was designed to unify
and solidify the Ottoman Empire. This contact with
Central Power officials and the railway was to be a
significant advantage to Lawrence in the coming years.
Volunteering for the war
effort, Lawrence was posted
to the Intelligence Staff of the
General Officer Commanding
Middle-East based in Cairo.
Lawrence‟s first-hand
experience and travels of the
Middle-East proved invaluable
to the allies as the Foreign
Office‟s Arab Bureau was set
up to harness the resentment
the native Arab tribes felt
towards their Turkish
overlords.
The concept of a guerrilla campaign supported and
financed by outside powers, supporting violence and
action against the Turks, would ultimately divert the
efforts and materials of Turkey away from Great Britain
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
and her allies. The Ottoman cost of subjugating unrest
would far outweigh the allies cost of sponsoring it.
Between 1916 and 1918, Lawrence fought with and led
Arab irregular troops, in extensive guerrilla operations
against the forces of Turkey. Persuading the Arabs not to
attack the Turks head on, Lawrence instigated Arab
attacks on Turkeys supply route, the Hejaz railway.
Lawrence‟s pre-war experiences with Turkey‟s vital
railway allowed the Arab forces to maximise hit and run
tactics which tied up Turkish troops, who were forced to
protect the railway and its vital links.
„Sideshow of a sideshow‟
Aqaba!
In the spring of 1917, Lawrence envisaged a joint attack
of Hareth Arab forces and Howetat Arabs who were under
the command of Auda Abu Tayi against the strategically
located but lightly defended coastal town of Aqaba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_777HdrgiTM
Audas Camp ▲
On 6th
July, after a surprise and monumentally thought
attack, Aqaba fell to Lawrence and his forces. The attack
and taking of Aqaba was seen as a great strategic
success as the Turks believed that Aqaba could only be
taken from the sea as the desert around Aqaba was
impassable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7waPSdYH02k
Attack on Aqaba ▲
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Following Aqaba, Lawrence was promoted Major and the
new Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary
Force, General Sir Edmund Allenby saw the value and
utilised Lawrence and his tactics. Following the war
Allenby commented
“"I gave him a free hand. His cooperation was marked by
the utmost loyalty, and I never had anything but praise for
his work, which, indeed, was invaluable throughout the
campaign."
Throughout the rest of 1917, the Arab forces in
conjuncture with the EEF gradually pushed back and
caused irreparable damage to Turkey‟s war effort in the
Middle-East. Despite this, the winds of politics were
beginning to blow against the Arabs and their cause.
“A dangerous Man”
In the final year of the war, Lawrence frantically sought to
make good on the promises he made to the Arabs. The
drive towards and capture of Damascus in the final weeks
of the war saw Lawrence promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel
and the creation of a provisional Arab government with
Prince Feisal Ibn Hussein at its head.
Despite all of Lawrence‟s efforts, all of his and the Arab
gains in the last year of the war would come apart. During
the closing year of the war, Lawrence sought, with
success and failure, to convince the British High
Command that Arab independence was in Britain‟s
interests. Further to this he reminded both political and
military figures of the “Hussein-McMahon agreements”
which were signed between the British Government and
Arab officials in 1915. The agreement stressed that if the
Arabs forced Turkey out of the Middle-East with support
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from the allies, then the allies would guarantee an
independent Arab state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1WcbVE_DhU
Arabs in Damascus ▲
The secret Sykes-Picot Agreement between France and
Britain and subsequent Balfour Declaration signed
between Britain and Jewish representatives contradicted
earlier promises made to the Arabs and ended the
promises of Arab independence.
The political and military upheaval strained all parties
involved including Lawrence. Just prior to arriving at
Damascus, the Arab army fell upon a retreating Turkish
column and under orders from Lawrence massacred the
Turks. Pictures of Lawrence taken in Damascus in 1918
show a physically and mentally strained man on the edge
of sanity.
(Lawrence in Damascus, 1918, showing evident physical
and mental strain)
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(Map of Middle-East according to Sykes-Picot Agreement)
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“The Great Silence”
In the Post-War Years, Lawrence worked as part of the
Arab/Allied delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in
1919. Prince Feisal‟s rule as King of Syria came to an
abrupt end in 1920 as French forces under the command
of General Mariano Goybet defeated Arab forces and
entered Damascus. France‟s actions forever broke
Lawrence‟s vision of an independent Arab Arabia.
(Arab delegation at Paris Peace Conference 1919)
Left to Right: Rustum Haidar, Nuri as-Said, Prince Feisal Captain
Pisani (rear), T.E.Lawrence, Feisal‟s slave, Captain Hassan Khadri
In the wake of the smash and grab of empires, the growth
of Nationalism in Colonial empires and political dealings;
Lawrence became embroiled in the Arabs determination to
gain from the First World War. Between 1920 and 1922
both Lawrence and Gertrude Bell served as advisors to
Churchill, who oversaw The Cairo conference which was
organised to resolve factious issues between parties
following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire.
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(Churchill pictured with his “40 thieves” including
Gertrude Bell and Lawrence at Giza 1922, Cairo
Conference)
NEEDS YOU!
Enlist Now! Your Nearest Recruiting Station:-
http://www.niche-works.com/Dugout/
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The Vickers Machine Gun or ‘Vickers’ is one of the most
well-known machine guns of the twentieth century and
ultimately the First World War. The name ‘Vickers’ refers
to the water-cooled .303 machine gun produced by
Vickers Limited between 1912 and 1968.
Its long service in war, peace and civil administration has
made it recognisable throughout the world. Its distinct
shape has made it instantly recognisable in films such as
Ghandi, Michael Collins and Lawrence of Arabia.
In the beginning the Vickers design was based on the
design of the Maxim Machine gun designed by Sir Hiram
Maxim in the late 19th
Century.
Following the
purchase of the Maxim
Company in 1896,
Vickers redrew and
improved the design by
removing all
unnecessary weight in
parts and substituting components made from high
strength alloys.
Vickers new machine gun was formally accepted by the
Army as its main machine gun in November 1912. Despite
this, by the outbreak of war in 1914, there were shortages
of Vickers machine guns; thus the BEF or British
Vickers Machine Gun
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Expeditionary Force used both Vickers and Maxims in the
early days of WW1.
When war was declared in August 1914, Vickers was
producing 12 machine guns per week. Demand was that
high, that Vickers had to increase production. Overall in
1915 Vickers supplied the British armed forces with 2,405
guns. The production had more than doubled by the
following year to 7,429. In total by 1918, 39,473 Vickers
Machine guns were produced, seeing service in France,
Russia, Palestine and East Africa.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZyy-HSnOec
Lawrence of Arabia Train attack scene ▲
Despite Vickers contribution to the war effort, Vickers
Company was accused of profiteering from the war as
they charged the British Government £175 per gun. In
light of increasing government pressure, Vickers slashed
the price to £80 per gun.
The effectiveness of the Vickers was shown during the
allied attack on High Wood on the 24th
August 1916, as it
is estimated that ten Vickers fired over one million rounds
in the space of twelve hours.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY2xgWnoCaw
Overview of Vickers ▲
Throughout the First World War, the Vickers was
superseded by the Lewis Gun, and as the Lewis was
adopted as a light machine gun and issued to Infantry
units, the Vickers was redefined as a heavy machine gun,
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withdrawn from Infantry units and grouped into the new
Machine Gun Corps.
Specs:
The weight of the Vickers varied depending on what gear
was attached, however the main gun weighed between 25-
30lb and the tripod the gun was mounted on weighed
between 40-50lb. The 250 round ammunition boxes
weighed 22lb each, and the gun required 7.5 imperial pints
of water in its
evaporative cooling
system to stop it
from overheating.
The resulting heat
created when
firing, boiled the
water in the jacket
surrounding it. The
result was that
steam was taken by a flexible tube to a condenser
container. This system was beneficial because it avoided
giving the location of the gun away and the water
collected could be reused.
The standard round for most British weapons of the First
World War was the .303 inch round. This type of round
was used in the Vickers, Lewis Gun and Lee-Enfield Rifle.
In terms of the Vickers, 250 rounds were hand loaded into
canvas ammunition belts. In particular there was also a
0.5inch calibre which was used as an anti-aircraft
weapon.
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Furthermore, as
the Vickers was
bought and used by
other powers,
Vickers produced
various calibres to
meet the demands
of the buyer.
The gun was 3ft
and 8 inches long
(1.1m) and its rate of fire was between 450-600 rounds per
minute. With skilled crews and practice, it was expected
that 100,000 rounds could be fired per hour, and the barrel
changed every hour. The muzzle velocity of the Vickers
was 744m/sec and the effective range was 2,187yds
(2,000m). The maximum range was 4,500yds (4,100m)
Use:
The gun and tripod were carried separately, as both were
heavy. Although in its original design the gun was not
designed to be manhandled by its crew, the weapon was
so popular that the crew were more than willing to man-
pack it through all terrain. The tripod was placed to
create a firm base, and its legs were weighed down to
counter the recoil. The water jacket would be filled with
water and in some cases when water was not available,
the crews would urinate into the jacket. The downside of
this was that as the urine became heated it gave off a
pungent smell and it corroded the inner lining of the
barrel.
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The Vickers generally required a crew of six or eight to
operate and carry all the equipment.
The loader sat to the gunners’ right and fed in the canvas
belts. The firing mechanism
would draw in the belt, push
each round out of the belt
and into the breach, fire it,
and then eject the brass
cartridge out of the bottom.
The gunner was taught to
place the two fingers of both
hands on top of the firing
grip and press the trigger
with his thumbs. The reason for this was the blowback
lever (circled just in front of the gunners’ right hand)
would swing back at a high rate as each round was fired
through the gun. If the gunner’s hands weren’t positioned
properly, the lever would crack into his knuckles.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPv_f_aSyP4
Firing Vickers ▲
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcF7jwWkFMc
Slow motion firing of Vickers ▲
The Vickers was utilised for indirect fire against targets
up to a range of 4,500 yards. This so called ‘plunging’ fire
was devastatingly used against trench systems, road
junctions and formation points. In some cases an enemy
location was zeroed in on during the day and attacked at
night. A white disc would be set up on a pole near the
MMG, and the gunner would aim for a mark on it, knowing
that this corresponded to aiming at the distant target.
The Vickers had a back sight with a tall extension for this
very purpose. The Germans had a similar weapon, the MG
08, which had a separate attachment sight with a range
calculator.
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PRIVATE HERBERT GEORGE COLUMBINE
9th Squadron (Cavalry)
Born 28.11.1893 / Died 22.3.1918
Date of Gazette 3.5.1918
On 22nd March 1918 at Hervilly Wood, France, Private
Columbine took over command of a gun and kept firing it
from 9am to 1pm in an isolated position with no wire in
front. During this time wave after wave of the enemy failed
to get up to him, but at last with the
help of a low flying aircraft the
enemy managed to gain a strong foot
holding in the trench. As the position
was now untenable, Private
Columbine told the two remaining
men to get away, and although he
was being
bombed on
either side, he
kept his gun
firing,
inflicting
losses until he
was killed by a bomb which blew up
him and his gun.
(Bronze bust of Columbine located in Marine Gardens
Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex)
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LANCE CORPORAL HAROLD SANDFORD MUGFORD
8th Squadron (Cavalry)
Born 31.8.1894 / Died 16.6.1958
Date of Gazette 26.11.1917
On 11th April 1917 at Monchy-Le-
Preux, France, under intense fire,
Lance Corporal Mugford got his
machine gun into a forward very
exposed position from which he
dealt very efficiently with the
enemy. Almost immediately his
No.2 was killed and he was
severely wounded. He was ordered
to go to a new position and then
have his wounds dressed but he
refused, staying to inflict severe
damage on the enemy with his gun. Soon afterwards a
shell broke both his legs, but he still remained with his
gun and when he was at last removed to the dressing
station he was again wounded.
"The infantry," said Private Finch, "had the order to take
the village at all costs and of course, they took the village
all right, but by the time they got there they were very
much thinned out and it fell to our lot to go into action,
and hold the position. We lost nearly half our men in
galloping into Monchy le Preux, and when we got there we
had no ammunition. That put us back a bit and I found
ammunition and got our gun into action.”
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The holding of Hill 70: Canada‟s defiance
against Germany‟s onslaught!
The battle of Hill 70
was a minor
engagement between
the Canadian Corps
and five superior
divisions of the
German sixth Army.
The battle took place
on the outskirts of
Lens in the Nord-Pas-
de-Calais part of
France between 15th
August 1917 and 25th
August 1917. In the
10 day slaughter for
the hill the Canadian
Corps inflicted an
unknown number of
wounded and killed
upon the Germans,
capturing 1,369 prisoners and suffering 9,198 killed or
wounded. In total 6 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the
Canadian Corps for their actions during the battle. The
engagement is often forgotten as it falls between
Canada‟s baptism of fire at Vimy Ridge and the attrition
slaughter of Passchendaele.
The objective of the assault was to inflict casualties and
draw Germans from the Battle of Passchendaele. The
Canadians executed a limited operation to quickly occupy
the high ground at Hill 70, form defensive positions, and
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through small arms fire and artillery-repel German
counterattacks. Much later, the Canadian Corps
attempted to extend its positions into the city of Lens;
however both sides remained locked in their positions.
(A group of Canadians, standing with mugs at a soup
kitchen set up on boards "100 yards from Boche lines"
during the push on Hill 70)
The battle for Hill 70 witnessed the first uses of true
modern warfare, gas warfare and assault tactics.
Ultimately the goal of Canada‟s heroes was only partially
accomplished. The Canadians were successful in
preventing German formations from transferring men to
Passchendaele, however failed to draw troops from other
sectors.
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The beginning:
The British First Army Commander, General Henry Horne,
ordered the Canadian Corps to relieve the British First
Corps from their position opposite the city of Lens on 10th
July 1917. Horne then directed Arthur Currie, Commander
of the Canadian Corps to develop and execute a plan to
capture the city of Lens by the end of July.
The Battle:
Arthur Currie regarded the heights of Hill 70 more of a
tactical advantage than the city of Lens itself. To merely
occupy the city whilst the Germans controlled the high
ground was seen to be suicidal. At the initial briefing,
Currie persuaded Horne to make Hill 70 the primary
objective.
The control of Hill 70 would provide excellent observation
positions for the allies. Currie formulated that the
Germans would counterattack if Hill 70 was captured,
largely due to its observational significance. The
observational significance, Currie believed, of Hill 70
would give the allies well directed and devastating
artillery fire on the Germans. The initial plan was to
quickly occupy the high ground, form defensive positions
and wait for the counter attack!.
The plan called for the 1st
and 2nd
Canadian Divisions to
attack on a front of 4,000 yards. Their objective was to
capture the German positions occupying the eastern or
reverse slope of Hill 70. The 1st
Canadian Division‟s 3rd
Canadian Infantry Brigade would attack north of Hill 70
whilst the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Brigade would attack the
summit. The 4th
and 5th
Infantry brigades of the 2nd
Canadian Division would assault the rubble remains of the
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suburbs of Cite St. Edouard, St. Laurent and St. Emile
south of Hill 70
In order to give the Canadian‟s a chance; diversionary
attacks were planned by the British First Army in the
south of La Bassee Canal.
Ultimately bad weather postponed the attack on the hill
from late July till mid-August. In the „softening up‟ period,
Royal Engineers fired a total of 3500 gas drums and 900
gas shells into Lens by the 15th
August.
Allied artillery neutralised 40 out of the estimated 102
batteries around Lens and allied troops were rotated
through to the reserve area to receive and conduct
training for the upcoming assault.
Evidently these actions did not go unnoticed by the
German High Command, which obviously made it
impossible to conceal the allies‟ intentions and even the
date of the attack. In order to counter the knowledge the
Germans had, the allies misled the Germans by staging
exercises with dummy tanks on the 14th
August west of
Lens.
The assault on Hill 70 began at 4:25am on the morning of
15th
August. Divisional field artillery executed a rolling
barrage directly in advance of the assaulting troops while
howitzers shelled German positions 400m in front of the
rolling barrage and other German strongpoints were
shelled.
To counter the impending assault, the Germans had
moved their reserve troops to the front line the night
before in anticipation of an attack. From the start the
Canadians were in trouble, at 3am the main body of
Canadian troops were detected and within 5 minutes of
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the assault commencing, the Germans brought down
defensive but widely scattered artillery fire.
In the wake of the rolling barrage and howitzer attack, the
forward units of the German front line were overwhelmed.
Within twenty minutes of the attack, both Canadian
Divisions had reached their objectives. As of 6am the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Brigade had reached the second
objective line, whereas other Canadian elements had
reached their final objective.
Despite the initial success, only the flanking companies of
the two battalions attacking the Hill had managed to
reach their objectives. The remains of both units
retreated and consolidated their position at a previous
objective line.
On the right flank of the 2nd
Canadian Division, the 12th
Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 4th
Canadian Division
sacrificed themselves in order to divert German fire from
the main objective. Four hours from the start, the 4th
Canadian division attempted to exploit the shock of the
attack and drive towards Lens itself. This drive, although
daring and brave, was unsuccessful as the Germans
counterattacked and drove the Canadians back.
‘Sturm des Krieges’ (Storm of War)
The Canadians knew how strategically valuable Hill 70
was to the Germans. Preparing for the expected
counterattack, the 1st
and 2nd
Canadian Divisions began to
reinforce whatever cover was available.
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(Canadians in Captured German trenches)
Within two hours of the start of the battle, the Germans
began to use their reserves to mount counterattacks. In
the time between 7am and 9am of the 15th
, the Germans
launched four separate attacks against the Canadians
holding onto Hill 70. Valiantly each attack was repulsed,
in part due to forward artillery observers who zeroed in on
German positions.
At least one instance, the counter attack was only
repulsed after engaging in hand-to-hand fighting. As battle
raged over the Hill, the Germans brought up
reinforcements, and in the next three days the Germans
executed no less than 21 counter-attacks against the
Canadians on the hill. A frontal assault against the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Brigade on the afternoon of the 15th
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August was ultimately a slaughter as the Canadians
smashed the attacking Germans. Despite this, a German
assault on the 4th
Infantry Brigade was a success as the
Germans recaptured Chicory Trench but which was
recaptured later the same afternoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJZttzblHFQ
German counter attacks at Hill 70 ▲
The morning of the 16th
August was still. By the afternoon
the Canadians attacked and captured the remainder of its
final objectives. Like the previous day, the attack was
lightening quick, successful and was counter-attacked on
several occasions by the Germans.
Between the 16th
and 18th
of August the 4th
and 11th
Infantry Brigades attempted to destroy a German Salient
positioned between Cite St. Elisabeth and Lens failed with
heavy casualties. By the 17th
the German High Command
realised that to successfully beat the Canadians, allied
artillery would have to be destroyed. Thus a series of
storm attacks against a chalk quarry under Canadian
control outside of Cite St. Auguste were planned. The
plan was to also wear down Canadian artillery resources
by sending up falsie flare signals and provoking the
Canadians into unnecessary shelling.
The slaughter at Hill 70 saw Germany employ its most
deadly gas agent to date, Mustard Gas. Between the
region of 15,000 and 20,000 new Mustard Gas shells were
fire during the ten days of slaughter. The Canadian 1st
and
2nd
Artillery Field Brigades and the Canadian front line
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were heavily shelled with gas shells. The Germans used
Gas as a cover for a number of attacks on the Canadian
held Chalk quarry. The Germans also employed
„Sturmtrooper‟ tactics and flamethrowers and were able to
break the Canadian line north of the quarry on the morning
of the 18th
before being pushed back.
„Yellow Cross Death‟
The most widely used and possibly the most effective
chemical gas used during
World War one was
Mustard Gas, which was
introduced by Germany in
July 1917, just prior to
the battle of
Passchendaele. The
Germans marked their
shells yellow for Mustard
and Green for Chlorine and Phosgene. The Germans
named Mustard shells Yellow
Cross as to the colour on the shell
casing. Mustard was known to the
British as HS or „Hun Stuff‟,
whereas the French called it
„Yperite‟.
Although not a particularly
effective killing agent, Mustard
Gases best trait was the
harassment of the enemy and the
pollution of the battlefield.
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Delivered by artillery shells, mustard gas was heavier than
air so it sank to the ground as an oily liquid resembling
sherry. Once into the soil, Mustard Gas remained active
for days, weeks and even months.
The most horrific effects of Mustard Gas appeared on the
human body, whereas Chlorine filled the lungs with fluid
and Phosgene burnt the lungs, Mustard caused internal
and external bleeding and attacked the bronchial tubes.
Furthermore the skin of the victim blistered, their eyes
became sore and they began to vomit. Most victims had
to be strapped to their stretchers as the wounds were
extremely painful.
One nurse, Vera Brittain wrote:
“I wish those people who talk about going on with this war
whatever it costs could see
the soldiers suffering from
mustard gas poisoning. Great
mustard-coloured blisters,
blind eyes, all sticky and stuck
together,
always
fighting for breath, with voices a
mere whisper, saying that their
throats are closing and they know
they will choke.”
(Brittain, Vera (1933). Testament of
Youth: An Autobiographical Study of
the Years 1900-1925. New York: The
Macmillan Company.)
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Push on Lens!
Following the German counter-attacks for the high ground
and the appalling fighting for the quarry, the Canadian
Corps consolidated their positions. The frontline was
withdrawn, midway between the middle and final
objective lines and the 4th
division advanced its forward
units to the outskirts of Lens. Despite all the sacrifices of
the Canadians to that date, the British High Command
asked for more of
the Canadians.
An attack,
scheduled for the
morning of the 21st
August 1917, was
planned to attack
German positions
along a 3,000 yard
front directly opposite the 2nd
and 4th
Canadian Divisions.
The attack was planned to begin at 4.35am however
German artillery shelled the Canadian positions at 4.00am.
In the ensuing chaos, both sides met in No-Mans-Land
between their respective objectives and bitter hand to
hand combat ensued. In the maelstrom of death and
gunfire, the Canadian 6th
Brigade‟s advance collapsed.
Furthermore communications were cut between forward
and advancing units and headquarters.
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Savage German counter attack, forced any units of the 6th
Infantry Brigade to retreat to their original positions. The
10th
Canadian Infantry Brigade did little better. Carnage of
Canadian lives ensued as heavy German artillery and
machine gun fire withered Canadian numbers. The two
units of the 10th
which had managed to reach their
intended objective didn‟t do so until the late evening. As a
result, the Canadians only partially got to their objectives
and hardly made a dent in the German lines. A further
attack was planned on the 22nd
in order to rectify the
mistakes of the previous day, however due to
misunderstandings at battalion level the attack failed to
materialise. A reserve Brigade unit was literally sacrificed
in order to attempt to rectify the situation. Overall the
attack proved to be a costly failure as the majority of the
attacking Canadians were killed, wounded or taken
prisoner. By the end of the carnage, the disputed scrap of
ground was in German hands and remained in German
hands until the end of the war.
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The quiet before the storm:
The remaining days of August, September and October
were quiet as the Canadian Corps rested and prepared
itself for another offensive. No further offensive around
Lens materialised as the British First Army lacked
sufficient supplies. The Canadian Corps was merely
transferred from one level of hell to another as the Corps
was ordered to the Ypres sector in preparation for the
second battle of Passchendaele.
Although the Canadian Corps failed to objectively take
Lens, the Canadians had took and held Hill 70 in the face
of bloody German onslaughts. For their heroic action, six
men of the Canadian Corps were awarded the Victoria
Cross.
In addition to the VC, three DSOs, 7 MC, 9 DCMs and 60
MMs were earned by the 10th Battalion, giving the 10th
Battalion the distinction of receiving more medals than
any other Canadian combat unit in a single action in the
course of the First World War.
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VC‟s
Private Harry Brown 1898-1917
Harry Brown was awarded the Victoria Cross for his
actions at Hill 70 on the 16th
August 1917. Brown and
another soldier were running the gauntlet with important
dispatches, when Brown was mortally wounded. He died
of his injuries the following day.
The citation reads
“For most conspicuous bravery, courage and devotion to
duty. After the capture of a position, the enemy massed in
force and counter-attacked. The situation became very
critical, all wires being cut. It was of the utmost
importance to get word back to Headquarters. This soldier
and one other were given the message
with orders to deliver the same at all
costs. The other messenger was killed.
Private Brown had his arm shattered but
continued on through an intense barrage
until he arrived at the close support lines
and found an officer. He was so spent that
he fell down the dug-out steps, but
retained consciousness long enough to
hand over his message, saying ' Important
message.' He then became unconscious and died in the
dressing station a few hours later. His devotion to duty
was of the highest possible degree imaginable, and his
successful delivery of the message undoubtedly saved the
loss of the position for the time and prevented many
casualties”.
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Okill Massey Learmonth 1894-19th August 1917
On the 18th
August 1917, during a determined German
counter attack, Learmonth devoutly stood in the path of
the German advance.
The citation reads
“For most conspicuous bravery and exceptional devotion
to duty. During a determined counter-
attack on our new positions, this
officer, when his company was
momentarily surprised, instantly
charged and personally disposed of
the attackers. Later, he carried on a
tremendous fight with the advancing
enemy. Although under intense
barrage fire and mortally wounded, he
stood on the parapet of the trench,
bombed the enemy continuously and
directed the defence in such a manner as to infuse a spirit
of utmost resistance into his men.
On several occasions this very brave officer actually
caught bombs thrown at him by the enemy and threw
them back. When he was unable by reason of his wounds
to carry on the fight he still refused to be carried out of
the line, and continued to give instructions and invaluable
advice to his junior officers, finally handing over all his
duties before he was evacuated from the front line to the
hospital where he died.”
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(Map showing sector of Front including Lens and Vimy Ridge)
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Machine Gun Corps
In 1914 the tactical and military use of the machine gun
was unappreciated by the British military. Subsequently
the British Army went to war in the summer of 1914 with
its infantry units and cavalry units having a small machine
gun section of only two guns a piece.
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In November 1914 a technological development of the
machine gun was introduced in the form of the Motor
Machine Gun Service which was administered by the
Royal Artillery. The unit comprised of motor cycle
machine gun batteries. Further to this, a machine gun
school was opened in France.
A gruelling
year of war on
the western
front proved to
military
analysts that
machine guns
had to be used
more
effectively and
used in larger
units. The subsequent Machine Gun Corps of the British
Army was formed in October 1915 in response to the
demand of war. The Corps consisted of Infantry, Cavalry
and motor machine gun units. In particular a heavy
branch of the corps were the first to use Tanks in action,
and subsequently that section of the Machine Gun Corps
was designated the Tank Corps later called the Royal
Tank Regiment. A depot and training centre was
established at Belton Park in Grantham, Lincolnshire and
a base depot at Camiers in France.
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In terms of the internal working of the Machine Gun Corps,
the Infantry Branch was by far the largest and at the
beginning formed by battalion machine gun sections
which then transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and then
grouped into Brigade Machine Gun companies.
As the Corps developed, new units were raised at
Grantham, and in 1917 a fourth company was added to
each division. In the beginning of 1918, the four
companies of each division formed battalions.
With regard to cavalry units, the Machine Gun elements of
the unit were grouped into Brigade Machine Gun
Squadrons.
The motorised elements of the Machine Gun Corps formed
several units which included motor cycle batteries, light
armoured motor batteries and light car patrols. One of the
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
most well-known vehicles of World War one which utilised
the Vickers Machine Gun was the Rolls Royce Armoured
Car.
(The heavy branch of the Machine Gun Corps had the
honour of manning the first tanks in action at Flers at the
battle of the Somme in 1916)
Throughout the four years of war, the Machine Gun Corps
saw action in all theatres of war, including France,
Palestine, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Salonika, East Africa and
Italy. Garnering a heroic, adventurous and enviable
reputation, the Machine Gun Corps gained a record for
heroism as a front line fighting force. In the latter part of
the war, as tactics changed from attack to stalwart
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
defence, the Machine Gun Corps served well in advance of
the Front line.
In the aftermath of the Great War, the Machine Gun Corps
was re-organised as many of its officers and men returned
to civilian life. Despite this, the Corps continued to see
action during the Russian Civil War, Anglo-Irish War and
subsequent Irish Civil War and the Third Anglo-Afghan
War. Whilst facing civil war and growth of nationalism
within the British Empire, the Machine Gun Corps served
well in the occupation of Germany between the armistice
and the Paris Peace conference. The corps training and
equipment made it ideal for small garrisons to control
large populations.
The sad demise of the Machine Gun Corps came in the
cost cutting years of the early twenties. By 1920 the
headquarters of the Corp in Belton Park was closed and
the war office sought to close or dispose of many of the
buildings. The Corps was disbanded in 1922 as a cost-
cutting measure.
(„Black and Tans‟, Corner of Parliament Street-Dublin, November 12th
1920)
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
VC‟s and Notables:
Captain Kermit Roosevelt born
1889, died 1943, was the son of
U.S. President Theodore
Roosevelt. A graduate of Harvard
University, Kermit was a noted
explorer and soldier who served in
both World Wars. During the First
World War Kermit joined the
British Army in order to participate
in the Mesopotamian Campaign.
During his service he was attached
to the 14th
Light Armoured Motor
Battery of the Machine Gun Corps. Despite his active
service and desire to be part of the action, the British High
Command decided his life was too valuable thus making
him an officer in charge of transport. Despite the transfer,
Roosevelt was bold, daring and courageous like his father.
He was awarded the Military Cross on 26th
August 1918.
During 1918 Kermit transferred to the AEF (American
Expeditionary Force) following Americas declaration of
war.
(Kermit Roosevelt,
explorer, author, and
soldier, accompanied his
father, Theodore
Roosevelt on several
expeditions to Africa and
the Amazon)
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
PRIVATE HERBERT GEORGE COLUMBINE
Private Herbert George Columbine
attached to the 9th
Squadron of the
Machine Gun Corps was posthumously
gazetted the Victoria Cross for the
following action. During the onslaught
of Germanys final spring offensive in
1918, on March 22nd
of that year
Private Columbine took command of a
Vickers Machine Gun at Hervilly
Wood. From 9am to 1pm, Columbine,
isolated and without barbed wire
protection, continuously fired at
advancing Germans. During the four hour engagement,
wave after wave of German infantry attempted to assault
his position, without success. Despite Columbines valiant
efforts, the Germans with the help of air support managed
to gain a footing in Columbines trench. Understanding
their position was compromised, Columbine ordered the
two remaining men to withdraw,
and although being attacked on
both sides, kept his gun firing,
inflicting heavy losses until a
bomb from a German aircraft
scored a direct hit and killed him.
(Columbine was formally gazetted
VC on 3rd
May 1918)
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Casualties and Remembrance:
In total 170,500 officers and men served in the Machine
Gun Corps during the First World War. Of the 170
thousand, 62,049 were casualties of war, including 12,498
killed. Due to the appalling losses in action the Corps
earned the nickname „the Suicide Club‟.
The Machine Gun Corps Memorial, also referred to as The
Boy David, is a memorial to the casualties of the Machine
Gun Corps during the First World War. The memorial is
topped with a nude statue of young David which was
sculpted by Francis Derwent Wood in 1925. Either side of
young David is a Vickers Machine Gun encased in bronze
and laurel wreathed. The memorial proved to be
controversial as did Wood‟s sculpture entitled “Canada‟s
Golgotha”. Although originally erected next to Grosvenor
Place, it was dismantled afterwards due to road works
and finally re-erected in 1963 at the central section of
Hyde Park Corner.
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Mess Hut
‘Trench Stew’
2 Carrots
1 Turnip
½ tin of corned Beef
(bully beef)
¼ Stock Cube
1 or 2 biscuits
1 pint of water
Put the water onto boil and
slice up the carrot and turnip. Once water is boiling add
diced vegetables. Add the stock, stir and leave for 10
minutes. Then mash up the corned beef (bully beef) and
add to the mixture. Finally add the biscuits (optional) and
stir.
This WW1 recipe is based on the recollections of British
Army veterans who served in the trenches. The
availability of hot ready food at the frontline was erratic at
best. Soldiers who had portable stoves, or any cooking
implements, would boil up any food readily at hand
including stale biscuits/bread and/or add canned food to
the stew.
‘Belgium Put The Kibosh On The Kaiser’ http://www.worldonewar.com/songs/Mark_Sheridan_-
_Belgium_Put_The_Kibosh_On_The_Kaiser.mp3
A silly German sausage
Dreamt Napoleon he'd be,
Then he went and broke his promise,
It was made in Germany.
He shook hands with Britannia
And eternal peace he swore,
Naughty boy, he talked of peace
While he prepared for war.
He stirred up little Serbia
To serve his dirty tricks
But naughty nights at Liege
Quite upset this Dirty Dick.
His luggage labelled 'England' (Alf Ellerton)
And his programme nicely set,
He shouted 'First stop Paris',
But he hasn't got there yet.
For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser;
Europe took the stick and made him sore;
On his throne it hurts to sit,
And when John Bull starts to hit,
He will never sit upon it any more.
His warships sailed upon the sea,
They looked a pretty sight
But when they heard the bulldog bark
They disappeared from sight.
The Kaiser said 'Be careful,
If by Jellicoe they're seen,
Then every man-of-war I've got
Will be a submarine'.
We chased his ship to Turkey,
And the Kaiser startled stood,
Schratch'd his head and said 'Don't hurt,
You see I'm touching wood';
Then Turkey brought her warships
Just to aid the German plot,
Be careful, Mr Turkey,
Or you'll do the Turkey Trot.
Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser;
Europe took the stick and made him sore;
And if Turkey makes a stand
She'll get gurkha'd and japanned,
And it won't be Hoch the Kaiser any more.
He'll have to go to school again
And learn his geography,
He quite forgot Britannia
And the hands across the sea,
Australia and Canada,
the Russian and the Jap,
And England looked so small
He couldn't see her on the map.
Whilst Ireland seemed unsettled,
'Ah' said he 'I'll settle John',
But he didn't know the Irish
Like he knew them later on.
Though the Kaiser stirred the lion,
Please excuse him for the crime,
His lunatic attendant
Wasn't with him at the time.
For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser;
Europe took the stick and made him sore;
We shall shout with victory's joy,
Hold your hand out, naughty boy,
You must never play at soldiers any more.
For Belgium put the kibosh on the Kaiser;
Europe took the stick and made him sore;
On his throne it hurts to sit,
And when John Bull starts to hit,
He will never sit upon it any more.
This quick tune was a very popular and patriotic song of
the First World War. It was wrote in 1915 by Mark
Sheridan and gives reference to the initial 1914 campaign
in Belgium where the small B.E.F managed to delay the
German army, wrecking Germanys schlieffen plan which
depended on advancing on France and capturing Paris in a
matter of weeks.
‘Mademoiselle from Armentieres’
http://www.worldonewar.com/songs/Jack_Charman_-
_Mademoiselle_From_Armentieres.mp3
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres,
She hasn't been kissed in forty years,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She had the form like the back of a hack,
When she cried the tears ran down her back,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She never could hold the love of man
'Cause she took her baths in a talcum can,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She had four chins, her knees would knock,
And her face would stop a cuckoo clock,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She could beg a franc, a drink, a meal,
But it wasn't because of sex appeal,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
She could guzzle a barrel of sour wine,
And eat a hog without peeling the rind,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
The MPS think they won the war, Parley-voo.
The MPS think they won the war, Parley-voo.
The MPS think they won the war,
Standing guard at the café door,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo.
The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo.
The officers get the pie and cake,
And all we get is the bellyache,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo.
The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo.
If he changes his underwear
The frogs will give him the Croix-de-Guerre,
Hinky-dinky, parley-voo.
You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo.
You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo.
You might forget the groans and yells
But you'll never forget the mademoiselles,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo?
Just blow your nose, and dry your tears,
We'll all be back in a few short years,
Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
“Mademoiselle from Armentieres” was another popular song sung during
the First World War. It was also known by its French line “Hinky Dinky
Parley Voo”. It was considered a sexy song, and when later sung on radio
and TV only the first verse was sung.
The tune of the song is originally thought to be a popular song of the
French army in the 1830‟s. The original lyrics told of the raunchy
encounter of an inn-keeper‟s daughter, named Mademoiselle de Bar le Luc,
with two German officers. The tune was later resurrected during the
Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and again in 1914 when the B.E.F „Old
Contemptibles‟ became aware of it.
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Six Ton Tank M1917
Armament: One 37mm cannon or one colt
7.62mm machine-gun.
Armour: 17mm
Crew: 2
Dimensions: Length - 5m; Width - 1.9m;
Height - 2.3m
Weight: 6.4 tons
Power Plant: Budha HU modified 4-
cylinder water cooled 42hp.
Speed: 8km/h 5.5mph
Range: 48km 30 miles (on road).
The Franco-American Six Ton Tank (or Special Tractor) M1917 was
an American variant of Renault’s FT17. The initial design was
accepted by the US army in October 1918. In total, between
October 1918 and 1919, America ordered approximately 4,400
tanks. However, of those 4,400 ordered units, only 950 were
delivered before the contract was cancelled. In particular, no US
manufactured tank reached the Western Front in time to take part
in WW1.
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Of the 950 produced, 374 had cannons, 526 had machine guns and
50 were used as signal tanks.
The tank was lengthened and updated compared to the French
model. The engine was a 100hp Franklin engine which was an
electric self-starter rather than a crank starter.
The crew, driver and gunner, were separated from the engine by a
bulkhead. Steel wheels were fitted as well as a turret which had
360 degree rotation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv6Iyaghpes
(US 6 Ton Tank) ▲
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
HMS Dreadnought
Cost: £1,672,483 (excluding armament)
Built: 1905–1906 In service: 1906–1919
In commission: 1906–1919
Ordered: 1905
Builder: HM Dockyard, Portsmouth
Laid down: 2 October 1905
Launched: 10 February 1906
Commissioned: 2 December 1906
Decommissioned: February 1919
Fate: Scrapped 1923
General characteristics:
Displacement: 18,120 long tons (18,410 t) (normal load)
20,730 long tons (21,060 t) (deep load)
Length: 527 ft (161 m)
Beam: 82 ft 1 in (25.0 m)
Draught: 29 ft 7.5 in (9.030 m) (deep load)
Installed power: 23,000 shp (17,000 kW)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgrBL0zjYZU
© Dugout-ww1 MMXI
Propulsion:
4 shafts, Parsons direct drive steam turbines
18 Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range: 6,620 nautical miles (12,260 km; 7,620 mi) at 10 knots (19
km/h; 12 mph) Complement: 700–810
Armament:
5 × 2 - BL 12-inch Mark X guns
27 × 1 - 12-pdr 18 cwt Mark I guns
5 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour: Belt: 4–11 in (102–279 mm)
Deck: .75–3 in (19–76 mm)
Barbettes: 4–11 in (102–279 mm)
Turrets: 3–12 in (76–305 mm)
Conning tower: 11 in (279 mm)
Bulkheads: 8 in (203 mm)
For a vessel which was designed to combat other capital ships,
Dreadnoughts only action was the ramming and sinking of U-29,
captained by K/Lt Otto Weddigen, on March 18th
1915.
U-29 had broken the surface immediately ahead of Dreadnought
after firing at HMS Neptune; Dreadnought gave chase and sliced the
submarine in two. Incidentally Dreadnought almost collided with
HMS Temerairre who was also attempting to catch the U-Boat.
She was refitting between April and June 1916 and missed the
battle of Jutland, which was the most significant naval engagement
of the entire war.
Dreadnought became the flagship of the 3rd
Battle Squadron on 9th
July 1916 and was based at Sheerness as part of a force designed
to counter shore bombardment.
She returned to the Grand Fleet in March 1918, resuming her role as
Flagship of Fourth Battle Squadron, however she was paid off in
July 1918 to begin another refit. Finally placed in reserve in
February 1919.
©DUGOUT-WW1 MMXI Cont.
Albatros D1
Crew: one pilot
Length: 7.40 m (23 ft 3.5 in)
Wingspan: 8.50 m (27 ft 11 in)
Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 22.9 m² (247 ft²)
Empty weight: 645 kg (1,422 lb)
Gross weight: 898 kg (1,809 lb)
Performance
Maximum speed: 175 km/h (110 mph)
Endurance: 1.5 hours
Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Rate of climb: 2.8 m/s (547 ft/min)
o Armament
2 × forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 Machine Guns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1vWb_OVBE0
Albatros Biplane WW1 ▲
The German Albatros D.I was one of the most famous fighters of
WW1. Although its career was short, it spawned a series of Albatros
©DUGOUT-WW1 MMXI Cont.
variants which formed the majority of German and Austrian
squadrons for the last two years of the First World War.
Initially designed by Robert Thelen, R. Schubert and Gnadig; it was
ordered and introduced in 1917 in response to the latest allied
fighters such as Nieuport 11 and the Airco D.H.2
The Albatros used a plywood panelled fuselage, which although was
stronger and lighter, gave a more aerodynamic shape. Furthermore
it was cheaper to manufacture. Due to the installation of 150hp
Benz Bz.III or a 160hp Mercedes D.III inline engine, the Albatros
became the most powerful aircraft the German air force had to date.
Although not very manoeuvrable, the Albatros was compensated by
its Superior speed and firepower, and it quickly came to be loved by
such aces as Richtofen and Boelcke.
By November 1917, a total of 50 D.I aircraft were in service.
Replacing the earlier Fokker and Halberstadt types, ultimately the
introduction of the Albatros gave real firepower and bite to
Germany’s new fighter squadrons.
http://freercplans.com/img-albatros-d1-3803.htm
Link to JPEG ▲
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This site retails excellent reproduction and original documents from the
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Website supplying American Civil War, World War 1 and World War 2.
Website includes U.S, German and British items for Air Force, Navy and
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©DUGOUT-WW1 MMXI Cont.
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Quality site that gives detailed information on the restoration and
reproduction of German helmets from both World Wars.
A site that is dedicated to the fixtures and fittings of World War 1 helmets,
the site also retails excellent quality reproduction trench watches-items
generally seen in modern depictions as worn by Officers.
©DUGOUT-WW1 MMXI Cont.
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This site specialises in reproduction German, Italian and Imperial
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Reenactor.net is an online advert, blog and discussion site, focusing on re-
enacting history from Ancient period to Post World War 2.
This site focuses on reproduction items and uniforms from the First World
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©DUGOUT-WW1 MMXI Cont.
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