ANZAC Day

[Overseer]

Tomorrow, 25 April, being ANZAC Day in this part of the world has prompted me to post a few historic WW1 photos I have come across recently which may be of interest to some.


ML304 refuelling in Cardiff. The three Pratt's Motor Spirit tanks was probably enough to fill the tanks aboard ML304, enough for about 1,000 miles at 19 knots. The 550 Motor Launches were built by Elco in New York with a pair of 200hp petrol engines. If they were anything like the 1920s Winton petrol engines of the same size they would have made an incredible racket at speed. I hadn't realised smaller vessels were treated to dazzle camouflage, it seems to work remarkably well in dock.



Tank transport by rail. Note the 'Return to France' notice.


Mud.


One of the most poignant WW1 photographs I have seen. I can't see any railway lines, but there were probably some nearby.

I am glad I wasn't there.

The first photo is in the Australian War Memorial collection, the others are in the State Library of Victoria.

 

[Focalplane]

We watched 1917 the other evening, a film we can recommend. The sets were excellent while the camera technique was is astounding. But I have to admit some nostalgia set in afterwards - my father fought in the area but like others he never spoke of his experiences. I only found out the location of where he won his MC after years of research, initially a typo in his citation led me on a wild goose chase for a village that never existed.

Thanks for posting!

 

[Lancastrian]

25th April 1915, Lancashire Fusiliers at W Beach "Lancashire Landing", 6 VC's before breakfast.

RIP

Ian

 

[Jordan]

ANZAC Day does immediately remind me of when I first saw the Mel Gibson film Gallipoli. (well he was in it, if it wasn't actually 'his' film). The scenes right at the end - when the third wave went over the top to certain slaughter by the Turks who were by then sitting up on their parapets - some of the ANZACs didn't even manage to get out of their trenches - the sheer futility had me in tears.

 

[Overseer]

The traditional dawn service at the Shrine in Melbourne usually attracts thousands of people but this year it took place without the crowds. It was televised but it is not the same. It was certainly not forgotten. Smaller scale services are held at every war memorial in Australia, also without anyone actually attending this year. It is an Australian quirk that we commemorate a military disaster, which achieved nothing, more than any victory.

 

[Osgood]

I don’t know about quirk - it shows you are commemorating something for the right reason.