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Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 06-Mar-18, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 22-Oct-24.
Taken into the early morning sun on a misty October morning.
With unusual additional 'MyTravelCo' titles. Airtours didn't become MyTravel until May-02.
An early A320 (c/n 164), this aircraft was first flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWIE before being delivered to Conair of Scandinavia as OY-CNE in Sep-91. It was wet-leased to Saarland Airlines in Apr-93 (a short-lived airline which was formed in Apr-92 and ceased operations in Dec-93), returning to Conair in Dec-93.
In Jan-94 Conair of Scandinavia merged with Scanair to form Premiair Denmark. In 1996 Premiair's major shareholder SLG (Scandinavian Leisure Group) was bought out by Airtours International (UK) and Premiair became part of the Airtours Group. The aircraft was sold to a lessor in Sep-96 and leased back to Premiair.
It was returned to the lessor in Mar-97 and the lease was transferred to Airtours International Airways as G-DJAR. Airtours was renamed MyTravel Airways in May-02. The aircraft continued in service with MyTravel until it was returned to the lessor in Jun-04.
It was leased to SriLankan Airlines as 4R-ABF the following month. It returned to the lessor as N164CG in May-09 and was stored at Victorville, CA, USA. In Mar-10 the aircraft was leased to Mexicana, retaining it's US registration.
Mexicana ceased operations in Aug-10 and the aircraft was repossessed and again stored at Victorville. It was sold to AeroTurbine Inc in Dec-11 and was broken up at Victorville in 2012. The registration was cancelled in Mar-12.
Yesterday, 19 March 2016, I was on a birding day trip with a group of friends, going SE of Calgary, E of High River. Near the end of the day, we called in at the small hamlet of Blackie. We were hopeful that we would see at least one of the Eurasian Collared Doves that live there, and we were in luck.
While we were walking along one of the streets, we saw this massive Cargill grain terminal. Not exactly the most beautiful of structures, but still rather impressive, and definitely not as photogenic as the three old, wooden elevators that apparently used to be along the railway line, just a very short distance away.
In 2004, Blackie apparently had 3 elevators, an Ex-Agricore, Pioneer and Agricore United steel elevator. The large, green, wooden elevator was torn down in 2005 and replaced by this huge, modern grain loading terminal. The other wooden elevator, the Pioneer elevator, was torn down in December 2012. It was a fairly modern, seemingly well-kept elevator. Wish I had seen these, but I hadn't plucked up courage to drive SE of Calgary back then.
"There were 1,651 elevators in Alberta in 1951, but by 1982 a total of 979 elevators remained. The 1990s spelled the death of the wooden “country” or “primary” elevator. At the end of the 1990s, as the full impact of both of the ending of the Crow Rate in 1995 and further impending rail abandonment was felt, the pace of demolition accelerated at an unprecedented rate. At the end of the 1996-1997 crop year, there were only 327 elevators left. Alberta’s largest cooperative grain companies, the Alberta Wheat Pool (which amalgamated with Manitoba Pool Elevators in 1998 as Agricore) and United Grain Growers, ultimately formed a new corporate entity known as Agricore United in 2001, issuing issued public shares. Demolition of country elevators has continued, and in 2005 there were only 156 wooden elevators of any kind still standing, only a handful of which are used by the grain trade.
The Government of Alberta has recognised the significance of the traditional wood grain elevators, and has designated 12 as Provincial Historic Resources. They are located in the following communities: Andrew, Castor, Leduc, Meeting Creek, Paradise Valley, Radway, Rowley (3 elevators), Scandia and St. Albert (2 elevators)."
www.grainelevatorsalberta.ca/articles/HRM-history.pdf
www.bigdoer.com/2848/exploring-history/grain-elevators-an...
I will add our leader's report that he sent into eBird, adding that I did not see all of the sightings, as the birds were much too far away. As always, my camera lens was turned to various other things, too. Thanks so much, as always, Andrew, for a most enjoyable day! Thanks, too, Anne, for driving - I really appreciated the ride!
"We had 16 participants when we left Calgary on a sunny but frosty morning.
We arrived at the main gate around 10:00 am and set off, in a chilly -5 deg C to walk down to the outfall and then around to the blind. The recent cold nights had refrozen some of the lake, but it is still mostly open water.
Most obvious were the thousands of Pintails and hundreds of swans (mostly Tundra today). We did see the overwintering (presumably) Song Sparrow near the outfall. About 60-80 California Gulls, no other gulls that we could identify.
We left and went to High River for lunch, stopping by the Sutherland Shelterbelt to acknowledge the resident Great Horned Owl.
After lunch we circled the lake on the usual roads and ended up at the Basin 2 West Bay. Several more swans and finally, the Eurasian Wigeon, spotted by Tony Timmons. By lunchtime the temperature had reached about 10 deg C and continued to rise reaching ~14 deg C and making a perfect Alberta Spring (almost) afternoon.
Leaving Frank Lake we stopped in at Blackie to find mostly Starlings, and a few Eurasian Collared Doves.
The list for Frank Lake and Blackie was:
Checklists included in this summary:
(1): Frank Lake--NW lookout/blind
Date: Mar 19, 2016, 9:55 AM
(2): Sutherland's Shelterbelt (private property)
Date: Mar 19, 2016, 12:30 PM
(3): Frank Lake--Basin 2 (Southeast Corner)
Date: Mar 19, 2016, 2:15 PM
(4): Frank Lake--Basin 2 (West Bay)
Date: Mar 19, 2016, 3:05 PM
(5): Blackie (hamlet)
Date: Mar 19, 2016, 4:10 PM
650 Canada Goose -- (1),(3),(4)
4 Trumpeter Swan -- (1)
225 Tundra Swan -- (1),(4)
3 Gadwall -- (1)
2 Eurasian Wigeon -- (4)
60 American Wigeon -- (1),(4)
160 Mallard -- (1),(3),(4)
2 Northern Shoveler -- (4)
4550 Northern Pintail -- (1),(3),(4)
24 Canvasback -- (1),(4)
76 Redhead -- (1),(4)
5 Lesser Scaup -- (4)
150 Common Goldeneye -- (1),(4)
2 Gray Partridge -- (2)
1 Northern Harrier -- (4)
2 Bald Eagle -- (1),(3)
5 Killdeer -- (1),(2)
80 California Gull -- (1)
6 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) -- (3),(5)
4 Eurasian Collared-Dove -- (5)
2 Great Horned Owl -- (2)
1 Merlin -- (5)
5 Black-billed Magpie -- (1),(2)
1 Common Raven -- (3)
3 Horned Lark -- (1)
51 European Starling -- (2),(5)
2 American Tree Sparrow -- (1)
1 Song Sparrow -- (1)
8 House Finch -- (5)
20 House Sparrow -- (2),(5)
From Blackie we stopped by Third Lake on the way back to Calgary. A huge number of birds there, somewhere between 4000 and 8000, generally somewhat distant. Mostly Pintails, but we also saw American Wigeon, Mallard, a few Canada Geese, and California Gulls.
Clearly Pintails are on the move right now."
Andrew Hart
Originally conceived by British Leyland, the Metro was built to similar principals as those of the Mini it was intended to replace, with a small, practical platform with as much use available to the passenger as was possible. The car came under various initial guises, including the Austin Metro, the Austin miniMetro, the Morris Metro van and the MG Metro, a version of the car with a 1.3L A-Series Turbo Engine.
Although the car was launched in 1980, development of a Mini replacement had dated back to the beginning of the 70's. Dubbed ADO88 (Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 88), the Metro was eventually given the go ahead in 1977, but wanted to have the appeal of some of the larger 'Supermini' (what a contradiction in terms) cars on the market, including cars such as the Ford Fiesta and the Renault 5. Designed by Harris Mann (the same guy who gave us the Princess and the Allegro), the car was given a much more angular body for the time, but despite its futuristic looks did share many features of the earlier Mini, including the 675cc BMC-A Series engine that dated back to 1959, and the gearbox. Initial cars also included the Hydragas Suspension system originally used on the Allegro and the Princess, though with no front/rear connection. The car was also built as a hatchback, which would eventually be a key part of its success as the Mini instead utilised only a small boot.
The Metro was originally meant for an earlier 1978 launch, but a lack of funds and near bankruptcy of British Leyland resulted in the car's launch being pushed back. This delay however did allow the folks at Longbridge to construct a £200m robotic assembly plant for the new Metro line, with the hope of building 100,000 cars per year. Finally the car entered sales 3 years late and got off to quite promising initial sales, often being credited for being the saviour of British Leyland. The Metro was in fact the company's first truly new model in nearly 5 years, with the 9 year old Allegro still in production, the 1980 Morris Ital being nothing more than a 7 year old Marina with a new face, and the 5 year old Princess not going anywhere!
As mentioned, an entire myriad of versions came with the Metro, including the luxury Vanden Plas version and the sporty MG with its top speed of 105mph and 0-60mph of 10.1 seconds. Eventually the original incarnation of the car, the Austin Metro, went on to sell 1 million units in it's initial 10 year run, making it the second highest selling car of the decade behind the Ford Escort. However, like most other British Leyland products, earlier cars got a bad reputation for poor build quality and unreliability, combined with the lack of rustproofing that was notorious on many BL cars of the time.
The show was not over however, as in 1990 the car was given a facelift and dubbed the Rover Metro. The 1950's A-Series engine was replaced by a 1.1L K-Series, and the angular bodyshell was rounded to similar principals as those by acclaimed styling house Ital to create a more pleasing look for the 90's. This facelift, combined with an improvement in reliability and build quality, meant that the car went on to win the 'What Car?' of the Year Award in 1991.
In 1994 the car was given yet another facelift, with once again a more rounded design and removal of the Metro name, the car being sold as the Rover 100. Engines were once again changed, this time to a 1.5L Peugeot engine and more audacious colour schemes were available for the even more rounded design of the new car. However, the car was very much starting to look and feel its age. Aside from the fact that the design dated back to 1977, the new car was not well equipped, lacking electric windows, anti-lock brakes, power steering, or even a rev counter! In terms of safety, it was very basic, with most features such as airbags, an alarm, an immobiliser and central locking being optional extras.
Eventually the curtain had to fall on the Metro, and in 1997, twenty years after the initial design left the drawing board, it was announced that the car would be discontinued. Spurred on by dwindling sales due to lack of safety and equipment, as well as losing out to comparative cars such as the ever popular Ford Fiesta, VW Polo and Vauxhall Corsa, with only fuel economy keeping the car afloat, Rover axed the Metro in 1998 with no direct replacement, although many cite the downsized Rover 200 a possible contender. Stumbling blindly on, the next car to fill the gap in Rover's market was the 2003 CityRover, based on the TATA Indica, which flopped abysmally and pretty much totalled the company (but that's another story).
In the end only 2,078,000 Metro's were built in comparison to the 5.3 million examples of the Mini that it was meant to replace. The main failings of the Metro were down to the fact that the car was too big compared to the Mini, and the rounded old-world charm of the Coopers and Clubmans was replaced by the angular corners. Because of this the car simply didn't have the novelty that the Mini continued to claim even 20 years after the first ones left the factory, and the Mini would even go on to outlive the Metro by another 2 years, ending production in 2000, then going on to have a revival in the form of BMW's New Mini Cooper that's still being built today. Unlike the Mini, the Metro also failed to conquer the international market in the same way, scoring its 2 million units pretty much in Britain alone, although some cars were sold in France and Spain, but only to the total of a few hundred.
The Metro however survived only on fuel economy and its spacious interior, but by the early 1990's, whilst other car manufacturers had moved on leaps and bounds, Rover continued to be stuck in the past with not the money or the enthusiasm to change what was a terribly outdated and extremely basic car. Towards the end the Metro, which had only a few years earlier won awards for its practical nature, was ending up on lists for Worst car on the market.
Today however you can still see Metro's, later editions are especially common on the roads of Britain. Earlier models built under British Leyland have mostly rusted away and are apparently only down to about a thousand nowadays, but the Rover 100's and Rover Metros continue to ply their trade, a lonely reminder of how here in Britain, we can never ever seem to move on!
Replacing an earlier scanned 6"x4" print with a better version 27-Oct-14, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 04-Jan-23.
Just returned to GPA Group after short-term lease to Indian Airlines, the aircraft still shows the fuselage livery of it's first operator, the original Frontier Airlines.
It was delivered new to Frontier as N7359F in Apr-83. Frontier was merged into Continental Airlines in Oct-86, they continued to operate it in basic Frontier livery until it was returned to the lessor in Sep-88 as EI-BWZ.
It was leased to Indian Airlines in Dec-88 as VT-EQI and returned to the lessor in Feb-90, still in basic Frontier livery with an Indian Airlines tail. It was leased to Portuguese charter airline Air Sul at the end of Mar-90 as CS-TMB.
Returned to GPA Group in Jan-92, again as EI-BWZ, the aircraft was leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic in May-92 as TF-ABI, and operated on behalf of Cambodia International Airlines and later for Tunisair until it was returned to GPA Group in Sep-93.
It was stored until Mar-94 when it was leased to Mandala Airlines, Indonesia, as PK-RIQ. It was retired at Jakarta (CGK) in Dec-05 and stored. It was last noted at Jakarta in 2009 in very poor condition and has probably been broken up.
Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 14-Jun-19.
Taken from the Templeton Bridge.
First flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWCU, this aircraft was delivered to China Eastern Airlines as B-6052 in Oct-03. After 12 years in service it was sold to The Boeing Airplane Company in Apr-15 in part exchange for a Boeing 777-300ER and registered to Lufthansa Technik as D-AAAZ. It was stored at Schwerin (Parchim), Germany. It remained there for 3.5 years until it was ferried to Teruel, Spain in Sep-18 and permanently retired.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 10-Dec-14, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 02-Nov-24.
Built as a 'Combi' with a main deck side cargo door (SCD), this aircraft could be used for carrying both passengers and cargo and the main deck.
First flown in Aug-86 with the Boeing temporary registration N6055X, 9V-SKN was delivered to Singapore Airlines the same month.
It was only in service for 11 years and was stored at Singapore in Jan-97 as Singapore Airlines took delivery of new Boeing 747-400’s.
The aircraft was sold to TAAG – Angola Airlines in Jul-97 as D2-TEA and remained in service until it was retired at Johannesburg, South Africa, in Oct-10.
It was seen still stored at Johannesburg in Aug-11 without engines and has now presumably been broken up.
Note: Singapore Airlines later reused the registration 9V-SKN on an Airbus A380.
These replaced the Magnolia Housing Project after Hurricane Katrina.
Rolleiflex MX EVS 3.5
75mm Xenar lens
Kodak Portra 160
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 15-Jun-17 (DeNoise AI 19-Sep-22)
Yellow 'Super Resort Express' livery.
This aircraft was delivered to JAL Japan Airlines as JA8110 in Mar-72. It was sold to a lessor in Oct-93 and leased back to JAL. In Nov-95 it was sold to JAZ Japan Air Charter and leased back to JAL until it was returned to JALways in Dec-99.
It was sold to The Gulf Falcon Group (United Arab Emirates) the following day and leased to Air Gulf Falcon as P4-GFE (Aruba - flag of convenience!). The aircraft was registered 3C-GFE (Equatorial Guinea) in Mar-00 and re-registered again in Jul-00 in 5Y-GFE (Kenya).
It was leased to Spirit of Africa Airlines as ST-AQL (Sudan) in Feb-01 for a Haj Pilgrimage operation and returned to Air Gulf Falcon in May-01. In Jul-01 it was re-registered again, as 3D-PAF (Swaziland) and leased to Sky Aviation the following month.
In Jul-02 it was re-registered 3D-PAJ, still with Sky Aviation. It returned to the Gulf Falcon Group in Nov-02. In Jan-03 it was leased to Spirit of Africa Airlines again as ST-AQL for another Haj Pilgrimage and returned to the Gulf Falcon Group in Dec-03 and was stored at Sharjah, UAE.
It was ferried to Jakarta - CGK in early 2004 where it was permanently retired. The aircraft was sold to Blue Nile Leasing in 2006 and sold shortly after to the NAT Group. It was last noted still stored at Jakarta - CGK in Sep-13. Updated 19-Sep-22.
Note: It's interesting that despite all the registration changes in countries with dubious Civil Aviation Authorities, this aircraft actually spent most of its time sitting on the ground at Sharjah, UAE.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Waffenträger (Weapon Carrier) VTS3 “Diana” was a prototype for a wheeled tank destroyer. It was developed by Thyssen-Henschel (later Rheinmetall) in Kassel, Germany, in the late Seventies, in response to a German Army requirement for a highly mobile tank destroyer with the firepower of the Leopard 1 main battle tank then in service and about to be replaced with the more capable Leopard 2 MBT, but less complex and costly. The main mission of the Diana was light to medium territorial defense, protection of infantry units and other, lighter, elements of the cavalry as well as tactical reconnaissance. Instead of heavy armor it would rather use its good power-to-weight ratio, excellent range and cross-country ability (despite the wheeled design) for defense and a computerized fire control system to accomplish this mission.
In order to save development cost and time, the vehicle was heavily based on the Spähpanzer Luchs (Lynx), a new German 8x8 amphibious reconnaissance armored fighting vehicle that had just entered Bundeswehr service in 1975. The all-wheel drive Luchs made was well armored against light weapons, had a full NBC protection system and was characterized by its extremely low-noise running. The eight large low-pressure tires had run-flat properties, and, at speeds up to about 50 km/h, all four axles could be steered, giving the relatively large vehicle a surprising agility and very good off-road performance. As a special feature, the vehicle was equipped with a rear-facing driver with his own driving position (normally the radio operator), so that the vehicle could be driven at full speed into both directions – a heritage from German WWII designs, and a tactical advantage when the vehicle had to quickly retreat from tactical position after having been detected. The original Luchs weighed less than 20 tons, was fully amphibious and could surmount water obstacles quickly and independently using propellers at the rear and the fold back trim vane at the front. Its armament was relatively light, though, a 20 mm Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 gun in the turret that was effective against both ground and air targets.
The Waffenträger “Diana” used the Luchs’ hull and dynamic components as basis, and Thyssen-Henschel solved the challenge to mount a large and heavy 105 mm L7 gun with its mount on the light chassis through a minimalistic, unmanned mount and an autoloader. Avoiding a traditional manned and heavy, armored turret, a lot of weight and internal volume that had to be protected could be saved, and crew safety was indirectly improved, too. This concept had concurrently been tested in the form of the VTS1 (“Versuchsträger Scheitellafette #1) experimental tank in 1976 for the Kampfpanzer 3 development, which eventually led to the Leopard 2 MBT (which retained a traditional turret, though).
For the “Diana” test vehicle, Thyssen-Henschel developed a new low-profile turret with a very small frontal area. Two crew members, the commander (on the right side) and the gunner (to the left), were seated in/under the gun mount, completely inside of the vehicle’s hull. The turret was a very innovative construction for its time, fully stabilized and mounted the proven 105mm L7 rifled cannon with a smoke discharger. Its autoloader contained 8 rounds in a carousel magazine. 16 more rounds could be carried in the hull, but they had to be manually re-loaded into the magazine, which was only externally accessible. A light, co-axial 7,62mm machine gun against soft targets was available, too, as well as eight defensive smoke grenade mortars.
The automated L7 had a rate of fire of ten rounds per minute and could fire four types of ammunition: a kinetic energy penetrator to destroy armored vehicles; a high explosive anti-tank round to destroy thin-skinned vehicles and provide anti-personnel fragmentation; a high explosive plastic round to destroy bunkers, machine gun and sniper positions, and create openings in walls for infantry to access; and a canister shot for use against dismounted infantry in the open or for smoke charges. The rounds to be fired could be pre-selected, so that the gun was able to automatically fire a certain ammunition sequence, but manual round selection was possible at any time, too.
In order to take the new turret, the Luchs hull had to be modified. Early calculations had revealed that a simple replacement of the Luchs’ turret with the new L7 mount would have unfavorably shifted the vehicle’s center of gravity up- and forward, making it very nose-heavy and hard to handle in rough terrain or at high speed, and the long barrel would have markedly overhung the front end, impairing handling further. It was also clear that the additional weight and the rise of the CoG made amphibious operations impossible - a fate that met the upgraded Luchs recce tanks in the Eighties, too, after several accidents with overturned vehicles during wading and drowned crews. With this insight the decision was made to omit the vehicle’s amphibious capability, save weight and complexity, and to modify the vehicle’s layout considerably to optimize the weight distribution.
Taking advantage of the fact that the Luchs already had two complete driver stations at both ends, a pair of late-production hulls were set aside in 1977 and their internal layout reversed. The engine bay was now in the vehicle’s front, the secured ammunition storage was placed next to it, behind the separate driver compartment, and the combat section with the turret mechanism was located behind it. Since the VTS3s were only prototypes, only minimal adaptations were made. This meant that the driver was now located on the right side of the vehicle, while and the now-rear-facing secondary driver/radio operator station ended up on the left side – much like a RHD vehicle – but this was easily accepted in the light of cost and time savings. As a result, the gun and its long, heavy barrel were now located above the vehicle’s hull, so that the overall weight distribution was almost neutral and overall dimensions remained compact.
Both test vehicles were completed in early 1978 and field trials immediately started. While the overall mobility was on par with the Luchs and the Diana’s high speed and low noise profile was highly appreciated, the armament was and remained a source of constant concern. Shooting in motion from the Diana turned out to be very problematic, and even firing from a standstill was troublesome. The gun mount and the vehicle’s complex suspension were able to "hold" the recoil of the full-fledged 105-mm tank gun, which had always been famous for its rather large muzzle energy. But when fired, even in the longitudinal plane, the vehicle body fell heavily towards the stern, so that the target was frequently lost and aiming had to be resumed – effectively negating the benefit from the autoloader’s high rate of fire and exposing the vehicle to potential target retaliation. Firing to the side was even worse. Several attempts were made to mend this flaw, but neither the addition of a muzzle brake, stronger shock absorbers and even hydro-pneumatic suspension elements did not solve the problem. In addition, the high muzzle flames and the resulting significant shockwave required the infantry to stay away from the vehicle intended to support them. The Bundeswehr also criticized the too small ammunition load, as well as the fact that the autoloader magazine could not be re-filled under armor protection, so that the vehicle had to retreat to safe areas to re-arm and/or to adapt to a new mission profile. This inherent flaw not only put the crew under the hazards of enemy fire, it also negated the vehicle’s NBC protection – a serious issue and likely Cold War scenario. Another weak point was the Diana’s weight: even though the net gain of weight compared with the Luchs was less than 3 tons after the conversion, this became another serious problem that led to the Diana’s demise: during trials the Bundeswehr considered the possibility to airlift the Diana, but its weight (even that of the Luchs, BTW) was too much for the Luftwaffe’s biggest own transport aircraft, the C-160 Transall. Even aircraft from other NATO members, e.g. the common C-130 Hercules, could hardly carry the vehicle. In theory, equipment had to be removed, including the cannon and parts of its mount.
Since the tactical value of the vehicle was doubtful and other light anti-tank weapons in the form of the HOT anti-tank missile had reached operational status, so that very light vehicles and even small infantry groups could now effectively fight against full-fledged enemy battle tanks from a safe distance, the Diana’s development was stopped in 1988. Both VTS3 prototypes were mothballed, stored at the Bundeswehr Munster Training Area camp and are still waiting to be revamped as historic exhibits alongside other prototypes like the Kampfpanzer 70 in the German Tank Museum located there, too.
Specifications:
Crew: 4 (commander, driver, gunner, radio operator/second driver)
Weight: 22.6 t
Length: 7.74 m (25 ft 4 ¼ in)
Width: 2.98 m ( 9 ft 9 in)
Height: XXX
Ground clearance: 440 mm (1 ft 4 in)
Suspension: hydraulic all-wheel drive and steering
Armor:
Unknown, but sufficient to withstand 14.5 mm AP rounds
Performance:
Speed: 90 km/h (56 mph) on roads
Operational range: 720 km (445 mi)
Power/weight: 13,3 hp/ton with petrol, 17,3 hp/ton with diesel
Engine:
1× Daimler Benz OM 403A turbocharged 10-cylinder 4-stroke multi-fuel engine,
delivering 300 hp with petrol, 390 hp with diesel
Armament:
1× 105 mm L7 rifled gun with autoloader (8 rounds ready, plus 16 in reserve)
1× co-axial 7.92 mm M3 machine gun with 2.000 rounds
Two groups of four Wegmann 76 mm smoke mortars
The kit and its assembly:
I have been a big Luchs fan since I witnessed one in action during a public Bundeswehr demo day when I was around 10 years old: a huge, boxy and futuristic vehicle with strange proportions, gigantic wheels, water propellers, a mind-boggling mobility and all of this utterly silent. Today you’d assume that this vehicle had an electric engine – spooky! So I always had a soft spot for it, and now it was time and a neat occasion to build a what-if model around it.
This fictional wheeled tank prototype model was spawned by a leftover Revell 1:72 Luchs kit, which I had bought some time ago primarily for the turret, used in a fictional post-WWII SdKfz. 234 “Puma” conversion. With just the chassis left I wondered what other use or equipment it might take, and, after several weeks with the idea in the back of my mind, I stumbled at Silesian Models over an M1128 resin conversion set for the Trumpeter M1126 “Stryker” 8x8 APC model. From this set as potential donor for a conversion the prototype idea with an unmanned turret was born.
Originally I just planned to mount the new turret onto the OOB hull, but when playing with the parts I found the look with an overhanging gun barrel and the bigger turret placed well forward on the hull goofy and unbalanced. I was about to shelf the idea again, until I recognized that the Luchs’ hull is almost symmetrical – the upper hull half could be easily reversed on the chassis tub (at least on the kit…), and this would allow much better proportions. From this conceptual change the build went straightforward, reversing the upper hull only took some minor PSR. The resin turret was taken mostly OOB, it only needed a scratched adapter to fit into the respective hull opening. I just added a co-axial machine gun fairing, antenna bases (from the Luchs kit, since they could, due to the long gun barrel, not be attached to the hull anymore) and smoke grenade mortars (also taken from the Luchs).
An unnerving challenge became the Luchs kit’s suspension and drive train – it took two days to assemble the vehicle’s underside alone! While this area is very accurate and delicate, the fact that almost EVERY lever and stabilizer is a separate piece on four(!) axles made the assembly a very slow process. Just for reference: the kit comes with three and a half sprues. A full one for the wheels (each consists of three parts, and more than another one for suspension and drivetrain!
Furthermore, the many hull surface details like tools or handles – these are more than a dozen bits and pieces – are separate, very fragile and small (tiny!), too. Cutting all these wee parts out and cleaning them was a tedious affair, too, plus painting them separately.
Otherwise the model went together well, but it’s certainly not good for quick builders and those with big fingers and/or poor sight.
Painting and markings:
The paint scheme was a conservative choice; it is a faithful adaptation of the Bundeswehr’s NATO standard camouflage for the European theatre of operations that was introduced in the Eighties. It was adopted by many armies to confuse potential aggressors from the East, so that observers could not easily identify a vehicle and its nationality. It consists of a green base with red-brown and black blotches, in Germany it was executed with RAL tones, namely 6031 (Bronze Green), 8027 (Leather Brown) and 9021 (Tar Black). The pattern was standardized for each vehicle type and I stuck to the official Luchs pattern, trying to adapt it to the new/bigger turret. I used Revell acrylic paints, since the authentic RAL tones are readily available in this product range (namely the tones 06, 65 and 84). The big tires were painted with Revell 09 (Anthracite).
Next the model was treated with a highly thinned washing with black and red-brown acrylic paint, before decals were applied, taken from the OOB sheet and without unit markings, since the Diana would represent a test vehicle. After sealing them with a thin coat of clear varnish the model was furthermore treated with lightly dry-brushed Revell 45 and 75 to emphasize edges and surface details, and the separately painted hull equipment was mounted. The following step was a cloudy treatment with watercolors (from a typical school paintbox, it’s great stuff for weathering!), simulating dust residue all over the hull. After a final protective coat with matt acrylic varnish I finally added some mineral artist pigments to the lower hull areas and created mud crusts on the wheels through light wet varnish traces into which pigments were “dusted”.
Basically a simple project, but the complex Luchs kit with its zillion of wee bits and pieces took time and cost some nerves. However, the result looks pretty good, and the Stryker turret blends well into the overall package. Not certain how realistic the swap of the Luchs’ internal layout would have been, but I think that the turret moved to the rear makes more sense than the original forward position? After all, the model is supposed to be a prototype, so there’s certainly room for creative freedom. And in classic Bundeswehr colors, the whole thing even looks pretty convincing.
Replacing an earlier photo with a better version 28-May-19.
Operating services on behalf of TUI Airways UK (capacity shortage due to the B737 MAX grounding).
First flown with the Boeing test registration N1786B, this aircraft was delivered to Tombo Aviation as N8254G in Feb-00 and leased to Sabre Airways as G-LFJB later that month.
It was wet-leased to Miami Air in Nov-00. Sabre Airways was renamed Excel Airways in Jan-01 and the aircraft returned to Excel in Apr-01. It was re-registered G-XLAC the day after it returned. It was again wet-leased to Miami Air between Dec-01/Apr-02, Dec-02/May-03 and Dec-03/Apr-04.
In Dec-04 it was leased to Miami Air as N904MA and returned to Excel Airways as G-XLAC in Apr-05. This was repeated between Dec-05/Mar-06. At the end of Nov-06 Excel Airways was renamed XL Airways UK. The aircraft was fitted with blended winglets in Oct-07.
It was again leased to Miami Air as N904MA between Dec-07/Apr-08, returning as G-XLAC. XL Airways UK ceased operations in Sep-08 and the aircraft was impounded at Manchester. It was released to the lessor a few days later and ferried to Goose Bay, Newfoundland, Canada for short-term storage.
At the end of Sep-08 it was re-registered N290AN and ferried to San Jose, Costa Rica in early Oct-08 for further storage. In Feb-09 it was re-registed C-FXGG, leased to the IMP Group and sub-leased to CanJet Airlines.
The aircraft returned to the lessor in Jul-14 as EI-FFK and was leased to Meridiana (Italy) two days later. It was returned to the lessor in Aug-18 and was leased to Alba Star Airlines as EC-NAB a week later. Current, updated 17-May-23.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 30-Dec-14.
This aircraft was delivered to South African Airways as ZX-CDW in Jan-59. It was due to be re-registered ZS-SBW but that wasn't taken up. Sold to BMA British Midland Airways in Jan-72 it became G-AZLT. It was wet-leased to Cyprus Airways in Feb-75 returning to British Midland in Nov-75. The aircraft was badly damaged when it aquaplaned on landing at Leeds/Bradford in heavy rain in Oct-80. It was dismantled and taken to East Midlands by road in Feb-81 where it was repaired. The wings were replaced with those off Viscount G-BAPD (c/n 340) which had been withdrawn from use in Sep-78 and stored at East Midlands. The hybrid aircraft returned to service as G-BMAT in Mar-81. It was sold to British Aerospace in May-86 and leased back to British Midland. It was returned to British Aerospace in Dec-86 and stored at Coventry. It was sold to Baltic Airlines in Mar-88. In Feb-89 it was transferred to Hot Air as G-OHOT and leased to BAF British Air Ferries in Nov-89. British Air Berries was renamed British World Airlines in Apr-93. Sadly, the aircraft was lost when it crashed while en-route Edinburgh / Coventry on 25-Feb-94.
Note: The aircraft was en-route from Edinburgh to Coventry in severe icing conditions when the no. 2 engine failed and the prop auto feathered. The no. 3 engine also ran down. The crew, at that moment descending from 15,000 feet, were cleared for an immediate descent to 7,000 and then to 5,000. The crew elected to divert to Birmingham since the engines wouldn't restart. The crew managed to restart the no. 2 engine a little later, but then the no. 4 engine failed. Just a few minutes short of Birmingham radio and intercom were lost. The Viscount struck trees and broke up near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, UK.
The elderly shunting horses are being replaced with locos. Many, as young foals wanted to be a famous race horse, but of course they’re not built for that. As a retirement present they’re being given a race to experience that lost dream, the wagons replacing their arthritic legs. Hubert the horse on the left is a sure winner.
This snap of silliness featured in my now regular monthly slot in Model Rail magazine . The side tipping wagons are fab white metal kits from RT Models, Google them. The horses are Langley, the chaps attending them are Modelu, red haired officers are Bachmann.
Preparatory work for the electrification of the Great Western Line between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads underway at Keynsham station. The task is to lower the track and platform by 18 inches to allow overhead cables to pass under the road bridge.
Replacing an earlier 6"x4" scanned print with a better version 17-Nov-14, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 01-Jul-23.
I was unable to read off the serial on this C-141 but thanks to my friend James Hoyle, I now have the serial and date.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 24-Nov-21 (DeNoise AI).
The tiny titles under the 'British' say 'Part of Walker Aviation'...
British European was renamed FlyBe Airlines in Jul-02. This aircraft was still in the original Jersey European livery with British European titles and 'www.flybe.com' titles on the engines.
First flown with the Bombardier test registration C-FDHZ, this aircraft was delivered to a lessor and leased to British European Airways (not the BEA which had become part of British Airways) as G-JEDJ in Jan-02.
British European was renamed FlyBe Airlines in Jul-02. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Jan-12 and stored at Exeter, UK. It was ferried to Toronto (Canada) in Aug-12 and returned to Bombardier Inc as C-GSVY.
It was sold to Nordic Aviation Capital A/S and leased to Eznis Airways (Mongolia) as JU-9917 in Feb-13. The aircraft was repossessed when Eznis ceased operations in May-14 and stored at Billund, Denmark.
In Nov-14 it was re-registered OY-YAG and repainted all white. It was leased to US Bangla Airlines (Bangladesh) as S2-AGW in Jun-15. US Bangla bought it in Sep-15. The aircraft was withdrawn from use and stored at Dhaka, Bangladesh in May-19. Permanently retired? Updated 21-Dec-23.
While having fun riding of road yesterday I hearda dull "twunk" from the rear wheel. A spoke had had enough. It was a quick job today before tea to repalce it.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 27-May-2017 (DeNoise AI 18-Sep-22).
'Continental Micronesia'.
Fleet No: "024".
This aircraft was delivered to QANTAS Airways as VH-EBE in Aug-72. It was sold to the Boeing Aircraft Holding Company in Jun-85 and leased back to QANTAS. The aircraft was returned to Boeing in Jan-86 as N609PE.
It was sold to the CIS Corporation and leased to PEOPLExpress in Mar-86. PEOPLExpress was merged into Continental Airlines in Feb-87 and the aircraft was re-registered N10024 in May-91. It was returned to the lessor in May-93 and stored at Kingman, AZ, USA.
In Jul-94 the aircraft was leased to Tower Air and re-registered N614FF in Oct-94. It returned to the lessor in Nov-96 and was stored until it was leased to Continental Airlines again and sub-leased to Continental Micronesia in Feb-97. It was re-registered N14024 in May-97.
The aircraft was returned to Continental Airlines in Mar-99 and stored at Mojave, CA, USA. It was sold to Continental Airlines Purchasing Services LP in Nov-01 and permanently retired. It was last noted still stored at Mojave in Nov-07.
In early 2008 the aircraft was 'blown up' at Mojave by a controlled dynamite detonation for a Discovery Channel TV show about 'Bomb Proof Planes'. Updated 18-Sep-22.
The second case of a loaded diagram being replaced with a light engine movement in as many hours, DRS no. 66426 arrives at Bescot Stadium working 0G94 (vice 6G94), the 1222 L/E run from Crewe Basford Hall S.S.M. to Bescot Up Engineers' Sidings (normally a Class 6 departmental working with 600 tonnes in tow).
Since replacing this with an older version, I am not at all sure the last version actually had something spilled upon it. There seems to be an artifact of the painting or printing process...
“Through Fairy Halls of My Book House” edited by Olive Beaupre Miller, who copyrighted in 1920, 1928, 1937, and 1950. Published by The Book House for Children of Chicago.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 15-Jun-17.
'Continental Micronesia'.
Fleet No: "019".
This aircraft was originally delivered to Lufthansa as D-ABYG in Feb-72. It was sold to GATX Leasing in May-79 and leased to Braniff International as N611BN.
It was returned to the lessor in Mar-82 and leased to British Caledonian Airways as G-BJXN the following month. British Caledonian was merged into British Airways in Apr-88.
The aircraft was wet-leased to MEA Middle East Airlines in Jul-88 and immediately sub-leased (operated by BA) to Nigeria Airways and returned to MEA and BA in Oct-88. British Airways returned it to the lessor in May-90
It was sold to Potomac Capital Investment as N78019 and leased to Continental Airlines the same day. The aircraft was transferred to Continental Micronesia in Nov-95 and returned to Continental Airlines and the lessor in Feb-99. It was stored at Mojave, CA, USA.
In Aug-99 the aircraft was leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-ABA and immediately wet-leased to Tunis Air for a Haj Pilgrimage operation, returning to Air Atlanta in Oct-99. It was wet-leased to Saudia, Saudi Arabian Airlines between Nov-99 / Apr-00.
The aircraft was returned to the lessor as N745LA in Aug-02 and stored at Marana, AZ, USA. It was sold to Logistic Air Inc in Jun-03 and remained stored at Marana until it was ferried to Sharjah, UAE in Mar-05. It was moved to Ras-al-Khaimah, UAE in May-05 for further storage.
It was re-registered 5U-ACE (Niger, Africa!) in Sep-05 and remained stored at Ras-al-Khaimah. It was noted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, operating a Haj Pilgrimage flight from Nigeria in Jan-06 and again in Dec-06 with periods in storage at Ras in between.
The aircraft was due to be leased to Gambia International Airlines in Jun-07, but that didn't happen. It was ferried to Roswell, NM, USA in Jul-07 and was permanently retired. It was last noted still at Roswell in Nov-15. Updated 28-Sep-22.
I also have a photo of this aircraft with British Caledonian Airways as G-BJXN at ...
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 04-Dec-21, plus DeNoise AI 10-Dec-22.
Swissair Express, op by Flightline
This aircraft was delivered to Pacific Southwest Airlines (USA) as N365PS in Dec-85. It was sold to lessor on delivery and leased back to Pacific Southwest.
It was re-registered N189US in Dec-87 prior to being merged into US Air in Apr-88. The aircraft was withdrawn from use and stored at Mojave, CA, USA in May-91. US Air was renamed US Airways in Feb-97.
The aircraft was leased to Flightline (UK) as G-FLTA in Feb-98. It was wet-leased to Jersey European Airways between Oct-98/Mar-99, to Swissair Express between Mar-99/Apr-00, to Croatia Airlines between Apr/Jun-00 and to IAC Integrated Aviation Consortium between Apr-02/2008.
Flightline ceased operations in Dec-08, the aircraft was stored at Southend (UK) and returned to Westall Aviation in Apr-09.
It was sold to the Aircraft Holding Network (USA) as N174FF in Jul-12. It was due to be sold to Neptune Aviation Services for water-bomber conversion but the sale was cancelled.
The aircraft was sold to TAM Bolivia (the airline of the Bolivian Air Force) as FAB-106 in Nov-13. It was permanently retired at La Paz, Bolivia in 2017. Updated 10-Dec-12.
Replacing the original digital photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 02-May-26.
First flown with the Boeing test registration N1786B, this aircraft was delivered to GECAS and leased to Travel Service Airlines, Czech Republic as OK-TVT in Jan-12.
It was regularly wet-leased to Sunwing Airlines, Canada, between Feb/May-12, Oct-12/May-13, Dec-14/May-15 and Dec-15/May-16. On its return in May-16 the aircraft was retro fitted with 'Split Scimitar' winglets.
In Jul-16 it was wet-leased to El Al Israel Airlines and returned to Travel Service Airlines in Sep-16. It was wet-leased to Mega Global Air Services, Maldives in late Sep-16 and returned in Mar-17.
The aircraft was wet-leased to Swift Air, USA in Dec-17 and returned to Travel Service in Apr-18. It was transferred to Travel Service subsidiary SmartWings Airlines in Dec-18. In early Jan-20 it was leased to Sunwing Airlines again, however, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the world in Mar-20 and the aircraft was returned to SmartWings early.
It ferried from Toronto to Roatan, Honduras to repatriate passengers to Czechia. It returned via Cancun, Mexico; Halifax, NS, Canada and Keflavik, Iceland into Prague. At the end of Mar-20 it made another trans Atlantic trip to Lima, Peru to repatriate more passengers back to Prague via Cancun and the same routing as the previous journey.
The aircraft was due for wet-lease to SpiceJet India in 2021 but that was cancelled. In Apr-24 it was wet-leased to Eurowings, Germany for the summer season, returning to SmartWings in Oct-24. The wet-lease to Eurowings was repeated in Apr-25 and the aircraft is due to return to SmartWings in Oct-25. Updated 17-Jun-25,
Hamburg
The Hamburg flak towers are two large, concrete, steel-reinforced air defense and air defense structures in the Hamburg districts of St. Pauli and Wilhelmsburg. Originally, four towers were built during the Second World War, more precisely in the years from 1942 to 1944, two of which were designed as bunkers with mounted anti-aircraft guns and two as smaller control centers. The towers could only partially meet the military requirements for a combat position; But they were all the more successful as a shelter for the population and in terms of propaganda because they were designed as almost indestructible fortresses. Because of their self-sufficient construction, they might have had a long-term defense against attacking ground troops. Of the four built towers, the two battle towers have been preserved.
In response to the Allied air raids on Berlin, the “Führer order to erect flak towers in Berlin” was issued on September 9, 1940, which was extended to the cities of Vienna and Hamburg by the end of 1942 in order to protect them from bombing raids. During the Second World War, Hamburg became the target of Allied air raids, among other things because several large shipyards such as Blohm & Voss, Howaldtswerke, Deutsche Werft and H.C. Stülcken's son who produced many of the German submarines. The flak towers were designed by the architect Friedrich Tamms under the direction of Albert Speer, General Building Inspector for the Reich capital, and realized by the Todt Organization, also with the use of thousands of foreign and forced laborers.
The Flakturm IV in St. Pauli belongs to type 1. The high-rise bunker on Feldstrasse was built in 1942 by 1,000 forced laborers in 300 days. He was armed with four 10.5 cm anti-aircraft guns, which were replaced by four 12.8 cm Flakzwilling 40 in August 1942. The Flakturm IV is one of the largest bunkers ever built. The base measures 75 meters by 75 meters and is 38 meters high. The wall thickness is 3.5 meters; the ceiling is five meters thick. Windows were built in and sealed with concrete seals. Although the capacity was limited to 18,000 people, up to 25,000 people sought refuge in the bunker during the heavy air raids on Hamburg in the summer of 1943. There was a special pram entrance for women with children. In the bunker there was a spiral staircase to the top, which initially had no handrail and was life-threatening in crowded conditions.
The bunker Feldstrasse was used by civilian tenants after the war, as there was a great shortage of living space in Hamburg at that time. That is why the tower was prevented from being blown up in July 1947, and the required explosive force would probably have affected large parts of the city center. Corresponding experience was gained from comparable systems in Berlin. During the Cold War, the intact combat tower was reactivated as an air raid shelter.
In 1990 the building was sold for around 1.6 million DM and converted into a media center, which today houses the Uebel & Dangerous disco and a large branch of the musical instrument dealer JustMusic. In 1993 the investor Thomas Matzen acquired the heritable building right for the bunker until 2053 for 6 million DM at that time. In the meantime, this heritable building right has been transferred to Matzen Immobilien GmbH. Together with a group of investors, the company applied to add five floors to the listed building with a height of around 20 meters. A hotel, a fitness club, restaurants, an event and sports hall are to be built. The investment also includes planting on the roof. The estimated investment costs of around 30 million euros are to be offset by the commercial uses. After approval by the district office in Mitte, on July 12, 2017, the citizens also approved the building plans and the extension of the long-term lease with the votes of the SPD and the Greens.
The first of five floors to be added was concreted in June 2020. A lawsuit against the increase was dismissed in July 2020.
Increase and greening
In advance of these decisions, there was criticism of the plans presented. At the beginning of June 2017, construction plans were published according to which the often advertised green increase can only be realized in a significantly reduced manner due to fire protection requirements. The Left criticized the agreed conditions that instead of the actual land value of around 1,500 euros per square meter, only a value of just under 980 euros was calculated, plus a discount of 30 percent. In addition, a parking space fee of 744,000 euros was waived.
In May 2019 it became known that tenants in the bunker would suffer disadvantages due to the addition work.
The Memorial service and dedication of the war memorial cross at St Matthew's Church Thorpe Hamlet, took place on the September 25th 1921, including roll of honour. I assume this was at the old St Matthews, down off Riverside Road, and that the Cross has subsequently been re-located.
The new church was built in 1982 to replace the old Victorian church (built 1851 and now converted to offices) on St Matthew's Rd and St Leonards 'Chapel of Ease' on Ketts Hill (built 1907, demolished in 1981)
www.thorpehamlet.free-online.co.uk/page_st_matthews.htm
*****Panel 3*****
H H Rose
Name: ROSE, HENRY HAMMOND
Rank: Private
Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 10th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 09/03/1915
Service No: 16353
Additional information: Son of Henry Hammond Rose and Rosa Ann Rose, of 26, Kerrison Rd., Thorpe, Norwich.
Cemetery: FELIXSTOWE (WALTON) CEMETERY
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=397225
The 7 year old Henry, born Trowse, is recorded on the 1901 census at 13 School Terrace, Trowse,
Norfolk. This is the household of his parents, Henry, (aged 40 and a Fitter in Electrical Works from Trowse) and Rosa, (aged 43 and from Eyke, Suffolk). Their other children are:-
Agnes……………aged 12.…………..born Yarmouth, Norfolk
Edward…………..aged 2.……………born Trowse
Ellen……………..aged 12.…………..born Yarmouth
Ethel……………..aged 9.……………born Trowse
Gladys……………aged 5.……………born Trowse
10th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Walton on the Naze in October 1914 as Service battalion, part of K4.
November 1914 : attached to 94th Brigade, original 31st Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
www.1914-1918.net/norfolks.htm
The death of Henry H., aged 21, was recorded in the Woodbridge, Suffolk District in the January to March 1915 quarter.
(see April 2017 comment below for update)
M Rowe
No obvious match on CWGC, Norlink or Military Genealogy.
Military Genealogy has two James Rowe’s who were born Norwich.
No obvious match on the 1901 or 1911 censuses.
A W Ryder
Military Genealogy has an Archibald Walter, born St Thomas’s Norwich.
Name: RYDER, ARCHIBALD WALTER
Rank: Private
Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Date of Death: 26/09/1915
Service No: 3/10213
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 30 and 31. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1768339
Archibald can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
Additional Norlink notes
Private Ryder was born in Norwich on 15th January 1893. He enlisted on 14th December 1914, and was killed on 26th September 1915
Archibald is recorded as aged 11 on the 1901 census, which doesn’t tie in with the Date of Birth given on Norlink, however he is the only Archibald shown with a Norwich connection. He was born Norwich, and recorded at 7 Cardiff Road, in the Parish of St Thomas’s. This is the household of his parents, Thomas (aged 63 and a Pensioner from Cambridge, noted as paralysed) and Ellen, aged 39 and a Laundress from Shemley Green, Surrey. Their other children are:-
Ernest C…………..aged 7.………….born Norwich
Frederick………….aged 17.………..born Norwich……Grocers Errand Boy
Mabel……………..aged 14.………..born Norwich
Rosa M……………aged 2.…………born Norwich
The 9th (Service) Battalion was formed at Norwich in September 1914 as part of K3, Kitcheners Third Army. In September 1914 it was attached to the 71st Brigade, 24th Division. The Battalion was assembled around Shoreham during September 1914 and it then spent 11 months in training after formation. Uniforms, equipment and blankets were slow in arriving and they initially wore emergency blue uniforms and carried dummy weapons. The battalion crossed to France between 28th August and 4th September 1915 where they joined X1 Corps and were sent up the line for the developing Battle of Loos. They disembarked at Boulogne almost 1000 strong, but 8 days later were reduced to 16 officers and 555 other ranks. The battalion lost a total of 1,019 men killed during the First World War. It marched from Montcarrel on the 21st September reaching Bethune on the 25th, before moving up to Lonely Tree Hill south of the La Basée Canal. They formed up for an attack in support of 11th Essex but were not engaged. At 03:30 on 26th September orders were received to assist 2nd Brigade on an attack on quarries west of Hulluch. At 05:30 the Battalion were in what had, the day before, been the German front trenches. The attack was launched at 06:45 under heavy fire, especially from snipers, after a full night of marching on empty stomachs and little or no progress was made before the Norfolks sought cover in the trenches. At 16:00 2nd Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment passed through to attack. At 19:00 the Germans opened fire and the Norfolks were forced to fall back to trenches in the rear to take cover before being relieved by the Grenadier Guards whereupon they returned to Lonely Tree Hill. They had lost 5 officers killed and 9 wounded, with 39 other ranks killed, 122 wounded and 34 missing, a total of 209 casualties sustained in their first action
forum.planetalk.net/viewtopic.php?t=4844&sid=b3e7614b...
C E Ryder
Norlink has a picture of Charles Ernest Ryder, stated to be of the 1st/4th Northumberland Fusiliers.
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
His cap badge in the picture however appears to be that of the Norfolk Regiment.
The accompanying notes are that the picture was taken in 1916 and that Private Ryder was born in Norwich on 13th September 1895. He enlisted on 22nd August 1915, and was killed on 26th October 1917
The relevant individual on the CWGC database appears to be this one
Name: RYDER, CHARLES
Rank: Private
Regiment: Northumberland Fusiliers
Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 26/10/1917
Service No: 202125
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 19 to 23 and 162. Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=828511
Looking at the Census details, in the 1901 census there is no Charles recorded with a Norwich connection, but there is an Ernest - the brother of Archibald, born Norwich circa 1894. On the 1911 census there is a Charles, born circa 1894, but no Ernest. I only have access to a high-level search for the 1911 census, but that Charles is recorded as living in the same household as an “Archibold” Ryder and an Ellen Ryder.
26th Oct 1917
At 3am heavy rain began to fall again and at 4.05am the 4th Bn reported it was in position for the attack.
At zero hour, 5.40am, the barrage opened up and began to creep forward at a rate of one hundred yards every eight minutes. The fusiliers of the149th Bde rose to their feet to advance behind it, with the 4th & 5th Bn Loyal North Lancashires (57th Divn) on the right flank and the 35th Divn on the left. Had the 'going' been good, the troops who lay close up under the barrage (so close indeed that several casualties were suffered) waiting for the first "lift", would not have had a problem advancing at the rate of the creeping barrage.
'The rain had, however, done its deadly work, for all the gallant fellows could do was to drag themselves along through the thick clinging mud and water at a much slower pace than the barrage, which soon got ahead'. Then form "pill box" and shell hole murderous fire was poured upon them. Many fell dead; some of the wounded fell into the gaping holes of water and were drowned; fortunate were those who escaped, but on went the survivors' (Wyrell. p.244).
The allied barrage consisted entirely of shrapnel and was therefore quite useless against the first objective, which consisted of concrete huts. To make matters worse the rain continued to fall heavily and the condition of mud and water were perfectly appalling.
Bn HQ received a wire from the Bde Major at 8.50am stating that a wounded Forward Observation Officer had reported that the first objective had been taken and the men were advancing well to the second objective. This information proved incorrect because 2nd Lt Wood subsequently returned wounded and reported that casualties were heavy and the attack was held up in front of the Huts. The attack had actually ground to a halt about eighty yards west of the line of huts. The machine gun fire and sniping was so severe that any further advance was quite impossible and reporting the situation back to HQ extremely difficult. Two runners were sent to the front line to try and gather information but they both failed to return.
At 11am, 2nd Lt Burton was sent forward to reconnoitre and he confirmed that the attack was held up about one hundred yards short of the Huts. At 1pm Sgt Thompson returned from the front line and confirmed 2nd Lt Burtons’ report stating that casualties were very heavy. Similar news was brought down later by Capt J.V. Gregory. This information was relayed to Bde HQ by pigeon and signalled by Lucas Lamp. Several messages were sent during the afternoon. Two platoons from the Reserve Company, under the command of 2nd Lts Peddie and Scott, were sent forward at 6pm to consolidate the original line held before the attack.
The Bn was relieved about midnight by the 4th Bn East Yorks and proceeded, via the duckboard track known as Railway Street, to Rose Crossroads camp. The 6th Bn DLI organised straggler posts in likely places to round up men returning from the front line and to guide them to camp.
Roll call revealed the appalling casualties suffered by the 4th Bn. 2nd Lts D.A.Smith, and W.Ruddy had been killed in action with 2nd Lt R.A.A Simpson later dying of wounds. 2nd Lts G.R.Charlewood, A.W.P.Leary, H.B.Bell, J.R.Ruddock and R.Wood were wounded, and 2nd Lt R.G.Rayner and H Stobbs were missing. Thirty-six fusiliers had been killed, one hundred and fifty-six wounded and sixty four were still missing. A total of two hundred and fifty six, more than fifty percent of those that had gone into action.
Casualties
Records show that at least 100 fusiliers from the 4th Bn were actually killed in action or died of wounds between the 25th and 27th of Oct 1917.
© Neil Storey 2004.
www.4thbnnf.com/45_171024_171026_ 2nd_passchendaele.html
A C Savage
Name: SAVAGE, ALFRED CHARLES
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment
Unit Text: 8th Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 31/07/1917
Additional information: Son of William W. and Annie Savage, of 13, Chalk Hill Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 21. Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=921423
Alfred Charles can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The picture was taken in 1917, so presumably shortly after he was commissioned in May, (it was taken at Coe’s Studios in Norwich) as he then travelled to France and was dead by July. Sobering thought.
Additional notes from Norlink
Second Lieutenant Savage was the son of William W. Savage of Norwich. On release from business he joined the 10th Norfolks in February 1916, held an Aldershot certificate as instructor and received his commission on May 1917. He was educated at Norwich Secondary School. Killed in action 31st July 1917 at Hooge.
The 8 year old Alfred C, born Norwich, is recorded on the 1901 census at 16 Ella Road, in the Parish of St Matthews. This is the household of his parents, William W, (aged 38 and a Shoe Manufacturer from Norwich) and Annie, (aged 33 and from Aldershot in Hampshire). Their other children are:-
Bertram J…………….aged 10.……………born Norwich
Donald J……………..aged 6.……………..born Norwich (see below)
Dorothy………………aged 1.……………..born Norwich
Wallace……………..aged 5.………………born Norwich
William H…………..aged 11.……………..born Norwich..(see below)
There is a likely Medal Index Card for a Alfred Savage which shows him as a Lance Sergeant (TR/A/263) in a Training Battalion before becoming a Lieutenant in the Suffolk Regiment .
The Battle of Passchendaele
18th Division
53 Bde
53 Bde’s task was to leapfrog 30th Div once Glencorse Wood had been taken.
8th Bn, Suffolk Regt arrived in Jackdaw Trench at 8.10am to find Glencorse Wood stille in enemy hands despite reports to the contrary. They dug in near Clapham Junction. Meanwhile 6th Bn, Berkshire Regt bogged down on the Menin Road also under fire from Glencorse Wood. With the help of 79 Coy, RE they destroyed some pill boxes between road and wood. Five tanks sent to assist bogged down in mud and were destroyed by shell-fire. By 10am they had dug in at the cross roads north west of Glencorse Wood.
forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=11535
The Suffolks lost 59 dead on this day according to the entries on the CWGC database.
D J Savage
Name: SAVAGE Initials: D J
Rank: Private
Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 19/04/1917
Service No: 200425
Grave/Memorial Reference: XXIII. F. 2. Cemetery: GAZA WAR CEMETERY
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=651255
There is a picture of Donald John Savage of the 1st/4th Norfolks who was posted missing after the Battle of Gaza on the 19th April 1917, on Norlink.
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
Norlink notes Private Savage lived at 13, Chalk Hill Road, Norwich. He enlisted in September 1914, and was reported missing at Gaza on 19th April 1917
This would make him the brother of Alfred Charles listed above and William Harry below.
19th April 1917 During the 2nd Battle of Gaza,
Facing the Tank Redoubt was the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division. To their right were the two Australian battalions (1st and 3rd) of the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade who had dismounted about 4,000 yards from their objective. As the infantry went in to attack at 7.30am they were joined by a single tank called "The Nutty" which attracted a lot of shell fire. The tank followed a wayward path towards the redoubt on the summit of a knoll where it was fired on point blank by four field guns until it was stopped and set alight in the middle of the position.
The infantry and the 1st Camel Battalion, having suffered heavy casualties on their approach, now made a bayonet charge against the trenches. About 30 "Camels" and 20 of the British infantry (soldiers of the 5th (territorial Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment) reached the redoubt, then occupied by around 600 Turks who immediately broke and fled towards their second line of defences to the rear.
The British and Australians held on unsupported for about two hours by which time most had been wounded. With no reinforcements at hand and a Turkish counter-attack imminent, the survivors endeavoured to escape back to their own lines.
To the right (west) of Tank Redoubt, the 3rd Camel Battalion, advancing in the gap between two redoubts, actually made the furthest advance of the battle, crossing the Gaza-Beersheba Road and occupying a pair of low hills (dubbed "Jack" and "Jill"). As the advances on their flanks faltered, the "Camels" were forced to retreat to avoid being isolated.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza
More than a thousand one hundred of the men of the 54th posted killed wounded or missing were from the two Norfolk regiment battalions, equating to 75% of their strength. Eastern Daily Press "Sunday" section May 5, 2007
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza
On 19th April the Norfolks took part in a disastrous attempt to take Gaza. In this action casualties for the battalion were 478 (55 killed, 323 wounded and 100 missing).
www.oldbuckenham-pri.norfolk.procms.co.uk/pages/viewpage....
W H Savage
Name: SAVAGE, WILLIAM HARRY
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment: South Staffordshire Regiment
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 26/10/1917
Service No: 41669
Additional information: Son of William W. and Annie Savage, of 13, Chalk Hill Rd., Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Panel 90 to 92 and 162 to 162A. Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=828742
There is a picture of William Harry here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The picture title includes the information that he was 10th “Royal” Norfolks before transferring to the 1st South Staffs.
Additional Norlink notes: Sergeant Savage lived at 13, Chalk Hill Road, Norwich. He enlisted in September 1914, and was killed in action or died of wounds on 26th October 1917
William was a brother of Alfred Charles and Donald John - see above.
Friday 26th October 1917 - Day 82
Rainfall 8 mm
Today marks the start of the Second Battle of Passchendaele. Zero Hour was 5.40 am.
91 Bde
91 Bde attacked with 1st Bn, South Staffordshire Regt, 21st Bn, Manchester Regt and 2nd Bn, Queen’s Regt with 20th Manchesters in Support.
The Queen’s attempted to take Lewis House but were driven bck to the Start Line by MG fire as were the Manchesters. The South Staffs started well as they were in dead ground and they took a mound southwest of Hamp Farm. From here D Coy attempted to take the farm itself and C Coy attacked Berry Cottage. Both attacks were unsuccessful with the two companies suffering heavily from MG fire.
forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=11535&...
A Semmence
Name: SEMMENCE, ALBERT DAVEY
Rank: Regimental Serjeant Major
Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 40
Date of Death: 14/04/1915
Service No: 3326
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Semmence, of Wymondham, Norfolk; husband of Daisy Gillies Semmence, of 6, Belsize Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. E. 7. Cemetery: BASRA WAR CEMETERY
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=631465
Albert can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
The additional Norlink notes are:
Regimental Sergeant Major Semmence was born in Wymondham on 29th November 1874, and educated at Wymondham Grammar School. He enlisted as a Private on 3rd October 1892, and was killed in action at Shaiba, Mesopotamia, on 14th April 1915
Albert is also remembered on the Wymondham Town War Memorial.
In due course the Turks initiated their offensive with simultaneous preliminary bombardments of Shaiba and Qurna on 11 April 1915. In the latter case the bombardment of the British 6th (Poona) Division progressed for three days while periodic attempts at piercing the town's defences were unsuccessfully attempted; eventually a counter-attack by the 2nd Dorsets and 24th Punjabis routed the Turks with heavy losses.
However the Turks' main effort was launched at Shaiba.
On 13 April, two days after the bombardment of the town started, Turkish troops attempted to outflank the British across the floods that separated Shaiba from Basra, while Turk cavalry prepared for a frontal assault.
However the timely intervention of two British Infantry battalions served to rapidly disperse the Turk cavalry, resulting in a full withdrawal by the latter into woods nearby. Possession of these were in turn secured by the British following an infantry battle throughout 14 April.
Casualties during the woodland battle were heavy: the Turks incurred around 2,400 casualties, and the British around half that number. Some 5,000 troops on each side were involved in the fighting in all.
www.firstworldwar.com/battles/shaiba.htm
On April 12th 1915 after some days of probing assaults a force of some 12,000 Turks and 10,000 Arabs attacked Shaiba where the Norfolks were located. They did not take the town but retired to dig in about 1500 yards from our lines to continue their assaults. Reinforcements were sent for from Basra but the floods hindered them. The following is from the Hunts Post dated 28th May 1915 and it tells a little of the action at Shaiba during those few days in April.
"Sgt and Mrs Dighton of Spaldwick have received several interesting letters from their eldest son Pte Whit Dighton of the 2nd Norfolks who has been on active service in the Persian Gulf since last November and is possibly the only representative from the Huntingdon district out there, .......... Pte Dighton says the country in which he is now located is a desert, miles away from any town, with blinding sandstorms which are far worse than rain. After four days terrific fighting against a superior body of Turks, "suddenly we received the order to charge. We fixed bayonets and put all the strength into it we could. The Turks were completely taken by surprise, and we were upon them in a flash. Their confusion was indescribable. They ran for their lives, thousands of them, and we quickly occupied their trenches, and simply potted them over like ninepins. As they ran some threw away their arms and surrendered. Our artillery completed their rout. Their losses totalled some thousands ....... I cannot speak too highly of our officers; they are bricks - every one of them. One gave me his last drop of water from his bottle, or I don't think I should have been left to tell the tale."
On the 13th April the Norfolks had broken out to rush the Turkish front line trenches and took them at bayonet point. They did not immediately pursue the enemy to the second line but rested up. They had been under harassment for some days and directly under arms for 36 hours continuously. On the 14th April an attack on the Turkish second line entrenchments began at noon with White 18th Brigade on the right of the line and the 16th Brigade on the left. This developed into a stationary firefight, in the heat of the midday sun. At 4 pm a last British effort was made and the Turkish rear lines fell.
www.roll-of-honour.com/Huntingdonshire/SpaldwickDighton.html
E M Sendall
Name: SENDALL, EDMUND MATHIAS
Rank: Private
Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 19/08/1915
Service No: 4368
Additional information: Husband of the late Ellen E. Sendall.
Memorial Reference: Panel 42 to 44. Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=682013
No match on Norlink
The 11 year Edmund, born Norwich, is recorded on the 1901 census at 40 Carrow Road, in the Parish of St Matthews. This is the household of his parents, Alfred, (aged 53 and a Boot Maker from Norwich) and Mary A. (aged 48 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-
Alfred………..aged 18.………born Norwich….General Labourer
Charles……….aged 16.………born Norwich…..Houseboy Domestic
Ethel………….aged 7.………..born Norwich
Mary A……….aged 9.………..born Norwich
Sarah A……….aged 17.………born Norwich…..Bootmaker
An Edmund M Sendall married an Eleanor R Palmer in the April to June 1915 quarter in the Wayland District of Norfolk.
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Norwich. Part of Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade, East Anglian Division.
May 1915 : the formation was retitled as 163rd Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division.
29 July 1915 : embarked at Liverpool and moved to Gallipoli via Mudros. Landed at Suvla Bay on 10 August 1915.
www.1914-1918.net/norfolks.htm
Between the 10th and the 19th, the 1st/4ths were continuously losing men, including a number on the 12th when the 1st/5th advanced into the scrub and pretty much “disappeared”, leaving the 1st/4ths covering the line and providing covering fire for the few stragglers that returned. Many of the wounded and sick were treated offshore on Hospital Ships. Unable to leave position and overwhelmed by the numbers, many of the dead were simply “buried at sea” and subsequently commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
Captain Montgomerie's diary of events in the 1/4th Battalion whilst in the neighbourhood of Jephson's Post on this day is as follows
19th. - All. quiet during day. Worked hard all night fetching food, water, etc., and improving the trenches.
user.online.be/~snelders/sand.htm
A Senior
Military Genealogy has an Alfred born Thorpe Hamlet, but there is no obvious match from the 12 possibles on the CWGC database and there is no match on Norlink. CWGC does have an Lance Corporal A Senior from the 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, but there is no age of any other additional information that might connect him.
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=250638
However the Great War Roll of Honour does confirm he was an Alfred.
The 1901 census has a 9 year old Alfred R, born Norwich, who is recorded at 87 Quebec Road East, in the Parish of St Matthews. This is the household of his parents, Alfred N. (aged 48 and a Wheelwright from Gloucester) and Kate G, (aged 47 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-
Arthur E…………..aged 18.………………..born Norwich………….Gardener (Domestic) - see below
Ernest M………….aged 6.…………………born Norwich - see below
Eva A……………..aged 23.………………..born Norwich…………Tailoress
Frank W…………..aged 14.……………….born Norwich………Blacksmith (Beer Making)
Horace W…………aged 16.……………….born Norwich………Wheelwright
Nellie M…………..aged 21.……………….born Norwich…….Drapers Shop Assistant
Richard P………….aged 20.……………….born Norwich……Engine Fitter
Stanley G………….aged 11.……………….born Norwich
Like his brother Arthur, Alfred was awarded the Military Medal.
A E Senior
Military Genealogy has an Arthur Ernest born and resident Norwich. The most likely possible is
Name: SENIOR, ARTHUR ERNEST
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment: Rifle Brigade
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Date of Death: 23/10/1916
Service No: 750
Awards: M M
Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 16 B and 16 C. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=812024
No match on Norlink
The only Arthur listed on the 1901 census with a Norwich connection is the brother of Alfred above and Ernest below. (See Alfred for family details).
26th October 1916
Lesboeufs
4th Div attacked here with two brigades, 12 Bde on the left and 11 Bde on the right.
In 11 Bde, 1st Hampshires were halted by fire from Boritska Trench, as were the French on their right flank. 1st Rifle Brigade came up in support but were only able to establish posts short of the objective.
forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=9058&p...
E M Senior
Name: SENIOR, ERNEST MONTAGUE
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment: The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 10/04/1917
Service No: 40097 Additional information: Son of Alfred Henry and Kate Gertrude Senior; husband of Hannah Maria Senior, of 63, Cohens Rd., Thorpe, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. P. 8. Cemetery: DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=41199
I suspect that should be Cozens Road.
No match on Norlink.
See brother Alfred above for family details.
The 12th Division, of which the 6th The Queens were part, (as was the 7th Norfolks) were heavily engaged in the opening two days of the Battle of Arras, and were part of the initial Allied success.
J Sexton
Name: SEXTON, JAMES HORACE
Rank: Private
Regiment: The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 19
Date of Death: 04/07/1918
Service No: 63691
Additional information: Son of Herbert and Jane Sexton, of 7, St. Matthew's Rd., Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. N. 22. Cemetery: GEZAINCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=35619
No match on Norlink
The 2 year old James, born Norwich, was recorded on the 1901 census at 7 St Matthews Road, in the Parish of St Matthews. This was the household of his parents, Herbert J. (aged 34 and a Wheelwright from Norwich) and Jane, (aged 31 and from Thornham, Norfolk). Their other children are:-
Gladys J………….aged 3.…………..born Norwich
Herbert…………..aged 11.………….born Norwich
Montague………..aged 8.…………..born Norwich
The Battalion had been engaged in a successful attack on the 30th June, but they and fellow Brigade unit’s the Bedfords and the Royal West Kents, were subject to repeated counter-attacks on the 1st. Contact was lost with the Bedfords and the West Surreys were forced back to what had been the old German Front line trench. They were relieved about 5 am on the 2nd and moved back to the Reserve line. The 3rd was reported as very quiet, and on the 4th they were pulled out of the line altogether.
J R Shingles
Name: SHINGLES, JOHN
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Secondary Regiment: Norfolk Regiment
Secondary Unit Text: formerly (16864),
Age: 28
Date of Death: 12/10/1916
Service No: 20977
Additional information: Son of George and Sarah Anne Shingles, of 167 Albert Rd., Quebec Rd., Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 10 D. Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1552573
No match on Norlink
The Great War Roll of Honour has John down as serving in the Essex Regiment at his time of death., Private 20977. Strangely his Medal Index Card, (which only lists him as J.Shingles) appears to have no reference to him being in the Norfolks.
The 11 year old John, born Norwich, is recorded on the 1901 census at 12 Albert Place, Gas Hill in the Parish of St Matthews. This is the household of his parents, George, (aged 49 and a Carter from Burlingham, Norfolk) and Sarah A, (aged 45 and from Burlingham) Their other children are:-
Alice…………..aged 16.………..born Thorpe St.Andrews…………General Domestic Servant
George…………aged 19.……….born Great Plumstead
Gerty………….aged 10.…………born Norwich
Kate …………..aged 14.………..born Thorpe St Andrews………….General Domestic Servant
Mabel…………aged 3.………….born Norwich
May……………aged 7.…………born Norwich
Samuel………..aged 22.…………born Great Plumstead……………Road Labourer
Stephen……….aged 6.…………..born Norwich
After having spent 10 weeks in the Ypres Salient the 88th Brigade, the brigade in which the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was serving, was temporarily attached to the British 12th Division, which was holding Gueudecourt. By nightfall on October 10, the regiment was manning a 450-metre section of the trench on the northern outskirts of the village.
The attack began at 2:05 pm on 12 October 1916. The regiment advanced in line with the 1st Essex Battalion on their left. The men kept so close to the supporting artillery barrage that several became casualties from the shrapnel of their own supporting guns. Likewise, the Germans were compelled by the shelling to remain under cover and as a result were quickly engaged in hand-to-hand fighting. By 2:30 p.m. both assaulting battalions of the 88th Brigade had secured their initial objective, Hilt Trench in the German front line.
As the Newfoundlanders advanced to their final objective, Grease Trench some 750 metres from their starting line, heavy machine-gun fire coming from the front and the right flank forced the regiment back to Hilt Trench. On their left flank, a German counter-attack drove the 1st Essex Battalion back to the outskirts of Gueudecourt, leaving the Newfoundlanders with an open flank. Newfoundland bombing parties cleared and secured the vacated portion of Hilt Trench and as a result doubled the length of the regiment's front line. All ranks began digging in the hard chalk to construct a new firing step and parapet and reverse the former German position.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gueudecourt_(Newfoundland)_Memorial
A R Shreeve
Name: SHREEVE, ALAN ROBERT
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment
Unit Text: 2nd/6th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 367208
Additional information: Son of Charles Robert and Alice Shreeve, of 36, Plumstead Rd., Norwich.
Memorial Reference: Panel 60 to 64. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL
CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1768924
Alan can be seen here
norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...
Norlink notes include that he was formerly of the 1st/6th Norfolks.
19 July 1916
Whilst the Battle of the Somme was raging, the British Commander in Chief General Sir Douglas Haig decided to open a more modest battle in the area of Armentières near the Belgian border.
Part of his reasoning was that the German Army was moving men south away from this area in an effort to shore up their defences on the Somme. An attack here towards Lille would put them in a dilemma as to whether or not they could thin out this sector any further.
Fromelles is a small village on the Aubers Ridge to the south of Armentières. Most of the area that was held by the Allies is very flat with a number of water features and streams.
Behind Fromelles and Aubers lies the ridge which easily overlooks the battlefield.
The Battle
The objectives of the Australian 5th Division and the British 61st Division on their right were to capture the village and the ridge.
The attack was centred around a point known as the Sugarloaf and at 1100 hours on 19 July 1916 the British artillery put down a bombardment on the German front line as the infantry made their way up to their jumping off points.
From their vantage point and on a bright summers day the Germans could see the attack preparing and launched a counter bombardment onto the communication trenches as the men were making their way to the front.
The German bombardment wreaked havoc on the Australian's lines. As men were trying to get forward, wounded were trying to push their way back to the Aid Posts adding to the chaos.
The two bombardments continued until at 1800 hours the infantry finally launched their assault.
On the left of the Australian line, the 8th and 14th Brigades swiftly took the German front line and started to consolidate their positions. The 15th Brigade next to the British in the centre however was struggling across wide open ground in the teeth of fierce machine gun fire.
On the right of Sugar Loaf the 61st Division had also been halted by uncut wire. In a scene familiar to those on the Somme not three weeks earlier, the Allied bombardment had failed in its objective of cutting the wire and destroying the German positions.
An attempt to organise a truce with the Germans to bring in the wounded was refused by the Allied Commanders, despite having been agreed to by the German Commander.
The battle had been a complete disaster.
www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_fromelles.htm
Alan is also remembered on the Roll of Honour at The United Reform Church at Princes Street in the City
Plaxton replaced the long running Paramount coach range in October 1991, when it launched the Premiere and Excalibur. The new Plaxton coach range cost £3.5 million to design and develope and were the first coaches to meet the new European R66 safety legiaslation, regarding roll over protection. The Paramount 4000 was the only version of the Paramount to remain in production. The Premiere was available in two heights: 320 (3.2-metres) and 350 (3.5-metres). The Premiere was built on Volvo, Dennis, DAF and Scania chassis. The Excalibur was Plaxton's flagship coach, available in one height: 3.5-metres and one length: 12-metres. At first the Excalibur could only be built the Volvo B10M, later it was built on the rear-engined Volvo B12T chassis and Dennis Javelin GX chassis. The Excalibur featured a raked back front windsreen, with the rest of the body structure was based on the Premiere. Some people say, that there was a hint of Duple styling about the Excalibur, this came about after Plaxton had bought the rights to Duple's coach range in 1989. Both the Premiere and Excalibur suffered from water leaks and other problems. Park's of Hamilton and Wallace Arnold had both taken the early production Premiere and Excalibur coaches and never bought any more for a number of years, in the case of Park's it was not until the latter part of the 90s that they purchased any more Plaxton coaches. In October 1999 Plaxton launched a new coach range the Paragon and Panther, thus replacing the Premiere and Excalibur, although both models did stay in production for a few more months, plus the Prima, based on the Premiere 320 stayed in production, until the Profile replaced. I was at Lymm Truck Stop yesterday and photographed this stunning Plaxton Excalibur Volvo B10M, owned by Coach Services of Gatley, Cheadle in Cheshire. The coach was new to Elcock Reisen of Telford, before Coach Services purchased it, Bullock's Coaches of Cheadle had owned it. The chassis is the MkIV B10M, this being the final version of the B10M. I got low down, to get this dramatic view of the Excalibur. It just shows what a nice livery, wheel trims and after market rear view mirrors can do for a coach. The owner told me, the coach had cost him £50,000 and looks the part, when parked alongside new £200,000 coaches.
HMS MERSEY, Liverpool Cruise Terminal, Liverpool - July 24, 2014.
Click here for a gallery of images of HMS MERSEY: www.jhluxton.com/Shipping/Ships-Naval/Royal-Navy-Ships/HM...
HMS MERSEY (P283) is a River-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy. Named after the River Mersey, she is the fifth RN vessel to carry the name and the first to be named Mersey in 84 years.
Various tenders were renamed Mersey during their service with Mersey Division Royal Naval Reserve (HMS Eaglet) between the early 1950s and late 1970s.
HMS Mersey was built by Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton, England to serve as a fishery protection vessel within the United Kingdom's waters along with her two sister ships Tyne and Severn. All three were commissioned into service in 2003 to replace the five older Island-class patrol vessels. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 28 November 2003. At that time, Mersey was not expected to commence duties until February 2004.
Mersey was the last Royal Navy ship to be launched from Vosper Thornycroft at its Woolston shipyard; Jennie Reeve, wife of Rear-Admiral Jonathon Reeve, Chief of Fleet Support, was the ship's sponsor.
HMS MERSEY is expected to remain in service until 2028 having undergone a refit in 2024.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 26-Aug-16, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 12-Nov-24.
This is what you call 'a history'... Delivered to British Airways as G-BHBR in May-81, this aircraft was immediately leased to British Airways' charter subsidiary, British Airtours, for the summer season, returning to British Airways in Dec-81.
It was leased to British Airtours again between May/Sep-85. The aircraft was wet-leased to Kuwait Airways in Jun-92 and returned to British Airways in Oct-92 when it was stored at Cambridge, UK.
Marshall's of Cambridge Aerospace bought it in Jul-94 and sold it to Kalitta American International Airways the same day as N103CK. It underwent it's freighter conversion with Marshalls (who also converted all the Tristars bought by the UK Royal Air Force) and was delivered to Kalitta in Oct-95.
American International Airways was renamed Kitty Hawk International in Feb-99 and the aircraft was stored at Mojave, CA, USA in May-00. In Sep-01 the aircraft was sold to Triland 1 Inc and moved to Victorville, CA, USA for further storage.
It was re-registered V2-LFQ (Antigua) in Apr-02 and leased to Caribjet in Oct-02. It was returned to Triland 1 Inc in Mar-03 and was stored at Dusseldorf, Germany. In Oct-03 the aircraft was sold to Star Air and re-registered in Sierra Leone as 9L-LDZ.
In Jan-05 it was sold to Sky Eyes Cargo and stored at U-Tapao, Thailand. It was re-registered HS-SEC in Jan-06 and remained stored. The aircraft appears to have spent more time in storage than it did flying between 2006/2008. It was impounded at Sharjah, UAE in Oct-08.
In May-09 it was sold to a Swiss company, Air One Corporation and ferried along the coast to Ras Al Khaimah the same month. As far as I'm aware, it never flew again. It was seen stored at Ras Al Khaimah in Nov-11 with the red part of the above livery painted blue with a red/blue tail and large 'Cargo' titles.
I understand it was sold to Sky Star FZC of the UAE in Jan-13 and re-registered N212AR in Mar-13. I'm assuming it ended it's days at Ras Al Khaimah soon after 2013. According to the FAA Register, N212AR was cancelled in Dec-14 with the reason for cancellation given as 'Exported to Kyrgyzstan' !!!
Replacing an earlier photo from Mar-19 with a better version.
Named: "Freising".
First flown with the Airbus test registration D-AVVA, this aircraft was delivered to Lufthansa in Aug-18. Current, updated 12-Apr-25.
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 14-Nov-25.
Fleet No: "775".
This aircraft was delivered to ILFC International Lease Finance Corporation and leased to Alaska Airlines in Dec-93. It was returned to the lessor in Jan-09 and stored.
It was leased to Tailwind Airlines, Turkiye as TC-TLB in Mar-09. The lease was transferred to AerCap in May-14 while the lease to Tailwind continued. In Apr-18 the aircraft was wet-leased to Wings of Lebanon for the summer season, returning to Tailwind around Sep18.
After 31 years in service the aircraft was permanently retired at Bodrum, Turkiye in Nov-24. Updated 14-Nov-25.
Late 1941 ad for Studebaker trucks. These same trucks would be built after WWII until replaced by the "R" series.
Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 21-Nov-21 (DeNoise AI).
This aircraft was delivered to Piedmont Airlines as N772N in Sep-79. It was re-registered N228US in Nov-88 ahead of Piedmont's merger into US Air in Aug-89. US Air was renamed US Airways in Feb-97.
The aircraft was leased to Royal Airlines (Canada) as C-GNAU in Jan-01. Royal Airlines was merged into Canada 3000 in May-01. Canada 3000 ceased operations in Nov-01 (as a consequence of the downturn in travel after '9/11'), the aircraft was returned to US Airways and stored at Edmonton, AB, Canada.
It was sold to Structures Unlimited Inc in Feb-02 and leased to Air North Charter in May-02. The aircraft was permanently retired at Whitehorse, YU, Canada in Oct-11 after 32 years service and subsequently broken up.
Philadelphia, PA, est. 1682; pop. 1,567,442 (metro 6MM)
• built in 1740 • earliest known photograph is dated 1859 — bldg. was then 119 yrs. old [photo] • Georgian-Colonial trinity aka "bandbox" design • typically, trinity houses had 1 room per floor & were built facing each other in rows of 4 identical bldgs. • in addition to the room on each floor, this house had a walkable attic room & a cellar
• served as both business & residence for shopkeepers & artisans for over 150 yrs. • among the occupants in the 18th c. were a shoemaker, apothecary & an upholsterer named Betsy Ross, who is said to have sewn the first American flag in this building • estimates of when & how long she lived here have her arriving in 1773 at the earliest & departing as late as 1791
• over time the house changed in appearance [photos] as neighborhood houses were razed & replaced w/larger commercial buildings —Where's Betsy
Betsy Ross
• Elizabeth "Betsy" Griscom (1752-1836) was a fourth-generation American • daughter of Samuel Griscom (1717-1793) & Rebecca James (c. 1730-1793) • the 8th of their 17 children • great granddaughter of Andrew Griscom (c. 1654-1694), a Quaker carpenter who migrated from England to New Jersey in 1680, 1 yr. before William Penn founded Philadelphia
"She often laughed at the curious fact that she was born on the first day of the week, the first day of the month, the first day of the year, and the first year of the 'new style' [which was] the dividing line between the old way of measuring the years time and the new method under the [Gregorian calendar… She was also] the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter." —C.B. Satterthwaite, great grandson, The Des Moines Register, 07 Jan, 1906
• at age 3 Betsy's family moved to a large home at 4th & Arch Sts. • went to a Friends (Quaker) public school • 8 of her siblings died before adulthood • lost her mother, father & sister, Deborah, to the 1793 yellow fever epidemic
• upon completion of her schooling at age 12, her father apprenticed her to upholsterer John Webster • fell in love with fellow apprentice John Ross (1752-1773), son of an Episcopal asst. rector at Christ Church • defying her parents, in 1773 Betsy, age 21, eloped w/John
• Betsy's sister Sarah & her husband Capt. Wm. Donaldson rowed the couple across the Delaware River, heading 5 miles downstream to Gloucestertown, NJ • they were married at family friend William Hugg Jr.'s tavern & inn, known locally as Hugg's …more: The New Jersey Hugg Line
• because her marriage to a non-Quaker was considered an act of "disorderly and undutiful conduct," Betsy was split from her family & read out of meeting, i.e., disowned by her Quaker community • became a member of Christ Church • the Ross's pew No. 12 [photo] was adjacent to Martha & George Washington's No. 56 & not far from Deborah & Benjamin Franklin's No. 70
• the newlyweds — now trained upholsterers — opened their own business • c. 1773 they rented a house, probably at what is today 239 Arch St. although the exact site is still debated by historians • most records point to this house or one next door at No. 241, long since razed
"The identity of the location was always preserved in the family, which agrees with the records in the old Philadelphia directories… from 1785, the first published, to the removal of Betsy Ross and her husband from 239 Arch Street, in 1791" —Betsy Ross grandson George Canby, New York Times, 05 July, 1908
• Benjamin Franklin & Benjamin Chew were among the Rosses' customers • business slowed during the Revolutionary War as fabric was in short supply • John Ross joined the Pennsylvania militia • mid-Jan., 1776, he was gravely wounded by a powder explosion at a Delaware River ammunition cache, apparently while standing guard • Betsy nursed him in their home, but he died within days
• in June, 1777, Betsy married girlhood suitor Joseph Ashburn, a privateer who commanded the sailing sloop Swallow • the couple had 2 daughters • the 1st, Aucilla ("Zillah"), died in infancy
• British troops entered Philadelphia on 26 Sep., 1777 after their victory at the Battle of Brandywine • the Ashburn home was forcibly shared with British occupation soldiers as the Continental Army suffered through the killing winter at Valley Forge • the British soldiers nicknamed Betsy "Little Rebel" —US History•org
• Betsy was pregnant with Elizabeth ("Eliza") when Joseph accepted a job offer & shipped out as first mate on the 6-gun brigantine, Patty • returned to be present for the Feb., 1781 birth of their 2nd daughter
• Joseph became master of the 18-gun Lion & took her to sea late in the summer of 1781 • on 31 Aug., his ship was captured off the coast of France by a 44-gun British frigate, the HMS Prudente
• prior to March, 1782, the British refused to designate captured rebels as prisoners of war, thus the captives from the Lion were viewed as traitors, charged with high treason & committed to Plymouth, England's Mill Prison [images] • while incarcerated, Ashburn met fellow prisoner John Claypoole, a longtime friend of the Ross family
• Claypoole, a Continental Army vet, had been wounded at Germantown & consequently discharged • in 1781 he signed on to man the 18-gun Pennsylvania privateer Chevalier de la Luzerne & was captured in April • in the spring of 1782 Ashburn died in prison, leaving Betsy a 2-time war widow at age 30 —Betsy Ross and the Making of America
"In the Night of the 3d of March Mr Joseph Ashburn departed this life after an illness of about a week which he bore with amazing fortitude & resignation" —John Claypoole, Mill Prison
"The story goes that Ashburn, while in Mill Prison, often talked with John Claypoole about his wife, Betty*, and at his death sent farewell messages by him to her. Claypoole, on his arrival in Philadelphia, hastened to deliver these messages, and inside of eight months he married her." —John Claypoole's Memorandum-Book *Betsy is referred to as "Betty" in some 18th, 19th & early 20th c. books & media
• in 1782 Claypoole returned to Philadelphia, called on Betsy & married her the following year • gave up his seafaring career to join her at the Arch St. upholstery shop • though renamed "John Claypoole, upholsterer," to customers the shop remained Betsy's place • the couple had 5 daughters: Clarissa, Susanna, Rachel, Jane & Harriet, who died at 9 months • sometime after Susanna's birth in 1786, the Claypooles moved from Arch St. to a larger house on 2nd
• Betsy returned to her Quaker roots, albeit with the Free (Fighting) Quakers, a group exiled from the main Quaker community when their support for the Revolution was ruled a violation of the faith's peace testimony • the couple became members c. 1785 • image: Betsy Claypoole signature taken from the Meeting House roster
• it is widely believed that when the Free Quaker Meeting House shut down in 1834, it was its last attending members — Elizabeth Claypoole & Samuel Wetherill — who closed the doors
• in 1817, after a long illness, John Claypoole died • Betsy never remarried • after retiring, she moved to the home of her daughter, Susanna • she died on 30 Jan, 1836, age 84
The American Flags
"Flags were a rare sight on land in the British North American colonies," —Wooden Teachout, Capture the Flag: A Political History of American Patriotism
• American flags were seldom used in parades or displayed by private citizens • colors were flown mainly in battle, over government institutions & on ships, where they were essential to identifying other vessels & determining friend or foe
• this changed after America's 1876 Centennial Exposition, which explains why "flags made prior to the Civil War are extremely rare, and flags made before 1820 are practically nonexistent." —Jeff R. Bridgeman, Stars and Stripes, Early American Life, Aug. 2011
• with the onset of the Revolutionary War, a flag for the "United Colonies" was created without the sanction of the Continental Congress • this 1775 flag was known as the Continental Colors, aka Grand Union, Congress Flag, Cambridge Flag
• on 2 Dec., 1775, the 1st Continental Colors flag was hand sewn by milliner Margaret Manny, who had begun making flags & ensigns the previous year
"Everyone knows about Betsy Ross, why do we know nothing about Margaret Manny? Probably for no better reason than that she had fewer articulate friends and relatives to build a story around her." —historian Barbara Tuchman, The First Salute
• the Continental Colors had 13 alternating red & white stripes with the British Union crosses in the canton • was created to replace the use of individual colony flags • prior to the Declaration of Independence, it was probably the most used unofficial flag of the revolution • American Flag Timeline
• the inclusion of the British Jack in the design signals that this flag was intended not for a civil war of secession, but rather a crusade to secure the American colonists' rights as Englishman • prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Gen. George Washington, still hoping for reconciliation with Mother England, would occasionally toast the King —The Forgotten Flag of the American Revolution and What It Means
• on 3 Dec, 1775, the new flag was raised by 1st Lt. John Paul Jones (1747-1792) on the 30-gun Continental Navy frigate USS Alfred [painting], the 1st national ensign to fly on an American fighting vessel —Naval History Blog
• the flag later flew over the signing of the Declaration of Independence & according to tradition (contested by some scholars), it was raised on a ship's mast atop Charlestown's Prospect Hill [painting] during Washington's 1 Jan., 1776 siege of Boston
• spotting the hybrid British/American flag for the first time, confused British observers took it as a signal of submission: “By this time, I presume, they begin to think it strange that we have not made a formal surrender of our lines,” Washington wrote • his psychological weaponry also included an early form of war propaganda
• absent a single government-mandated flag design, a variety of others were used • within a yr. after Prospect hill, the Continental Colors' Union Jack was replaced by a blue field w/13 white stars in various arrangements, e.g., rows, or possibly a circle?
• on 14 June, 1777, now celebrated as Flag Day, the American Flag was born by resolution of the Continental Congress, the country’s 1st flag law • during the Revolutionary period that followed, the stars on most American flags were arranged in rows of 4-5-4 with the number of points on most stars ranging from 4 to 8 • compared to the Continental Colors, the rows of stars made it easier to identify the flag/ship/nationality at sea —The 13 Stars & Stripes
The Story
• about a year before the Flag Resolution of 1777 Betsy Ross, 5-months a widow & struggling to make a ends meet, is said to have received a visit from a Continental Congress flag committee (apparently a secret one as there are no records of its existence)
• according to the well known Betsy Ross story, in late May of 1776 (but possibly 1777) 3 heroes of the revolution — George Ross, the uncle of Betsy's late husband, financier/slave trader Robert Morris & Betsy's pew neighbor Gen. George Washington [portraits] — called on her to discuss a flag for the new nation
• Rachel Fletcher (Betsy's daughter) recalled that "…she was previously well acquainted with Washington, and that he had often been in her house in friendly visits, as well as on business. That she had embroidered ruffles for his shirt bosoms and cuffs, and that it was partly owing to his friendship for her that she was chosen to make the flag." —Rachel's affidavit
• as told by Betsy, Gen. Washington, then head of the Continental Army, showed her a rough design of a flag with 6-pointed stars • she offered suggestions for modifications & stated a preference for 5-pointed stars • when her visitors expressed concern over the difficulty of producing them, she replied, "Nothing easier," which she then proved by cutting a 5-pointed star in a single snip • video: Make a perfect star with ONE cut! (1:15) • Two Conundrums Concerning the Betsy Ross Five-Pointed Star
• changes approved, Washington redrew the flag w/a pencil • Betsy's friend & collaborator William Barrett, a Cherry St. ornamental painter created a water color copy of the drawing for her to work from • 1-2 other seamstresses sewed alternate designs for the committee, but only Betsy's was approved & used
• what is known today as the "Betsy Ross flag" has 13 red & white stripes & a ring of 13, white 5-pointed stars • though the design may have been in use by 1777, vexillologists believe that between 1777-1795, (the yrs. the official flag had 13 stars) most flags displayed stars in rows, which are easier to produce than a circle
• None of the surviving flags from the 18th century exhibit the Betsy Ross pattern • however a few examples are depicted in the art of the era (although period art is notoriously unreliable for flag research)
• the flag depicted in Chas. Willson Peale's 1779 George Washington at the Battle of Princeton is generally considered credible & "may be the only evidence in a painting… that suggests that a circle-pattern flag may have existed in colonial times… Otherwise, you won't see an American flag with a perfect circle of stars made before the 1890s." —Jeff R. Bridgeman, loc. cit.13 Stars in the Betsy Ross Pattern • historically significant the American flags [images]
• though known as an upholsterer, there is no doubt that Betsy made flags, having sewn pennants & ensigns for the Pennsylvania State Navy Board (as did Margaret Manning & Rebecca Young, whose daughter Mary Pickersgill would go on to sew the enormous flag that inspired the U.S. National Anthem, Francis Scott Key's The Star-Spangled Banner)
• a month before Congress passed the Flag Resolution, Betsy was paid 14 pounds, 12 shillings, 2 pence (~$2,300 in 2017 USD) for what must have been a prodigious quantity of Pennsylvania Navy flags • there is no hard evidence that any of these were American flags • "...today we are reasonably convinced that Betsy’s flag was a naval flag, with a simple ‘in line’ arrangement of the stars…" —John B. Harker, Historian & Betsy Ross descendent
• Betsy (Elizabeth Claypool) was now in the business of producing flags & ensigns for the federal govt. • throughout the Jefferson & Madison admins. the skilled needlewoman made flags as large as 18' x 24' for American military installations, with demand peaking during the War of 1812
• for the rest of her life she — in her words — "never knew what it was to want employment" • her oldest daughter, Clarissa Sidney Wilson (1785-1864) [portrait], succeeded her, supplying arsenals, navy yards & the mercantile marine with flags for years —Betsy Ross•org
"In the last years of her life, Ross was neither more nor less important than other aging women who had lived through the Revolution. That she became famous while others were forgotten exposes the interlocking power of family history, local memory, and national politics." —How Betsy Ross Became Famous by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Historian
The Legend
"…at a time of great historic import such as that time when the Declaration was signed, people have no leisure to think about the minor events which are taking place. Thus, during the revolution no one thought of Betsy Ross as a national heroine, and it was not, in fact until 1870 that William J. Canby (1825-1890) first brought the story of how the first flag was made into general prominence." —Dr. Lloyd Balderston, great-grandson of Betsy Ross, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3 Jul, 1908
• there is no record of the the Betsy Ross story prior to 1870 • that year — 34 years after her death — Betsy's 45 yr. old grandson, a title processor named William Jackson Canby, presented a paper titled The History of the Flag of the United States to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania • the document, accompanied by sworn affidavits, was an oral history passed on by descendants of Betsy Ross, including Canby himself who was 11 yrs. old when she died • …more: The Evolution of the American Flag by (Betsy Ross descendants) George Canby (1829-1907), Lloyd Balderston, Ph.D (1863-1933)
• the story was largely ignored until it was mentioned in historian George Henry Preble's 1872 book Our Flag & appeared in the July, 1873 Harper's Monthly [illustration] • with Civil War wounds slowly healing & the 1876 centennial celebration fast approaching, Betsy Ross & the flag entered American consciousness • in the 1880's her story began to appear in textbooks • by the mid 1890s it was often illustrated by an engraving of The Birth of Our Nation’s Flag, an 1893 painting by Charles H. Weisgerber (1856-1932)
• oral tradition has it that in 1892 Weisgerber, a 36 yr. old aspiring artist, was bent on winning a forthcoming art competition • walking along Arch St., he noticed a plaque at No. 239 which identified the bldg. as the site where Betsy Ross sewed the 1st American flag
• inspired, Weisgerber envisioned a scene of Betsy & the 1st flag set in her shop • to fill in details of the story, characters & setting, he drew on period portraits, the testimony of living descendants & the 22 yr. old Canby paper
• with no authentic image of Betsy in existence (according to her relatives), Weisgerber painted a composite taken from images of 4 of her daughters & a granddaughter who was said to closely resemble her • the resulting portrait was critiqued by relatives who had known her & modified accordingly • Weisgerber then created a massive 9' x 12' painting • portrayed the young Widow Ross, saintly matriarch of a new nation, as she presents the 1st American flag to 3 revered American patriarchs
• "the image was [said] …by Mrs. Ross' grandson, George Canby, to be the only correct likeness of [her]" — he was 7 yrs. old when Betsy Ross died —The Times (Philadelphia) 15 Jun 1893
• the flag depicted in the painting — with no evidence to support the authenticity of its design — has since been known as the "Betsy Ross flag," the standard for celebrating the U.S.A.'s birthday each 4th of July
The Apotheosis
• Weisgerber's painting won the $1,000 prize & in 1893 was showcased in the Pennsylvania Building at Chicago’s Columbian Exposition • seen by millions of visitors • contributed to the nascent reverence for Betsy Ross & the flag as sacred symbols of the emerging, quasi-religious American civil religion • politicians, patriotic societies & public sentiment propelled the flag's transformation into an object of veneration, its role expanding well beyond the customary military & govt. functions
On Flag Day, 1894, the Colonial Dames gathered 500 schoolchildren to honor “the adoption by Congress . . . of the flag made by Betsy Ross from the design submitted to her by Gen. Washington” • by 1895, 10 states had laws requiring public schools to display the flag on all school days — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, loc. cit.
• in 1897 the City of New York bought thousands of lithographs of Weisgerber’s painting for its public schools: “It is thought that the representation which is declared historically correct, together with such lectures as the teachers may deliver, will add much to the pupil’s knowledge and keep alive a proper reverence for the country’s emblem.” —New York Times, 14 Feb, 1897
• in 1885, NYC school principal George T. Balch (1821-1908), a vet. of the Indian & Civil Wars, wrote Salute to the Flag, the U.S.A.'s first pledge of allegiance
"I give my hand and my heart to my country — one nation, one language, one flag."
• the heightened patriotism of the era inspired a movement to organize schoolyard flag raising ceremonies • the American Flag Assn. was founded in 1897 for the "fostering of public sentiment in favor of honoring the flag in our country and preserving it from desecration" • Natl. Flag Day was proclaimed in 1917
• Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), who worked in the premium dept. of The Youth's Companion magazine, wrote a new U.S. Pledge of Allegiance (1892) for his employer • created as part of the magazine's campaign to sell American flags to public schools • goal was a flag in every classroom • 25,000 schools acquired flags the 1st yr. • though priced "at cost," banner sales proved profitable
• Bellamy also choreographed a salute — the "Bellamy Salute" — to accompany the pledge • because of its similarity to the Nazi heil it was replaced by a right-hand-over-heart gesture during World War II • another Youth's Companion employee, James Upham, headed a flag-centric project designed to engage public schools in the commemoration of the U.S.A.'s 1st Columbus Day (Oct. 1892)
The Verdict
• for nearly a century-and-a-half, historians have debated the available evidence in an attempt to prove that Betsy Ross either did or did not produce the 1st American flag: "There’s no good historical evidence that she did. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t. There’s simply a lack of documentation. Most historians believe the story is apocryphal." —Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography, The Truth About Betsy Ross
• the identity of the woman who sewed America's 1st flag may never be certain, but there is good reason to believe that its designer may have been Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791) • the NJ representative to the Continental Congress & signer of the Declaration of Independence is the only person entered into the Congressional record for designing the 1st American flag
• it has been speculated that on 14 June, 1777, it was Hopkinson who replaced the British crosses in the Continental Colors with white stars on a blue field • no original sketch of a Hopkinson flag exists, but surviving rough sketches including his design for the Great Seal of the U.S. incorporate elements of 2 of his flag designs —Wikipedia
On 25 May, 1780, Hopkinson wrote to the Continental Board, requesting "a Quarter Cask of the public Wine" as payment for several itemized "patriotic designs" he had completed, most notably, "the flag of the United States of America" • submitted another bill on 24 June for "drawings and devices," including "the Naval Flag of the United States"
• the Treasury Board rejected his request for payment because he "was not the only person consulted on those exhibitions of Fancy" & furthermore was not entitled to compensation as he was already on the government payroll —Did Francis Hopkinson Design Two Flags?, Earl P. Williams, Jr.
• Hopkinson is also considered America's 1st poet-composer • written at age 21, his song My Days have been so Wondrous Free (1759) is regarded as the earliest surviving American secular composition [listen] —UPen•edu
Saving Betsy's House
• by 1859, 239 Arch St. was occupied by the family of German immigrant (Carl) Philip Mund (1822-1883), who operated a tailor's shop on the 1st floor • the landlord, after collecting rent for the first year, never returned • over the succeeding rent-free decades, the Munds operated a variety of businesses in their retail space
• after Canby's 1870 speech identified the location of Betsy Ross's house as Arch between 2nd & 3rd, the Munds — occupants of the block's last standing colonial house — posted a sign: "First Flag of the US Made in this House" • in 1876, as visitors poured into the city for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, the Munds ran an ad for their latest 1st floor business: "Original Flag House, Lager, Wine and Liquors. This is the house where the first United States flag was made by Mrs. John Ross." —Historic Philadelphia
• after Philip Mund died his wife Amelia, who objected to running a saloon, converted the space into a cigar store & candy shop which operated until 1892 — her son Charles then devoted the space to a museum/souvenir shop [photo] —The Betsy Ross House Facts, Myths, and Pictures by G.A. Anderson
• c. 1897 citizens led by Charles Weisgerber organized the American Flag Soc. & Betsy Ross Memorial Assn. • goal was to rescue the house from imminent demolition • intended to purchase it from Charles Mund, restore it to its 18th-c. appearance, preserve the memory of Betsy Ross & honor the American flag
• to raise the funds for purchasing the Betsy Ross "American Flag House," the Association devised a rudimentary multi-level marketing strategy • sold lifetime memberships for 10 cents • each member was encouraged to recruit others & form a group of 30; each group founder received a chromolithographograph of Weisgerber's painting • over 2 million monochrome certificates were sold at ten cents each • the colorful chromoliths were available at addl. cost (frame not included) —Enjoying Philadelphia
• the Association leased the house in 1898, purchased it in 1903 • Weisgerber & his family moved in • lived upstairs, kept the museum & a souvenir shop on the 1st floor • in 1902 they named their newborn son Charles Vexil Domus, Latin for "flag house" [photo] • he would later replace his parents as custodian of the house —G.A. Anderson, loc. cit.
• by 1936 the house was on the verge of ruin • in 1937 Philadelphia Mayor Davis Wilson proposed a restoration by WPA workers • this provoked "a storm of protest" from critics
• Pennsylvania Historical Soc. members wrote off the Betsy Ross story as "hokum" and "the bunk" • the protests from scholars & historians sparked an unwinnable faith vs. reason culture war with patriotic organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution & the Patriotic Order Sons of America
• amid the controversy, Philadelphia radio manufacturer & philanthropist A. Atwater Kent (1873-1949) offered to pay up to $25K for the restoration • Historical architect, Richardson Brognard Okie (1875-1945) won the commission
• the design for the restoration was derived from evidence & conjecture • goal was to return the bldg. to its c. 1777 appearance • surviving architectural elements were preserved when possible • materials salvaged from demolished colonial era homes were also used • in 1941, the Association gave the property to the city • the house now stands as one of Philadelphia's most popular tourist attractions
Postscript
• in 1929 Hugg's tavern, where Betsy Griscom defied family & church to marry John Ross, was demolished to make way for the Proprietor's Park swimming pool, which no longer exists • the Revolutionary War-era Hugg-Harrison-Glover House (1764), built on property owned by the Hugg family as early as 1683, was razed in the face of fervent opposition, March, 2017 —Facebook
• 178 yrs. after Betsy's wedding & just 5 blocks from where Hugg's once stood, another American legend was born at the Twin Bar [photo] when Bill Haley (and the Saddlemen) performed there in the early 1950s [poster] • in 1952 Haley's band laid down a cover of Rock the Joint [listen], an historic 1949 recording by Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians [listen] • each of these recordings has been cited as a candidate for the title of first rock 'n' roll song • Gloucester City thus became one of several U.S. sites that claims the title "Cradle of Rock 'n Roll"
Charles H. Weisgerber died in 1932 • his magnum opus, The Birth of the American Flag lay rolled up & hidden away in a barn loft & later in the back of a South Jersey dye-making workshop • his grandson Stuart (son of Vexil Domus) found it — still rolled up — in his mother's basement • its poor condition precluded exhibition: in the 50s, hanging in the old State Museum at Harrisburg, it had been vandalized, then incurred additional damage from repeated unrolling
• Weisgerber sought a Philadelphia home for the massive work but was unsuccessful • after a $40K restoration in 2002 the painting, it's appraised market value just $50K, returned to the State Museum at Harrisburg
• in 1976 the remains of Betsy Ross & 3rd husband John Claypoole were moved from Mount Moriah cemetery, Yeadon, PA, to the garden on the west side of the Betsy Ross House courtyard
Ever wonder what one should take with them on an extended international backpacking adventure? Well, here's what I took on a 4-month long backbacking trip to Japan. This is going to be a long read, with(almost) every piece of gear I carry with me on a trip like this, and brief descriptions where necessary.
Let me start by telling you how I organize gear. 1-Shelter(including clothing and sleep system). 2-Food/Water(including cook systems and water procurement systems). 3-Tools(including weapons, blades, electronics, etc). 4-Miscellaneous(Camera gear, repair kits, IFAKs, etc.) 5-Carry systems(backpacks, mostly)
Starting with Shelter(see top left of image):
-Koppen Viggo 20 sleeping bag. I've been meaning to get a quality bag, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. If it keeps you warm, then you can make do with it.
-Coghlan's Bug net. In the red stuff-sack. Absolutely essential on warm/temperate adventures. Trust me. No, really, trust me.
-Eno Singlenest hammock. Do NOT buy a lower quality hammock. Again, trust me on this one. I've seen FOUR cheap hammocks break without any misuse. Buy a quality hammock. Also note: Mine came with very heavy, solid steel carabiners and no hanging line. I've replaced the biners with Metolius FS Mini biners. They are incredibly light weight while retaining a 22KN strength rating. Highly recommended! For hanging line, I use 750 cord; light and strong enough to hang on.
UPDATE: I still use this hammock, but my suspension system has changed. I now use Amsteel Blue as my hanging line, and I use a knotless setup with aluminum descender rings.
-Blue blanket borrowed from ANA airline after I landed in Tokyo. I don't carry anything like this usually, but this one's sort of like a souvenir to me.
-Carabiners. Aformentioned Metolius FS Minis.
-Small green bundle of fabric is a home-made sil-nylon pack cover. Sil-nylon is incredibly light(I mean INCREDIBLY light), much less bulky than many other waterproof fabrics, but is not as durable. Mine has held up well, though.
-Green folded fabric is a home-made bivy sack. I do not use a tent for a few very good reasons. I'm often stealth-camping, and a tent is WAAAY to overt for that, and a tent is heavy and bulky to carry. I haven't used a tent in years and I've had absolutely no regrets. There are some sacrifices made when using a minimal system such as a bivy, though. Ask me about it if you want some pros and cons.
-Sleeping pad. I use a cheap, Wal-Mart sleeping pad, cut to shape in order to fit in the floor of my Alpacka Packraft. There are lots of good reasons to use a cheap, closed-cell foam pad instead of an expensive pad, but the primary reason is that your sleeping pad will probably be destroyed by use over time, and a ruined $8 pad is easier to swallow than a ruined $80 pad.
-Being used as a tablecloth in the image, a cheap 6'x10' tarp. For the same reasons I use a cheap sleeping pad, I use a cheap tarp. I do have to make a note here, though: Not all cheap tarps are the same. I wish I could give you advice on which brands to avoid and which ones to buy, but I really don't remember the brands of the tarps I've bought. Anyway, many cheap tarps have extremely weak eyelets, a weak weave, and(if this is important to you like it is to me), a gloss coat. Some, however, do not have those problems. It's hit-and-miss. Good luck when shopping around, and let me know if you find a decent brand.
Clothing:
-Under Armour compression boxers, 2 pairs. Not recommended. On long treks, they do not wick away sweat as advertised, so you'll end up clammy. They also ride up a bit, and I used to hate that, but I've realized that letting them ride up -though slightly uncomfortable- helps to minimize chafing in and round your sensitive bits.
-5.11 Level 1 9” socks, 3 pairs. The ONLY socks I adventure with. Fantastic elasticity, great durability, and don't start to stink for a loooong time. Great socks!
UPDATE: While I still love how comfortable they are, they aren't as durable as I used to think. I've now owned about a dozen pairs of these, and I've stopped buying them. I've switched to Vermont Darn-Tough socks. More durable, about as comfortable, and they have a lifetime warranty.
-Starter longsleeve base shirt and Starter shortsleeve base shirt, one each. I'm not a snob. I love quality gear, but when a cheap option works this well, I'll advocate its use. These Wal-Mart shirts work just as well as my Under Armour shirts, at a much lower price point. Recommended.
-5.11 Taclite Pro pants, 1 pair. Never ask me about these pants, because I will never stop talking about them. I have a confession(something some of you know already): I love good pants. I REALLY love good pants, and I've spent thousands of dollars on quality pants over the past few years, and out of ALL of them, the 5.11 Taclite Pros are the pick of the litter. They are the best pants I've ever owned, without a doubt. I have them in several colors, but my favorite color is Tundra.
-Lightweight synthetic shorts, 1 pair. Useful in hot weather and as swimming trunks. Here's just a general note: Avoid cotton in all of your clothing. Seriously, just avoid it.
-Light fleece pajama pants, 1 pair. Used as (surprise!) pajamas, but also as an insulating layer in cold weather.
-Light fleece pullover, 1. Insulator in cold weather.
-Columbia HeatMode 2 jacket. Thin jacket for wind/light rain protection. I use this often but it's now out of production. I always travel with a light jacket made of a tightly-woven, synthetic material for wind and rain protection.
-Tru-Spec Web belt. A great belt for it's $6 price point! Recommended if a higher quality belt isn't in the budget. Also, it's flexible enough to be comfortable underneath a backpack hip-belt.
-Baseball cap, for sun protection.
-Shemagh, for 8 trillion different reasons. I recommend everyone have a shemagh on them at all times. Great for lots of things, but I use mine primarily as a scarf, for sun protection, and as a face mask.
-Lightly insulated gloves, for cold weather and for keeping your hands clean while adventuring. I use mine often, always have a pair of gloves! Standard Mechanix gloves are basically a Gold-Standard for adventure gloves.
-Marmot Precip hardshell jacket and pants. Although pricey, I recommend these. I'd actually pay the high price to buy them again if anything happens to mine. Durable, light, packed with features. Great rain suit!
UPDATE: I did end up buying a second set of these after my first ones disintegrated, and my second set is now also disintegrating. I no longer recommend this set. I'll update when I find a good alternative.
-Finally, I separate my clean clothes and my dirty clothes in their own mesh bags.
Food(Top right of the image):
-I won't get into my usual backpacking food, but there are lots of good resources on the web for that kind of info. Message me if you want to know my usual choices.
-I will mention the protein powder, though. If you're hiking and doing a lot of physically demanding tasks, FEED YO' MUSCLES, SON!
-Hard-sided, watertight container. I carry most of my food in a container of this description. It keeps delicate food items or potentially messy food items from getting crushed, it has an air-tight seal to keep animals from sniffing out your food, and it's waterproof. Alternatively, you could use a roll-top dry-bag, but that wont keep your food from getting crushed.
-Jetboil Flash. I avoided Jetboil systems for a long time, primarily because of their price, but when I encountered a fellow traveler using one in the Redwood forests of Northern California, I was blown away. I bought one a few days later, and now I'm spoiled and I never want to use any other cooking system again. Highly recommended!
-Lexan spoon, but no fork. I don't carry a fork because chopstix are easily crafted from twigs or acquired from restaurants. Here in Japan, they give them to you at the cash register when you buy food at grocery stores.
-Spare fuel canister. I actually don't usually carry a spare, since one canister lasts so long, but when I took this photo, my current canister was running low, so I bought a replacement.
-P-38 can opener. Always.
Water(In front of the sleeping pad):
-Nalgene SILO 1.5l water bottle. Nalgenes are an industry standard, and for good reason. However, I'm not picky, as witnessed by the next bullet point...
-Generic 1.5l softdrink bottle, repurposed as a water bottle. Same capacity as the SILO, lighter, but not as durable. I'm not a loyalist to any brand here, not even Nalgene, just be sure to use a reasonably durable bottle.
-Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter. I've been using this filter for years. Highly recommended. I did install a pre-filter the day I got it, though. I use cheap, very small, very light fuel filters. Don't get hung up on certain brands or models, though. I've used MSRs and other Katadyns, and I've done lots of personal research, and they all seem to do the same thing with similar results. Just don't get a Lifestraw. Seriously.
Tools:
-Morakniv HighQ Robust(Not pictured). This tool, as well as the next three tools listed, were in my system until I was arrested in Tokyo and they were confiscated. As a knife guy, I could talk at length about options and philosophies of use, but I'll just leave it at this: Moraknives are the best fixed-blade knife you can buy at their price-point.
-5.11 folding knife. Cheap garbage(Not pictured). I got it as a promo item when I ordered some other 5.11 gear, but I brought it in place of a better, more expensive knife in case anything happened to it. I'm lucky I did...
-Lockpicks. I have Sparrows, SouthOrd, and Peterson lockpicks. I've picked my fair share of locks, and I want to tell you all something. Home-made lock picks are better than each of the above-named brands. My standard set contains the following picks, all hand-made by myself: A shallow hook, a deep hook, a DeForest diamond, a Bogota 2-peak rake, a top-of-the-keyway serrated tension wrench, and 2 bottom-of-the-keyway smooth tension wrenches in different sizes. I carry my picks in a Sparrows Sentry case. Sometimes I carry shims as well, but I wasn't carrying any when I came to Japan.
UPDATE: My every-day lock pick selection has changed. If I'm going minimalist, a set of SEREpicks are what I carry, but if I can spare the extra room, I also bring a traveler's hook, some shims, an EZ-Decoder, and a few bypass tools.
-Leatherman Wave(Not pictured). Always have your multi-tool. There are lots of variations, only you can decide witch one is best for you.
-The pliers on the bottom of the image are a stand-in for a multi-tool. I found them in an abandoned building, so I took them with me. Pliers are incredibly useful, which is one of the primary reasons for carrying a multi-tool.
-No-name, fixed blade knife(bottom-center, next to my Rhodia note pad). I bought this a few days after I got out of jail in Tokyo, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's roughly three-quarter tang, hand-profiled, very hard carbon steel blade. It's been great so far!
-Four-Sevens QT2A-X flashlight, with a poorly-done, home paintjob. I've been using this light for a few years now, and I cannot recommend it. I'm a “Flashaholic,” a term coined by Nutnfancy, so I am VERY particular when it comes to flashlights. This light does not stand up to my requirements. Ask me about it if you want to know more.
UPDATE: ARMYTEK, Surefire, or Streamlight are all great options. I've been carrying Armytek now for a while, and I can't recommend them enough.
-The light is in a home-made .93 Kydex holster. Very cheap, very trim, very effective, great retention.
-Also attached to the light is a Tac-Ord lanyard. I will always recommend attaching your light to a lanyard.
-Fenix diffuser head, modified for use on the above flashlight.
-Fenix Headband, for turning any light with a body diameter of 18-22mm into a headlight. Recommended! However, the process is slow. The retention screw must be completely removed in order to set the light into the clamp. A faster system would be nice, but I haven't found one that's better than this.
-Streamlight Nano/Terralux TLF-KEY1 frankenlight. I recommend both of these micro flashlights, but I recommend the frankenlight even more! With the body of the Streamlight and the head of the Terralux. :p
-Suunto A30 compass with a 550 lanyard. Great compass, very accurate, glow-in-the-dark, rotating bezel. Recommended.
-Garmin eTrex Legend handheld GPS. This thing is definitely dated, has an old, unreliable antenna, and has frustrating controls. Not recommended at all.
-Goal Zero Guide 10+ charger(pictured) paired with the Nomad 7 solar panel(not pictured). This system has served me well over the past 4 years. It charges 4x AA or AAA(with adapter) batteries at a time, and you can usually get enough sunlight in a day to make 2 full charges. It'll also charge my camera batteries, one at a time, and has a USB 2.0 port, so will charge cell phones, MP3 players, whatever. It's a decent, inexpensive system. You can't expect super high performance in a light, backpack-able package, but this is probably as good as you're going to get in this philosophy of use. I will say that it is the most versatile system I've ever found in my research. Recommended. Ask me about it if you want more info.
-8 Goal Zero NiMh, 2300mAH AA batteries, stored in a Bluecell battery case.
-8 Goal Zero NiMh, 800mAH AAA batteries, stored in a Bluecell battery case.
Miscellaneous Stuff:
-50-100' of 550 paracord. Innumerable uses.
-100' of bank-line. Choose your own diameter, I use #15. Great for anything that requires less bulk and strength than paracord.
-Sewing kit. Plenty of thread, multiple needles, stored in a plastic, flip-top tube container. I use mine constantly.
-Primary phone: Nokia Lumia 520 (Windows-based). Not recommended. Windows hasn't been working on their phone OS as long as Android and Apple has, so there are more bugs than the competitors.
-Secondary phone: Motorolla Moto G(Gen1) 8gb, Global GSM(Android-based). Fantastic phone at it's price! I did a lot of research before buying this phone, and I've been very happy with it.
UPDATE: Still using the Moto G series of phones. I'm currently using the Moto G 5 Play, and I'll be buying the 6 when this one dies.
-Note! The Maps.Me Android app is amazing for international travel. Requires no data, no service, nothing. You download whatever maps you want, and you can zoom in, search, navigate- all possible without any connection at all! Great app, very detailed maps for almost every country in the world.
UPDATE: STILL MY RECOMMENDED TRAVEL MAP APP!
-Notepad. Pictured is a French-made Rhodia dotPad #12. Not recommended. Assembled with a single staple, covers are falling off after 2 months of carry and use.
-Writing utensils: Pictured are a 1) Pilot Opt. 0.5 mechanical pencil. Terrible eraser, mediocre spring-tensioned clip. 2) Pilot 3-color, 0.5 Frixion pen. At first I was stoked on this pen. The ink used will disappear with heat, so you get a rubberized-plastic eraser that is designed to create heat through friction, making the ink almost completely disappear. But, after asking around, I've heard stories of ink disappearing when left on hot dashboards and such. That's a dealbreaker. 3) Stabilo Worker 0.3 pen. Not recommended. Running about $8, its ball-point system will NOT keep your lines anywhere near 0.3mm. More like .7 or so. Personally, I'd replace each of these with Zebra pens and pencils. Simple, attractive, reliable.
-Extra pencil lead. I like harder lead rather than softer, but I haven't done enough research or testing to recommend any certain brand.
-Full-sized notebook. The one I'm currently carrying another French-made book- a Jour & Etoffe Color-Fil, 6mm-ruled notebook. Recommended, but good luck finding one. I'm actually kind of particular with my notebooks, but carry whatever you want.
-Generic protractor/ruler combi-tool. I happen to enjoy technical drawing, so I carry something like this often, just to aid in my doodling. However, a ruler is very useful in travel. Most multi-tools will have one engraved in the handles.
-Tissues
-Primary wallet: Keep one wallet with your day-money and photocopies of your Ids in an accessible pocket.
-Secondary wallet: Keep another wallet with the rest of your money and your actual Ids in a separate pocket, preferably a more secure one.
-A few lighters. I don't smoke, but lighters come in handy every so often.
-MP3 Player. I hate iPods, so I've been trying different players over the years. The latest iteration of Sandisk's Sansa series, the Sport+ is actually pretty good. No removable battery, but it has expandable memory, so you can use your micro SD card.
UPDATE: The Sansa series was awful, so I found a generic MP3 player buy a company called Niusute, and it's been GREAT. I've had it for about a year now, and it's held up well. It doesn't have a user-replaceable battery, but it does have expandable memory, and its best feature is that it has a battery life of 80 hours! I use it constantly, and I generally recharge it once a week.
-Micro SD to regular SD adapter, in protective case.
-I am very partial to JVC Marshmallow headphones. I recommend them to everyone, but I bought a different kind of headphone after reading lots of favorable reviews. They have something of a cult following, but frankly, I have not found any reason to like the MonoPrice Hi-Fis. Mediocre. Better than dollar-store headphones, but not by a whole lot.
-Extra ear pieces for my headphones. I always manage to lose mine.
-On this trip, I brought a small Japanese dictionary. The one pictured is excellent. I did some research before settling on this one, and I'm glad I chose it. Recommended for anyone traveling to Japan.
-Pack towel. Never go anywhere without your towel! Arthur Dent will tell you why.
-Business cards. I don't have any reason to have my own, but I collect them everywhere I go from people I meet. It's easier than asking people for their Facebook or E-mail. Just get their business card and stick it in your wallet.
-Lenovo Thinkpad E440, with a Core i5. I usually don't travel with a full-sized computer, but I wanted to edit photos as I went, so I brought my photo-editing computer with me. Included is the appropriate charging cable, a wireless mouse, and a mouse pad. A note on the mouse: Bring a wired mouse when traveling if you bring a mouse at all. It wont take any of your valuable rechargeables, so they can be used elsewhere.
-Silicon Power 1TB external HDD. Highly recommended! I've had this for about a year and a half now, and I've thrown it in snow, dropped it on concrete, dropped it into a sink full of water... And it comes with its own cable, stored neatly in a built-in compartment. Great hard drive!
UPDATE: Still recommend these! Great hard drives!
Hygiene:
-Antibacterial wipes
-Nail clippers
-Razor
-Toothbrush
-Castile soap stored in a repurposed glycerin bottle. This stuff is amazing. I use Dr. Bronner's. It's made of plant material, non-toxic, biodegradable, and extremely versatile! It can be used as shampoo, body wash, face wash, shaving cream, and even toothpaste. As an added bonus for the Tea Tree variety of Castile soap- it acts as a bug deterrent. For about half a day after using it, it works very effectively to repel mosquitoes, gnats, ticks, whatevs. Highly recommended in every flavor!
-My hygiene supplies are all stored in a Kifaru zipper pouch.
Camera Gear: I'm not going to get much into camera gear here. It's not all pictured, but ask me about it if you want to know anything. I'm going to list a few things here, though. Just the “notable” things, I guess.
-Nikon D750.
-Canon 70D.
-5 batteries for each. A mix of OEM and non-OEM. There are lots of good off-brand batteries, do your research before buying.
-Joby Gorillapod Focus with the Ballhead-X. Highly recommended! Love this tripod.
-A zoom lens. At least 250mm, but keep weight in mind if you're backpacking.
-A 50mm lens. Because it's beautiful.
-A wide-angle lens.
-I personally love fish-eye lenses, so I carry one with me. I love being able to see ~so much~ and the distortion doesn't bother me at all.
-Chargers with car adapters.
-LowePro Toploader Pro 70AW. This is another thing that you shouldn't ever ask me about. I will talk your ear off about the quality and features for hours. Of ALL LowePro gear, for that matter. I also have their ProTactic 350. LowePro gear is not particular cheap, but it's worth every penny you'll pay for it. Would you put $5,000 worth of camera and lenses in a $20 case? I wouldn't. Amazing gear. Also, the AW versions have a built-in rain cover.
-Attached to the above bag is a LowePro lens case, compatible with LowePro's SlipLock attachment system.
-Extra memory cards. Seriously, bring extras.
Carry System:
-REI XT-85. I've been using it for two years. Highly recommended.
-Adidas Cinch-bag. Bought it in college, and it's still in great shape. Highly recommended. I bring this with me for times when I can store or hide my XT-85, so I can explore a city without being weighed down. There are lots of small packs that will fill this role, but this is what I had on hand, and I like it.
Not pictured: Here are things I usually bring, but didn't bring on this trip; or gear that I DO have now, but didn't put it in the picture for some reason.
-Handcuff key and Master bump key. Located in a hidden pocket somewhere on my clothing. When I was arrested in Tokyo, and they VERY thoroughly searched ALL of my belongings, they never found these. :)
-IFAK. Stands for Individual First Aid Kit. There isn't one pictured because my custom-built level 1 IFAK went missing before my trip. Whoops.
-A mesh bug shirt. These aren't super effective, but I often carry one because they are extremely lightweight, and offer a ~little~ bit of protection. Just enough to keep you from losing your mind as you set up your net over your sleep system.
-When I'll be filtering water from sources that are likely to contain critters, such as agricultural run-off, I will carry a water purifier in addition to my water filter. My purifier of choice is the Steri-Pen Adventurer Opti with the purpose-built solar charging case.
-Many of you know how much I love packrafting. When you carry one, you have to include the other components of the system. For me, these components are as follows: Packraft, paddle, repair kit, inflation bag, dry bag for the rest of your gear, paracord for lashing your gear to the raft while traveling by water, seat, seat back, riser seat, and stuff-sack. The entire system usually weighs about 7 pounds with the gear that I own and use. It's possible to get your entire packrafting system down to about 5 pounds.
-Guns. When I travel in places where I can legally carry a pistol, I carry a Glock 19(Gen 4) in one of two ways. When I carry openly, it's in a G-Code XST RTI holster on a Low-Ride RTI platform, attached to my clothing belt(not my pack belt). When I'm concealing, I add a Kifaru Koala to my pack system, and I carry the pistol in the Koala's dedicated CCW compartment. In either case, I always use Glock 17 magazines outfitted with Arredondo +6 extensions. Arredondo products are very highly recommended by me! Awesome stuff. I carry spare magazines in either a G-code dual mag holder(RTI variety), or in the mag caddies inside the Kifaru Koala.
-The Kifaru Koala is another piece of gear that I'll talk forever about. It's amazing. Perfect. Lovely. Perfect. Comfy. Perfect. I love it! Added bonus: Last year, Kifaru dropped the price on the Koala. Yay!
-Last but not least... Kelsey. Poor Kelsey got left at home on this trip. It was a difficult decision, and I've regretted it many times over since arriving in Japan. I only hope she'll forgive me when I get back. I'm sorry, Kelsey. :(
I think that pretty much covers it! That was even longer than I thought it would be... If you've made it this far, I'm sure you can tell by now that I'm very particular about the gear I use, and most of what I own has been thoroughly researched before it was purchased. I love quality gear, and it's very important to me to use gear that performs its intended task very well. I never buy anything just because it's the first thing I found on Amazon that does vaguely what I need it to do. No, I spend months, and sometimes even YEARS(no kidding) researching a particular piece of equipment before buying it. If I own it, it's because I have deemed it to be better than any other piece of gear that fits the exact niche I set out to fill.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber, designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades.
Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions by the United States Air Force (USAF), the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat, capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons.
The B-52 has been in active service with the USAF since 1955. The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was inactivated in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC). In 2010 all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).
Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept the B-52 in service despite the advent of later, more advanced aircraft, including the canceled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. The B-52 has so far completed sixty years of continuous service with its original operator, and after being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, it is expected to serve with the USAF even into the 2040s, maybe even beyond that.
The only foreign operator of the B-52 had been the Royal Air Force in the 1980ies and 19990ies, and just in a small number. After the USAF's retirement of the earlier B-52 types, the remaining G and H models were used for nuclear standby ("alert") duty as part of the United States' nuclear triad. This triad was the combination of nuclear-armed land-based missiles, submarine-based missiles and manned bombers.
After the end of the Falkland War, the Royal Air Force withdrew its final long-range bomber type, the Avro Vulcan - which was to be replaced by the MRCA Tornado which was designed to a totally different tactical profile. Fearing the loss of international influence, the Ministry of Defence decided to fill this gap and leased twelve revamped and heavily modified B-52Gs from the USA. This was a convenient deal for both sides, since these bombers were earmarked to be scrapped per the terms of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
These modified aircraft were designated B-52K by Boeing, while the RAF officially called them later in service Stratofortress B.I, even though B-52K was more common. Most obvious change was the introduction of new engines. The B-52K benefited from a Boeing study for the U.S. Air Force in the mid-1970s which investigated replacing the original TF33 engines, changing to a new wing, and other improvements to upgrade B-52G/H aircraft as an alternative to the B-1A, then in development. Boeing had suggested re-engining the complete USAF B-52 fleet with four Rolls-Royce RB211 535E-4 each. The RB211 had originally been developed for the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in the early 1970ies, but also saw use with several Boeing airliners, the "535" being a special development for the 757 airliner.
This new, bigger engine would not only improve overall weight and power (total thrust 8× 17,000 lb vs .4× 37,400 lb), it would also increase range and reduce fuel consumption and simplify the whole aircraft. Despite these direct benefits the USAF did not opt for this offer: the costs for aircraft modifications, infrastructure, logistics and also for the running operations of the complete fleet would have been prohibitively high, as well as only a partial conversion. For the UK, where the weapon system was to be introduced from scratch and also on a much smaller scale, the update made sense, though.
Boeing supported the British project, since the company expected to present the UK conversion as a field case study for potential later large-scale sales to the USAF. This included extensive wind tunnel testing, in order to optimize the engine pylons. These tests also demonstrated that the new four-engined aircraft may not have enough rudder authority to counter the adverse yaw generated by an outboard engine-out scenario. As a consequence, an enlarged fin was (re-)introduced, even though it was different from the earlier B-52 variants. Actually, as a cost saving measure, fin elements from the Boeing 747 airliner were used - and its integral tank enhanced the overall fuel capacity even further.
The ex-USAF B-52Gs converted into K models were taken from surplus stock that not been modified into cruise missile carriers, they were rather conventional bombers with nuclear capabilities - its main purpose for the RAF. A secondary role were martime operations like mine laying or missile attacks against surface ships over long distances.
Hence, the RAF aircraft underwent a series of modifications to improve conventional bombing and to adapt them to RAF standards. They were fitted with a new Integrated Conventional Stores Management System (ICSMS) and new underwing pylons that could hold larger bombs or other stores, including up to twelve AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The B-52K also introduced new radios, integrated Global Positioning System into the aircraft's navigation system and replaced. The under-nose FLIR was retained, even though with a modernized system. A fixed refluelling probe for the RAF's drogue system was installed on top of the cockpit section (earn ing the B-52K the nickname "unicorn"), and the tail gun station was deleted and replaced with ECM equipment and flare/chaff dispensers.
Delivery started in 1990, and the B-52K was just too late to become operational during the First Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), in which RAF Tornados took part in, though, as well as USAF B-52s. In fact, the modified BUFF took three years to become fully operational, despite - or perhaps because of - the small fleet. In parallel, the Tornado was gradually introduced, too.
Eventually, the B-52Ks were baptized with fire: in 1999, when 'Operation Allied Force' began and USAF and RAF bombers bombarded Serb targets throughout the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - even though with mixed success, since more than 600 of the 1.000 bombs dropped by the RAF during the Kosovo conflict missed their target, the Ministry of Defence admitted in 2000.
In 2003 the B-52Ks also took part in the invasion of Iraq as part of 'Operation Telic'. The Iraqi Forces were unable to mobilize their air force to attempt a defense, and the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Naval Aviation, as well as the Royal Air Force, operated with impunity throughout the country, pinpointing heavily defended resistance targets and destroying them before ground troops arrived.
This success reinstated the B-52K's performance reputation a little, but could not deny the fact that the global political situation had changed since the fall of the Soviet Union, and that the heavy bomber was a concept of the past. Furthermore, the changing character of conflicts and the respective mission profiles made the British MoD in 2004 decide to retire the small, costly B-52K fleet, of which four aircraft had already to be grounded due to the end of their airframe lifetime. Consequently, all B-52Ks were scrapped until 2005.
Besides, the program results did not change the USAF's decision to keep the B-52H with its eight engine layout in service.
General characteristics:
Crew: 5 (pilot, copilot, Weapon Systems Officer, navigator, Electronic Warfare Officer)
Length: 159 ft 4 in (48.5 m)
Wingspan: 185 ft 0 in (56.4 m)
Height: 42 ft (12.8 m)
Wing area: 4,000 sq ft (370 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 63A219.3 mod root, NACA 65A209.5 tip
Zero-lift drag coefficient: ~0,0119
Drag area: 47,60 sq ft (4,42 m²)
Aspect ratio: 8,56
Fuel capacity: 48.630 U.S. gal (40.495 imp gal; 181.090 l)
Empty weight: 185.000 lb (83.250 kg)
Loaded weight: 265.000 lb (120.000 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 488.000 lb (220.000 kg)
Powerplant:
4× Rolls-Royce RB211 535E-4 turbofan jet engines, rated at 17.000 kp (37.400 lb) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 560 kn (650 mph, 1.047 km/h)
Cruise speed: 442 kn (525 mph, 844 km/h)
Combat radius: 4.750 mi (4.125 nmi, 7.650 km)
Ferry range: 10.715 mi (9.300 nmi, 17.250 km)
Service ceiling: 50.000 ft (15.000 m)
Rate of climb: 6.270 ft/min (31,85 m/s)
Wing loading: 120 lb/ft² (586 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.31
Lift-to-drag ratio: 21.5 (estimated)
Armament:
Approximately 70.000 lb (31.500 kg) mixed ordnance; bombs, mines, missiles, in various
configurations in an internal bomb bay and/or on wing pylons
Avionics:
Electro-optical viewing system that uses platinum silicide forward looking infrared and high
resolution low-light-level television sensors
LITENING Advanced Targeting System
Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod
IBM AP-101 computer
The kit and its assembly:
I remember that I read about the re-engine project of the USAF's late B-52 versions when I was in school, many years ago, and the BUFF is still flying - even though in its original eight engine layout. Anyway, I wonder why this topic has not been adopted by modelers more often? O.K., a B-52 is a large aircraft, but there are good small scale version around, like the Dragon kit in 1:200 which I converted.
Work was pretty straightforward, and the basis is/was a B-52G. The kit was built almost OOB, only mods include:
- engine nacelles from a Hasegawa Boeing 747-400
- the upper section of the latter's fin, too
- a scratched refuelling probe
- a modified tail without the four machine guns
Fit is good and surface structure/details are more than satisfactory for a kit of this small scale. Only thing that bugged me was the slightly tinted canopy that is a bit too wide for the fuselage, it's hard to blend it into the rest of the body. Another building horror were the 24 itsy-tiny bombs for the quadruple MERs under the wings.
Integrating the Jumbo nacelles was easier than expected, even though, after finishing the conversion, I'd recommend reducing the height of the outer pyolns by 2-3 mm, so that the engines come higher and closer to the wings. Space to the ground is very little - and to mend this I lengthened the outrigger wheels slightly.
Another issue were the wing parts - the left wing was slightly warped, upwards, and even though I tried to bend and force it into a stright line it somehow move back into its original position, so that a B-52 on the ground was hard to realize. If you build one, tuck the landing gear up and put it on a stand. It looks better, anyway... ;)
Painting and markings
This was the fun part. A B-52 with four bigher jet engines is one thing, and at first I intended to create a contemporary USAF aircraft. But then I remembered the weird Hemp apint scheme for large RAF birds like the Nimrod, VC.10 or Tristar tankers, and I wondered if that could not be applied to a B-52 in "foreign service"...?
Said and done, and from there things unfolded in a straightforward fashion. The only consequence of the RAF as useer was the refuelling probe, and the 340kg iron bombs that came as ordnance with the kit were a welcome option, too.
Even though Hemp is available from Humbrol (168) I rather used a darker tone, 187. Hemp was later used for shading, though. The undersides were painted in Barley Grey (Humbrol 167) and shaded with Light Ghost Grey (FS 36375, Humbrol 127), after a light wash with highly thinned black ink. Radomes and antennae received a yellow-ish, beige finish, the landing gear and the air intakes were painted white, as well as the MERs.
Decals come from several kits, e .g. a Cyber Hobby 1:200 Vulcan, a Matchbox Hawk 200 and a Tornado sheet from the Operation Allied Force era (the nose art was taken from there, as well as the ZA447 code).
A relatively simple whif - the large engine nacelles look strange and demonstrate how slender the B-52's body actually is, compared with an airliner. But the Hemp/Grey livery suits it very well, and the pics taken from above show how effective this scheme is when the aircraft is parked on a concrete airfield - and it is even effective in the air!
This is where the gorgeous murciélago SV used to be. (look back in my gallery) Now there is this 458 Italia. Why? The SV needed to be checked due to a technical problem so it's now in Lamborghini Beirut.
But pending its return he just had to choose from one of his many cars in UAE and brought it here :)
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Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 11-Mar-18, plus DeNoise AI 13-Jan-23.
Still in basic NWT Air livery with Air Bridge titles.
This aircraft was delivered to Western Airlines as N7143C, a L.188A, in May-61. It was converted to freighter configuration with a main deck cargo door in Mar-69.
The aircraft was sold to International Jetair Ltd as CF-IJV in Mar-71. It became C-FIJV at the end of May-74 when Canada introduced the C-Gxxx registration series. International Jetair was merged into Northwest Territorial Airways in 1976 and the company was later renamed NWT Air (North West Territories).
The aircraft was sold to Air Bridge Carriers in Mar-91 and re-registered G-FIJV in Aug-91. Air Bridge Carriers was renamed Hunting Cargo Airlines in Aug-92. It was re-registered EI-HCE in Apr-97. It was withdrawn from use and stored at East Midlands Airport (UK) in Jun-98.
The aircraft was sold to Atlantic Air Transport as G-FIJV in Sep-98. The aircraft was permanently retired at Coventry, UK in late 2006 and was finally broken up there in May-13.
Sydney Central Railway Station, in Sydney, Australia.
The present Central Railway Station was Sydney's third terminus, replacing the original 1855 station further south in Redfern and a later upgraded station built in the 1870s. Both earlier stations had served their time but had become too small and too isolated from the city by the 1890s.
A new station had been considered since 1895, with a view to locating the terminal closer to the central business district. Several sites and schemes were put forward, including a Hyde Park terminus, before the site of the old Devonshire Street cemetery was fixed upon. Although this site was also considered to be further from the city centre than was preferred, the costs of resumptions and construction of a station in the city centre were too high. Resumptions were still necessary even for this construction, which included the widening of Pitt Street and creation of Eddy Avenue.
Work began on the Central Railway Station in June 1901, 12 months after the state public works committee had approved the design. The new building was intended as a focal point for the railway and a junction of the rural network with the expanding city and suburban networks. The initial scheme for the new terminal complex was put together by Henry Deane, the Engineer-in-Chief of Railway Construction, in consultation with the Railway Commissioners.
The design of the buildings and complex were investigated by a Station Advisory Board established by the Minister for Works. This included Henry Deane, Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon and railway experts from New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.
Work continued through 1901–02, with the old buildings removed and the cemetery resumed. The foundation stone was laid on 30 April 1902. Material excavated from the site was subsequently used to improve the adjacent Prince Alfred and Belmore parks, and to form a ramp for an overhead tramway that approached the station from the city.
In 1902 the design of the building was altered by the Station Advisory Board, with the addition of an extra floor and a tower, which increased the likely cost from £230,000 to £400,000. The station building would therefore include: offices for the Railway Commissioners; underground subways to convey luggage, mail, and other materials; an underground pedestrian walkway between George and Elizabeth streets on the line of the former Devonshire Street; a tramway; taxi ranks; and 12 platforms with the ability to handle up to 40,000 passengers.
The position of the station at the southern end of the city and its scale made it an instant landmark, with the clock in the tower being used by surrounding neighbourhoods as well as commuters.
Information Source:
Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 27-Oct-19.
Named: "Ashkelon", later "Eilat Red Sea" (Feb-11).
First flown with the Boeing test registration N1786B, this aircraft was delivered to El Al Israel Airlines as 4X-EKD in Aug-99.
It was withdrawn from service in Jan-16, sold to Capstar Aviation as N259CS and permanently retired at Tucson, AZ, USA later the same month. It was subsequently broken up.