Rlangham

Spotted on a wall in a small hamlet in Italy a couple of days ago

One of the famous wine petrol pumps

Austro-Hungarian bunker, in which we enjoyed a rather long wine tasting session :lol:

Tezze British Cemetery

Presume Italian anyway - spotted in a garden in a hamlet in Italy, in which there was also an Austro Hungarian WW1 bunker in which we enjoyed some home made wine!

Quick bit of background for this event - it was a very, very large Living History event to commemorate 90 years of the Battle of Piave in October 1918, which involved allied troops (including British) crossing pontoon bridges and pushing back Austro Hungarian forces. Me and around a dozen Tommy's (including two VAD's) were flown out there by the Italian Government to take part, and to both remember and portray the British troops that fought out there. A very tiring, emotional and enjoyable weekend. Here are the first of many photos to come, including of memorials, a British cemetery etc

First few photos of the Saturday

Bristol F2b Fighters of 139 Squadron RAF make a strafing run on the Austro Hungarian positions (Tiger Moths in real life)

Fokker Triplane zooming after a strafing run on Italian positions (in total there were around seven biplanes dogfighting, including, IIRC, two Spad XIII replicas)

Piave dust

Fantastic, thought it was him! Hopefully be seeing him again at an event in Italy in a couple of weeks time - the Italian government are paying for around half a dozen Tommy's to be flown out there for an event. To quote the GWS website - PBI? VIP!

Poole by any chance?

If it's him, he runs the Great War Society, great bloke!

Wow, great story! Be fascinating if it was true. A Japanese soldier came out of the jungle in the past decade too, IIRC

Who's the chap in khaki? Looks familiar.

Off back to Ypres and Polygon Wood for 11th November, i'll be travelling a lot that day and very much looking forward to it

Weather was atrocious - ended up back in Leicestershire with my best mate by just after 2pm Sunday, and a lot of others headed off home at around the same time, very very few public. The weather was very very strange - at midnight I walked across the site from the pub to the entrance to let someone in, and despite a wind blowing, it was actually fairly warm!

Good way to prove it's a Brodie - put it on something level (like a table), make sure the straps aren't affecting the way it sits (take them off or tuck them inside). Then, put a finger or two on the rim at the front and back - if it rocks, you've got yourself a Brodie. If it doesn't, it's a Mk II. I've had some funny looks at militaria stalls!

Certainly do... being flown out to Italy by the Italian Government in three weeks time, and a couple of weeks after that it's France and Flanders for 11th November

Mario and Thomas as Prisoners of War

Motor narrow boat 'Peacock' of Fellows Morton and Clayton. Not sure of the vintage of this boat, but the crewman I went on board with told me the first purpose built motor boat was built in 1912.

The Old Contemptibles

Undoubtedly the best part of the weekend was the saturday night

Me on a 1916 Sunbeam War Department model as dispatch rider, Lynsey as WAAC

REO charabanc with British, Australian and Belgian troops and nurses on board

325hp Sunbeam Manitou aircraft engine, fitted to a single Short 184 seaplane. It was unsuccesful though, out of an order for 840, only 13 were delivered

Another view of the gorgeous Sunbeam

Half sunken 'butty boat' (horse drawn narrow boat)

Jack,

 

I have a plain 18 pounder shell case manufactured in 1917 and it is engraved "1917-8-9" and with the crest of the Womens Auxiliary Army Corps, below that "A.M.T.D." and "FRANCE". It has been handed down through the family and I recollect my grandparents using it to hold the fire irons!

 

I reckon AMTD is Army Motor Transport Depot (or Mechanical ? ).

Richard, do you happen to have a photo of it, showing the WAAC crest? My best friend portrays a worker of the WAAC at living history event, i'm sure she'd be very interested to see a photo of it

Bart H Vanderveen uses 'Loyd' in the Army Vehicles Directory, too

Fantastic - certainly wouldn't say no to a ride in it too! I've got two pairs of WW1 goggles so could lend one to the driver....

I agree, either sterilising (instruments etc) or for de-lousing clothing

Model T's are nicer.... and cheaper!

That I am - also in puttees, too!

It was filmed in Liverpool, not far from the city centre - oddly enough, in the block of flats i've moved into, there's someone here who was watching the WW1 segment being filmed with her dad!

They still do - however me and my friend arrived late in the day so missed out unfortunately. Hoping to return in the not too distant future though!

That new entrance looks superb! Have they re-organised the WW1 area?

This absolutely superb museum is well worth a visit - as well as having original medieval/greek/roman/English civil war/Oriental etc armour and weapons (including a unique set of Elephant armour!), they have a great selection of WW1 weapons. The photos were only taken on my camera phone as wasn't planning on visiting

Anti-tank rifle

Lewis

Crecy dagger

Two Maxims

Vickers machine gunner

Boer War broomhandle mauser and wooden holster

Boer War Lee Enfield Mk 1

Here's some photos from the filming, I presume it's okay to upload these now the advert has been shown - they're were taking using my camera phone so not up to my usual standard

Blakey in khaki!

Thornycroft J type?

Not any old advert! Longest advert shown on UK television apparently, first showing during Coronation Street tonight, and on http://www.hovisbakery.co.uk/our-ads/ from 8.45pm onwards. Also due to get a 90 second cinema release.

Here's a sneak preview;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2008/sep/08/advertising1

Why am I excited about it? The fact i'm one of 200 WW1 Tommy's in one scene!

Just look for the one in khaki