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Post Info TOPIC: Mephisto Recovery - First Hand Accounts


Legend

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Mephisto Recovery - First Hand Accounts
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I'm delighted to say that I have come across two newspaper interviews with Lt-Col J.A. Robinson, commanding officer of 26 Bn., A.I.F. during the seizure of Mephisto at Villers-Bretonneux. One is from 1919, and one from 1938.

Some faintly useful info emerges. Talking in 1919 of the lion painting, he says, "It's still there," which, of course, it was. As regards the identity of the artist, he says, "At Vaux Wood the battalion wag got busy and painted quite a good illustration of the British lion with his paw on a German tank." At the time of the interview, Mephisto was still waiting on the wharf in Brisbane to be taken "to its ultimate destination, wherever that may be." 

He describes the men of the 26th who took part in the recovery as "the fatigue parties," rather less glamorous than "the captors of Mephisto."

In the 1938 article, the author says that he and Robinson "could decipher the year 1918 and a few other letters (chalked) on it. Further round, the names of a British Tank Corps were inscribed— not with chalk, but in cold, hard steel, the inscription being done with a cold chisel."

I've also found two photos of Mephisto on display, one in which he/she/it is surrounded by a white fence, and one of him/her/it under a substantial tiled roof. They're new to me. Anyone interested?



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Legend

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I think there's a reason for the "fatigue parties". The 26th was withdrawn from the front line a couple of days 

before Mephisto was retrieved and a number of volunteers went back into the line to help the Gun Carrier Company

troops complete the access road and provide security when Mephisto was extracted.

I haven't seen the image when Mephisto was under the roof at the old museum on Gregory Tce - I've been told this was

off to one side of the museum - originally Mephisto was at the front of the museum.

Charlie

 



-- Edited by CharlieC on Friday 18th of May 2018 01:10:47 AM

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Sergeant

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I'd be interested in seeing the old display photos James. I recall being fascinated by it at the old museum when I was young.

Cheers,

Michael

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Legend

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OK. The second one is described as the Exhibition Building, Brisbane.



-- Edited by James H on Friday 18th of May 2018 11:58:26 AM

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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.



Legend

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It's the old museum building on Gregory Tce. The building was variously used as an exhibition space, a concert hall as well as the Queensland Museum.

Couple of other images of the old Museum entrance with Mephisto under cover. The first is dated 1924, the other seems to be from the 1960s judging

by the cars.

Regards,

Charlie

 



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Legend

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Or from about 68,000,000 years ago. judging by the triceratops.



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Legend

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The Triceratops is useful to get a better handle on the date of the image. The Queensland museum acquired 2 fibreglass models

of American dinosaurs in 1978 so my estimate was a bit early. The dinosaur models were moved to the new museum and are still

there - they used to be beside Mephisto. I never understood why they had American dinosaur models when Australia has its own dinosaur

fossils from about 100 million years ago. The Qld museum has a number of these including Muttaburrasaurus.

Charlie

 



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Sergeant

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And one from me, about 1983.



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