Landships II

Mark Hansen · Legend

AWM Gallipoli

Mark Hansen · Legend

An appendix to the above posting. Here are some photos of the statue of Simpson and his donkey. A brief history is included.

Roger Todd · Legend

Fascinating, and really rather touching. Thanks for posting.

BTW, isn't de Mole's large scale model of his landship design at the AWM? If so, did you manage to get any photos?

Mark Hansen · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

Fascinating, and really rather touching. Thanks for posting.

BTW, isn't de Mole's large scale model of his landship design at the AWM? If so, did you manage to get any photos?

I didn't see it there but after checking the AWM website, it appears that the model is lurking around there somewhere. My guess would be that it's in the Treloar center. However, the database only shows a record for it as a photo.

Centurion · Legend

Are these what you are looking for Roger? I've a feeling that the model may be somewhere unexpected - I'll do an archeological dig through my notes. Don't forget it was built in Europe, when deMole was serving there, to, vainly try to get Wilson'ds attention and not as part of the original pre war patent

Roger Todd · Legend

Bloomin' superb, Centurion! Thank you very much.

You're right - I think the pre-war model didn't survive. I'd love to get hold of Wilson's negative report which Johnson slammed.

Tim R · Hero

Awesome stuff Mark & Centurion

Thanks a million for sharing

All the best

Tim R

Centurion · Legend

One de Mole snippet, I hadn't realised that he was originally a mining engineer and familiar with the idea of pedrail trucks - so Diplock may have had an indirect influence from afar.

Centurion · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

Bloomin' superb, Centurion! Thank you very much.

You're right - I think the pre-war model didn't survive. I'd love to get hold of Wilson's negative report which Johnson slammed.

1. The photos were displayed on the Sydney Herald blog site, it states that de Mole left the model to the AWM in 1950 but for some reason they have not put it on display anywhere.

2. Some light on Wilson's report is shed by this letter to Lloyd George, the file copy of which is held by the Museum of South Australia.

Mark Hansen · Legend

Centurion wrote:

1. The photos were displayed on the Sydney Herald blog site, it states that de Mole left the model to the AWM in 1950 but for some reason they have not put it on display anywhere.

Probably due to lack of space or uncertainty on where to fit it into the displays. That's what makes me think that it's hiding in the Treloar center (an annex of the AWM). Next time I'm there, I'll ask beforehand and try to get some shots of it, although those shots you posted seem to give excellent coverage.

28juni14 · Hero

Hello Mark -

The pics of the Turkish field gun are most appreciated! I know of only one other commercial Krupp 7,5cm FK1906 (Turkish) in existance. It is pleasing to see the weapon in such an excellent state of repair !