SandraGittins
@sandragittins.bsky.social
Passionate about WW1 Railways on the Western Front & the GWR in WW1 Retired NHS. I do a bit of writing and research. Love history and books 📚
Yet another commemorative medallion for the men of the 264th Railway Company Royal Engineers arrived today making the sixth in my collection, but this one is different as it’s blank on the back so not issued to a man of the company
SandraGittins@sandragittins.bsky.social · 8mo agoJust before Christmas I was lucky to get these two medallions for men of the 264th Railway Company Royal Engineers. I am very fortunate to now have four of these rare beauties #WW1
I'm not sure if you know this already, but those wagons – or something very similar (although not, as yet, the Simplex tractor) – are now available ready-to-run for 1:76-scale narrow gauge model railways:
New photo in my collection: Wounded on stretchers being put onto a wagon on a light railway near Feuchy (east of Arras) 29/4/1917. The stretchers are kept in place with purpose made slotted wood lengths. The motive power is a Simplex Tractor which the driver is tinkering with.
The Battle of the Somme was accompanied by a diversionary attack near the village of Gommecourt, undertaken by 46th and 56th Divisions - if you would like to read more about this battle, please read my blog post from the perspective of 46th (North Midland) Division #Somme110
1st July 1916: A Diversion
Today is the anniversary of the First Day of the Battle of the Somme. There are any number of stories that I could have chosen to cover to honour this day. I could have done an overall view of the …
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Our thoughts tonight are with the family and friends of the driver who died in the crash near Bedford today, and with the passengers injured in the accident. We want to thank the emergency services who responded so quickly to help those on board and are still at the scene.
Vignacourt British Cemetery Statue of French Soldier: ‘Brothers in arms of the British Army, fallen on the field of honour, sleep in peace, we are watching over you’ (Taken last year)
Pilckem Ridge 31 July 1917 - 11th Durham Light Infantry going forward by light railway #WW1 Photo from my collection
Today in 1944 - near Ouistreham in Normandy, Sergeant O'Neill films reinforcements arriving for 3rd Division on a congested Sword Beach, and a carrier towing a 6-pounder anti-tank gun burns after being hit by German fire. #DDay #filmcataloguing Film: IWM A70 32-2 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
New postcard: 32nd Light Railway Operating Company Royal Engineers football team at the end of the war. The Officer in charge is Cardiff born Canadian Captain Bert Cumberland Lewis who was attached to the RE - he was five feet four inches tall #WW1
New postcard: Normality returning to the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel after WW1. Washing on the fence outside the aptly named Cafe Renaissance.
New postcard: Group of Royal Engineers outside what looks like a railway station in France or Belgium #WW1
Beautiful day in Dover but the port looks eerily quiet
I was fascinated by Haverskerque Cemetery - originally used for April 1918 burials but also contains many May 1940 Casualties. Both occasions were the same, the Germans were advancing rapidly in the same direction but 22 years apart
I wanted to visit Haverskerque to find the grave of Lt A C Maclean 296th Railway Co RE’s killed while moving large guns at La Gorgue station away from the advancing Germans.
Also at La Motte au Bois is this unusual and informative WW1 memorial, the shape being based on the Demarcation Stones well known to visitors to the Ypres area.
I enjoy going to new places & today found these at La Motte au Bois, Morbecque. Always interested in both World Wars
