Tony Cane Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 The image below comes from an online video from the IWM. My apologies for the poor quality ( you should see how bad the original was) The van is in in front of a heavy railway gun probably Boche Buster, as the description say 14 inch. Though it names it Pooh which is not correct. This looks to me to be a SECR dance hall brake van painted in camouflage colours. I have a record that a van of this type, No 55482 was used on a railway gun train so this checks out. Am I imagining things, or does anyone else concur with my identification? The video is at https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060009501 Th last third is of the railway gun. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bécasse Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 Definitely a dance-hall, the roof shape is very distinctive, and probably a popular choice with the gun crew as they were spacious inside (hence the nick-name) and the stove was adequate when required (often a failing with large vans), they rode quite well too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 No doubt whatsoever ........ was that somewhere on the Elham Valley - or Martin Mill ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cane Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share Posted March 15, 2021 The title of the video implies that it is on the Martin Mill line. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cane Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Radar towers in the back ground, so definitely Martin Mill. Here is a dramatic screen capture from the video. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Were those two British fighters 'Defiants'? At least one seemed to have a turret behind the cockpit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 25 minutes ago, Tony Cane said: Radar towers in the back ground, so definitely Martin Mill. Here is a dramatic screen capture from the video. Radar towers are Martin Mill ........ but the screen capture has captured a proper signal - which probably isn't Martin Mill ! ........ so there are probably bits of Elham Valley too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said: Radar towers are Martin Mill ........ but the screen capture has captured a proper signal - which probably isn't Martin Mill ! ........ so there are probably bits of Elham Valley too. The hills in the background of some shots seem a bit high for anything around Guston. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted March 16, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Fat Controller said: Were those two British fighters 'Defiants'? At least one seemed to have a turret behind the cockpit. Yes, I think both were Defiants. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Fat Controller said: The hills in the background of some shots seem a bit high for anything around Guston. ......... unless you're taking part in Operation Sealion ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welchester Posted March 16, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 16, 2021 It rather looks as though firing the gun damaged the signal arm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Definitely both Defiants, judging by the underwing roundels and Sky undersides, the film was probably taken sometime between mid August and end November 1940. By the end of August, Defiants were being withdrawn from day fighter use after the mauling both squadrons (264 and 141) had received that had demonstrated their vulnerability in fighter versus fighter combat. The whole clip was most interesting and thanks for posting. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artless Bodger Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) On 16/03/2021 at 12:00, Welchester said: It rather looks as though firing the gun damaged the signal arm. And the telegraph pole on the opposite side of the track too. Muzzle blast from main armament on battleships was quite severe, leading in some cases to disruption of the deck planking if fired too near the axis of the ship. The gun being loaded appears to be the 18" howitzer on carriage 'Boche Buster', it has a right handed breech mechanism like the existing barrel L1 in the Royal Armouries collection. Winnie and Pooh were 14" guns of the same type mounted in the KGV battleships and were emplaced, not on railway mountings. Clem and Jane, 15", ex naval guns, likely with handed breech mechanisms were also emplaced. Three ex naval 13.5" guns were deployed on railway mountings. Being a howitzer rather than a naval gun it had shorter range and was later withdrawn to Salisbury Plain to test projectiles for attacking concrete fortifications. As well as the 18" on 'Boche Buster', two 12" guns were also deployed on the Elham Valley line. Plenty of information on the Disused Stations website, and a film of Boche Buster being deployed and fired here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGboiB8J_dc Note that when fired the gun carriage runs back under the recoil forces - not seen in the film linked above - were they firing blank charges for effect (and muzzle flash)? That signal looks a bit unusual to me - a tapered arm and tubular post, did the Southern or its constituents use such signals? Edited March 19, 2021 by Artless Bodger Spelling and added stuff 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artless Bodger Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Re the signal - Disused Stations Lyminge page has a photo with signals visible - tapered arms and square wooden posts, so the signal fits with Elham Valley line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 8 hours ago, Artless Bodger said: Re the signal - Disused Stations Lyminge page has a photo with signals visible - tapered arms and square wooden posts, so the signal fits with Elham Valley line. I suspect that signal could have been visible from where I'm sitting, a couple of hundred yards from Lyminge station. The background hills, which I commented on, are probably those between here and Paddlesworth. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 The gun was generally kept in Bishopsbourne Tunnel - a few miles to the north of you - and the firing spur was just south of the tunnel ( though not used in this instance ) .............. my guess is that it's the distant signal for Bridge, north of the tunnel .............................. I've no idea how different the hills look from that angle ! ( I've long wanted to explore the remains of the Elham Valley line - it's on my post pandemic bucket list.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now