Tom Tulloch-Marshall
@sommephantom.bsky.social
Genesis, history, & architecture of the IWGC. TNA WW1 documentation. Struggle for MoD & CWGC integrity dealing with WW1 ID cases. Don't subscribe to liars.
29th Division's report of their troop availability for the 1/7/1916 assault on the Beaumont-Hamel front. The last two columns show the number of officers & OR's who attacked, & the resulting casualties. "Dulce et Decorum est", Horace's line which Wilfred Owen post war called "the old Lie".
November 24, 2025 at 9:47 PM
29th Division's report of their troop availability for the 1/7/1916 assault on the Beaumont-Hamel front. The last two columns show the number of officers & OR's who attacked, & the resulting casualties. "Dulce et Decorum est", Horace's line which Wilfred Owen post war called "the old Lie".
Interesting note in 29th Infantry Division's report of their actions on 1st July 1916 opposite Beaumont-Hamel. This ploy by British officers developed early during WW1 & was very common. Officers were obviously priority targets for enemy snipers (etc) & this ruse seems not to have been discouraged.
November 24, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Interesting note in 29th Infantry Division's report of their actions on 1st July 1916 opposite Beaumont-Hamel. This ploy by British officers developed early during WW1 & was very common. Officers were obviously priority targets for enemy snipers (etc) & this ruse seems not to have been discouraged.
A Q has been raised ref Geoffrey Malins' film of 1/7/1916 at Sunken Lane, Beaumont-Hamel, & who actually appears. 2nd photo is generally accepted as 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, but the 1st photo (colourised) appears to be a trench mortar battery. Is this 86th TMB (who supported 1st Lancs Fus).
November 23, 2025 at 2:02 PM
A Q has been raised ref Geoffrey Malins' film of 1/7/1916 at Sunken Lane, Beaumont-Hamel, & who actually appears. 2nd photo is generally accepted as 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, but the 1st photo (colourised) appears to be a trench mortar battery. Is this 86th TMB (who supported 1st Lancs Fus).
A bit of an enigma; 2nd Lt Samuel MacDonnell Campbell recorded by cwgc as 13th Bn Lancs. Fusiliers att'd 86th Trench Mortar Battery, KiA 1/7/16. Researched for a future vol of zerohourzday.com he was actually 1st Bn att'd 86th TMB & was killed attacking from "White City" towards the German >cont>
November 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
A bit of an enigma; 2nd Lt Samuel MacDonnell Campbell recorded by cwgc as 13th Bn Lancs. Fusiliers att'd 86th Trench Mortar Battery, KiA 1/7/16. Researched for a future vol of zerohourzday.com he was actually 1st Bn att'd 86th TMB & was killed attacking from "White City" towards the German >cont>
questions to ask - the closest I've come to a Pow officer not being automatically "exonerated". The WO query letter is below, as is Alfred's reply, & finally the WO's letter saying he is to go on the "Exonerated Officers List (& be granted his medals).
November 21, 2025 at 7:45 PM
questions to ask - the closest I've come to a Pow officer not being automatically "exonerated". The WO query letter is below, as is Alfred's reply, & finally the WO's letter saying he is to go on the "Exonerated Officers List (& be granted his medals).
Lt Alfred Valentine Davies, 2nd Bn Lancs. Fusiliers researched for a future vol of zerohourzday.com Came to me as MiA 1/7/16, but was in fact Pow, as the German record below shows. Alfred made the usual statement about the circumstances of his capture, but this time the War Office had >cont>
November 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Lt Alfred Valentine Davies, 2nd Bn Lancs. Fusiliers researched for a future vol of zerohourzday.com Came to me as MiA 1/7/16, but was in fact Pow, as the German record below shows. Alfred made the usual statement about the circumstances of his capture, but this time the War Office had >cont>
Geoffrey Grenside Bowen applied for commission when WW1 broke out, & his "Application for 1st Appointment" 6/8/14 makes for interesting (& optimistic) reading🤔 He was posted to 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers & was badly wounded 1/7/16 near Serre, a bullet through his groin exiting through his >cont>
November 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Geoffrey Grenside Bowen applied for commission when WW1 broke out, & his "Application for 1st Appointment" 6/8/14 makes for interesting (& optimistic) reading🤔 He was posted to 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers & was badly wounded 1/7/16 near Serre, a bullet through his groin exiting through his >cont>
Upton Wood Cemetery, yesterday. A "simple" design by GH Goldsmith. Row upon row upon row of Canadian soldiers from August & September 1918, from a time & area where the Canadian Corps contributed greatly to ending WW1, at great cost. Note that the entrance faces the wood, not the access lane.
November 15, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Upton Wood Cemetery, yesterday. A "simple" design by GH Goldsmith. Row upon row upon row of Canadian soldiers from August & September 1918, from a time & area where the Canadian Corps contributed greatly to ending WW1, at great cost. Note that the entrance faces the wood, not the access lane.
Was driving through Bullecourt yesterday & the car deviated to the right towards the Australian "Digger" Memorial😂 - crowded with kids from l'Ecole de Bullecourt being told about the war at a series of small displays. Very impressed to see this, but a bit intrigued by the aviation table which >cont>
November 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Was driving through Bullecourt yesterday & the car deviated to the right towards the Australian "Digger" Memorial😂 - crowded with kids from l'Ecole de Bullecourt being told about the war at a series of small displays. Very impressed to see this, but a bit intrigued by the aviation table which >cont>
German frontline Somme trench which was attacked 1st July 1916 but not taken till later that year.
November 12, 2025 at 7:50 PM
German frontline Somme trench which was attacked 1st July 1916 but not taken till later that year.
The WW1 Pipers Memorial, Longueval, 11/11/2025.
(& across the road, some signage).
(& across the road, some signage).
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The WW1 Pipers Memorial, Longueval, 11/11/2025.
(& across the road, some signage).
(& across the road, some signage).
New Zealand & Footballer's Memorials, Flers Church, 11th November 2025.
November 12, 2025 at 6:48 PM
New Zealand & Footballer's Memorials, Flers Church, 11th November 2025.
Battle of Cambrai was 20/11/1917 till 3/12/1917, - as defined by the Battle Nomenclature Committee. Would be interesting to see what the unit war diary says for Oct 1918.
November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Battle of Cambrai was 20/11/1917 till 3/12/1917, - as defined by the Battle Nomenclature Committee. Would be interesting to see what the unit war diary says for Oct 1918.
realised was he'd been sent home from 1st Bn Warwickshire regiment 25/4/1915 suffering from "neurasthenia", - what would become known as "shell shock"
November 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
realised was he'd been sent home from 1st Bn Warwickshire regiment 25/4/1915 suffering from "neurasthenia", - what would become known as "shell shock"
Was in TNA earlier this week finishing off some work for a future vol of zerohourzday.com & knowing I'd probably have some spare time ordered a WW1 officer's file I might be interested in. You will know him as "Bruce" but he was actually Charles Bruce Bairnsfather. First thing I hadn't >cont>
November 7, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Was in TNA earlier this week finishing off some work for a future vol of zerohourzday.com & knowing I'd probably have some spare time ordered a WW1 officer's file I might be interested in. You will know him as "Bruce" but he was actually Charles Bruce Bairnsfather. First thing I hadn't >cont>
"The Huts" Cemetery has long fascinated me because it isn't "The Huts Cemetery", - its "Huts Cemetery". Look at the entrance pillars & the IWGC construction drawings, - "Huts Cemetery". How it ever became "The" has evaded me.
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 PM
"The Huts" Cemetery has long fascinated me because it isn't "The Huts Cemetery", - its "Huts Cemetery". Look at the entrance pillars & the IWGC construction drawings, - "Huts Cemetery". How it ever became "The" has evaded me.
I'm looking at some of the more obscure material at TNA Kew which was used when the Official History volume for the 1916 Battle of The Somme was being prepared. The extract below ranges wider than that, but makes a VERY interesting point about predetermined tasks for reserve troops de facto >cont>
October 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I'm looking at some of the more obscure material at TNA Kew which was used when the Official History volume for the 1916 Battle of The Somme was being prepared. The extract below ranges wider than that, but makes a VERY interesting point about predetermined tasks for reserve troops de facto >cont>
The Cedric Charles Dickens memorial near "Lousy Wood" earlier today, - or should it now be called the "what the dickens" memorial😲
What would the lads have made of those monsters ?
(Cedric's body wasn't there of course, post-war excavations proved that).
What would the lads have made of those monsters ?
(Cedric's body wasn't there of course, post-war excavations proved that).
October 24, 2025 at 6:51 PM
The Cedric Charles Dickens memorial near "Lousy Wood" earlier today, - or should it now be called the "what the dickens" memorial😲
What would the lads have made of those monsters ?
(Cedric's body wasn't there of course, post-war excavations proved that).
What would the lads have made of those monsters ?
(Cedric's body wasn't there of course, post-war excavations proved that).
My present temporary assistant (imaginatively called "Mog") is not actually contributing much to current tasks. In fact having had his 3rd meal of the day he's resigned his position & gone for a stroll😲
October 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
My present temporary assistant (imaginatively called "Mog") is not actually contributing much to current tasks. In fact having had his 3rd meal of the day he's resigned his position & gone for a stroll😲
Rededication service for CSM Reginald C Rogers MM, Royal Marine Light Infantry, Serre Road Cemetery No2 today.
October 22, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Rededication service for CSM Reginald C Rogers MM, Royal Marine Light Infantry, Serre Road Cemetery No2 today.
Australian 2nd Division Memorial, the Pozieres windmill position, today.
In less than 7 weeks fighting at Pozières and Mouquet Farm, three AIF divisions (1st, 2nd, & 4th) suffered 23,000 casualties. Of these, 6800 were killed or died of wounds.
In less than 7 weeks fighting at Pozières and Mouquet Farm, three AIF divisions (1st, 2nd, & 4th) suffered 23,000 casualties. Of these, 6800 were killed or died of wounds.
October 18, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Australian 2nd Division Memorial, the Pozieres windmill position, today.
In less than 7 weeks fighting at Pozières and Mouquet Farm, three AIF divisions (1st, 2nd, & 4th) suffered 23,000 casualties. Of these, 6800 were killed or died of wounds.
In less than 7 weeks fighting at Pozières and Mouquet Farm, three AIF divisions (1st, 2nd, & 4th) suffered 23,000 casualties. Of these, 6800 were killed or died of wounds.
The Battle Nomenclature Committee separated the "Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt 13 - 19 October" (1915) from the "official" Battle of Loos. Nothing resulted from that terrible week except horrendous losses. Its a tragedy that the cwgc refuse to recognise the graves of men who were KiA 13/10/15😒
October 13, 2025 at 7:56 PM
The Battle Nomenclature Committee separated the "Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt 13 - 19 October" (1915) from the "official" Battle of Loos. Nothing resulted from that terrible week except horrendous losses. Its a tragedy that the cwgc refuse to recognise the graves of men who were KiA 13/10/15😒
Two men of 1/5th North Staffs KiA 13/10/1915 & buried approximately as marked below were exhumed post-war & reburied in Cabaret Rouge BC. VERY SOLID cases proving the ID of both men were submitted to cwgc almost 10 years apart, & rejected FOR ENTIRELY SPURIOUS "reasons". So much for "remembrance".
October 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Two men of 1/5th North Staffs KiA 13/10/1915 & buried approximately as marked below were exhumed post-war & reburied in Cabaret Rouge BC. VERY SOLID cases proving the ID of both men were submitted to cwgc almost 10 years apart, & rejected FOR ENTIRELY SPURIOUS "reasons". So much for "remembrance".
"In the US, flapjacks continued to mean pancakes."
And in the USA you insist on calling crisps "chips" & chips "fries". - We sent you out there with a perfectly good language (English) & look what you've done to it😲
And in the USA you insist on calling crisps "chips" & chips "fries". - We sent you out there with a perfectly good language (English) & look what you've done to it😲
October 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
"In the US, flapjacks continued to mean pancakes."
And in the USA you insist on calling crisps "chips" & chips "fries". - We sent you out there with a perfectly good language (English) & look what you've done to it😲
And in the USA you insist on calling crisps "chips" & chips "fries". - We sent you out there with a perfectly good language (English) & look what you've done to it😲
The Vis-en-Artois Memorial is probably the "forgotten" memorial of the WW1 Western Front, - probably quite simply because of its location & the dates of commemorations.
October 7, 2025 at 7:59 PM
The Vis-en-Artois Memorial is probably the "forgotten" memorial of the WW1 Western Front, - probably quite simply because of its location & the dates of commemorations.