Wartime Technology

THE WONDER OF AEROPLANES... Gallipoli, 24 June 1915

Bert had great fascination with the new technology being developed and deployed throughout the war. He saw his first aeroplane on 24 June 1915, doing observational work above the trenches at Gallipoli. “It was a novel sight for me,” he wrote. 

Two days later he saw his second aeroplane; a German one. By early July 1915 aeroplanes were a common sight in the skies above the trenches at Gallipoli.

”9 July - 8p - ...Aeroplanes of both sides to be seen flying every day almost. Ours is to be distinguished by [here Bert draws a target, explaining it’s red, white and blue] & Jacko’s by “Iron Cross” on wing tips.”

...AND EARLY TANKS: HMLS COMPANIA Bazentin, Somme Region, Northern France, 22 January 1917

On the Western Front in early 1917 Bert’s attention was drawn to an early tank nearby:

“22 January 1917 - 6.40pm - Up at 8am. Had an hours buzzer practice from ten to eleven this morning. There is a tank close to our camp & I went and had a look at it. It is named “HMLS Campagnia”. It is a weird looking thing. The 3lb quickfirers and machine guns are gone but it is otherwise in good order.” 

We were able to track down several photographs of the exact tank Bert described, taken within a day or two of Bert describing it in his diary. 

By Shannon Lovelady
Story from A Signaller’s Story Exhibit