To some of us it seems we’re ‘progressing’ back to the early 18th century… 🙁

On 23 March 2025 at 15:41 Dusty Said:

I suspect, and the evidence would suggest that this was in fact made by British prisoner of war in a German Camp.

“World War” is in English and I doubt that a German Prisoner of war would have made the (engraving) in English.

We will never know!  But I doubt it was made by a German POW, and definitely not by one near Cambrai.  Prisoners were only temporarily kept near the front-line in very basic accommodation, and were soon dispersed to distant camps from which it was difficult to escape home.

Unlikely to have been made by a POW,  not impossible, more likely by someone with access to materials.   The crude build suggests no workshop, so could well have been made in the trenches.   It was remarked that war is 99% boredom and 1% terror, so plenty of time to fill.

The model probably predates the engravings, which were likely added after the war.   The term ‘World War’ didn’t catch on until after 1918, and nor did the poppies the tank is decorated with.   The battle names are all British, not German.   I think it’s genuine, but the backstory has been embellished by a POW.  The reality was probably more interesting: someone served, survived an appalling war, and cherished it as a remembrance.

Dave

Hi, Remembrance poppy history

Regards Nick.

That it was a bud is open to debate, Holme beach was/ is littered with rounds some dud but many exploded where the driving bands are intact on the base of the projectile. I would agree that the question of who made it in view of the English words and the terminology of the time is more likely to be British. Noel.

Hi Greensands, Driving Band (Wikipedia)

I didn’t know either.

Regards Nick

The driving band expanded when the shell was fired. The band was then forced into the rifling of the barrel both sealing the propellant and putting the spin on the shell.