May 05, 2008
Roger O'Keeffe said...Harry has been a Lewis gunner for some time at this stage. The "L.G.S" in his address stands for "Lewis Gun Section".
The Battalion diary has frequent references to training since moving to a quiet sector in Italy, so it's not accurate to assume that the unit was poorly trained. Manuals are just one of many kit items which were in short supply: some officers in France and Flanders even bought wire cutters for their platoons because the regular issue ones were so inferior.
My guess is that he may want to be sent on a potential NCOs' course (which would get him to an even safer location), and therefore wants to brush up on general soldiering including blanco and bullshit as well as the specifics of the Lewis gun.
Here is a link to a privately-published US manual for the Lewis Gun, which refers to the lessons learnt from its use by the British Army "during the present war": http://www.fenrir.com/free_stuff/lewis/index.htm#index
See scan 65 for a description of the duties of Lewis Gun teams, which in open warfare comprised five soldiers including three ammunition carriers (they would carry their rifles and ammo in addition).
BTW, I've just spent a couple of days in the Verdun area, very moving.
May 04, 200
- Thank you Roger. The link to the Lewis gun manual is one I used in earlier posts.
- Looking forward to my trip at the end of the month. BL
obrigado
VetMichael said...I also am aghast that some malicious person can derail such a wonderful Blog - If need be, I would be most happy to add my two cents to whomever need be petitioned to restore your blog.
As for the request for the Lewis Gun book - I wonder if Harry is not running into a common problem during the latter days of WWI; supply line breakdown. Some soldiers found it easier to get supplies (such as boots or food) from home than it was through the quartermaster. But this is pure speculation, but Harry's request does seem to fit.
I am "crossing my fingers" that Harry makes it home safe and sound as well!
Keep up the good work!
May 02, 2008
Still no response from Blogger. I've requeste a review of the "block" but have no idea what else I can do. If youhave any ideas, please let me know. BL
Spitfire said...Brill site And great pics
May 02, 2008
Paul Dyson said...Extremely interesting blog for me. I have recently discovered my grandfather's war records on Ancestry which show that he served, and survived, in Italy from January 1918 with the 240th and 390th Siege Batteries, Royal Garrison Artillery. At the moment I believe that this was in the Asiago area, as there is a letter which shows he was involved in defending against the Austrian attack on 15th June. Does anyone know of evidence of where the batteries were placed or of any other accounts of RGA service in Italy? I already have Hugh Dalton's book.
Paul Dyson (Bolton)
02 May 2008
I am accumulating information on the Asiago campaign but it needs a lot of sorting and collating. I'm sure that someone out there will have the information you need. I'll be happy to pass anything on. BL
Anonymous said...Yeah, Harry being put on a Lewis gun is not good news for Harry. I know in WW2 my grandfather was given a BAR (a type of automatic rifle) during fighting in Italy and he apparently "lost it" in the river to save his hide - because he was enough of a vet to know the guys with the BAR's were the ones that go killed the quickest.
May 01, 2008
Anonymous said...I'm heading to London next week and will visit the I. W. M. (Imperial War Museum) is there anything about Harry on display. Those poor guys went through some sh1t and should never be forgotten
Irish reader
May 01, 2008
Nothing in the I.W.M. - Yet. The blog is "Work in Progress". When it's all over, I have to decide what to do with the material. There will be a great deal at the museum about the events Harry went through. BL
Blogger JoK said...I am appalled that someone should have reported Harry blog as spam. What can we do to assist in getting the spam notice off your blog?
To whom would we write to confirm you are not as reported?
Like many others Harry has become a *virtual* brother, and I check the blog daily, April was hard with so little news of him.
Strangely like Paul I am also in NZ :)
Kindest regards
May 01, 2008
I have requested a review from Blogger but haven't the faintest idea how long the process takes Hopefully, not too long. Blogger seems to be all automatic, I can't work out how to contact a human being! NZ; Hope to be visiting in August! BL
Anonymous said...Great blog! Keep up the good work!!! =)
April 30, 2008
Molly said...hey
Thank god for this site.
I'm doing an assessment at high school on world war 1. It's really interesting. Do you mind if I use some of this letter for my assessment as I am hoping to be getting a level 8. For my assessment, I'm creating a large model trench and a memories box containing a diary, letters, medals and photographs. I would be grateful if you could comment back with some links for other good world war 1 sites. Thanks for your help
Molly aged 13
Thank you Molly. Please use any material on the blog. I would reply personally but don't have your email. You can email directly to me via "My Profile".BL
Pte Harry Lamin said...Apologies if we are delayed with the next post or so but some sad, malicious individual has told blogger that this is a "spam" blog! New posts are not allowed until Blogger has investigated. Probably pay back for my report about receiving spam via comments.
April 30, 2008
Anonymous said...A Lewis gun is a two man machine gun. It had a man to carry the ammunition and a man to carry the gun. The 2nd was the feller that fed bullets into the gun and replenished the supply when it ran out.
Lewis gunners were targets for grenades, snipers and all sorts of "hate" and usually had a short life.
April 30, 2008
Harry has been in the Lewis Gun Section from June 1917. My references suggest that the Lewis Gun section consisted of 12 soldiers. Only 3 of Harry's section returned after the Battle of Messines Ridge so it does look like an uncomfortable job! BL
Anonymous said... Does anyone know what the "Lewis Gun" book is and why would Harry need one anyway? Seems like an unusual request.
Harry was in the Lewis Gun Section (L.G.S.) and so , clearly, wanted top learn more about the machine gun. There is a link to an on-line version of a book on the Lewis Gun in a quite early post (about May/June 1917) . Link here. BL
Anonymous said...Like the previous commenter, I too am checking with increasing frequency..... in the end, will we, as his self-appointed new "family", be worrying over Harry as much as his wife and siblings did?!? I too feel real fear for him, and pray Harry makes it safely home.
And I take your point, Bill, that Harry had no idea when the war would finally end; but the sheer weariness of the past almost four years must have been building to a crescendo. I think I'd better check up on my history, but wasn't this coming summer, the summer of 1918 that is, very brutal?
April 29, 2008
Anonymous said...Checking this a couple of times a day now.The closer Harry gets to the finish line, the more I find myself being apprehensive as to his fate. His requests for letters from home are very poignant too. Hope he'll be alright.
April 29, 2008
We should always remember that Harry's family (and, of course Harry) has no idea when the "finish line" will be crossed. We (the readers) have a distinct advantage there! BL
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