MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Tizer]

Yes, they are military aircraft drop tanks to carry extra fuel and thus extend range. That's the easy bit. Now for the difficult bit! There is something special about them. Can anyone tell me what it is?

[Big Kev]

Are they made of paper?

[chinatyke]

There seems to be 2 different types. I'm guessing they are made of aluminium and fibre glass resin.

[Tizer]

By gum, you two are quick off the mark! China's right that there are two types, and one of them is metal (I don't know which metal for sure but guess aluminium is right). The matt finish ones are the metal. Kev is spot on with paper - the shiny ones are made of laminated and glued paper and are shiny due to the silver dope painted on them. It was a British invention in WW2 to save strategic metals but used by the US 8th Air Force to extend the range of the P-51 Mustangs escorting the bombers over Germany. If fuel was left in the tanks for more than a few hours the glue would break down and the tanks `turn to mush'. I copied the photo from an excellent book about American fighter planes in WW2. It quotes a pilot called Bob Sands as saying: "Planes were never landed with the paper tanks still aboard . Sometimes a mission was scrubbed soon after the group got airborne and all 40 Mustangs would swoop in single file over a dump on the airfield, releasing their tanks like a low level bombing mission. They would burst in a cloud of vapour but, by a miracle, none exploded. here was 8000 gallons of precious fuel being wasted. However the tanks were too fragile to land with so it had to be done."

Kev, did you already know about the paper tanks? I'd never heard of them. If not I don't know how you guessed, you must be telepathic!

[Stanley]

I've read about them somewhere and was pretty sure Kev had it right. I also knew about them not landing with them attached. I wonder if Bob told me in Northfield?



Bob Jacobsen, tail gunner extraordinary on B17s. He did over 35 missions and survived. He called the Mustangs 'Little Friends' and until I told him he didn't know about the reason for their later success, refitting with Merlins.

[Stanley]

What can you tell me about this young man?

[Big Kev]

Kev, did you already know about the paper tanks? I'd never heard of them. If not I don't know how you guessed, you must be telepathic!

One of those things that sticks in your mind, I must have read about them at some time. A mine of useless information me

[Stanley]

Same here Kev and I can't think where I came across them.

[Tizer]

Could the soldier in the photo be either Arthur Martin-Leake or Noel Godfrey Chavasse, the two men in the Royal Army Medical corps who won the VC twice? If the answer is yes, it's one them, then I'd say Martin-Leake because his first VC was won in the Boer Wars, which chimes with the old-style helmet on the table. He won his second in WW1. Chavasse won both of his in WW1.

Arthur Martin-Leake

Noel Godfrey Chavasse

[Stanley]

Not either of them but you are spot on with medical matters and the African War. Clue, examine his uniform closely.....

[Tizer]

Is it not a British Army uniform perhaps? Could he be from India?

[Stanley]

It's a bit esoteric so I'll come clean. The man is called Luke Suthers and he was out in the African War as a stretcher bearer. He wasn't actually in the army but was St John's Ambulance. The clue is no insignia on the uniform. Can't remember where I got the image......

[plaques]

Cheated during the post and found this:- Link. A good explanation about it all. The image is probably a commonwealth uniform, Scroll down to find the image. or Link. Canadian. Worth a read.

[Stanley]

I can't remember where I got the image. As far as I remember he was from this neck of the woods.

[Wendyf]

There was a Luke Suthers born in Barnoldswick about 1878, but I can't find any records after 1891, though a weaver of that name went out to America in 1905. More research needed!

[Wendyf]

One of four brothers who were declared bankrupt in 1928. They owned the Ghyll Manufacturing Company (in Wellhouse Mill?) and went bankrupt owing £1895. He lived at Pinnow View, Ghyllchurch according to the newspaper report.
He left Barnoldswick and moved to Hutton in the Ribble Valley opening a petrol station but died in 1930 aged 54.

[Wendyf]

I've just found a piece about him in 1900 serving as an ambulanceman in Rhodesia under Sir F Carrington, I'll snip it out of the newspaper when I get back from putting ponies out and walking the dogs. Aint the internet wonderful!

[Wendyf]

This is from May 9th 1900.



August 1900



There is a longer letter from him in one of the Burnley papers from November 1900 describing his experiences in more detail but it is too long to photograph. he makes the Boer wear sound like a holiday...

[Tizer]

Well done, Wendy, you've ferreted out plenty of information there. Very interesting.

[Stanley]

I remember now we hunted for him before after I found a mention of the Suthers firm going bankrupt. Perhaps I should have looked in the index!



Can anyone tell me who this is?

[Tizer]

Jeremy Corbyn's grandfather?

[Tizer]

No more responses? Was it something I said?

[Gloria]

An ancestor of yours Stanley?

[Stanley]

I'd better kill this one. The truth is I have no idea who this is. It's an image I was given which I suspect is Barlick related but I was never told any details. He looks like an interesting old codger! I was hoping someone would pop up with the answer!

[Tizer]

What's special about this object?