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Armentieres area, billets on front edge of town, WW1
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Armentieres area, billets on front edge of town, WW1
My return to France in February 1917 as Officer commanding 505th Field Co. RE, found me once again in the Armentieres area with billets on the front edge of the town. In June, however, after the Bosche had registered on both the officers and mens billets, I moved outside the town to the ruined Factory at Erquinghem, beside the River Lys. During the next three days, the enemy bombarded the town and totally destroyed it. A number of civilians who had obstinately refused to leave the town now blocked the roads and caused considerable loss to our troops as well as themselves. Annotated on back of picture - The burning and gassing of Armentieres, June 1917. I fortunately moved out of the town during the afternoon before my last wagons being splintered by the first shells - the bombardment lasted twelve hours. La Vessee - a sheltered spot behind the trenches where I left my horse each day. By Lieutenant Major John Empson Tindall, MC (b.1885). He joined the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant and rose to the rank of Captain in the 1st Home Counties Field Company, Royal Engineers (later the 490th Field Company, Royal Engineers), 8th Division, BEF and then became Major commanding the 505th (Wessex) Field Company, 57th Division, BEF. Date: 1917
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Media ID 23034650
© David Cohen Fine Art/Mary Evans Picture Library
505th Area Armentieres Bombarded Burning Commanding Destroyed Empson Enemy Purple Return Tindall Gassing
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the aftermath of the bombardment and destruction of Armentieres, France, during the Second World War in June 1917. Lt. Major John Empson Tindall, MC, an officer in the Royal Engineers, is depicted in this image, standing on the front edge of the town, looking out at the devastation before him. At the time, Tindall was the Officer Commanding the 505th Field Company, RE, part of the 57th Division, British Expeditionary Force (BEF). In February 1917, Tindall had returned to the Armentieres area, finding his billets on the edge of the town. However, in June, the enemy registered their guns on both the officers' and men's billets, forcing Tindall to move his unit outside the town to the ruins of a factory at Erquinghem, beside the River Lys. The following days saw the enemy bombard the town relentlessly, and the photograph on the back of the print is annotated as 'The burning and gassing of Armentieres, June 1917.' Fortunately for Tindall and his men, they were able to evacuate the town before the bombardment began in earnest. The town's civilian population, however, was not so fortunate. Some refused to leave, causing significant losses to the troops as well as themselves. The bombardment lasted for twelve hours, and the town was left in ruins. The photograph also shows a sheltered spot behind the trenches, where Tindall left his horse each day, named La Vessee. This image provides a poignant reminder of the destruction and chaos of war, and the courage and resilience of those who served during that time.
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