Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 142
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[Page 142]
delighted when he said we could have a ride on them afterwards. I sat on the back of one, our chaps filled it inside & on top. They are wonderful things there's no doubt, they have a crew of 8, an officer, N.C.O & 6 men, they are proof against bullets, but a direct hit from a shell knocks them out, & as they can only travel so slowly over the rough, shell-torn ground, this often happens. Well, it started off with a jerk, came to a shell-hole, quietly went into it, & up again the other side, then crossed a trench, & came to a steep bank & stopped. It then simply raised its nose, climbed the bank & went on, travelled right along a trench, & could have poured fire into any Huns there. It came to some small trees & just knocked them down & went on & knocked out an imaginary enemy strong post with its 6 pounder guns. On the level ground they can go pretty fast, look just like huge caterpillars plodding along. Provided they get across to the enemy lines alright, they'd be grand things in an attack & would put the wind up the enemy infantry, who would be powerless to defend themselves, but they draw the