Darn, I can't find my crystal ball :(.

Annette

Annette, do you get Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on the radio? We were listening to it as we sat in traffic on our way home due to an accident and one of the stories about inventions has a connection (sort of) to the answer I want you to get. Looking for an innovation in warfare.

I didn't mind being stuck in traffic. I was just glad we weren't the ones who had an accident. When we finally got to the place it happened, there was absolutely no sign of anything. I am a little worried that it may have involved a motorcycle since there were hundreds on the road as we headed toward the bay and then across the Eastern Shore. Since I bought the Volvo, I certainly feel well-protected. It is not as responsive and zippy as my twin turbo Audi was, but it has some heavy-duty protection, I think. I do think it is a little harder to see out of, but that may just be because I am not used to it or because I am too short! ;). Anyway, being surrounded by metal isn't a bad thing considering the drivers around here!

Cynthia

I am thinking there was a clue in that last paragraph, Cynthia. Motor accidents can have a lasting physical change, as well as post traumatic stress, from even a minor accident. Rarely do I gasp out loud when someone else is driving but I do still get anxious occasionally--control issues, I know. Good to be protected by a heavy well built vehicle.

The weather here is perfect today and another great day is expected tomorrow so will do some transplanting and clean the garage after I finish my treadmill and bike workout. Have to get the pt exercises done first in case I'm too tired or stiff for our evening walk.

Yes, Bobbie. Ever since my Audi was totalled in May, I do find I am more wary and I definitely am never really in a hurry anymore. Our weather is perfect, too, but I won't get out into the yard until tomorrow.

Oh, and I do believe you have it! I have another clue that would absolutely give it away, so I will wait a bit. Laundry time. Ugh.

Cynthia

I saw this question at 1:30 when I came home from market and thought I had a pretty good idea what it might be. Now that I've read Cynthia's follow-up, I'm sure. For as long as I can remember, there was a Sherman variety of this at the VFW post in a nearby town. I used to be fascinated by it as a kid and wished I could play army with it.

TM

HA! Tm, that was another of my clues that I had in mind---going with Mr. Peabody and Sherman in the way back machine...of course, you'd have to be a fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle to appreciate that!

The fellow we bought two new-to-us chairs from is selling them because he was foreclosed on and has had a tough time since the economy tanked. He tried to keep up, but is now selling whatever he can. At least he has his priorities straight. He was camping with his boys this weekend. :)

Cynthia

Also a version of a summer top?

Annette

Aww, now I remember. Seems to me they tested these on the Canadians. Not quite as stable as they were in WW2 or now!! Or like a Volvo!! lol.

Nancy.

Annette, but with more protection! lol

Nancy, tested them ON Canadians? Really? I need to read up on that.

Cynthia

Cynthia, I like your idea of a Sherman and Peabody clue more than what I wrote; it's more subtle.

TM

Sorry, Cyn - I should have said the Brits were loathe to put their men into tin-cans. We were sorta of like Mikey in that commercial - try it on them. See if they can drive 'er. My maternal gf was at the Somme. Not in one of these!! He was with the 33rd Canadian Battalion, attached we believe to the 4th British Army. My next genealogical search will be to try to trace where they were in battles. I know he was here, at Paschendale, Ypres and Amiens(both battles, wounded in the second), but my American cousins want to know more detail. Hmmmmmm.....sorry, tmi!!

Nancy.

**** for Bobbie, TM, Annette, and Nancy, who should perhaps get an extra star for her added history. Yes, tanks were first used during the battle of the Somme in 1916 which actually raged from July into November of that year.

The last great Allied effort to achieve a breakthrough came on 15 September in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette with the initial advance made by 11 British divisions (nine from Fourth Army, two Canadian divisions on the Reserve Army sector) and a later attack by four French corps.

The battle is significantly remembered today as the debut of the tank. The British had high hopes that this secret weapon would break the deadlock of the trenches. Early tanks were not weapons of mobile warfare "with a top speed of 3 mph (4.8 km/h), they were easily outpaced by the infantry "but were designed for trench warfare. They were untroubled by barbed wire obstacles and impervious to rifle and machine-gun fire, though highly vulnerable to artillery. Additionally, the tanks were notoriously unreliable; of the 49 tanks available on 15 September, only 32 made it to the start line, and of these, only 21 made it into action. Mechanical breakdowns were common, and many others became bogged or ditched in the shell holes and trenches of the churned battlefield.
The British made gains across the length of their front, the greatest being in the centre at Flers with an advance of 3,500 yards (3.2 km), a feat achieved by the newest British division in France, the 41st Division, in their first action. They were supported by several tanks, including D-17 (known as Dinnaken) which smashed through the barbed wire protecting the village, crossed the main defensive trench and then drove up the main street, using its guns to destroy defenders in the houses. This gave rise to the optimistic press report: "A tank is walking up the High Street of Flers with the British Army cheering behind."

Nancy, never tmi when it comes to history, family or general, IMHO. That is so interesting about your gf! Also, fascinating that the Canadians were the ones to test them. It sort of shows (again) that the Canadians are always willing to go above and beyond even though they seem to get very little renown for their actions around the world. We, of course, owe you so much and I am ever grateful for the actions of Canadian Embassy personnel who have sheltered our folks more than once when situations got dicey for us (Iran in '79 and just now in Cairo, for two examples)! So thank you to you and Annette for your country's support on behalf of all Americans.

It sounds as if everyone is experiencing perfect weather just now, so I hope we all get outside to enjoy it! I am continuing to plant hosta and still have a couple shrubs. It will help me not worry about John's (son) fiancee who is in Africa now and heading to South Sudan on Wednesday as part of a non-prof that is working to engage women in the peace process there. Thank goodness she is not headed to Sudan, although they would probably cancel that part of the trip if they were.

Happy Sunday all.

Cynthia

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:613700}}

Well, whether the Canadian were 'willing' is subject to debate. lol. They were often given the jobs that the British didn't want to put their own men into....the Canadian troops actually got quite a reputation in the 1st WW - the Germans called them 'storm troopers', this is the origin of that phrase. Lloyd George, the British PM said that they had to be careful about letting the deployment of Canadian troops be known to the Germans, because they would fortify their numbers. The British habit of using them as 'cannon-fodder' made the Canadian Offices adept at breaking through lines. The battle of Vimy Ridge became the first time our troops went in as a Canadian unit, with our own Officers drawing up the plans. Known derogatively as the Pimple, both the British and the Americans had failed to take this decisive position - we were given little hope of success. I believe in American football this is known as a 'Hail May' pass?? In Canada, it is referred to as a nation-building moment, and a huge memorial was raised their by the Canadian government, was raised at the site. Legend has it that it was spared in the 2nd WW by Hitler, as it depicted peace, not war - I'm not so sure.
{{gwi:613706}}
Sorry, I did a ton of research on this for my American cousins to help understand their Canadian grandfather.

Great question Cyn, as I had no idea this was the 'debut' of the tank!! Quite a history. Thanks for the stars!

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: About the Vimy Ridge battle and Memorial