More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

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paulcadogan
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More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

Post by paulcadogan »

More tremendous first-hand witness stories...

Bob Tilburn tells his story. Some inaccuracies though - e.g almost putting in to Reyjavik when Suffolk's sighting came...

But in describing his experience he specifically relates the hit at the base of the bridge and also the spotting top hit which "took away the aloft director". He was in a position to see this, after all.

Haven't been able to listen to all of it yet, but just had to stop and share!

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80011489

Enjoy!
Qui invidet minor est - He who envies is the lesser man
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RNfanDan
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Re: More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

Post by RNfanDan »

There is so much important and valuable information now being made available from the IWM online, particularly since last summer (after they were offline for months, stepping-up their archival digitization efforts); much, much more is still to come, in future months! It is fascinating to note the many empty "frames" at their online services venue,--many of them temptingly LABELED!-- just waiting for completion, of both audio and image records.

The ingots within the rich IWM archives lode are just now being mined, and I have been "chomping at the bit" to see more of them brought to light. I have absorbed and taken notes from hours of similar testimony on Force Z participants, especially those pertaining to HMS Repulse and they have, so far, provided me with a considerable number of answers to many questions and technical/historical points, I have found NOWHERE else.

Unlike Paul, however, I chose to jealously conceal my treasures; but now, the cat's out of that particular bag, so I'll step right up beside him and "holler", too! :D

:clap:
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paulcadogan
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Re: More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

Post by paulcadogan »

Folks,

I hope the significance Tilburn's comment on the spotting top hit is not lost - he specifically says it "took away the aloft director", a he WAS in a position to see this. This is not now just a supposed shell passing through the spotting top - it knocked off the director.

Tilburn also states that he did NOT give all the details he knew at the Board of Inquiry because he felt a bit intimidated by his former captain ("Hooky" Walker) and only answered what he was asked. Had he volunteered what he knew, we probably would not be arguing about whether or not the director and bridge base hits occurred. They may very well have been written into the official history.

And Dan - glad to have you "hollerin'" too! :cool:
Qui invidet minor est - He who envies is the lesser man
Steve Crandell
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Re: More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

Post by Steve Crandell »

paulcadogan wrote:Folks,

I hope the significance Tilburn's comment on the spotting top hit is not lost - he specifically says it "took away the aloft director", a he WAS in a position to see this. This is not now just a supposed shell passing through the spotting top - it knocked off the director.

Tilburn also states that he did NOT give all the details he knew at the Board of Inquiry because he felt a bit intimidated by his former captain ("Hooky" Walker) and only answered what he was asked. Had he volunteered what he knew, we probably would not be arguing about whether or not the director and bridge base hits occurred. They may very well have been written into the official history.

And Dan - glad to have you "hollerin'" too! :cool:
"took away the aloft director" might mean different things to different people.
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RNfanDan
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Re: More IWM - Bob Tilburn!

Post by RNfanDan »

Steve Crandell wrote:

"took away the aloft director" might mean different things to different people.
True, but the greater point is that it WAS struck-- something which has been surmised and suggested over the years, but not recorded as a witnessed event. Briggs' accounting implied it had been hit, but Tilburn was one of the few in a location to know that it had been hit, and the only one among Hood's three survivors to witness it.

The hit relates to a number of other matters.

:D
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