EDWARD GLANVILLE SMITH

Edward Glanville Smith before the Battle of Bullecourt in April 1917

The Wanderings of D Battalion in France

A mystery author is unveiled

In 1921, a series of anonymous articles appeared in the Tank Corps Journal reliving the traumas and triumphs of D Battalion during the battles of 1917.

The series – called The Wanderings of “D” in France – was an important source of information for our book Deborah and the War of the Tanks, especially as the author was in No. 12 Company, like the crew of D51 Deborah. We were therefore keen to identify him so he could receive proper recognition in our book.

Through careful detective work – described here, the author was eventually named as Major Edward Glanville Smith, who joined what became the Tank Corps in January 1917.

This area of the website is devoted to him, with special thanks to his granddaughter Catherine Piper for her tremendous assistance.