iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

TsingTao popped up earlier this year re development of Japanese air power/strategy. Turned up again researching post war Sudan and the Commandant of the School of Musketry in Khartoum. johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2026/09/scho...

johnny-doyle.blogspot.com

School of Musketry Khartoum

Two colonial photographs acquired via an auction house last year. Removed from their really cheap and nasty frames and now in acid free wa...

011

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

While I have a large set of books relating to the Easter "Uprising", the following book demonstrates odd connections. Sholto Douglas selected Royal Flying Corps aerodrome sites in Ireland in 1917. Including the one now called Casement.

121

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

OTD 1914. Can you guess from this set of clues?

A series of images from films and TV programmes

231

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Yesterday's delivery - a tenuous link to the #EasterRising johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-be…

A picture of book called The Concise Story of the Dover Patrol by Admiral Bacon

A picture of a naval mine field off Belgium from a book called The Concise Story of the Dover Patrol by Admiral Bacon

A picture of a page relating to a naval mine field off Belgium from a book called The Concise Story of the Dover Patrol by Admiral Bacon

021

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

An AI skeptic making use of Notebook LLM to "read" non searchable PDFs (179 Tunnelling Co, RE War Diary)..... to generate a list of soldiers mentioned...

Notebook LLM screenshot showing results from a query looking into 179 Tunnelling Co war diaries from First World War.

000

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

St Patrick's Day 1916 and the crew of former Irish ferry HMS Tara are rescued by armoured cars of Duke of Westminsters squadron. Some cars and personnel later part of Lawrence of Arabia's command.

000

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

17th served on Western Front with Austins originally destined for Russia. Moved to Peerless cars in Ireland. Downsized to No 5 Armoured Car Company, later moving to Rolls-Royces (inc the one at Bovington). johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2013/01/17th...

johnny-doyle.blogspot.com

17th (Armoured Car) Battalion, Tank Corps

The 17th (Armoured Car) Battalion of the Tank Corps served in Marlborough Barracks, Dublin during the Tan War/War of Independence. Prior t...

121

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

MC for Harley Fox-Davies, 1/DLI, signed off by Archibald Wavell for a raid on 14/15th April 1941 near Sollum, Egypt. Possibly against an infantry element of newly arrived 15th Panzer Division @crusaderproject.bsky.social? rommelsriposte.com/2016/04/24/f...

Military Cross write up for Harley Fox-Davies, 1/DLI, signed off by Archibald Wavell for a raid on 14/15th April 1941.

Possibly against an infantry element of newly arrived 15th Panzer Division

271

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

a good listen. Vickers MG (and Lewis guns) used during the #EasterRising The Vickers team in the attached postcard captured on film (9 minutes in on the following clip) : player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wa...

Vickers Machine Gun and soldiers photographed in Dublin just after the #EasterRising of April 1916

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Only know about Agnes Clerke through research on her cousin Henry Deasy and his involvement in the improvised armoured vehicles used during the #EasterRising johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2013/02/henr...

Picture profiling the life of soldier, explorer, businessman Henry Deasy

Picture of an improvised armoured vehicle created in Dublin during the Easter Rising, April 1916. A Milnes-Daimler flat bed lorry from the Guinness brewery fitted with smoke boxes from the Inchicore railway works.

020

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Royal Irish Constabulary pensioner Henry Armitage Llewellyn from Queen's County (now Laois) died in County Tipperary in July 1911. www.findagrave.com/memorial/846... Twin grandchildren born in County Cork in 1921 would take different paths.

Pension card and death registration for Henry Armitage Llewellyn, a Royal Irish Constabulary constable who retired in 1904 and died in 1911.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Hoping to watch the presentation online.

030

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

No footballs or truce in the air Xmas Day 1914 - a fleeting bombing raid on the UK iancastlezeppelin.co.uk/24-dec-1914

iancastlezeppelin.co.uk

24 & 25 Dec 1914

020

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

A good read. Lots to take in and think about.

Cover of Victoria Schofield's book "Wavell. Soldier & Statesman"

010

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

OTD 1918. Denis "Sonny" O'Neill discharged from the British Army. Captured 25/1/18 with wound to right forearm. Repatriated by the Germans, he was admitted to the temporary King George Hospital, Stamford Street, London on 2/6/18 (originally a warehouse used by HM Stationery Office aka HMSO).

020

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

The first tanks appeared in Dublin in November 1917. One of the tank commanders a Dubliner with his diary in the Tank Museum archives. johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-...

johnny-doyle.blogspot.com

Johnny Doyle

000

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

A nice set of images. One Rolls-Royce armoured car in the set meshs-omekas.univ-lille.fr/omeka-s/s/im... which ties in with the film clip re the Battle of Belleek and No 5 Armoured Car Company ifiarchiveplayer.ie/battle-of-be...

meshs-omekas.univ-lille.fr

Siège de Dublin : les autos mitrailleuses : [photographie de presse] / Agence Meurisse · ImaginIRL (english version) · OmekaMeshs

220

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Picked up a copy of #RogueHeroes Dudley Clarkes' book re the XIth Hussars #RougeHeroes following a conversation at #WeHaveWays re armoured cars in the inter war period 🤓 Cherrypicking here 🙂 but the part re 2 MGs in 1914 vs 40 when the XIth went to Egypt in 1934 caught the eye 🙂

Passage from book on XIth Hussars re their move to Egypt in 1934

Inside covers of Eleventh at War by Dudley Clarke

131

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

#whwf25 picked up a better copy of the Abyssinian Campaigns publication. Will keep as the good copy and use the tattier version for delving in. #SudanDefenceForce #Mission101SOE #WilfredThesiger

230

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

#whwf25 Meant to pop back and ask more about the Light Car Patrol motor but forgot. One for next year, hopefully.

010

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

A trip to Reading and a stop to see the Maiwand Lion. Very nice piece of public art.

Maiwand Lion memorial statue in Reading.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Yesterday's delivery. Prompted by a photo of 1920 pattern Rolls-Royces with Shanghai "Top Hats" and a camouflage pattern used by the 11th Hussars in 1934, as per the Bovington RR pic : tankmuseum.org/wp-content/u...

020

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Our students from last and this year have returned to help catalogue more items in the VMGCRA collections. They came across these items from an RAF Regiment Leading Aircraftsman (pictured in the top middle photo) who undertook parachute training in India and fought in Burma. #VJDay

Items from an RAF Regiment LAC who served in Burma during WW2.

Burma Booklet, photo, paper clippings, RAF Regiment shoulder title, 2 Imperial Japanese collar tabs

010

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Pratt was CO of No 5 Armoured Car Company (ACC) in Dublin during the Irish WoI, with Pope as 2IC. Pope later in charge of armoured cars in Cork. Pope became CO of No 3 ACC in Egypt for much of 1923 (20th March to 15th December). No 3 and no 5 ACCs would later merge to become 6 RTR.

250

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

A trip to the Tank Museum archive yesterday. It would appear that the 3rd Armoured Car Company took on the Duke of Westminsters 1914 pattern Rolls-Royce armoured cars. Some were taken to the Sudan in 1924 and 2 stayed. www.melik.org.uk/discover/sol...

121

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Not 100% but the Rolls-Royce with the Hotchkiss MG mount may be "Danny Boy", based on a newspaper item re fighting in Bruree in 1922. No reg number I can see on a seprate pic of "Danny Boy" from the front view or in the film clip of fighting in the area. ifiarchiveplayer.ie/irish-nation...

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

An 88mm flak gun at Fort Nelson - didn't realise how large this gun really is

220

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

OTD 1919 Victory Parade in Dublin with elements of 17th (Armoured Car) Bn, Tank Corps passing College Green johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2013/01/vict...

142

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Medals etc of Douglas Henry Pratt, Commanding Officer of No 5 Armoured Car Company during the Irish War of Independence. One of many involved in the mechanization of the British Army before WW2. www.noonans.co.uk/auctions/arc...

noonans.co.uk

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria (12 February 2025): Lot 28 | Noonans Mayfair

000

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

The diary of the North Irish Horse mentions they sent 2 armoured cars to the funeral of Lord Craigavon in 1940. Moveitone footage shows one of their Rolls-Royces (F 220?) with a "Top Hat" on the turret, as used by No 5 Armoured Car Co in Shanghai www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4xu...

Snippet of photo of turrets of Roll-Royce armoured cars of No 5 Armoured Car Company in Shanghai, 1927. An extra bit of metal work on the turret referred to as a Top Hat.

111

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Document re the #EasterRising murder of unarmed civilians by troops from South Staffs Regiment. Most were cold blooded murders after overnight imprisonment.

000

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

The capture of Denis (aka Sonny) O'Neill in January 1918 at a listening post comes to mind.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

OTD 1916, civilian members of the Irish Association of Volunteer Training Corps (IAVTC), aka The Gorgeous Wrecks, were stood down as Special Constables. Enrolled just after the #EasterRising and issued DMP Duty Bands and RIC Carbines.

151

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Died OTD 1945, Frank Bourne, the Adjutant at the Dollymount Musketry School during the #EasterRising. Better known as Colour Sgt Bourne in the film Zulu.

100

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Sort of #EasterRising related medal group up for auction. The Howth Mausers landed from the Asgard in 1914 with the help of Captain Gordon Strachy Shephard would be used in the Rising. Later Brigadier General, Royal Flying Corps. www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auctio...

Photo of Gordon Shephard and Erskine Childers on board the yacht Asgard during their sailing to bring arms to Ireland in July 1914.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

OTD 1916, German Navy Zeppelins and ships get ready to head towards England in an operation set to coincide with the #EasterRising in Ireland. johnny-doyle.blogspot.com/2014/03/germ... Picture in tweet below shows National Army troops at a barricade at the start of the Irish Civil War.

images of souvenir booklets relating to the Easter Rising and the Bombardment of Lowestoft, April 24th and 25th 1916.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

#EasterRising Howth Mauser...... er, not on your nelly

210

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

There's a good Deal of Duff info around re re the #EasterRising and HMY Helga. In this case, it's about Ernest Duff from Deal (though he wasn't on the Helga during the Rising) www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auctio...

the-saleroom.com

The rare 'H.M.Y. Helga, Irish Sea 1918' D.S.M. group of six awarded to Leading Deck Hand E. E. Du

Bid Live on Lot 313 in the 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals Auction from Spink & Son.

110

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Today's delivery - "Trailblazers of Black British Theatre" by Stephen Bourne. . Complete with a chapter on Ida Shepley, so an essential add to my small collection re Ida.

Cover of book Trailblazers of Black British Theatre by Stephen Bourne (ISBN 9781803999234) plus a few items of Ida Shepley related theatre programmes, photos, and articles.

More info re Ida Shepley on her wikipedia page at the following link :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Shepley

010

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Origami planes : in creased flying time?

010

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

The arms brought to Ireland in 1914 with the aid of serving/future British Army officers on board the Asgard, Kelpie, and Chotah Asgard crewman Shephard later a Brigadier General with the Royal Flying Corps and the most senior airman to die in WW1. www.westernfrontassociation.com/on-this-day/...

152

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

George Warren Richards is one of the WW1 Machine Gun Corps (MGC) members recorded in the growing MGC Database developed by Graham Sacker Ref no : SKR/DAT/IP/25616 vickersmg.blog/about/resear... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...

220

Johnny Doyle @johnnydoyle.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

OTD 1916, the rescue of the crew of Holyhead-Dublin ferry TSS Hibernia/HMS Tara (and the crew of HMS Moorina) from captivity in Bir Hakeim, Libya. Over 100 miles of desert from Sollum to Bir Hakeim in Rolls-Royce armoured cars plus ancillary transport. www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/west...

1103