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TANKS IN TOWN TO MARK TANK 100
TA N K 10 0 1916
2016
www.tankmuseum.org
HEAD OF COLLECTIONS CHRIS VAN SCHAARDENBURGH
Chris van Schaardenburgh
15/9/2016: A century on from the day that tanks first went into action The Tank Museum exhibited its replica First World War tank in central London, drawing attention to the courage and sacrifice of those first tank crews. Morning commuters were stopped in their tracks by the sight that greeted them on Trafalgar Square, as the Mark IV replica built for the Hollywood film ‘Warhorse’ sat at the base of Nelson’s Column. As crowds of sightseers, passers-by and media gathered the sight was reminiscent of the Trafalgar Square war bond drives (known as ‘Tank Banks’) which took place on the same spot 100 years before. Sir Nicholas Soames was invited to view the tank and spoke about his Grandfather Winston Churchill, whose Landship committee pioneered the development of the tank in the First World War.
He said; “My grandfather if not completely the father was most definitely the midwife of this remarkable weapon of war which transformed the battlefield. I commend the wonderful work done by The Tank Museum at Bovington to keep the importance of this remarkable history alive.” At 11am, the gathered crowds were treated to a unique spectacle as the tank made its way slowly off the square and onto the road, passing beneath Admiralty Arch on its way to Horse Guards Parade where a Royal Tank Regiment Challenger 2 and crew from AJAX Battalion was waiting for a once in a lifetime photo opportunity. Museum Director Richard Smith said; “This was a fantastic opportunity for The Tank Museum and our partners in the Royal Tank Regiment to draw attention to this key anniversary in the context of the national commemorations of the First World War. We were very excited to see the story of the tank centenary covered so enthusiastically by the media both in the UK and overseas.”
Challenger 2 and the Mark IV on Horseguards Parade
Inside… ● TIGER DAY 2017 ● TANKFEST 2017 ● NEW TANK MUSEUM PUBLICATIONS ● DAREDEVIL COMPASS ● WHAT’S ON
The tank was a British invention, designed to break the deadlock of trench warfare in First World War. The British Mark I tank was deployed for the first time during the battle of FlersCourcelette, which took place at the tail end of the Somme offensive. Of the 49 tanks slated to take part, only 18 went into action - the rest falling victim to shelling, mechanical failure or becoming bogged down. Despite the modest impact tanks made on this historic occasion, Haig was convinced by what he had seen. Ordering 1,000 more he stated; “Wherever the tank advanced, we took our objectives and where they did not advance, we failed to take our objectives. Go back and make as many more tanks as you can.” SEE THE VIDEO Visit The Tank Museum YouTube Channel for a shot film of highlights from this historic occasion – 15 September 2016.
THE TANK MUSEUM - THE WORLD’S BEST COLLECTION OF TANKS An Independent Museum and Registered Charity No 1102661
As Head of Collections, it is my responsibility to oversee the work being done by the Archive & Library, the Workshops, as well as the Exhibition and Education teams. As always at The Tank Museum, there has been a great deal of activity this year and next year is set to be just as busy. With the new Tiger Exhibition planned to open next spring, work is already well under way. We have been in talks with the exhibition design team for a couple of months and the design is near to being signed off. A crucial part of the exhibition has involved collecting veteran interviews; both Allied and Axis accounts. A German television company have interviewed a number of German veterans for an upcoming TV documentary, which we have been given permission to use in our exhibition. Whilst the Museum team have interviewed a series of British Second World War Veterans, all of whom faced the Tiger in combat. The Archive and Library will assist the Exhibition teams with the sourcing of documents, images and objects all relating to the story of the Tiger tanks. The German veteran interviews are also being translated Continued on page 2…
100 YE
S OF TH
TANK
Published by THE TANK MUSEUM, Bovington, Dorset, UK, BH20 6JG
AR
E
Tank Times
100 YE
NOVEMBER 2016 AR
S OF
TA N K 1916
THE TANK MUSEUM - NOVEMBER 2016
HEAD OF COLLECTIONS
www.tankmuseum.org
TIGER DAY 29 April 2017
Tel: +44 (0) 1929 405 096
IN BRIEF NEW TANK MUSEUM
PUBLICATIONS
CHRIS VAN SCHAARDENBURGH by Archive Officer, Katie Thompson. The Museum has an extensive collection of its own Tiger tanks; Jagdtiger, Henschel King Tiger II, Porsche King Tiger II and Tiger I. However, in order to better tell the story of the Tiger family, we have also looked to other museums and collections for assistance in expanding the story. Currently we have secured the Elefant from the US Army Center of Military History, the vehicle will be shipped from the US East Coast to The Tank Museum in November. In order to accommodate this new exhibition, which will go into the Second World War hall, a significant number of historic vehicles will need to be moved. As this is the first time that some of the vehicles have been moved in decades, it requires careful planning by Workshop Manager, Mike Hayton and his team.
Plus... see The Tiger Collection Tiger Day - the ultimate event for fans of – Tiger 131 returns in 2016 and visitors will have the opportunity to see the star of the show arrayed alongside other members of the Tiger family in The Tiger Collection. Tiger Day starts at 10am, when the Museum opens to visitors. There is a full programme of talks and tours, including one on the King Tiger and a chance to handle items from the Archives associated with the Tiger. Tiger will make its appearance in the arena at 1.30pm, alongside other rare and contemporary vehicles like
the Matilda I, Valentine, Leopard I and Panzer III. The star of the show will then be driven down the side of the Museum, giving visitors a unique opportunity to see the vehicle up-close as it runs. At certain times throughout the day, visitors will also have a chance to talk to the team who maintain and drive Tiger 131 – the only running Tiger I in the world. Standard tickets are still available. See The Tank Museum website for details. There will be a second Tiger Day in 2017. Taking place on 16 September 2017, Premium tickets are now available on The Tank Museum website. More details to follow...
The Tiger Collection coming Spring 2017
As well as planning the movements for these historic vehicles, the Workshops are working on a few restoration projects alongside their day-to-day tasks. In preparation for this year’s TANKFEST, the Valentine was inspected and found to have a number of issues; it is currently undergoing an overhaul. The Matilda II, is also in for an overhaul, however this is a longer term project. Work began in 2015 and is being documented by the Museum’s YouTube series, Matilda Diaries. Subscribe to The Tank Museum’s YouTube channel to stay in touch with updates. Work on Matilda is progressing well and we have a completion date pencilled-in for summer 2017.
Tickets for TANKFEST 2017 are on sale now, with a range of options available. The event promises a range of arena action familiar to experienced visitors and organisers are in discussions to secure some fascinating and rare guest armour. Visitors will be able to see an unrivalled display of historical armour and as well as modern vehicles, provided by the British Army. For when your eyes aren’t glued to the arena, there will be a wide variety of caterers, traders and entertainment to enjoy.
Marking the 50th anniversary of its entry into service, the Chieftain Main Battle Tank is the latest vehicle to be celebrated by publisher Haynes in its line of military-focused Owners’ Workshop Manuals.
Written and signed by Curator David Willey and Robin Cross, TANKS: 100 YEARS OF ARMOURED WARFARE is an authoritative book charts the tank’s first century. It features rare removable documents from the Museum’s archive and beautiful spreads of archive images.
Written by the expert in First World War tanks, this comprehensive volume explores the history of the tank, from the very early design concepts up to the start of the Second World War. Signed by the author, it is a must have for David Fletcher and armoured vehicle fans alike.
Tickets are selling fast for next year’s event and as both 2015 and 2016 were sell outs, this years event will be advanced ticket only - meaning there will be no tickets available on the day. Standard, Premium and Director’s Enclosure tickets are still available to book on The Tank Museum website. For more information and to buy tickets, visit tankmuseum.org
Chris van Schaardenburgh Head of Collections
TANK CENTENARY: THE STORY OF THE FIRST TANK CREWS examines at the men featured in the centenary exhibition paying tribute to their innovation, tenacity and courage and showing how the tank became an icon of war, both on the battlefield and in the imagination of the public at home. All of these books are for sale on The Tank Museum Online Shop
THE TANK MUSEUM - THE WORLD’S BEST COLLECTION OF TANKS An Independent Museum and Registered Charity No 1102661
THE TANK MUSEUM - NOVEMBER 2016
www.tankmuseum.org
Mk I male C19 ‘Clan Leslie’, Chimpanzeevalley, 15 September 1916
Tel: +44 (0) 1929 405 096
DAREDEVIL COMPASS The only surviving item from the Daredevil D1 tank, its compass, is now on display in the Tank Men exhibition.
THE FIRST
OF THE FIRST Lt. Harold Mortimore
At 5.15am on 15 September 1916, Lieutenant Harold Mortimore became the first man ever to command a tank into action, as his led his tank Daredevil across No Man’s Land.
Mortimore known as ‘Morty’ was 23 years old when he commanded his Mark I tank at the Battle of Flers Courcelette. Like other recruits to the new tank unit, he was entering a complete unknown. “Looking back on it, I don’t think I was frightened. I’d been very frightened indeed, both before and after the day, but on that particular morning the whole thing seemed unreal, besides which we all had the utmost confidence in our new weapon - the tank.” Mortimore was tasked to attack enemy strongpoints at Delville Wood and then provide support for the assault on the village of Flers. “I managed to get astride one of the German trenches in front of the wood and opened fire. There were some Germans in the dugouts and I shall never forget the looks on their faces when they emerged and saw my tank.”
can be as terrifying as this.” Mortimore’s daughter, Dr Tilly Mortimore recently visited the Museum and shared her memories of her father. She said: “My father told me that being in the Royal Naval Air Service was the most terrifying thing you could possibly do. He said the planes were made out of string and balsa wood and he even crashed one onto a shed on the training field. “So when volunteers were requested for a top secret dangerous mission his hand shot up – and that’s how he ended up in the tanks. Dad was selected as a tank
ences, but he did tell me that his job on the first day was to clear a trench of German machine-gunners near to a strategically important wood. He said that as he approached the enemy he peered through his view finder and saw the Germans take one look at the tank and run. “Just imagine what that huge tank must have looked like rearing up at the German soldiers in the early morning. The development of the tank had been kept secret and the effect must have been incredibly powerful. He later told his daughter that he thought the tanks should have been deployed differently – as one huge unit rather than the piecemeal approach that was taken. Tilly – who was born on September 15 1950, when her father was 59 – was christened Matilda after the nickname given to the ‘female’ Mark I tanks.
After this initial success, Daredevil was hit by artillery “I am very proud of fire and knocked my father and of out. The crew all those men who escaped unharmed. volunteered. They Although Mor- Tilly Mortimore visited The Tank Museum to see the type of tank her father would did so because they timore went on have commanded - the Mark I tank. thought it was the to serve in other right thing to do.” commander and he started training in battles, it was memories of the 15th Morty was gassed twice and eventually April 1916. By August the tanks were September 1916 that would stay with sent home. He became a businessman being shipped to France. him. and politician in local government in “His tank was supposed to go into battle “I didn’t think my tank would be the first Hertfordshire, met and married Tilly’s with two others, but they had broken in the company and I suppose in the mother Mary in the late 1930s, and down so my dad went in on his own. He world, to fire a shot in anger.” served in the Home Guard during the became the very first man to command His place in history occurred because he Second World War. He died in 1967 a tank in battle and although he cleared had crashed an aeroplane while training aged 76. the trenches, the steering mechanism with the Royal Naval Air Service and was hit by a flying barrage from his own In order to celebrate the exploits of was looking to find a way of keeping his artillery. The crew got out and some were Mortimore and his place in history, a feet on the ground. So when volunteers injured, but not seriously. D1 was abannew display case has been installed in were asked to join a top secret and doned on the battlefield. the Museum. All of the items have been dangerous mission he put his hand up immediately with the quip: “Nothing “Dad didn’t speak much about his experiloaned by Dr Tilly Mortimore.
THE TANK MUSEUM - THE WORLD’S BEST COLLECTION OF TANKS An Independent Museum and Registered Charity No 1102661
From the earliest use of tanks, navigation caused problems for tank crew. Tank commanders were naturally issued with maps, compiled in great part from aerial photographs, which illustrated trench systems, flooded areas and the like in considerable detail, but the issue of how to orientate such a map remained. When compasses were first required for use in tanks in 1916, the Army approached the Admiralty Compass Department. The solution suggested was a specially adapted boat compass, probably – some doubt exists here - the Pattern 192. This was also known as the Radium or Luminescing Compass, because the cardinal points of the compass card and the lubber line – the line indicating the heading – were painted with radium paint.
The tank compass from Daredevil Since being in the Museum’s collection, Daredevil’s compass has been stickered and placed in a leadlined box to offer protection from the substantial amounts of radiation. A Tank Corps button has been welded to the side which is not part of the original design, and is a bit of a red herring as, at that time, the crew would have worn the MGC badge. As a navigation device, the boat compass seems to have been less than perfect; the 28 tons of ferrous metal surrounding it produced an error of anything up to 20 degrees. This problem remained unsolved until the Sperry Gyroscopic Tank Compass was introduced in 1925.
THE TANK MUSEUM - NOVEMBER 2016
FROM THE
EDITOR
Nik Wyness
www.tankmuseum.org
From The Tank Museum Shop Perfect gifts for tank fans! TANK MUSEUM MONOPOLY Play your way around The Tank Museum, with pieces including the Mark IV and Tiger tank, buying up the Museum’s tank collection. Pick up a card from the Officer’s mess or the Quarter Master and purchase tank sheds and even your own Workshop to house your new collection.
Our latest exhibition Tank Men: The Story of The First Crews provided an opportunity to tell personal stories we had never told before through artefacts that had, until recently, been hidden away in our archive. Our appearance at the Somme Centenary Commemorations at Thiepval demonstrated that whilst the losses of 1st July 1916 were catastrophic and painful, the British Army was not the reactionary and unimaginative force it has frequently been portrayed as – for the tank represented a very different approach to waging war. And when it was ready in September 1916, the tank showed what it could do. It was pushing contemporary technology to its limit; it was far from a perfect machine – but the potential was clear for all to see. That potential wasn’t just in the capability of the vehicle, but in the fortitude of the crew. It must have taken considerable personal courage to take an untried weapon to war. Many of these men had never seen action before and had only limited time to get familiar with the tanks. Whilst they would have been buoyed by an emerging esprit de corps and a confidence in their mission, they would have felt the weight of history upon them, knowing that a considerable amount was riding with them into action.
Nik Wyness Editor
EVENTS
13 November 2016 TIGER COBI TANK The Tank Museum’s most famous exhibit has been immortalised in a limited edition Lego-style model. Fans of the infamous Tiger 131 can now buy, unbox and build their very own version of the iconic Second World War tank to keep forever.
This year The Tank Museum has placed an emphasis on marking the First World War Centenaries with, what is for us, the defining moment in our story.
Tel: +44 (0) 1929 405 096
Remembrance Sunday The Tank Museum hosts the official remembrance service on behalf of Bovington Garrison.
TOP TRUMPS The Tanks Museum’s very own Top Trumps game features the best vehicles in the collection. Buy them online and receive a special Super Trump card.
3–4 December 2016
Vintage Christmas These fantastic gifts are available to purchase from The Tank Museum online shop.
See Father Christmas arrive by tank and explore vintage shopping and entertainment.
Vintage Christmas 3-4 December
29 April 2017
Tiger Day Stepping back in time, ‘Vintage Christmas’ offers fantastic entertainment, an incredible festive market and historical education in a unique setting. Don’t miss Father Christmas arriving by tank! Not only will you be entertained by vintage singers, you can shop in our extensive vintage market for all those unique Christmas gifts that you won’t find anywhere on the high street. Watch in wonder as Father Christmas arrives by tank and meet the man himself. Then stop for a tea break and a cake at the Museum café.
The Tiger tank is back in action – so if you’re a fan of our most famous exhibit, this is the event for you!
Learn more about what life was like at Christmas time from the 1920’s to the Post War era, with themed crafts and activities. There will also be living history reenactors around the Museum to help take you back in time.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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THE TANK MUSEUM - THE WORLD’S BEST COLLECTION OF TANKS An Independent Museum and Registered Charity No 1102661
24–25 June 2017
TANKFEST The world’s best display of historic armour returns for 2017. Tickets are available to book online now.