Check it out

I have added a new permanent page to the blog to host David Fletcher's Tank Chats, which the tank Museum has published on YouTube.

This is a series of short films with Mr Fletcher talking about vehicles in the museum's collection.

Theose of interwar interest include the Vickers Medium and the Type E; the Carden Loyd MG Carrier; and Lanchester armoured car; The others in the series include the WWI Mk II tank, and the A 13 Cruiser and Mk VI B Light Tank.

Vickers Medium at works, no armament

Col Breyer D of A

The D of A was the Directorate of Artillery, part of the Master General of the Ordnance's Office with the responsibility for placing government tank orders with manufacturers. I have no further information on Colonel Breyer or which of the officers in the photo he is.

Medium or Light Tank Mk II 1926

Medium or Light Tank 1926 Armstrong Siddeley Engine

Mk 1a Obstacle Trials at Wool

Mk 11 Tilting Trials

Mk 1 Medium

The Times July 15th 1927

Bridge Carrier - Tank Light Mark II carrying 18ft bridge, 1926

wheel-cum-track Light Tank Mk I, 1926

Light Tank Mk1 - Okehampton 1925

Rough going on exercise at Okehampton - the caption for the final photograph reads "the white marks on the rocks show marks of tracks"

Tank Light Mk II. 1925

Light Tank Mk 1A, 1924

Again note the earlier use of Light for these tanks, which later were referred to a Mediums.

Tank Light Mk II 1925

I was thrown by the album referring to Medium Tanks Mk I and II as Light Tanks. Its use in the album shows that this was Vickers' own practice. The term Medium Tank seems to have been used from the late 1920s or early 1930s.