THE TANK
No. 336 APRIL, 1947 Vol. 29
Published on the Fifth of the month. All contributions to reach the Editorial Office, “ The Tank,” Bovington
Camp, Dorset, by the fourteenth of the previous month at the latest. Authors alone are responsible for the
views expressed in articles appearing in "The Tank.” Price 1/- a copy, 12/- a year post free.
CONTENTS
P A G E
Editorial .. 279
Correspondence .. 279
Births, Engagement and Marriages.. .. 280
Obituary .. 280
Ironsides’ Golfing and Yachting News .. 281
Regimental News .. 283
Major-General R. Briggs, C.B., D.S.O. . .. 284
A Claim Staked .. 284
Old Comrades’ News .. 285
Winged Words—Part III fe y F.I.C.W. .. 286
Unit News:
The First .. 289
The Second .. 292
The Third ...................................... • • 295
The Fourth
• • 304
The Fifth .................................... .. 307
The Sixth .. 311
The Eighth • • 315
R.A.C. Training Centre, B.A.O.R. • • 317
R.A.C. School • • 319
Tank Corps V.C.s with Whippet Tanks . • • 297
Two Notable Actions of Medium “ A ” Tanks .. 298
T.A. News :
Fortieth (The King’s) R.T.R. .. 319
Cadet News :
The Fortieth .. 319
The Forty-Second .. 320
Battersea Grammar School .. 321
Extracts from the London Gazette .. .. 322
E d i t o r i a l
Regimental March
A copy of the revised Regimental march is
included in this issue. Further copies may be
obtained on application to the Editor, price 8Id.
post free.
It is hoped, in the future, to produce a copy of the
march suitable for light orchestral parts. Mr. Plater
is working on this now.
Reunions
Facilities are now available at the H.Q. of the
Returned British Prisoners of War Association for
the holding of Regimental reunions, meetings, etc.
The address is 34 Eaton Place, London, S.W .i.
Books
A copy of Normandy to the Baltic, the personal
account of the conquest of Germany by Field-
Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein,
K .G ., G .C.B., D.S.O ., has been received. The
price is 25s., and it is published by Messrs. Hutchin
son and Co., Ltd. Copies of this book were given
by the Field-Marshal to senior officers in the B.L.A.
It is a fascinating collection of fact, illustrated by
excellent maps and sketches, telling the story of the
journey from the beach-head.
Back Numbers
It is regretted that stocks of The Tank for
August, November, December, 1946, and January,
1947, are now exhausted.
jtJi Armoured Division
A Divisional dinner for past and present officers
of 7th Armoured Division will be held at the Savoy
Hotel, London, on May 3, 1947, at 7.30 p.m. to
8 p.m.
Tickets will cost 28s. and may be obtained as
follows :
(a) For those serving in B.A.O.R. from Lieut.-
Colonel J. K. Greenwood, H.Q. 7th Armoured
Division, B.A.O.R.
(b) For those in U .K . from Lieut.-Colonel E.
Cardiff, O.B.E., “ The Crossways,” Mortimer,
Berks.
Sterling cheques will be acceptable.
Art Supplement
The tank illustrated this month is the medium
“ A ” (Whippet). This tank made its appearance
on the Western Front in March, 1918. It was
designed for speed and ease of manoeuvre. It was
fitted with two 45-h.p. engines, one driving each
track. Steering was effected by accelerating one
engine, whilst slowing down the other. Both
engines were controlled by a hand wheel.
Weight was 15 tons, and the machine was capable
of doing six miles per hour over good ground.
Radius of action was about 30 miles. Armament
was from Hotchkiss machine guns. Crew, three.
Correspondence
Old members of the R .T.C. Depot will be
interested to hear that Sgt. Houghton, cook
sergeant in 1936-37, was commissioned in the
A.C.C. in 1943. He now has the rank of major and
is serving in S.E.A .L.F.
Correspondence
To the Editor, “ The Tank ”
Dear Sir,
In view of the imminence of the departure of the
Army from India, it would seem that the present is a
suitable time to enquire into the future upkeep of
the graves of officers and other ranks of the
Regiment.
I know from personal experience that, even when
India contained many units of our Regiment, it
required constant vigilance on the part of their
commanders in order to ensure that the graves
were maintained in some semblance of order.
B