The Tank Museum

With just five days to go until Tiger Day, we examine the tank which is almost certainly our most famous exhibit… Tiger 131! TIGER 131

Last night we featured on the CBBC TV Show `All Over The Place`. Its a fun piece aimed at kids - and you can see it here! We're on at about 6mins 20secs: BBC All Over The Place

PIC OF THE WEEK: Mark I Female Tank of E Battalion, Second Battle of Gaza 1917.We are so used to seeing tanks of the First World War up to their sposnons in mud or slogging their way through the shell holes in No Mans Land, so to see a tank surrounded by palm trees may seem odd to some - but for 8 tanks of E Battalion it was sand not mud that they had to battle through.On account of the assistance rendered to the British Infantry by tanks during the Battle of the Somme, eight Mark I & II tanks, 22 officers and 226 men were sent from Bovington to the Middle East, to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force who were intending to move North into Palestine against Turkish Forces. Tanks arrived in March just in time to help with the attack on Gaza on the 17th April. All eight tanks took part in the attack, but sadly too much was expected of these old machines which were expected to accomplish in the desert what two complete battalions of tanks would have achieved in France. When the attack commenced two tanks were attached to the 53rd Division and four tanks to the 52nd Division. None of these machines saw any action on the first day, as the Turks fell back to their reserve positions. The two remaining tanks allotted to the 54th Division saw action with one soon taking a direct hit which destroyed it, while the other machine cleared a stretch of Turkish trenches.Despite small successes being gained the tanks suffered from direct artillery fire and many were surprised to see that most of the Turks did not flee when they first saw the tanks of E Battalion, instead they stood their ground and used their artillery with devastating consequences. The leading tank of the advance broke a track and was soon out of action, another slipped into a gully when the sides of the bank unexpectedly collapsed, whilst another 3 took direct hits. In spite of the fact that the battle was unsuccessful E Battalion’s time in the desert showed the need for tanks to adapt to their surroundings. Individual tanks were modified by using palm trees to improve protection, and improvised steel shields were welded to the cab to deflect sand away from inside, although it was found that nothing could be done to combat the sand which got in everywhere. It was also found that the sand was much more abrasive and damaging on the tanks than the mud of Flanders.

With under a month to go until Tiger Day, The Tank Museum has confirmed its programme of events for 31st March 2012 and is edging closer to completing its Tiger conservation project. Premium tickets for Tiger Day sold out some time ago, but there is still plenty for regular visitors to see and do on this special day. Normal admission prices will apply and annual ticket holders will be admitted free. Tiger Conservation Update: A major stumbling block in the conservation project has now been overcome. In order to meet the objectives of the project, which seeks to return the Tiger to its original specification, The Tank Museum has had to replicate a pair of complex gear boxes to turn the engines cooling fans. Museum Curator David Willey said; "We have had to refer to original wartime drawings sourced from The German Archive at Koblentz. These had to be converted to modern CAD drawings by the Weald Foundation so that the parts could be manufactured. This has been a complex and lengthy process but it has now been completed successfully." The next stage is to reconnect the engine to the tank so that it can be operated for the public on Tiger Day. As ever we remain grateful for the support of the public, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the PRISM Fund for making this project possible. See the video! In this YouTube video, we examine the Fan Drives, explain what they are, what they do, how they work, and how they were made.

TANKFEST UPDATE With just four months to go, planning is now well underway for The Tank Museums biggest event of the year. Previous visitors will be aware that TANKFEST is by far the best display of historic moving armour in the world, complete with living history encampments, trade stalls, family entertainment and entry to The Tank Museum, all included in the ticket price. If you have never been to TANKFEST, then what better reason to visit in 2012 than to help mark the 10th Anniversary of this ground breaking military vehicle event! For those who have purchased TANKFEST tickets in advance, here’s what you can look forward to. If you haven’t, here’s what you could miss... 'World War One` Tank In Action! Our new Mark IV replica will be making its first public arena outing at TANKFEST. If you’ve seen `Warhorse`, you will recognise this perfect replica tank recently acquired from Neil Corbould SFX and now on display in The Tank Museum. Black Prince to Make TANKFEST Debut At TANKFEST we always try to ensure we include a vehicle from our collection that has never run at the show before. Last year it was Tortoise. This year, we are planning to run the A43 Infantry tank, better known as Black Prince. Black Prince, which is perhaps best described as an over-sized Churchill tank, is currently being worked on by Museum Volunteers to ensure it is operational for the show. The British Army In Action TANKFEST would not be complete without the British Army displaying their latest vehicles and vehicle upgrades. At TANKFEST this year, visitors will see `Megatron` - the unofficial name for the futuristic looking up-armoured Challenger 2. There will also be a bridge laying demonstration – showing how the modern Army cross obstacles under enemy fire. World War One Battle Spectacle The mock battle has long been the explosive culmination of TANKFEST. This year will be no exception. For the first time, TANKFEST is re-creating a World War One battle; with infantry, tanks, and for the first time, aeroplanes. With action on foot, on tracks and in the sky, this is certain to be one of the most impressive and thought provoking battle re-enactments you will ever see. General Dynamics – Show Sponsors Defence manufacturer’s General Dynamics are this year’s lead TANKFEST sponsor. They will be exhibiting their latest Armoured Fighting Vehicle `Scout SV` – on display before a civilian audience for the first time. Late Night Opening & Entertainment On Saturday 30th June, the TANKFEST site will stay open until the much later time of 9.00pm to give our visitors even more time to explore. In addition, there will be free onsite entertainment from a 1940’s singer and a bar serving refreshments and food. Ticket Options There are more ticket options than ever before for TANKFEST 2012. With a range of visitor accommodation in the area to suit all pockets, why not make your TANKFEST experience last the weekend? Standard day and weekend tickets are available now, allowing you to save at least 10% off the `on the day` admission price. Premium tickets are now only available for Sunday 1st July (Saturday and Weekend Premium tickets are SOLD OUT!) For those who want to see TANKFEST in style, we recommend our new Hospitality tent. The price includes a four course lunch, private viewing area and free bar. For organised groups of 10 or more, you can pre book day or weekend tickets, saving 20% off the `on the day` admission price. Tickets will also be available at the gate from 9am on both days. Parking is free and all tickets (except group rate tickets) include a FREE Annual Pass.

Last year a Sherman Grizzly was returned from HQ Land Command Wilton where it had served for many years as a gate guard. The tank was in poor cosmetic condition but has now been repainted by Museum volunteers. The Grizzly, which is a Canadian built Sherman almost identical to the US M4A1, was intended for use by Canadian forces during WW2. Following the war many were sold to the Portuguese Army and it is thought that our Grizzly was one of these. The tank is now a guarding the exit gate of The Tank Museum.

Display Celebrates Local `War` Artist A new exhibition case has been unveiled at The Tank Museum celebrating the work of the late Dorset based artist Joe Colquhoun. Colquhoun worked alongside author Pat Mills on the comic strip `Charley’s War`, which follows the story of Charley Bourne, an under-age boy who volunteers to fight for King and country in the First World War. The comic strip first featured in the British War Comic ‘Battle Picture Weekly’ in 1979. The display features some of Joe’s Colquhoun’s original ‘Charley’s War’ artwork, specifically those that depict the first appearance of a new weapon of war on the battlefield in 1916 – the tank. Learning and Interpretation Officer Sarah Lambert said; “As with his colleague Pat Mills, Joe took the trouble of carefully researching his subject matter, spending time at The Tank Museum to ensure the tanks and crewmen were illustrated accurately. For eight years, Joe worked on ‘Charley’s War’, from his Dorset home until his death in 1987.” In a tribute to his partner, Pat Mills summed up the widely shared feeling amongst Joe’s peers and fans; “Joe Colquhoun was a legend in the British Comics industry, but mention his name and few people have heard of him ... Joe started his career as the first artist to draw ‘Roy of the Rovers.’ The most famous British cartoon character ever!” “Pat Mills scripts are based on detailed research and do not shy away from the horror and harsh realities of trench warfare” said Sarah. “Readers see Charley’s youthful enthusiasm turn to bitter disillusionment as he witnesses the death and injury of many of his friends in the great battles on the Western Front.” The power of the writing led to Colquhoun to comment “The inspiration and dedication of Pat Mills has really rubbed off on me. I don’t want to let him down and I’m very interested in the subject even though it can depress me and is very emotive.” The Tank Museum is grateful to Jane Colquhoun for the kind donation of her father’s original illustrations and personal items. This Saturday (22/10/11): Local artist Mark Farmer, who himself studies under Joe Colquhoun, will be hosting free art workshops for both adults and children at The Tank Museum on 22nd October. Visitors will be encouraged to try their hand at comic strip / graphic novel style illustration based on World War One Topics. They’ll also be able to pick up the storyline from a Charley’s War strip at a `cliff hanger` moment and create their own suitable ending! Then, at 15.30, listen to Charlies War author Pat Mills discuss his affection for Charley and his partnership with Joe Colquhoun. For more information on our lecture programme, click here.

[h=1]The Tank Museum is Recruiting![/h][h=2]Duty Operations Manager[/h] Hours: Working 5 days out of 7 days including weekends and Bank Holidays Annual Salary: £22,000 - £23,000 per annum A vacancy has arisen in our Facilities Department for a Duty Operations Manager: [h=4]Management Responsibilities -[/h] To provide the physical resources and ancillary services to support the operation of the Museum. To be responsible for all aspects of Health & Safety within the Museum and its site. Manage day to day operations of the Museum floor. Manage wardens and volunteers to deliver the best possible visitor experience. Assist at special functions/events/visits. [h=4]Facilities Management[/h] Supervision and control of MOD and Museum contractors on site. Reporting faults and monitoring repair. Maintenance of all amenities. Dependability and flexibility of hours of work – Applicant will be CRB checked. For an application form and Role Profile, please: Download Role Profile. Download job application. Completed application forms should be returned to: Angela Batch, HR Manager, The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset BH20 6JG. Or emailed to: personnel@tankmuseum.org Closing Date : Friday 7th October 2011

A little pistol with an interesting past. Possibly the smallest item in the Museum small arms collection is a single shot Derringer style pistol, formerly the property of Lance Corporal Charles Nye, Machine Gun Corps. Chambered to fire a short .22 inch rim fire cartridge, this odd little weapon is of a type produced in huge quantities by the Belgian gun factories around Liege in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These weapons were cheaply and shoddily made and were ineffective at anything but point blank range, but had the advantage of being easily concealed. It was this aspect of the weapon which proved useful to two generations of the Nye family; firstly Corporal Nye’s grandmother, who apparently carried it in her stocking top for self-protection when out on her rounds as a midwife in the rough Wood Green area of London and secondly Charles Nye himself, who was given the pistol by his redoubtable grandmother on going to war in 1914. Corporal Nye was taken unfortunate enough to be taken prisoner, but managed to conceal the pistol in the liner of his helmet. Picking his moment, he later shot a guard and escaped together with another prisoner. After escaping, he was wounded in both legs and was invalided back to Netley Military Hospital near Southampton.

In Memory of Gunner Cyril Coles, M.G.C – a local man who was killed in action 95 years ago during the first tank attack in history… This photograph, which was recently discovered in the archives of Skinner Street United Reformed Church in nearby Poole, shows one of the 400 men who took a new weapon of war - the tank - into battle for the first time on 15th September 1916. Cyril William Coles was born at Canford, Dorset in 1893. The son of a corn miller, he worked with his father before enlisting in the army in 1916. As part of the Heavy Section, Machine Gun Corps, Coles travelled to France in August 1916 where he became part of tank D15’s eight man crew. On 15th September 1916, D15 along with almost 30 other tanks went into action for the first time near the French Village of Flers. As with a number of other tanks taking part in the attack, D15 was struck and disabled by enemy artillery. The crew baled out of the burning vehicle, but German machine guns were already directed at them. As Coles attempted to escape he was killed. He was just 23 years old. He was buried alongside his wrecked tank, but later in the war he was exhumed for reburial in at Bull Road Cemetery near Flers. The picture on the right shows another tank from D Battalion, D17, which was taken in September 1916. You can see the tank has been painted with a camouflage scheme. These schemes were later abandoned as the tanks were usually covered in mud anyway. The infantry surrounding the tank look tired. The fighting had been intense and the Battle of The Somme – of which this was a part – had already been in progress for over two months. The Tank Museum would like to hear from anyone with any further information about Gunner Coles; whether local history researchers or surviving relatives.

The Tank Museum has announced its programme of evening lectures for 2011/12. The programme includes talks from Murray Walker, the British Army’s most highly decorated frontline soldier, the author of Comic Book Charley’s War, a Hollywood Stuntman, along with two military historians profiling Monty & Rommel, and Hobart’s 79th Armoured Division respectively. The first lecture commences at 7.30 on Thursday 29th September and features author Peter Caddick-Adams describing the parallel lives of Monty and Rommel. Each lecture costs £10, with the exception of Murrary Walker's lecture which will be £12.50. However, by purchasing a season ticket for just £25 you can see all this seasons lectures. For full details on the speakers, dates and prices, click here or call our Ticket/Information line on Never Miss Out! Sign up for monthly updates from The Tank Museum, including our Tank Times newsletter. Sign up now, and like The Tank Museum!

[h=1]The Tank Museum is Recruiting![/h][h=2]Workshop Volunteer Manager[/h] Hours: 37.5 per week working 5 out of 7 days Annual Salary: £21,000.00 Funded by a development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, a vacancy has arisen in our Workshop Department for a Workshop Volunteer Manager to help develop our successful volunteer programme working with our designated collection of armoured vehicles. Key responsibilities: • Volunteer recruitment and inductions • Managing volunteer information and communication • Assist in workshop management • Providing supervision of weekend volunteers • Deputising for Workshop Manager • Scheduling work patterns and tasks in consultation with the Workshop Manager • Co-ordinating training for volunteers in both engineering skills and conservation ethics • Being involved in the practical hands on work and have skills commensurate with the conservation and restoration work required This is initially a 1 year post funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with a view to extending the position for a further 2 years following the successful outcome of our second stage grant. Download Role Profile. Download job application. Completed application forms should be returned to: Angela Batch, HR Manager, The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset BH20 6JG. Or emailed to: personnel@tankmuseum.org Closing Date : Friday 26th September 2011

In this picture, taken 93 years ago today you can see some of the crew of a MkV tank taking a closer look at a captured anti-tank rifle. The rifle is a German M18 Tank Gewehr. It fired a 13.2mm round designed to penetrate tank armour (which rifle and machine gun rounds could not do). Weighing 16kg, this single shot bolt action rifle would give an incredibly powerful recoil – and to stand any chance of success the rifleman would need to be within 100 metres of his target. Even then, halting a tank with one or two rounds would be a challenge. The majority of the crew are wearing standard serge service dress jacket, with their brown overalls beneath. They are all carrying respirators. The officer (kneeling) has his chain mail mask tied around his head (see last week’s Object of the Week), and seems to prefer wearing shorts! Demuin is today the site of a small British Commonwealth War Grave, with 40 Canadian and 3 British graves, and is 5km from Villers-Bretonneux which was the site of the world’s first tank versus tank battle.

Resembling a Medieval foot soldier’s kettle hat, the “Helmet, Steel, Mk.I” was the iconic form of headgear worn by the British soldier through both World Wars. Commonly known as the Brodie Helmet after its designer, John L. Brodie, the steel helmet was designed to protect soldiers in the trenches of the Western Front not from rifle bullets but from the horrific head injuries produced by Shrapnel shells exploding overhead. Widely used by all the protagonists during World War I, the Shrapnel round contained a quantity of lead bullets resembling musket balls together with a bursting charge. Its detonation can be likened to the aerial explosion of a Claymore mine. The Brodie Helmet was introduced to the British Army in the early part of 1916, almost a year after the French introduced their Adrian Pattern. Originally designated as “trench stores”, it was not until the summer of 1916 and the period of the Somme offensive that enough had been produced for helmets to become a personal issue to each soldier. The first Brodies were made from pressed mild steel, soon replaced by manganese steel, which was hard enough to resist the impact of a Shrapnel bullet. Other modifications included an improved liner with a shock-absorbing rubber “doughnut” in the crown and a separate rim. The liner was held in by a single copper rivet, which also passed through the chinstrap. This example from the Museum collection is finished in khaki coloured paint mixed with sand to reduce shine. A transfer on the front depicts the badge of the Machine Gun Corps, whose Heavy Branch was the predecessor of the Tank Corps. Internally the liner is missing apart from a short section of leather chinstrap and part of the felt padding of the crown. What appears to be a bullet hole is present in the top of the helmet. As there is no provenance attached to this helmet, we have no idea of its history, but can only hope that the last wearer was lucky enough to survive.

“Earliest Chieftain” Saved From Scrap The Tank Museum has added what is believed to be the oldest Chieftain tank in existence to its collection of armoured vehicles. The FV4201 Chieftain prototype (99SP23), built in 1959, was rescued from a scrap yard where it would soon have been broken up and lost forever. But the vehicle was spotted by someone with close links to The Tank Museum, who contacted staff to alert them to his discovery. The Tank, which was last recorded as having been a gate guard at Chertsey, had been sold to merchants who were unaware of its significance. Tank Museum Curator David Willey said; “On this occasion we were fortunate that we got there on time – and that the scrap dealers were both understanding and willing to help us.” With time running out for the aging machine, a `stay of execution` was negotiated, a deal completed, and the vehicle was released to The Tank Museum soon after. David said; “Whilst not necessarily fondly remembered by those that served on them, this is without doubt an important piece of Britain’s tank heritage – representing a significant step forward in design, manufacture and application." David Fletcher explains the history of FV4201 Chieftain prototype 99SP23: We believe that this tank is P6, one of the first six Chieftain prototypes to be built; production of prototypes was shared by Vickers-Armstrongs in Newcastle and the Royal Ordnance Factory at Barnbow, near Leeds. P6 was delivered to the Fighting Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (FVRDE) at Chertsey, Surrey in January 1960. Chieftain has always been regarded as Britain’s first Main Battle Tank, in that it fulfilled the roles of both medium and heavy tanks. It had many novel features although these were often disguised in prototypes. For example a Chieftain driver had a reclining seat so that he was able to lie on his back, when the hatch above his head was closed, in order to reduce the overall height of the tank and since the front of the hull was very streamlined, on account of this, a steel box was normally fitted to disguise this. The driver’s controls were modified to accommodate this so that he changed gear, for instance, with his left foot. The tank was armed with a high-velocity 120mm rifled gun which fitted into a narrow turret aperture with an internal mantlet, which again was quite revolutionary, as was the method of loading the gun, a projectile loaded first, followed by the charge in a fabric container and a very small cartridge case, inserted into the breech to set it off. The idea was that the charge bag would consume itself when it was set off so that there was no heavy brass shell case for the loader to dispose of. Chieftain was powered by a Leyland L60 multi-fuel engine which was adapted from a German design from the Second World War, an opposed cylinder Junkers Jumo aircraft engine originally designed for the dreaded Stuka dive-bomber. Unfortunately this engine, and the sophisticated gearbox/steering system was the source of many mechanical failures for much of Chieftain’s existence. Although our tank never entered regular service with the British Army it remained at FVRDE Chertsey and was used for a variety of experiments. For example in about 1965 it was adapted at FVRDE to drive under water. This was done by sealing all the hatches, totally enclosing the gun and turret in a huge rubberized cover and erecting a waterproof tower on top of the turret. This tower was large enough for the commander to climb up and down inside so that, when the tank was moving under water the commander remained above the surface, at the top of the tower, and guided his driver via a microphone. The tower also provided fresh air for the crew and a means of escape if anything went wrong. FVRDE had their own deep water testing tank although more realistic trials could be conducted in The Fleet, a stretch of sea water inside the famous Chesil Beach in Dorset.

No problems - in-fact I was just reading a transcript of a very interesting talk carried out by David Fletcher, the Tank Museums Historian. Many Thanks, Joel

And we are back on topic - please no more talk of Tiger Engines - its not relevant to this thread and for legal reasons Jack isn't keen on it being discussed on these forums. Many Thanks, Joel

At the risk of being gunned-down it looks like an M2 Rig. The side bits fold down - they can join up to make a bridge or a pontoon affair. They are now onto the M3 Rig, this is a picture of an M3 Rig: Cheers, Joel

Hello Dingo, I believe that "earlymb" simply wanted to highlight the usage of the 3D scanning technology that shows promise in the area of backwards engineering rare parts. Edit: Beaten too it by EarlyMB. Many Thanks, Joel

Hello Neil, Thanks for the information - I will pass that to our curator on Monday. Many Thanks, Joel

This is really interesting technology, I myself am just finishing a Software Engineering Degree and have seen this sort of technology at work. Also an interesting case-study. Cheers, Joel

Hello Neil, The workshops is operating with a very full schedule. Many Thanks, Joel

The Swiss Tiger 2 Restoration Team have a website here: http://www.koenigstiger.ch/index.html. Some more images here: http://www.ipms-bern.ch/restauration_koenigstiger.html Note: This website is in Swiss and will need to be translated unless viewed using Google Chrome (which translates websites for you). Many Thanks, Joel

I think we are drifting a little off topic - the original topic was discussing whether it was feasible for either of the Museums Tiger 2 exhibits to be restored to running order. Many Thanks, Joel

I shall get some information for the community on Monday. Edit: Regarding the Cromwell - it isn't part of the Museums Core running fleet - John Pearson may be able to shed some light on its current state. Cheers, Joel