Tank Race Medal

[patrick Eggs]

First World War period unofficial handmade competition medal awarded to Dr.J Canovan for his part in a British Army (Heavy Btanch, Machine Gun Corps) tank race which took place on !0th June 1917.

He was the 2nd driver of the tank.

The medal is a French Franc coin pierced at the top rim for suspension,obverse design depicts ''the Sower'' by Roty, the original reverse design has been erased and competition details hand -engraved above and below a centrally placed image of first World War British tank.

Reverse text.'' Winner of Batt. Tank Tank Race June 10th. 1917'' (upper edge) "2ND LIEUT/ V. G .Sanders'' (above tank) '' 2ND Driver Dr J Canovan'' (below tank) ''M.G.C. HB no. 9 Crew (lower edge)

I have come across tank racing in a previous post , in the way of training, I wonder how many medals may have been awarded and I imagine that the total tank crew no. 9 may have also had one .

It would be of interest if we could find the crew list of that tank.

Did the race take place in England or France.

Any details of other such races.

Attatched images,under the terms of the IWM Non Comercial Licence.

Crimson Rambler.

[centurion]

I too have seen accounts of races in France

[centurion]

In F Btn Tank Corps diaries before 3rd Ypres

[NigelS]

This account of a race from A Company of Tanks by Mjr W.H.L. WATSON D.S.O., D.C.M. This race also took place in May 1917, but between the 10th & 27th (Watson gives previously that his battalion, 'D', didn't arrive at Waily until the 10th and later gives that he left on the 27th)

The great event of the month was the Tank Cross-country Race.
The course lay over a sunken road with steep and crumbling banks, across a mile or so of rough grass intersected by some slight trenches, over our old trench system, back again across the open and the sunken road, and home along a tape carefully laid out in curves and odd angles. Marks were allotted for style and condition as well as for speed. The sunken road was to be crossed where there was no recognised "crossing," if marks were not to be lost, and the tank had to take the tape between its tracks, twisting and turning without stopping and without touching the tape.
It was a gorgeous day. An excited crowd gathered in front of the tanks, which were drawn up in line. Officers walked up and down with fieldglasses, slung racing style. The form of the runners was canvassed, and bets were made freely. Ward's tanks were the favourites. Ward had taken the greatest care in selecting and training his crews. He possessed a few really skilled drivers, and on the evening before the race his tanks had done remarkably well in a private trial. Haskett-Smith had refused to interrupt his training. His crews were to drive over the course as part of their afternoon's exercises. We had practised immediately before the race, and my men were as keen as they could be. As some of my best drivers were away I did not hope to win the Company championship — even with my best drivers present, Ward's men would have been the toughest of customers — but I hoped with one of my two best tanks to win the first prize. The tanks started at minute intervals. The first tank took the sunken road with consummate skill. The second, looking for an unused crossing, tried to climb over a dug-out which caved in. One tank blindly fouled another, and they slipped to the bottom of the road interlocked and unable to move. The rest were well away. At the turning-post there was a marvellous jumble of tanks. One fellow could not get his gears in and blocked the road, but the rest managed to nose their way through, sweeping against each other.
As the tanks crossed the sunken road on the return journey you felt the driver brace himself for the final test. The tank would come forward with the tape between its tracks. At the first curve it would barely hesitate before swinging. Ward, bubbling over with excitement, watched the tank breathlessly. She was just going to scrape the tape. No, by heaven, she's missed it! Another tank might stop — the gears had not been changed cleanly — amidst the scorn of the spectators. Luckily, the driver inside the tank could hear nothing that was said.
I should have liked to relate how the tanks came crawling along sponson to sponson, and how my tank won, but I must in fairness confess that Ward's company won an overwhelming victory. My favourite did not even start. He had been sent in the morning to instruct some infantry, and when he came to the starting-post a little late in the day, his engine was so hot that he dared not compete.
I strongly advise some enterprising gentleman to buy a few tanks cheap, and stage a cross-country race over give-and-take country. There is nothing quite like it….

NigelS

[centurion]

I imagine that if it was found to be a useful training aid then all btns did it. The MK IVs seem to have been more mechanically reliable than the Mk I & II

[patrick Eggs]

Thanks for the information in the War Diaries I wiil have a look , I have had problems in finding my way around them,but many thanks.

Crimson Rambler

[Sidearm]

2/Lt V.G. Sanders served in F Battalion in July 1917. On 31 July 1917 he was the commander of "Feu Follet" of 2nd Section 16th Company F Battalion, whose crew number was F9 (which fits the information above) and serial number 2715, a Mark IV Female. However, this probably wasn't the tank involved in this tank race on 10 June. The reason is that at that time, F Battalion was using borrowed tanks for training. The Battalion didn't get issued with their fighting tanks until 16 June 1917.

Gwyn

[patrick Eggs]

Hello Sidearm.

The race on the 10th June, relating to the special medal award race, in the borrowed tanks any idea ,would that have taken place in England or France. ? as I am sure most of the tank stock would have been in France.

,But they would have had some at the trainig Depot's.

Many thanks for your information.

Crimson Rambler.

[Sidearm]

F Battalion were in France at that time. They arrived there in mid May 1917.

Gwyn

[delta]

The race took place at the Tank Driver Training school at Wailly; the Bn had moved there on 1 Jun and, to quote the war history:

Towards the end of the training period, a point to point cross country race was organised, Each section had a race over the course against time and the best crew and bus was selected to complete in the company race. Finally, on Sunday 9 June, the three companies competed in the finaal; 16 Coy was first with 2lt VG Saunders; 18 Coy second with 2LT H Pearson DCM, and 17 Coy third with 2Lt WD Howell"

[patrick Eggs]

Many thanks for the details of the race final,am correct to assume that the 17 Coy later became the Armoured Car Battalion.

Thanks again

Crimson Rambler.

[delta]

17 Company was later re-designated B Company of 6th Battalion Tank Corps

[Sidearm]

The Armoured Car Battalion was 17th Battalion.

Gwyn