Some Yanks and their Tanks.

[militariaone]

Greetings all,

I’m not really a vehicle aficionado, but these pictures came in an unrelated pile of militaria and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing them too. No dates/markings on the reverse of the photos, so location, unit, etc. is not listed.

Regards,

Lance

[delta]

Lance

Thanks for sharing

Mark IV is about the best I can offer

[centurion]

It's the British tank Britannia, a Mk IV which toured The USA and Canada (with a British crew) between October 1917 and January 1919 Britannia was unusual in that she was a Mk IV female but had a cab roof hatch, She also had that roller or bar behind the petrol tnank (which vanishes after she had an overhaul in Chicago in mid 1918). Between Dec 1917 and Feb 1918 she visited a number of US Army training camps (organised by a certain Col Eisenhower) and was in at least one instance photographed with US personnel standing on top. I would say that the photo in the OP was taken at Camp Dix in Feb 1918. The men in overalls are members of the British crew and can be recognised in other photos of Britannia on the tour

[Old Tom]

I am not certain but think that the AEF did not use British tanks on the Western Front. Much of their equipment was French but not all was operated by US soldiers I have in mind the 75mm field gun and the Renault light tank.

Old Tom

[Gareth Davies]

The Americans did use British tanks as well as French tanks. The extensive library has some information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Corps_of_the_American_Expeditionary_Force I am in the process of writing an article on the 301st's actions on 8 Oct 18 which I will share with the forum in due course.

[centurion]

I am not certain but think that the AEF did not use British tanks on the Western Front. Much of their equipment was French but not all was operated by US soldiers I have in mind the 75mm field gun and the Renault light tank.

Old Tom

The 301st operated British Mk V and V*s in a number of battles on the WF some of which tanks they took back to the USA with them after the war. Britannia was transferred to them sometime in 1919 when they were at Camp Colt but they appear to have expended her along with at least one Mk V* in later experiments with anti tank mines. One of their surviving Mk V* tanks is in the Patton museum

American soldiers operated Renault FTs in some numbers.

[Sidearm]

Excellent photos. Thanks for sharing.

Gwyn

[tanks3]

Chaps

There is a rather nice photo of this tank on a well known internet auction site under reference number 400763101403

Tanks3

[Old Tom]

One lives and learns. Many thanks

Old Tom

[trajan]

Not my field, but I've always associated Patton with the Renault - any evidence that he had any practical war-time experience with any British tanks?

Trajan

[Gareth Davies]

Not my field, but I've always associated Patton with the Renault - any evidence that he had any practical war-time experience with any British tanks?

Trajan

Posts #5 and #6

[centurion]

Not my field, but I've always associated Patton with the Renault - any evidence that he had any practical war-time experience with any British tanks?

Trajan

He appears to have had very little to do with the 301st but I think they nominally came under him but they operated very closely with the British Tank Corps and Brigadier General S D Rochenbach who was the commander of the US Tank Corps appears to have told 301 officers to treat requests from the British Tank Corps command as if they were orders from him

The 301 fought at Brancourt on the 8th Oct alongside the British 3rd and 6th Battalion in support of the American 59th Brigade, At Le Cateau 17th October and 23rd/24thOctober alongside the 10th 11th and 12th Battalions, forcing the German position on the Selle and one of their tanks was involved to defeating the last German attack of the war. Patton was mainly concerned with the US 304th Tank Brigade which had 2 battalions of Renault and 2 groups of Schneider tanks and saw action at St Mihiel Sept 12th 1918 and in the Meuse Argonne sector September 12th to Nov 1st They operated in company with French Renault, Schneider and St Chamond units.

[trajan]

Posts #5 and #6

Not quite me old fruit! Post 4 links to an article that only mentions Patton three times, each time in connection with light tanks (Renaults). Post 5 mentions a tank in the Patton Museum... And centurion's offering:

He appears to have had very little to do with the 301st ... Patton was mainly concerned with the US 304th Tank Brigade which had 2 battalions of Renault and 2 groups of Schneider tanks...

would seem to confirm Patton was with light tanks only

OK, I phrased my question on post 10 badly... Let's try again - "Is there any evidence that Patton had any practical in-the-field war-time experience with any British tanks?"

[Gareth Davies]

OK, I phrased my question on post 10 badly... Let's try again - "Is there any evidence that Patton had any practical in-the-field war-time experience with any British tanks?"

I haven't seen any evidence of Patton having that experience. I know he certainly spoke to us about how we used our tanks at Cambrai (and one could assume some other actions were mentioned in passing) but I have never read of him having served any time in and around Mk Vs.

[centurion]

One of Patton's responsibilities was to evaluate proposals for tanks to be developed for and/or acquired by the US Army and report on them to the US Army Tank Board in Paris. . In this role he reviewed (and wrote some scathing reports about) some pretty whacky ideas but it also involved him examining existing tank designs so that he would have a good idea of the capabilities (and otherwise) of the British Mk V and V*