HITCHIN TANK

[centurion]

I don't think photo was altered,although there is that possibility

appears to me that HMLS was painted on as a lark???

The early tanks were often referred to as His Majesty's Land Ship followed by the tank name

[swinehund]

The Hitchin tank stood in the Fishponds road end of Butt’s close with 2 guns (models unidentified). It was presented to the town in October 1919 because of the town’s substantial contribution to war funds. It was delivered from the railway station in the town to its location on Butts close via the Boys’ Grammar School (currently Hitchin Boys’ School and were I go to be educated) by its driver and a number of army officers under its own steam (and that’s a fair way).

The tank was “Fearless”, produced in mid-1917 and initially serving in the Sixth Tank Battalion near the Ypres Salient before transfer south as one of the 476 tanks which took part in the Battle of Cambrai. It was part of the Third Corps of the Third Army and as such was one of about 80 tanks which were to advice with the 29^th division to take the Canal De L’Escaut (which is between Masnieres and Marcoing). Fearless was in the second line of 12 tanks which were deputised to secure the bridges and the canal beyond Masnieres. The bridges having been taken, the Fifth Army Cavalry Division was to sweep across them to outflank Cambrai to the East.

At 10 am on November the 20^th the great advance began. The first mass tank attack to the enemy by surprise and by 10.30 most of the Hindenburg reserve lines being taken meaning the 29^th division was moving through the captured ground and the 12^th and 20^th divisions with the 12 tanks as pathfinders with a Brigade of the 29^th for close support at its head. By mid-day the advance had moved some 3 to 4 miles and the tanks were in Les Rue Vertes on the Southern side of the Escaut river.

As you can see from the photograph Fearless is a Male tank, meaning it was carrying 2 6lb Hotchkiss guns, with 200 rounds of ammunition. By this stage the tank had accordingly expended all of this arsenal towards small parties of Germans at approximately 1,800 yards range. During this time the tank was attacked by snipers so apparently there were bullet ‘splashes’ all along the hull of the tank which were plain for the Hitchin folk to see.

However such was the success of the British advance that the Germans withdrew and in doing so blew the canal bridge which was of course Fearless’ objective. The tank in the first line of attack attempted to cross the damaged bridge but fell into the water below- apparently all the crew miraculously survived. Fearless, under the command of 2^nd lieutenant Pearson moved forward to attempt another crossing.

As it did so the right hand gear, which controlled the track of the tank, jammed causing the tank to swing to the right thus blocking the bridge. Two of the crew were killed instantly from gunfire and the others were unable to fix the tank on their own relying on the third line tank to tow the tank to a safer position.

The destruction of the Masnieres Bridge was a serious set-back and one of the major factors in slowing down and finally stopping the British attack. By the end of November the Germans had largely consolidated and mounted counterattacks which forced the British to retreat. Thus ended fearless’ operational history and moment of glory. However its military life was not over and in the Second World War the tank was sold for scrap along with the two guns of Butts close.

[Sidearm]

Unfortunately, although the Hitchen tank was known as "Fearless" and there was "Fearless" at Cambrai, it's a bit of a leap of faith to assume they are the same tank. Slightly oddly, although the tank at Cambrai was a Male and the Hitchen tank appears to be a Female, the Hitchen tank is in fact a Male with Female sponsons. (It's also a Top Tower). So I can't rule it out on such straightforward grounds, but I'd need a bit more evidence to believe it - such as evidence that the Cambrai "Fearless" wasn't captured by the Germans after it broke down but was instead recovered and repaired by F Battalion without it being passed to a Salvage Company.

Gwyn

[Gareth Davies]

There was a tank called "Fearless II" at Cambrai, F26. Swinehund, where did you find out the Comd's name (Pearson) from?

[swinehund]

I have no primary evidence as such, merely 2 or 3 articles from the archives of Hitchin museum from the local paper- journalists, never trust 'em!

[centurion]

There was a tank called "Fearless II" at Cambrai, F26. Swinehund, where did you find out the Comd's name (Pearson) from?

It would seem unlikely that there was both a Fearless and a Fearless II at 1st Cambrai. It's possible that the survivors of Fearless were allocated a replacement tank later that became Fearless II or that the Fearless knocked out at the bridge was in fact Fearless II and the original Fearless was lost before Cambrai. As F26 was the crew number then its likely that both Fearless and Fearless II bore the same number. The 6th Batn was not at 2nd Cambrai

Unfortunately the crews that delivered the presentation tanks were not above telling stories that "bigged up" the tank they were delivering and these were duly noted down and filed as bone fide by the local journalists (thus for example several tanks, including the one at Ashford, became "the tank that helped the Canadians take Vimy Ridge" even though no Mk IVs took part in this action!). This story telling is not unusual - in one interview in the USA a sergeant from the crew of Britannia tells an American paper that he was in the tank at Loos and Arras (Tanks had not been produced in 1915 and only MK I and IIs were at Arras!)

[maxi]

Hitchin currently has a Great War Exhibition at the British Schools Museum, and here is a mention of the tank which once stood in the town.

 

https://www.hitchintv.co.uk/portfolio/mark-iv-tank-in-hitchin-town/

Edited 5 June , 2018 by maxi
Fat fingers

[stripeyman]

The replica tank is far too short, looks o'ribble.......

[Andrew Upton]

4 hours ago, stripeyman said:

The replica tank is far too short, looks o'ribble.......

 

Absolutely agree - it was built to be used in the film version of The Magic Flute, and was restricted in weight and size to fit the soundstage it was used on. I worked with it when filming Finding The Fallen, and it doesn't look too bad from an angle, but dead on from the side...

 

https://postimg.cc/image/j9speqqh7/

 

[Gareth Davies]

I have met the team behind the Magic Flute tank, they are a really good bunch, but I agree with stripey and Andrew, it is a little bit 'sub-optimal'.