Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-12-14
TANKS AN IMPORTANT
FAC TOR IN WAR NOW

LONDON, Dec. 13.-No one man or
one department of the British govern
ment can take credit for "inyenting"
the tanks-they came into being as
the result of a long period of study
and co-ordinated effort by many men
acting under three separate depart
ments, the War ONCE, the Admiralty,
and the Ministry of Munitions.
In the autumn Of 1914 when the
belligerents on the western front
had settled down TO trench warfare,
it became obvious that same means
of parrrying the danger Of well-di-
rected machine fire from the German
trenches must be discovered if the
English infantry was to carry out as
saults with success.
One of the first proposals put for
ward was for machine 100 feet long,
4e fec. high and so feet wide, weighing
800 tons, propelled by and 500 horses
power engine, and with driving wheels
A. feet in diameter Another early
suggestion, and the one which led
rlost directly to the tanks, was made
by Colonel Swinton in October, 1914,
tc build armored cars on tractor
system. an American invention. Ex-
Ecriments with various tractors were
made in behalf of the War Office and
by small expert committee of the
Admiralty under Winston Churchill,
then First Lord Through the medium
of the committee of Imepiral Defense
the various efforts for the solution of
the problem wereco-ordinated and
certain conditions were laid down
which had to be fulfilled by the pro-
posed car.
From among the numerous types
OF tractor inspected the most salts
factory was found to be caterpillar
with an endless self-laid track, over
which internal driving wheels could
be propelled by the engines.
In February, 1916, the first tank
was completed and taken down to
farm near London. Here pits, trench
es and ramparts had been construct
ed. The tests were so satisfactory
that an order was given on the spot
for 100 machines The Ministry or
Munitions became responsible for the
speediest possible construction of the
order. Many improvements were
made during this period of construc-
tion. and the first delivery was made
in July, 1916.
The new machines were Of two
slightly different types. One was call
ed the male type, and was armed with
two Hotchkiss quickfrers and sub
sidiary machine gun armament. These
were designed for dealing at close
quarters with the concrete complace>
ments of German machine guns. The
other Of female type, was armed only
with guns and was more suitable for
dealing with machine gun personnel
and rifiement.
At the end of July, 1916, the tanks
and their crews had become so pro-
fcient that it was possible to hold
two exhibition combats over a pre-
pared trench system reproducing a
line of German defense.
At the end of August, 1916, the
tanks were loaded at night and sent
to France. When delivered in France,
the tanks travelled at night, and dur
ing the day were covered with hu se
tarpaulin and strictly guarded.
The first tanks were all painted in
camoufage style for purposes OF
concealment, and each tank had its
own name, like a ship. A whole
series of them were named after vari-
ous drinks. soch as Cafe-au-Lait, Char
treuse Chamblis, Cognac, Champagne,
Creme de Menthe. Another series
bore names of Scotch clans, Clan
Cameron, Clan Ruthven, Clan Gordon.
Clan McTavish.
The tanks first went into action in
that portion of the Somme offensive
which began in September. The OBJ
iect was to drive the Germans out OF
scme high ground running east and
south Of Thiepyal The effect was as
eyhilirating no the British troops as
i. was dubfounding to the Germans.
1t is recorded that many of the Brit
ish infantrymen were so overcome
with laughter at their ungainly antics
that they were scarcely able to keep
with the procession.
There is no doubt that the element
CT surprise had much to do with the
extraordinary success of tie tanks
on their first appearance But the r
achievements proved that they had
more solid qualities than the gift Of
surprise. Later in the year tanks