Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-22

TANK IS result
OF MANY BRAINS
Need Was Apparent Early in
War and Two Years Were
= Spent in Evolving 1t
m, Asso.is.4l P.ssIl

,
can take credit for "inyenting" the
tsnks--they came into being as tne
result Of long period OF study and
coordinated effort by. many men aet'
ing under three separate Department.
the war office, the admiralty ana tne
ministry OF munitions.
In the autumn of 1914 when the Oe.'
userents on the western front mao oet,
tied down To trench warfare, II pecaine
obvious that seine means oil paIr!InS :,
the DANGER OF well directed and wen
protected machine gun tlre rom tns
German trenches must be olscoNeieu
Il the English infantry was 10 CARY
out assaults with success. .,
:. one of the first proposals put loI'
xsrd was for a machine 100 feet IONS
ss feet high and 50 feet wide. ~elgn'
ing sorne 800 tons, propelled oy sD
see horseuower engine, and with dri''
ing wheels I0 feet in diameter AN
rther early suggestion, and the one
mich led most directly to the 1anks'
was made by Col. SEiuton IN oc'ooo, !.
1914, TO build armorcd cars On =
tractor system, an American lhven
tier. Expariments with various tract,
oTs we're made on behalf OF the wat
office and by small expert commlt'
80 a. the admiralty under WINSTON
1rehfll. then, first lord. Tnroasn
lie medium OF the committee OF im'
neriai defense the various efforts Ior
~ solution of the problem were co
ordinsted, and certain eonal'io III
were laid down which had 10 DC iu'
filled by the proposed car. :,
From ameng the numerous types ~
tractor inspected the most satisfactory
vas found TO be a. caterpillar Witn
an. endless self.laid track, over winch
internal driying wheels could De pro
PEELED by the engine.
In February, 1915, the first TANK
was completed and taken down 10 a
farm near London. Here pits, trencnes
end ramparts had been constructed.
The tests were 20 satisfactory that an
order was given on the spot Tor Ivy
machines. The ministry Of munitions
heearne responsible for the speedlesl
peEsibIe construction Of the order
Many improvements were made dur
irr this period of construction. ano
the first delivery was made IN suiy'
1916.
ne new machines were Of two
siifhtiy different types. One was
called the male type, and was armed
with two Hctchkiss quickhrers and 9
sslbsidiary machine gun armament
These we're designed for dealing at
close quarters with the concrete en-
PLACEMENTS Of German machine guns.
The other or female type, was armed
only with machine guns and was
more suitable FOR dealing with ma
chine gun personnel and riflemen.
Al the end Of July, 1915. the tanks
and their, crews had become 90 pro.
ficieut that Il was possible to hold
two exhibition combats over Q pre-
pared trench system reproducing
line OF German defenses.
Al the end Of August so tanks werc
loaded at night and sent to France.
when delivered IN France the tanks
only Travelled ct night, and during the
day were covered with q huge tar.
psuiin and strictly guarded.
The first tanks we're all painted IN
csrnouflage style for purposes Of con.
icSalment, and each tank had its own
name. like q ship. A whole series Of
them were named after various drinks.
such as Cafe an Lait, Chartreuse. Cha
bis. Cognac, Champagne, Creme de
Menthe. Another series bore names
or Scetch clans, Clan Cameron, Clan
Ruthyen. Clan Gordon, Clan McTay.
fish.
The tanks first went into action IN
that portion Of the Somme offensive
which began on September Is. The
object was to drive the Germans out
Of some high ground running east
and south OF Thiepyai. The effect
was as exhilarating on the British
troops as IT was dumbfounding to the
Germans. It Is recorded that many
OF the British infantrymen were so
oyercoms with laughter at their UNI
calmly aatics that they were scarcely
abie to keep up with the procession
Thers Is mo doubt that the element
on surprise had much TO do with the
extraordinary success of the tanks on
their first appearance. But their
achievements proved that they had
more solid qualities than the gift Of
surprise. Later In the year tanks
we're sent out to Egypt and were in
action At GAIA.