El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-20

I ONDON, Eng, Sept $50 many
l. celebrities have claimed to be the
inventor Of the wonderful tanks that
played so great a part in the winning
Of the war that even most people
have but hazy notions concerning the
origin and development OF the weapon
so dreaded by the German soldier
Now Sir Albert stern has lifted the
veil and has told the story Of how
the tank was born, and OF the uphill
fight with the authorities which was
necessary to SECURE It's adoption. In
the course Of a striking article. Sir
Albert traces the history OF the land
ship
1914 that the idea Of a great land
ship capable Of crossing the Rhine
was discussed Then came plans for
a superarmored car. and Mr.. Chur-
chill became Interested The result
OF his interest was the appointment
OF land ship committee
No government department would
consen ito house the new organiza-
ton. however. and so Sir Albert, then
a lieutenant in the r. n v r. took
office himself and thereby made NOR
tai enemies at the admiralty Eustace
D'Eyncourt was the chairman OF the
committee, and chad as his chief
Col CromptOn- Sir Albert stein was
secretary.
So rapidly did the committee work
that in August, 1915. Mr. Triton and
Lieut. Wilson had ready a fun size
model Of a tank. afterward known as
Little Willie"
Then came a series OF setbacks.
Manufacturers were no more favor
ably disposed to the new machine
than the admiralty and war office
had been, and there was great diff
Guilty In securing the necessary parts.
Sir Albert tells the interesting
story OF the evolution OF the name,
tank" In 1916 lit was suggested
that the name and ship" shoul be
changed for secrecy's sake Mr..
DEyncourt suggested water car
rier." In government offices commit
tees and departments are known b.
their initials. For this reason ! cen
sidered the proposed title wholly IN
suitable. and in our search for a
synonymo Gus term we changed water
carrier TO tank"
The first tank. Mother" was fin
ished on January 26. 1915, and was
tried in Hatfield park.
Col Swinton, who was acting as
assistant secretary to the committee
Of imperial defence, was interested
with the task Of raising and training
a corps TO man the tanks. The first
tanks were sent to France in Sep
TENDER, 1916, and were in action seven
months after the order for them had
been given.
How 1t Struck Tommy.
Sir Albert tells a good story OF
Tommy's impression Of the tanks ex-
pressed IN a litter to his family. Here
it is:
They can do up prisoners in bun
dies like straw binders, and, in addi-
ton, have an adoption OF a printing
machine. which enables them TO catch
the Huns, fold, count and deliver
them in quires, every 18th man being
thrown out a little further than the
others. The tanks can truss refrac-
tory prisoners like fowls prepared for
cooking, while their equipment rem
ders il possible for them to charge
into a crowd Of Huns, and. by shoot
ing out spokes like porcupine quilts,
carry off an opponent on each.
Though stuck up the prisoners are,
needless to say, by no means proud
barbed wire and turn it into muni-
tons. They turn over on their backs
and catch live shells in their cater
pillar feet, and they can easily be
as submarines
Even after the appearance Of the
tanks in action. the war office was
by no means favorably disposed to-
ward the newfangled weapon, and an
order for 1000 tanks was counter
Defies Lloyd George
Then followed a dramatic incident
Sir Albert went at once to Lloyd
George. then secretary Of state for
war He declared that he had heard
nothing OF the instruction. I told
him." says Sir Arthur. that I could
not stop the order now. He could
cancel my appointment, but he could
not possibly get me to cancel the
order.
Sir William Robertson. chief Of
starr then appeared and Lloyd