The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-10-02
CLAIMS CREDIT
FOR ARMY TANK
British Captain Says Great War
Weapon Was invented by
Him in 1914.
GOT ORDERS FROM KITCHENER
Credit for Invention Has Been Claimed
In Many Quarters, Notably by Win
ston Churchill-Question in
Parliament.

London.-One of the few really new
weapons which the late war developed
was the tank Credit for this inven
ton has been claimed in many quar-
ters-notably for Winston Churchill
now colonial secretary, who was said
to have submitted it to Mr. Asquith on
January 5, 1915.
Now the Morning Post has come
| forth with claim for Lord Kitchener
and Captain Bentley, under whose
joint auspices, the newspaper asserts,
the first tank was produced. The con-
troyersy has come to light again
through the inability of Captain Bent
ley to obtain from the tanks award
committee Of the war Office any award
or compensation for his work.
The real story of the genesis of the
tank, according to the Morning Post,
is this.
On October 10, 1914, Captain Bent
ley had just returned to England from
abroad to offer himself for war serv-
ice. The next day he received a tele-
phone call from Colonel Fitzgerald
military secretary to Lord Kitchener,
directing him to report at the war Of
fee in Whitehall When he arrived
there he was taken to Lord Kitchener.
under whom he had served in South
Africa and to whom he was we'll
known.
Real Story Of Tank.
Kitchener, the story runs, greeted
him as follows:
Downstairs, in the quadrangle,
there's an armored car Woolwich has
made for me. It's the result of the
united brains of the army and navy
experts. We want it for this trench |
fighting which they've begun in |
France Go down, have look at it |
and tell me what you think about It,"
Captain Bentley and Colonel Fitz-
gerald inspected the car for about five
minutes and then returned.
'WellY' Kitchener asked.
Its no good for your purpose" Cap
tain Bentley said you can't take it
off a road"
Exactly said Lord Kitchener.
MY own opinion. Now, can you de-
sign me one of the right type? It's
Urgent. Let me have 1t tomorrow"
Captain Bentley, 1t might be men
Toned, was one of the pioneers of mo-
or transport He had driven automo-
)iles in sandy wastes and had devoted
considerable time to the attempt to
levelop types of motor vehicles suit
tble to rough and virgin country. He
vent home to work out the idea Of the
tractor as 1t would be ap-
)lied to an armored car.
On the evening of October %. Cap
ain Bentley went to Lord Kitchener's
louise in Carlton Gardens. AT the end
# three hours the two men, according
o Captain Bentley, had agreed upon
he basic principles of the tank.
At the close of the interview, Cap
ain Bentley mentioned that he pro-
'osed to go at once to the patent of
Ice and register his design.
wait" Lord Kitchener said. Are
on satisfied to leave this in my hands?
II look after you"
r Ind6 NltChener 10 DEAD.
Captain Bentley agreed. The next
7eek, however, he left for service in
,ussia. Upon his return to England,
e was almost Immediately recommis-
Ioned and sent to German East Africa
18th the mechanical transport service.
[ere he was wounded, finally return
ig to England in 1917.
Until this time he did not know that
re invention, which by then was
n0wn as the tank had ever been
tilted. What he did know, however,
as that Lord Kitchener had been
r0wned in June, 1915, and could not
i've his version Of the tanks origin.
DESTROYS Of knowing the official
lew Of the matter, Captain Bentley
i'd question asked in parliament.
he answer gave the credit for the in /
ention Of the tank to Winston .
hurchill, January 5, 1916, date
HIGH II Cantain RpntIQv'a claims no |