Armoured Warfare in the British Army 1914-1939

By Dick Taylor

Pen & Sword Military with the Tank Museum, Bovington, 2022

Bruce G. Sloan, Reviewer

Battle-Ready Mark-Series British Tanks

Armoured Warfare is not just about tanks nor is it a complete compendium of armored battles, but it is a review of the mechanization of the British Army up to World War II. As the author points out, “Whilst the British army had used motor vehicles prior to the outbreak of the First World War, it was this conflict that saw the mass introduction of motorized transport and the tentative use of armoured vehicles such as the armoured car and the tank.” Forward

The Royal Navy's Initial Armoured Car

The first use of genuine armored vehicles was in September 1914, by the Royal Navy! Charles Samson, an officer in the Royal Navy Air Service, based at Dunkirk, had three private automobiles fitted with machine guns & locally sourced steel plate. The effectiveness of these armored cars prompted the Admiralty to deploy additional cars, labeled First Admiralty Pattern. Following the Royal Navy’s success, in November the British army organized the Motor Machine Gun Service, using machine gun-mounted motorcycles & sidecars. .

In the meantime, US-made fully tracked Holt vehicles were being used by the British to haul heavy artillery. In September, Lt. Col. Ernest Swinton, RE, became convinced that a fully tracked fighting vehicle was required to break through the then static trench warfare, and he had the determination to battle the bureaucracy and unbelievers. Hence, he became the ‘father of the tank.’ 

"Little Willie"

In 1915 the ‘No. 1 Lincoln Machine’ made its first trial – and failed. Redesign produced ‘Little Willie,’ as a test bed for the new tracks. When the rhomboid track design was accepted, the prototype of the world’s first tank, nicknamed ‘Mother,’ was finally driven the first week of January 1916. The first ever tank gunnery event took place on the 20th. ‘Mother,’ being renamed HMLS (His Majesty’s Land Ship) Centipede, was demonstrated officially in front of Lord Kitchener.

"Mother"

Selecting, training & deploying crews in secrecy started before the first tank came off the production line. The new unit became the Heavy Section of the recently formed Machine Gun Corps, the first companies of which were deployed to France in mid-August of 1916.  The battle of Flers-Courcelette on September 15 saw the first 49 Mark I tanks to be pushed forward. Only 32 made it to their start point, and just 18 saw any useful action. Some were recovered and repaired for later use.

In April 1917 the Mark IV arrived in France [Mark II & Mark III were slightly improved Mark Is]. During this period, two other types were designed, the first being the ‘Whippet’, a faster machine gun-armed medium tank that would prove itself in the battles of 1918; the second, a Gun Carrier, was introduced as the world’s first self-propelled gun, but went no further. In April 1918, the first Americans were trained on the Mark IV & Mark V and would man these British tanks in the September assault on the Hindenburg Line.

Later tank action is briefly described in the book for the battle of Arras, in April 1917, and for battles through to the end of hostilities. A 1914-18 timeline is included, and the inter-war draw-down and fight to advance and improve the Tank Corps is described in detail.

Appendices include the mechanization of other British units such as the Royal Engineers and the Army Service Corps, while the Royal Artillery is described through 1939. Also covered are Regiments and Units; Gunnery; Communications; Major Tanks 1915-39 - listing all 27 types; and Armoured Car Units.  Armoured Warfare in the British Army tells the great story  armored machines of the British army and the principal men  who made them possible.

Bruce G. Sloan