The Devil's Chariots
Page 36
Air Cdre Charles R. Samson and his squadron took part in the Dardanelles campaign in 1915, strafing Turkish positions and replacing regulation 20lb bombs with his own more powerful version based on a 26-gallon petrol drum. He later commanded a steamer adapted as an aircraft carrier based in Port Said, and carried out reconnaissance and bombing operations until his ship was sunk by Turkish gunfire.
In 1917 Samson commanded an aircraft group at Great Yarmouth which shot down five Zeppelin raiders. He was nearly killed when his aircraft fell under a lighter on take-off from a makeshift platform at sea. His last appointment was as Chief Staff Officer, Middle East Command. He chose to retire early in 1929.
Gp Capt Tommy Hetherington was commissioned into the RAF on its formation in 1918. He was appointed CBE at Churchill’s instigation the following year for services to the landships. In April 1920 he was on the Technical Staff (Engines) as a Squadron Leader. In 1926 Hetherington, then a wing commander, was sent to Washington as Air Attaché. He moved to Rome in 1931 with the rank of group captain to take up a similar appointment before retiring in 1935. In a long career Tommy Hetherington had seen service with the cavalry, airships, heavier-than-air craft, armoured cars, the creation of the first tanks and had latterly become an aeroengine specialist.
Col Wilfrid Dumble RE left the Landships Committee in March 1915 to join Armstrong’s at their Openshaw gun factory. He improved productivity there before moving at Dudley Docker’s invitation to become the first Secretary of the new Federation of British Industries in 1916. Dumble later returned to active service, in Italy. His early services to landships were recognized with his appointment as CBE, probably on Churchill’s recommendation. He went home to Canada after the war, to command an artillery brigade. Dumble was subsequently Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4th Field Brigade, RCA, based at Cobourg, Ontario.
Brig Gen Henry Holden received a knighthood in 1916 and moved to the Ministry of Munitions as Director of Mechanical Transport Supply for British Forces. He was appointed Deputy Controller MT Supply the following year. When Churchill took over the Ministry his restructuring left no place for Holden save in a much reduced role as Technical Adviser, to which he was appointed in November 1917. Holden rejoined the BSA board after the war, resigning when the company suffered a catastrophic loss in 1931.
Shortly after the Armistice Philip Johnson had persuaded the War Office to release the commercial (but not military) rights to new track and suspension systems to the officers who had originated them while working on the Medium D. He formed Roadless Traction Ltd in March 1919 to sell licencing agreements for patents held by himself as managing director, and colleagues including Maj Harry Buddicum, Capt George Rackham and Lt Frank Shaw. They soon resolved to produce a crawler for heavy haulage in the Empire’s remote territories.
For years Roadless led track technology and innovation in agriculture and forestry. The Institution of Agricultural Engineers was founded in 1938 largely through Johnson’s foresight and energy. By the 1950s the company was turning to all-wheel-drive machines. When the big manufacturers eventually responded with their own models the market for Roadless declined. The company went into liquidation in 1983. Johnson was managing director for 40 years, remaining on the board until his death aged 88 in 1965.
APPENDIX 1
Principal British Tanks, 1916–18
Mk I Heavy Tank
The design brief from the army was for a tracked and armoured gunship proof against machine-gun fire, which could climb a 4ft 6in parapet and cross a 5ft trench. It had no troop transport role. The characteristic rhomboid hull differed little from the ‘Mother’ prototype, with all-round tracks and projecting gun sponsons set in the track frames on either side. There were four points of entry in the gun-carrying male tanks: a door in each sponson, a rear door in the hull, and an 18in circular manhole in the roof. The female type differed in having only a small oval manhole below the machine-gun sponsons which slowed escape and reduced the chances of crew survival, particularly in case of fire. Male types carried a naval 6-pdr Hotchkiss QF gun in each sponson, with the 40-calibre (89.76in long) barrel. Their arcs of fire converged at a point some 60yd ahead of the tank, running back approximately 121° on either side. The gun’s recoil distance in the cramped sponson was only 4in, the gunner standing to the left of the breech. The male version also carried four Hotchkiss portable machine guns for which a mounting was provided between the driver and commander, with additional ports in the rear door and in each sponson. Female types mounted a Hotchkiss machine gun in front for the commander, another optionally in the rear door, and two Vickers water-cooled MG in each sponson, each with a 120° traverse.
The engine and transmission as far as the differential’s half-shafts came straight out of Foster’s howitzer tractor, its gearbox giving two forward and one reverse speeds. At the end of each half-shaft a two-speed secondary gearbox in the track frame transmitted drive to the respective tracks via a heavy roller chain and pinions meshing with the track driving sprockets. The original tractor gearbox could not have moved 28 tons on its own without disintegrating, hence the secondary gears, each operated by a gearsman on the driver’s instruction, giving him four forward and two reverse speeds in all. A track brake on each of the secondary gears was operated by the commander seated next to the driver. It thus took four men – half the crew including their leader – to drive the weapon. A 1.5-ton steel-framed steering tail between the projecting rear track frames or horns added 6ft to overall length. It was set to pivot fore and aft and carried two 4ft 3in iron tractor wheels on stub axles at its rear end which were steered on the Ackerman principle, controlled by the driver via cables to a hand wheel in his cab. In steering mode, powerful coil springs from the tank ‘lifted’ the fore end of the pivoting frame and so exerted an opposite downward force on the flanged wheels at its rear to maintain grip over rough ground. The tail could be raised hydraulically to project rearwards as a balance counterweight when breasting a steep rise, and to avoid nose or tail dives when trench-crossing.
Construction was apportioned between Foster’s and Metropolitan by mutual agreement. Foster’s had limited production capacity, and when a further fifty tanks were ordered, it secured only five, with a further seven going to neighbouring Robey & Company. These were transferred to Foster’s when Robey’s made little progress.
Origination
Design began: 24.8.15
Designed by: Lt W.G. Wilson and W.A. Tritton
First builder: Wm Foster & Co., Lincoln
Prototype build started: 28.10.15 ‘Mother’
Prototype completed: 13.1.16
First series production machine completed: 7.6.16
First trials, ‘Mother’ prototype
14.1.16 initial run on Poppleton’s Field, Lincoln
20.1.16 live firing, Burton Park, Lincoln
29.1.16 official trials began, Hatfield Park
WD serial numbers
Male: 701–775
Female: 501–575
6in yellow letters on each side of hull
Metro’s 555 (female) was experimental
Outline Specification
Crew: 8
Commander
1 driver
2 gearsmen
4 gunners
Armament
Male: 2 x 6-pdr 40 cal. Hotchkiss QF, 4 Hotchkiss MG
Female: 2 Hotchkiss MG, 4 Vickers MG
Engine
Daimler-Knight 6-cyl. sleeve valve 105hp
hp per ton: 3.75hp
Est’d endurance: 6.2 hrs
Max speed: 3.7mph on level
Transmission
Primary box: 2 forward and 1 reverse
Secondary gears: 2-speed to each track
Dimensions
Length with tail: 32ft 6in
Length without tail: 26ft 5in
Width: 13ft 9in
Height: 8ft 0.5in
Track width: 20.5in
Fighting weight etc.
Male: 28 to
ns
Female: 27 tons
Max trench crossing: 10ft
Mk II Heavy Tank
Shortly after the Mk I tanks first saw action at Flers on 15 September 1916, the army declared the new weapon useless for further operations in its then state of development. Preparations for assembly of Mks II and III were too far advanced to cancel. They were assigned for training only, most if not all being plated in unhardened steel which was not bullet-proof. Some sets of a second ‘skin’ of armour had been made up for bolting to the sides of the Mk II machines as a shell-burster at Capt Tulloch’s urging, but were not fitted. Steering tails were abandoned, having proved to be of little practical value and too vulnerable to battle damage. Most improvements were held over to Mk IV because to introduce them would have interrupted production. Modest changes incorporated in Mk II included the narrowing of the driver’s turret to allow for tracks to be widened from 20.5in to 26.5in at a later date, an extra 2in of idler adjustment was provided to take up track stretch, and a wedge-shaped roof hatch with protected vision replaced the flush circular manhole. External angle-iron surrounds were fitted progressively to vision shutters and weapons ports to deflect bullet ‘splash’ and minimize its entry into the crew space.
Origination
Design began: February 1916
Designed by: Lt W.G. Wilson
First builder: Wm Foster & Co., Lincoln
Build started: c. Dec 1916
First tank completed: early January 1917
WD serial numbers
Male: 776–800
Female: 576–600
Outline Specification
Crew: 8
Commander
1 driver
2 gearsmen
4 gunners
Armament
Male: 2 x 6-pdr 40 cal. Hotchkiss QF, 4 Hotchkiss MG
Female: 2 Hotchkiss MG, 4 Vickers MG
Engine
Daimler 6-cyl. sleeve valve 105hp
hp per ton: 3.75hp
Est’d endurance: 6.2 hrs
Max speed: 3.7mph on level
Transmission
Primary box: 2 forward and 1 reverse
Secondary gears: 2-speed to each track
Dimensions
Length: with tail 32ft 6in
Length: without tail 26ft 5in
Width: 13ft 9in
Height: 8ft 0.5in
Track width: 20.5in
Fighting weight etc.
Male: 28 tons
Female: 27 tons
Max trench crossing: 10ft
Mk III Heavy Tank
All Mk III were designated for training and all or nearly all were plated in unhardened steel, though side plates were increased from 8mm to 12mm thickness. A late decision to replace all MG with Lewis guns was partly implemented. Lewis guns replaced the two Vickers MG in each ‘female’ sponson, enabling the sponson to be reduced in size with much improved escape provision beneath. The sponsons still had to be removed for rail movement. Almost the only visible difference between Mks II and III was a rearrangement of the vision slits in the front of the driver’s cab.
Origination
Design began: February 1916
Designed by: Lt W.G. Wilson
First builder: Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd
First tank completed: January 1917
WD serial numbers
Male 801–825
Female 601–625
Outline Specification
Crew: 8
Commander
1 driver
2 gearsmen
4 gunners
Armament
Male: 2 x 6-pdr 40 cal. Hotchkiss QF, 4 Hotchkiss MG
Female: 2 Hotchkiss MG, 4 Lewis MG (sponsons)
Engine
Daimler 6-cyl. sleeve valve 105hp
hp per ton: 3.75hp
Est’d endurance: 6.2 hrs
Max speed: 3.7mph on level
Transmission
Primary box: 2 forward and 1 reverse
Secondary gears: 2-speed to each track
Dimensions
Length: 26ft 5in
Width: 13ft 9in
Height: 8ft 0.5in
Track width: 20.5in
Fighting weight etc.
Male: 28 tons
Female: 27 tons
Max trench crossing: 10ft
Mk IV Heavy Tank
Mk IV was a modest upgrade of previous types, more ambitious improvement still being impossible without halting tank production. Innovations included the shortening of the 6-pdr gun barrels from 40 to 23 calibres to reduce a tendency to dig into the ground if the tank heeled over; introduction of retractable sponsons for rail movement, relocation of fuel storage from inside the driver’s cab to externally at rear for greater crew safety, and capacity increased from 46 to 70 gallons; and replacement of fuel gravity feed with a (troublesome) pressurized fuel feed. Petrol was now filtered at the fuel tank end rather than at the carburetter, resulting in scale in the fuel pipe entering the latter. As no immediate widening of the track was feasible, extension spuds were clamped to every fifth or ninth track shoe to project as a flat plate 4 or fiv5e inches beyond the 20.5in shoe for added grip and reduced ground pressure. The spuds collected barbed wire, however, which could completely seize the tracks and halt the tank; 26.5in shoes were fitted later on. The Lewis gun replaced Vickers and Hotchkiss machine guns, but its barrel jacket was vulnerable to battle damage and it was in turn replaced by an improved Hotchkiss towards the end of Mk IV production. A 125hp Daimler engine was installed later but the type remained underpowered. There were several tank tender and supply tank derivatives, principally Mk IV machines fitted with large box-like stowage sponsons in 6mm armour plate in place of the fighting sponson. A single Hotchkiss MG was mounted ahead of the driver.
Origination
Design began: October 1916
Completed: December 1916
Designed by: Maj W.G. Wilson
First builder: Wm Foster & Co., Lincoln
First tank completed: March 1917
First trials
Developed from earlier marks so never tried as a new type
WD serial numbers
Male: 2001–on
Female: 2501–on
2066, 2792 (Female) were experimental
Later series: 4000, 6000, 8000
4616–4646 all Female; 4066 Male
Outline Specification
Crew: 8
Commander
1 driver
2 gearsmen
4 gunners
Armament
Male: 2 x 6-pdr 23 cal. Hotchkiss QF, 4 Lewis MG
Female: 6 Lewis MG
Note: Lewis in M and F types were replaced by Hotchkiss MG from c. July 1917
Engine
Daimler 6-cyl. ‘vertical’ 105hp
hp per ton: 3.75hp
Est’d endurance: 9.5 hrs
Max speed: 3.7mph on level
Later fitted Daimler 125hp
Transmission
Primary gears: 2 forward and 1 reverse
Secondary gears: 2-speed to each track
Dimensions
Length: 26ft 5in
Male width: 13ft 6in
Female width: 10ft 6in
Height: 8ft 2in
Track width: 20.5in (later 26.5in)
Fighting weight etc.
Male: 28 tons
Female: 27 tons
Max trench crossing: 10ft
Mk V Heavy Tank
Mk V was similar to its predecessors in general appearance, but Maj Wilson’s handbraked epicyclic gears on each end of the cross shaft revolutionized the final drive. Their constant mesh removed the need for clutched secondary gears and permitted one-man control for the first time, as well as bringing much improved manoeuvrability. The commander was no longer also the brakesman, and the two secondary gearsmen were released to become tank gunners. Engine power was increased with Harry Ricardo’s purpose-built 150hp tank engi
ne, the rear door was fitted with a much needed machine-gun mounting, the rear turret was enlarged, and there were lesser improvements covering mud clearance from tracks, the means of escape, observation and storage. The shortcomings of the Lewis gun resulted in the re-adoption of the Hotchkiss machine gun as standard. 26.5in track shoes were later tried before reverting to 20.5in shoes. Ventilation in the V series was notoriously poor. Whereas earlier tanks drew air for the radiator through the open crew space, in Mk V it was ducted all the way from a grill intake in the rear to the radiator and thence to a vent. The exhaust manifolds only inches from the men glowed red hot and temperatures of 120° Fahrenheit were recorded. Crews were considered unfit for duty for 36 hours after being closed up for action for eight or nine hours at a time. Some improvement followed the fitting of a cowling around the manifold through which air was fan-driven to vent through the roof. However, Mk V was an outstandingly successful fighting machine. Metropolitan’s Birmingham factories at Oldbury and Saltley were cleared of work on other tanks, principally Mk VIII, in June 1918 and production of the Mk V series remained concentrated there.
Origination
Design began: 24.9.16, but detailed design only got going in May 1917 when the army’s specification was finalized.
Designed by: Maj W.G. Wilson
Sole builder: Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd
First series production tank completed: 11.1.18
An experimental machine was in existence in September 1917
First trials
Urgency precluded lengthy trials. The first machine began short trials mid-January 1918 at the Dollis Hill tank experimental ground
WD serial numbers
Male: 9001–9200
Female: 9251–9450