THE "TANK" ORIGINATOR.

Northern Advocate, 23 October 1919, Page 1

THE "TANK" ORIGINATOR.

RIVAL CLAIMANTS

LONDON, Oct. 21

During the sitting of the Tank Commission inquiring into wiio is entitled to the bounty for their invention, L. E. Demole, an Australian corporal, made :t claim in connection with a steering chain-rail tank, of which he submitted a model to the War Office in 1912. They declined to take over the invention. Demole said that his expenses had been heavy.

Demole said that he realised the ad vantages of the chain-rail system while engaged in heavy transport work in West Australia in 1911. When the War Office returned his documents in 1912, stating that it was not further experimenting with chain-rails, his friends urged him to submit models to the Oermans. He refused owing to the likelihood of their being enemies. He unsuccessfully submitted fresh plants to the War Office in 1915. He thought his own invention bettor than the pic .sent tanks in view of their ability to go backwards, and the steering gear. His models, etc., cost him £1000.

.Mr Justice SSargant said that the claim might be doubtful because it did not mature into the present invention, but the Commission was obliged for evidence showing how the general idea originated.—A. and N.Z.