LIGHT ARMY TANKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 6

LIGHT ARMY TANKS

ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY OFFICER AS INSTRUCTOR Five light tanks of the latest British Army pattern, the nucleus of a light tank section in New South Wales, were unloaded at Sydney recently from the motor-ship Port Wvndham. This type of tank has been specially developed in Britain to provide speed, ease in manoeuvring, protection, and hitting power, with a small crew. Its clumsy appearance is belied in action As soon as the machines were unloaded on the wharf they started off under their own power for the Victoria Barracks. They had a surprising speed, and slipped in and out of the traffic like any lorry. Technically the tanks arc claimed' to be as modern as any in the world.-, They left the factory in England iffMay. They weigh only four and a-lialf tons, have a speed of 30 to 35 miles an hour 011 good roads, can negotiate all but the most serious obstacles, and carry a crew of three, of whom two are gunners. The armament consists of on? Vickers machine-gun and one small gun using armour-piercing shells. The tanks are to be equipped in Australia with radio telegraph and telephone apparatus.

The machines were taken, to Australia by Major F. K. Brooke, of the lloyal Tank Corps. He will spend two years training permanent- officers, who aic eventually to become instructors