TANKS ARE HERE

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 95, 24 October 1941, Page 7

TANKS ARE HERE

Wellington Sees New Fighting Machines

VALENTINES DRIVEN THROUGH STREETS

The tanks are here ! Wellington citizens saw on Saturday some of the Valentine medium tanks which will form part of .the equipment of the Army Tank Brigade to be trained at Waiouru. Already encamped there are picked .men from all parts of New Zealand who will be trained by officers and n.c.o.’s who-*have fought in the Middle East armoured units.

The arrival of modern. equipment ha.brought new hope fin many allied coun tries. To New Zealand it has th; significance that its new army will have great speed and hitting power, that not only will trained tank fighters go overseas, but within the count 6’ there will be men who can meet an enemy on their own ground and with the latest armoured -equipment.

It is another step toward complete army mechanization within the conn try which had its start nearly two years ago, when some cavalry regi meats were mechanized and infantn regiments were motorized.

By special permission of the Mims ter of Defence, Mr. Jones, the Welling ton public, informed in advance b\ radio announcements were able to se< a few of the tanks driven along tin waterfront route. Lambton Quay and in the Parliament Buildings grounds

It was the first time New Zealander' apart from those who had been ovei sells, had seen the modern tank, excep’ in motion pictures and illustrations They were astonished at the speed and manouevrability of these fighting vehicles, and the. working of the arma ment with its complete arc of fire.

The tanks now. in New Zealand an not reconditioned : or second-hand. The. 1 are straight from the factory with tin names of workers from the districts m which they were built pencilled on out side parts a liands-across-the-oceai) message from the workers of one nation of the Empire to the fighting men ol another.

The type of tank seen on Saturday is that which forms the real punch ol an armoured brigade. Looking cum bersome, they can be turned "on a six pence’' at 25 miles an hour, dodge like a rabbit and attack static armament so swiftly and with so many zig-zags that the opposing forces are finable to bring

their pieces to bear. The tanks were inspected at Parliament buildings by Ministers of the Crown and will go to Waiouru to lake their place, with many others, in the new tank brigade.