42 replies to this topic

[egbert]

Where was tank L7 employed during the war? Is the fate of L7 which survived the war known?

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[17tankman]

Hi L7 was on peace keeping duties in Cologne in 1919.  The driver of L7 was 200585 Sgt H Emans formerly 2797 MGCHB.

I own his medals he was in C Batt and then later on 12th Batt.

Hope this helps

17tankman

Sorry forgot to say L7 the picture shown is a Mk V tank

17tankman

[egbert]

thanx tankman, yes the picture is taken in Köln 1919- I have some few more . Do you happen to know the whereabouts of the tank after Rhineland duties?

[17tankman]

Sorry no as the soldier who I have the info on was sent home and discharged.  Probably stayed in Germany for awhile I would have thought.

17tankman

[egbert]

Certainly for the time of the occupation tankman. It would be interesting though to know whether L7 was scrapped or later used as a memorial or display in the UK

[Drover]

I don't know about this particular tank but there is a note in "the Occupation of the Rhineland" that in 1925 "B Company tanks were broken up as unservicable after the training season". I suspect that this happened to most of them.
Regards
Drover

[egbert]

Hm Drover, than he is in deed history......
tankman the driver you own the trio of should be one of the lined up crew in front of L7 at Köln cathedral!

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[Sidearm]

One must be careful when using crew numbers (such as L7) to identify tanks, as a tank's crew number typically changed over time, as it moved between battalions and even during its time with one battalion.  Better to use manufacturer's numbers (aka serials), which stay the same whatever happens to the tank.

The tank you have the photo of was tank 9162.  This tank was a Mark V (as 17tankman has said) and was originally built as a Male.  It was issued from Central Stores to 4th Battalion on 17 June 1918.  It joined 4 Section of 4th Battalion and was commanded by a 2/Lt Leach.  It was disabled on 10 August 1918 and handed to salvage on 14 August.  It was then converted to a Composite or Hermaphrodite by the replacement of the port Male sponson with a Female sponson.  As has been said it was issued to 12th Battalion, serving in Cologne in 1919.  At some point it was transferred to 5th Battalion and is recorded as being E24 in Dusseldorf on 14 March 1921.  I have no later record of it.

Incidentally it features on British Pathe newreel 230.02.

I'm hoping that's enough information to entice you to post some more photos of it!

Gwyn

[egbert]

Wow what a wealth of information!!!

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[Drover]

Here they are.
The cameras were busy that day!

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[egbert]

whow, excellent pic drover. The following looks more like a tank funeral parade. Pic is taken from cathedral base, on to the ramp of Hohenzollern bridge, then a combined RR and street bridge connecting Köln with Deutz. Central RR station Köln is to the left of picture

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[Sidearm]

Thanks for the extra pics.  Of interest are the odd proportions of the white/red/white stripes on the front horns, the stripes on the upper surface of the rear cab, and that the cab hatch doesn't appear to be painted white and/or red, despite the fact that the white/red/white stripes overlap the top of the cab roof.  In fact I get the impression they were short of red paint.

Gwyn

[centurion]

Thanks for the extra pics. Of interest are the odd proportions of the white/red/white stripes on the front horns, the stripes on the upper surface of the rear cab, and that the cab hatch doesn't appear to be painted white and/or red, despite the fact that the white/red/white stripes overlap the top of the cab roof. In fact I get the impression they were short of red paint.

Gwyn

The thickness of the red stripe (or possibly the thickness of one of the white stripes) on the Port side varies in different photos. The red being thinner in the last photo in the thread than in the earlier one (possibly the white stripe being repainted?). The absence of stripe on the roof hatch might be merely the result of the hatch being replaced and no one bothering to paint it (after all no beutepanzers around in 1919 so no need for the recognition stripes).

[Drover]

Another view.

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[egbert]

same show

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[egbert]

In front of Köln Cathedral

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[Drover]

Different tanks but same place?

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[egbert]

I tend to say its the same event with all tanks the Coy had in its inventory.

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[egbert]

...

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[Drover]

Do you think that this was the event?

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[egbert]

Petain, I am absolutely sure. The pictures shown in this thread all document the same event to include the arrival and departure of troops to/from parade in Köln. It would be interesting to know where in/near Cologne the tank coy was stationed. They seem to come from the opposite side of Rhine River, a suburb named Köln-Deutz

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[Sidearm]

The thickness of the red stripe (or possibly the thickness of one of the white stripes) on the Port side varies in different photos. The red being thinner in the last photo in the thread than in the earlier one (possibly the white stripe being repainted?). The absence of stripe on the roof hatch might be merely the result of the hatch being replaced and no one bothering to paint it (after all no beutepanzers around in 1919 so no need for the recognition stripes).

That sounds quite plausible, but looking at the photo in post 21 it looks as though the cab roof isn't painted at all.

Gwyn

[egbert]

Another arrival from the opposite side of Köln/Rhine River . Either coming from Deutz or Mülheim.  There was another thread earlier about the Hacketau Kaserne in Mülheim where Brit troops were stationed in 1919

The tower in the picture is the watch tower of Hohenzollern bridge; right side bridge tram and general traffic, left side RR leading into Köln Main Station. The parade shown was conducted on the large plaza between cathedral and Köln Main Station

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[Drover]

A bit closer to the cathedral:

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[egbert]

I have a reference that the photos were taken on 19.7.1919. The occasion was the visit of General Foch. Now Foch vs Petain; pity that we do not have their diaries to cross check.....