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Land-ships / "Tanks"


Sabrejet
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Firstly, I know this article has a British angle. The tank was a British invention which made its debut in WW1 and was also used and built under licence by our American allies. Early American tankers were trained by the British and the British-style tank regiment insignia was adopted by the embryonic US Armored Corps. Indeed, the classic profile of the Mk1 tank was the standard US Armored insignia until the 50s. Therefore, I trust this thread will be allowed to stand accordingly? Thank you.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25109879

 

 

Lusitania_1917.jpg

 

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I think this topic also has a British angle. There is a French military officer who would disagree that the tank is a British invention: Captain Levavasseu. He proposed a "tank" to the French Army in 1903. The idea was, of course, rejected, but it none-the-less was essentially a tank. The later work to develop tanks during 1914-15 in both Britain and France was going on simultaniously, so I don't think your country can take sole credit. You did, at least, coin the term "tank"!

 

US tankers were trained by the British, but they were also trained by the French and by the US. There were multiple efforts going on to build the US Tank Corps both in Britian, France and the US all at the same time. The US also never built copies of British tanks, although we did copy the French FT-17, but none ever went overseas. The only tanks we actually used in combat in WWI were FT-17's and British Mark V's.

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