The Mk V Tank 'America' presented to Cornell University by the British War office as the "gift of a nation to a nation" had the WD no T9128 - what did the T represent? The tank also had the letters CS on the front horns.
The 'T' prefix is presumably a sign that the presentation was made sometime after the war when the War Office had introduced prefixes for different classes of military vehicles, including T for tanks. Interestingly the number T9128 falls in a sequence (T9096 - T9159) subsequently used for A13 Cruiser tanks.
The 'CS' brings me to a mystery I had intended to raise on this Forum! I attach a (post war) photo of tanks of 9th Battalion, two of which have a similar marking. I am baffled as to its meaning and would welcome the advice of more knowledgeable members.
Finally, Centurion, could I ask the source of your info about T9128, and whether you have any dates or other information? Or indeed a photo?
The presentation was made sometime post Aug 1918 as the tank in question has a provenance of having taken part in the battle of Amiens, its action is described by a British officer writing in a Cornell University yearbook. On the basis of the publication the presentation would most like to have been made 1919 or early 1920 at the latest. Photo enclosed Incidently your photo of I16 is interesting as it shows the additional roof vent fitted to some MkVs just behind the silencer
One thought that occurred to me was CS might mean Central Stores - a tank held in store before being allocated to a unit. Tanks no longer required by units were sent back to Central Stores for reallocation. It's only a thought - no evidence at all!
The name "America" must have been to please the crowds at Cornell. This tank served with 8th Battalion, so would have had an "H" name.
The following text might hold some clues Outwardly, the America is a great hulking shape of battleship steel. Its sides, despite the battles through which the tank has nosed its stubborn way, scarcely show the effects of the flying steel to which it has been subjected. It has never been cleaned since it came from the battlefield and still carries the soil of France in its crevices. Major C. L. T. Matheson of the Royal Engineers recently published a set of notes relating some of the experiences through which the America passed. Two of them follow: "On July 4, 1918, in the big attack with the Americans, which was so entirely successful, the tank started off a little before dawn, leading the infantry, and remained out all day in front of the attack. During the fight it destroyed several machine-gun nests and one trench mortar, besides killing a great many Germans. On its way back it was able to pick up several wounded Americans and Australians and convey them to the dressing station. "On August 8 it took part in the great counter-offensive against Amiens, which made such a successful advance and freed the country for many square miles, besides opening up the Amiens-Paris Railway once more. Numerous machine-guns were destroyed, and Germans attempting to fire were killed. Upon the tank's firing into a farmhouse, a large number of Germans ran out and surrendered. On this occasion the tank America took two hundred prisoners single-handed. It returned at the end of the day without casualties in spite of heavy shelling."
Just today I found a newsreel of this tank being loaded onto a ship for transport to the USA. The ship was the "Vardulia" of the Cunard line (the newsreel caption says "Varduliq", but this is wrong).
The newsreel can be found at www.britishpathe.com, film no. 458.34.
Interestingly the date the newsreel was released was 22 March 1926, much later than we supposed, unless there's been a typo.
