In Nov 1917 British tanks visited Canada One tank went first to Hamilton and then to Toronto. I thought I'd found an additional reference to this on a Canadian forum in the enclosed Newspaper account. But it doesn't refer to this - look at the date for example. Reading the article it appears to refer to a dummy tank. Stange that the dummy tank started in Hamilton and went on to Toronto - coincidence or did the later tour deliberately mimic the original?
Anyone got any info?
"This article from the Toronto 'Globe' describes a tank that took part in a parade in 1917.
The external dimensions are mentioned, so maybe someone could identify it.29 March 1917:
TANK WILL PARADE DOWN-TOWN STREETS Citizens Will See Engine of Destruction To-Day
SINISTER MACHINE
To-day the amazed citizens of Toronto may see, being propelled about the downtown streets a tank like unto those that helped win the victory on the Somme. This fearsome engine has been acquired by the Great War Veterans to aid in their campaign to get men for the 109th Draft. The tank is 35 feet long, 15 feet wide, and almost 15 feet high. It is an exact representation of the engine of destruction used by the British in France; it is armed with dummy machine guns in front and on each side with quick firers. Provided the machine guns can be obtained and the permission of the police the tank weighs eight tons it will be in operation to-day to show the people of Toronto what war is at close range. This tank was obtained from Hamilton, where the Recruiting League of that city has had it shown, and the 109th Draft snapped it up. Men were sent to the Ambitious City, and brought the monster to Toronto under its own power. The difficulties of transport were innumerable. Sometimes overhead bridges were too low, and the turret of the tank had to be removed in order to proceed. The roads were almost impassable in places, but nothing could stop the men of the 109th.
At Dixie the machine subsided in the mud, and it took hours of work yesterday morning to get it out, which task was, finally accomplished, and the tank was brought into Toronto in triumph, and placed in the barrack grounds of the 109th Regiment.
To see it moving at 15 to 20 miles an hour is a fearful and inspiring sight."
Given the problems they seem to have had moving an 8ton replica one wonders what happened when they had to do it with the real 30 ton thing in November.
