First of all, I have to start by thanking one of you, but I'm not sure who...
Someone posted a link to an excellent website I'd not seen before with buckets of photos of preserved AFVs. Unfortunately I can no longer find that post! So whoever you are - thanks very much indeed.
One of the photos on the website showed the inner face of the rear door of the Medium A preserved (if that's the right word) at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. It seems that this was somewhere where Medium A serial numbers were sometimes painted - it can be seen in this position on the Medium A preserved in Brussels. There appears to be a number in the same position on the APG Medium A, though painted vertically rather than horizontally as in Brussels. You can see for yourselves at:
http://svsm.org/gallery/whippet/IMG_3712
The number is something 84 - I'm reading it as 284. If it is the tank's serial number it can only be that or 384 and I know that 384 was sent for salvage in October 1918 so that seems unlikely.
My last record of 284 was that it belonged to C Coy 6 Battalion on 11 August 1918.
Has anyone any idea how this Whippet ended up in the USA? And can anyone confirm I'm not seeing things?
Hi Gwyn, Just been having a look at the picture and it is definately 284, however in another picture (29) there is a 3 figure number,near the header tanks, which is different. No Idea as to how it got to APG though. Paul
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Hi Gwyn, over the wooden box there also appears to be a 3 figure number with an M over the top, Am I seeing things?... none of these numbers seem to be at all similar perhaps there is some other explanation.....
Thanks for the replies. It was the position on the inside face of the rear door and this number, which is a possible serial, that struck me. I did notice some other numbers in odd locations that I can't explain but they aren't in positions I'd associate with a serial and don't appear to be in the right format. I need to study the photos more closely - haven't had time yet. But knowing more of the history of this tank would certainly help.