Landships II

jagjetta · Brigadier

Tank T-9128

PDA · Legend

There was a film of this tank being loaded onto a ship. The blurb with the film said the tank was on its way to Stanford University in the USA, where it was to form part of a memorial to that university's fallen. The film was on British Pathe's site, but I cannot find it now.

Hope this helps a little. I'd be very interested in your findings.

Gwyn Evans · Legend

9128 (later T9128) was a Mark V Male. The first reference we have to it is when the tank was drawn by C Company 8th Battalion Tank Corps at Poulainville Railhead on 20 June 1918. By 4 July 1918 it was H57 of C Coy 8th Bn and was commanded by Lt RE. HARRAP.

On 15th July 1918 it was part of a Composite Company of 8th Bn at Vauvillers and was commanded by 2/Lt JN. GOODGE. It fought in the Battle of Amiens as H57 of C Company 8th Bn when it was commanded by Lt RE. HARRIS; the tank rallied. On 21 August 1918 it was at Buchanan Wood still as part of a Composite Company of 8th Bn and commanded once again by 2/Lt GOODGE. The last wartime entry for it is dated 29 September 1918 with details as before.

Post-war it was used by Tank Corps Central Schools (hence the CS marking on the horns), Bovington. It was loaded onto the Cunard ship "Vandalia" at King George V dock, London on 18 March 1926 and shipped to USA where it was presented to Cornell University. (The loading of the tank onto the ship was filmed and can be seen on the Pathe News website).

What eventually happened to it I don't know. I imagine it was scrapped at some point - perhaps someone can fill that in for me? I would also like to know why Cornell University wanted a tank, and why the British presented one. I have never seen a photo of it actually at Cornell - only in transit. Can someone find one?

Gwyn

jagjetta · Brigadier

Gwyn and PDA, thank you so much! Very interesting stuff and a very thorough history of T9128 I have another photo of a tank being loaded on a ship (a press photo). I had not realized it but I suspect this is the same tank. The caption on the back reads,

"Tank, "AMERICA" Presented to Cornell University.
New York...Photos shows the 30 ton tank, battle scarred from innumerable battles of the World War being removed from the S.S. Vadalia, by means of hug cranes. The tank was originally presented to the British by New York people, and due to the efforts of Major Louis V.[sic] Seaman, is being returned and will be placed at Cornell University, the Major's alma mater, as a war relic. R4-7-26"

Louis Livingston Seaman, an 1872(!) graduate of Cornell served in the Spanish-American War and on the Mexican Border before joining the American Volunteer Ambulance Corps in 1914. He served in France and was wounded at Verdun. He was awarded the Crown of Leopold Order.

PDA · Legend

ah yes, my alzheimers has confused Stanford and Cornell. Thanks Gwyn.

Here's the film:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=25728

-- Edited by PDA on Saturday 26th of June 2010 06:34:41 PM

LincolnTanker · Commander in Chief

T-9128 arrived at Ithica on the 10th April 1926, shipped by Cunard at no cost.

Google the following to find 5Mb pdfs -�"Cornell University "� "major seaman" tank

Excerpt from one pdf found.
Tank for CornellMajor Seaman Obtains Fighting Machine as War Trophy for University

Through the efforts of Major Louis L.Seaman '72, a former alumni Trustee, Cornellwill soon receive the famous fighting tank, "America," as a gift from the BritishWar Office. This tank, which took part in all the major engagements on the Western Front after America entered the War, was presented to the British Army by a NewYork woman whose name has not been, made public. Throughout the War, the front of the tank bore a brass plate with this inscription: "Presented to the BritishWar Office through Major Louis Livingston Seaman, President of the British War Relief Association of New York. The only good Hun is a dead one. Tank, do your duty!"

Major Seaman seems to be interesting chap.

I haven't found any photos

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Thanks all for adding to my knowledge on this.

Gwyn

Rectalgia · Legend

LincolnTanker wrote:

...Major Seaman seems to be interesting chap.

I haven't found any photos

Indeed he seems to have been one of those "larger than life" characters. One of the battles mentioned in the PDF quoted was Hamel (4 July 1918) - the first action conducted and planned by Lt Gen John Monash. One of the AWM pages on the battle has photographs of several tanks, unfortunately none is identified - see http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/le-hamel/battle-of-hamel.html. Four companies of the American 33rd Division were divided and attached at Platoon level within the Australian Battalions, much to the anger of General Pershing when he learned of it. Australian war histories record that 60 MkVs of the British 5th Tank Brigade played a major role in the battle. The whole action was concluded in 90 minutes.

Incidentally, for his actions there, LCpl TL "Jack" Axford was awarded the VC (he was a cousin, several times removed, of my wife).

Monash spearheaded, as Australian commander under the command of Douglas Haig on 8 August 1918, at the Battle of Amiens (the other battle mentioned). For his part in Hamel and Amiens Monash was knighted in the field by King George V - the first battlefield knighting in over 200 years (and there have been none since). The AWM page http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/heath-cemetery/index.html has another picture of a tank (with numerous Diggers on it) also some archival film - including a Whippet and a good shot of "Britannia" herding prisoners.

We can see a picture of the good Major at least -

-- Edited by Rectalgia on Monday 28th of June 2010 04:44:07 PM