Landships II

James H · Legend

Is this what I think it is?

vollketten · Lieutenant-Colonel

The writing on the side made me first think of one of those WW1 US National Guard 'tanks' like this i.imgur.com/T8eys9C.jpg but that 'arm' of the front reminded me of early French vehicles.
So I'm none the wiser- would love to know what you are thinking it is.

As for the chap at 10:22 I can't pause it to see it clearly but it looks like he turns to face the camera very briefly and to be wearing some kind of dark coloured armband.

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour,

James, at 10' 22", the film was taken after the war.

The two "char léger" was not Renault FT but American Six tons Model 1917.

Exhaust of the tank is on the left side, and you can see tools on the right side.

At 9' 54", it was an American Renault FT (with ace on the turret) inside Exermont (Ardennes - September, 29 th 1918).

From 10' 34" to 11' 15" - 502° RAS / 5° BCL / AS 315 inside Nampcel (August, 20 th 1918)

Bonne après-midi - Michel

James H · Legend

Michel; merci. I thought there might be an American connection

Vollketten: You are very warm, but I think it's this:

James H · Legend

I'm becoming convinced that the clip is from the 1917 cinema serial "Patria", which has been discussed briefly on the forum.

This synopsis http://willbradley.com/work/film/patria/ ends with a summary of the final episode:

Episode 15: For the Flag. After being forced back, Baron Huroki plans a night attack. Patria’s men can barely hold out until morning, when they attack the combined Japanese and Mexican forces with a tank.

I was hoping the tank scene might be in this restored version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFUCd-T8w_k but it doesn't seem to have made it. The final 20 mins are worth watching, though. It is a truly strange film.

Anyway, I'm going to have a word with some contacts in the USA to see if they know more.

James H · Legend

Been thinking again.

It's been accepted for some time now that a mockup tank overturned and collapsed during the making of a film. The claim is made convincingly in the article Our Forts on Wheels.

It seems to be assumed that it's the Holt G9, which is shown in the presence of US troops and also largely in pieces after the accident. But hang on. If the film clip is from Patria, then it looks as if the tank that was a film prop wasn't the G9 - it was the C.L. Best Tracklayer. Or one of them; there was another Best Tracklayer, the one that looks like an upturned canoe and was used in recruiting drives and was photographed in a mock battle alongside real American soldiers. The one apparently in Patria operates alongside extras wearing a made-up uniform.

Now, in photos of the collapsed Holt G9, the name Caterpillar can be seen quire clearly on one of the broken panels. Not Best. And, as I say, in the presence of what seem to be genuine US troops.

So how about this for a possibility: the Best Tracklayer that appeared in Patria survived the experience. The other one was used for recruiting purposes. The Holt G9 (and it's been suggesred that there was more than one of them) was trialled by the army and that's the one that overturned.