Tank Corps

[Guest robin miller]

Can any body tell me how long a soldier had to train for to be in the Tank Corps as a Driver or Gunner ??????

[Captain Dave]

If you get the book Tank Battles of WW1, it gives some pretty good details on training. I'll peruse it further tonite.

[Robert Dunlop]

Mitchell's book gives details as well. I will check.

Robert

[Captain Dave]

The book gives the details that the first crews started to muster in March of 1916. Initialy they could not train with real tanks (canvass mockups were used) but eventually real tanks arrived and training became more hands on.

By the time the first tanks were committed in Septenber of 1916, it was recognised that the crews were still insufficiently trained.

So six months for the first crews.

There is no mention 9that I can see) of the length it took to train the other crews. I assume they would have broken it down into seperate driver / gunner / mechanic/ commander courses.

Hopefully Lt Col Dunlop can expand some more.

Hey! I just noticed I've been promoted.

[Robert Dunlop]

Mitchell writes:

'In England, a large training centre had been opened at Wareham, where men were trained in discipline and drill, and then sent to the Wool Depot, at which courses were given in tank driving, maintenance, etc. Those who had applied in France for commissions in the Tank Corps were sent to the Machine-Gun Corps Cadet School at Pirbright, where much knowledge was forced into them in a remarkably short space of time.'

'Though it was a Tank Cadet School, cadets wore the Machine-Gun Corps badge... and the existence of tanks was hardly ever mentioned. The only special tank subject taught was the 6-pounder Hotchkiss QF; otherwise the training was on infantry lines.'

'After thoroughly learning squad, section, and platoon drill, there came the fateful day when a nervous cadet had to take a company in company drill.'

'Other subjects in which he had to pass were: Military Law, Administration, Topography, First Aid, Sanitation, Bombing, Gas, the Lee-Enfield Rifle, the Lewis Gun, the 6-pounder Hotchkiss QF, Signallying, Bayonet fighting, and "Physical Jerks"'

Topography was a subject that had to be passed 'under penalty of RTU (Return to Unit)'.

All of the above constituted 'three months of intensive cramming'.

Then off to the Tank Depot at Wareham. 'After a few weeks spent in miscellaneous training [such as revolver shooting and the handling of pidgeons], the new officers were sent to Bovington Camp, near Wool.'

'On their arrival at Bovington, the tank aspirants were issued with a pair of dark brown dungarees, and next day the mechanism and structure of a tank was explained to them by instructors in the workshop hangars.

The first lesson in driving was given in a stationary tank, on the use of the clutch, the throttle, and foot-brake, gear-changing, and the manipulation of the hand-brakes.

After a time, however, the prospective landship commander found his sea legs and began to know his way about his strange craft, and that same evening, at twilight, he had his first view of tanks returning after a day's drive. Tomorrow, the greenhorn himself would be driving one of these strange machines.

After a few days driving... I became accustomed to the fumes, the close air, and the heat.

To emphasize the naval aspect of the landship, all officers took a course in the ship's compass.

When the tank-driving and maintenance course was finished, squads of officers were marched back along the dusty highway to Wareham, and then, on the following day, they tramped the long weary road to Lulworth Camp. Here they were taught how to fire a 6-pounder from a tank.

Other interesting courses at Wareham were those on reconnaisance. All future tank commanders were taught also how to read aeroplane photographs.

Then one day they would suddenly find themselves on a draft for France, and within a week they would be proud commanders of a tank in a fighting battalion.'

Robert (plain Mr Robert D )