The Devil's Chariots
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12.2.16 113 i.e. extra 38 c. 21.4.16.
All Mk 1 to be 50/50 M/F so Metro now 38 M. 75 F 113
No change 38 M
75 F
TOTAL 100 150 150 150 Completed by 31.10.16
Mk II Heavy Tank
Builders (of first tank in bold type) First orders July 1916 Total built
Wm Foster & Co. Lincoln 25 M
25.7.16 25 M
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co Ltd. Birmingham (built at Oldbury factory) 25 F
25.7.16 25 F
TOTAL 50 50
Completed by 31.1.17
MK III Heavy Tank
Builders First order Total built
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co Ltd. Birmingham (built at Oldbury factory) 50
25 M, 25F
3.8.16 50
25 M, 25 F
TOTAL 50 50
Completed by 28.2.17
Mark IV Heavy Tank and Tank Tender
Builders (of first tank in bold) First orders August– September 1916 Revisions October 1916– January 1917 Revisions February –April 1917 Revisions September– December 1917 Total built
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co Ltd.
Birmingham 21.8.16 Metro was contracted to build 1,000 tanks as a continuation order on completion of Mk III. Initiated by Stern without WO sanction.26.9.16 WO approved 1,000-tank order ‘in continuation of existing orders’.
30.9.16 WO cancelled its letter of 26th and withdrew approval of 1,000-tank run-on. It authorized completion of 50 each of Mks II and III as previously ordered, and offered a continuation order as stopgap pending switch to a new design when ready. Stern appealed to Lloyd George at the WO.
14.10.16 WO reinstated its letter of 26 September and confirmed the 1,000 tank order.16.10.16 Stern reported contract for 1,000 tanks was placed with Metro ‘today’, the first 600 to be Mk IV (300 M, 300 F). Foster had declined Stern’s invitation to build up to 80 Mk IV on this order; lack of capacity.
25.11.16 Meeting Tank Supply Dept/Metro at Oldbury. Orders revised to: Metro – 440 tanks; Foster’s – 100 tanks. Metro to supply Foster’s with 6–8 hulls weekly.
21.3.17 WO authorized issue of a continuation order on completion of the first 1,000 Mk IV. No limit given. (Mk IV deliveries began 2 April).As at 7.4.17 Without informing WO Stern had increased Metro’s Mk IV order from 440 to 1,000 bringing total production to 1,400.
29.0.17 WO ordered Mk IV production to cease. Stern confirmed 205 being converted to tank supply tenders: Metro – 180; Beardmore – 25.15.10.17 WO advised it would take 950 Mk IV as fighting tanks plus 216 converted to tank tenders, the remaining 234 ‘definitely not required’.
Late October 1917 Stern reduced Metro’s Mk IV order from 1,000 to 820. i.e. 640 fighting tanks and 180 tank tenders.
640 (plus 180 tenders)
Wm Foster & Co Lincoln - 100 contracted 25.11.16. Metro to supply hulls from 1.2.17 100 No change 100 No change 100
Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth Co, Ltd Close Wks, Gateshead - 100 contracted c. Dec 1916 100 No change 100 No change. Last to complete Mk IV, mid-Oct 1918.
Armstrong built 11 tanks in four months from 8 June–5 Oct. 100
Coventry Ordnance Works Ltd, Glasgow - 100 contracted c. Dec 1916 100 No change 100 No change Completed 23.5.18 100
Mirrlees Watson Co., - 50 F contracted 50 F No change 50 F no change 50 F
Glasgow 25.1.17
Wm Beardmore Co., Glasgow - 50 F contracted c. Jan 1917 50 F No change Reduction to 25 c. 3.10.17 plus 25 converted to tank tenders 25 (plus 25 tenders)
M 420 F 595 — 1,015 Mk IV
TOTAL 1,000 as continuation of MK III 840 Mk IV by end of January 1917 1,400 Mk IV by 7 April 1,015 Mk IV by 31 October (Mk IV completion Oct 1918)
Tenders 205
Mk V Heavy Tank
Builder First Order Revision
s Revision
s Revision
s Total Built
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co.Ltd Birmingham (built at Saltley and Oldbury factories) 800 400 M, 400 F 22.9.1 7 400 i.e. 200 M and 200 F Cancelled by 21.2.18 2,400 i.e. additional 2,000 c. Aug 1918 Post-contract design changes were so many that the 2,000 tanks of the repeat order were redesignated Mk X on 31.10.18 400 M 200, F 200.
TOTAL 800 400 2,400 400 400 Completed by 8.6.18
Mk V Star Heavy Tank
Builder First order Revisions Built by 31 December 1918 Total built
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon& Finance Co. Ltd, Birmingham 300 M Nov/Dec 1917 700 i.e. additional 400 c. Feb 1918 500 M & 200 F in all 632 i.e. 432 M and 200 F. Some later sources state 200 M/432 F but data is suspect 700
TOTAL 300 700 632 (579 at Armistice) 700 Completed by 14.3.19
Mk V Two Star Heavy Tank
Builder First Order Revisions Revisions Built by 31 December 1918 Total Built
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co., Birmingham 300 150 M, 150 F 17.1.18 900 i.e. in addition 600 M March 1918 700 i.e. 200 cancelled after 20.8.1918 1 M only December 1918 20 M, 5 F (All but the first tank were built after 14.3.19)
TOTAL 300 900 700 1 (nil by Armistice) 25
Mk VII Heavy Tank
Builder (of first tank in bold type) First Orders Revisions Built by 31 December 1918 Total Built
Brown Bros Ltd, Edinburgh 38
12.1.18 31 i.e. 7 cancelled mid-August 1918 1 M 3 M
Kitson & Co Ltd, Leeds 36 Contracted by 27.2.18 Cancelled mid-August 1918 - -
TOTAL 74 31 1 (1 by Armistice) 3
Mk VIII Heavy Tank
Builder s (of first tank in bold type) First Orders March– April 1918 Revisi ons at 5.6.18 Revisions at 25.6.18 Revisions at 14.8.18 Revisions September– Novemb er 1918 Built by 31 December 1918 Total built
BRITIS H TYPE
North British Locomoti ve Co. Ltd. Glasgow (Atlas Works) 1,040 April 1918 1,040 No change 1,040 No change 1,040 No change Productio n halted mid-September 26. i.e. 1,014 cancelled late November
1 only 11 completed before 14.3.19
Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co., Birmingh am - 810 late May/earl y June 180 i.e. 630 cancelle d Cancelle d 4.7.18 - Nil Nil
National Projectile Factory Glasgow (a Ministry of Munitions shell factory managed by Wm Beardmor e & Co.) 335 April 1918 335 No change 335 No change 335 No change Cancelled mid-September Nil Nil
TOTAL 1,375 2,185 1,555 1,195 26 1 only (by armistice) 11
LIBERTY TYPE – hulls only
West’s Gas Improve ment Co, (Manches ter Tank Syndicate) 1,500 7.3.18 1,500 No change 1,500 No change 1,500 No change Cancelled November 30–40 hulls all in November 30–40 hulls
Mk IX Infantry Supply Tank
Builder First order Revisions Revisions Built by 31 December 1918 Total Built
Wm Marshall Sons & Co. Ltd, Gainsborough 360 November 1917 200 i.e. 160 cancelled between December 1917 and February 1918 57 i.e. 143 cancelled late November 1918 35 46 completed by 14.3.19
TOTAL 360 200 57 35 (23 by Armistice) 46
Medium A ‘Whippet’ Tank
Builders (of first tank in bold type) First order Revisions Revisions Revisions Total Built
Wm Foster & Co Ltd, Lincoln 200
14.3.17 200 No change 400 i.e. 200 transferred from unidentified firm 4.9.17 200 i.e. 200 cancelled on 4.10.17 200 completion 5.10.18
Unidentified contractor - 200 June 1917 Cancelled September 1917 - -
TOTAL 200 400 400 200 200
Medium B Tank
Builder (of first tank in bold) First orders October 1917 Revisions February –April 1918 Revisions October– November 1918 Built by armistice 1918 Total Built
Metropolitan CWF passed to its subsidiary Patent Shaft & Axletree Co., Wednesbury 450 F
15.10.17 250 i.e. 200 cancelled c. 15 February 1918 250
No change 19 50
Coventry Ordnance, Glasgow 100 F 15.10.17 100 No change 200 i.e. 100 extra ordered in October Nil 11
North British Locomotive, Glasgow, (built at A
tlas Works, Springburn) - 100 contracted between 7 March–late April 1918 on transfer from Mirrlees Watson 100 No change 7 19
Mirrlees Wartson, Glasgow 100
15.10.17 Cancelled between 7 March–late April 1918. Work transferred to NB Locomotive - Nil Nil
TOTAL 650 450 550 26 (39 by year end) 80
Medium C Tank
Builder (of first tank in bold type) First orders February 1918 Revisions March 1918 Revisions May– August 1918 Revisions Septemb er 1918 Built by 31 Decemb er 1918 Total Built
Wm Foster & Co. Ltd, Lincoln 130 F Mid-Feb 1918 130 F No change 200 F i.e. 70 extra, from Coventry Ordnance Works, June 1918 200 F
No change Nil. Authorize d to build 50 only, 15.11.18 36 complete d by 14.3.19
Patent Shaft & Axletree Co. Ltd, Wednesbury 200 (M?) mid-Feb 1918 Cancelled c. 8.3.18 - - - -
Kitson & Co. Ltd, Leeds - - 200 F c. 23.8.18 200 F
No change Cancelled 21.11.18 -
West’s Gas Improveme nt Co. Ltd, (Mancheste r Tank Group) - - 200 M July/Augu st 1918 200 M
No change Cancelled -
North British Locomotive Co. Ltd, Glasgow - - - 1,440 F c. 20.9.18 Cancelled -
National Projectile Factory 62 Robertson St, Glasgow (Wm Beardmore & Co.) - - - 1,190 M
c. 20.9.18 Cancelled -
Coventry Ordance Works Ltd, Glasgow 70 (F?) mid-February 1918 70 (F?) No change Cancelled by 5.6.1918 Work transferre d to Foster’s - - -
TOTAL 400 200 600 3,230 Nil 36
Medium D Tank
Builder Type First Orders Revisions First completion Total Built
John Fowler & Co. Ltd, Leeds Medium D mild steel prototype 4
17.8.18 4
No change March 1919 3
Vickers Ltd (built at Wolseley Motor Works, Birmingham) Medium D mild steel prototype 4
10.9.18 2
i.e. 2 cancelled October 1919 Before October 1919 2
Vickers Ltd (probably built by Variable Speed Gear Co., a Vickers subsidiary, at Crayford) Medium D Star mild steel prototype 1
27.9.18 1
No change c. December 1919 1
Vickers Ltd (built by variable Speed Gear Co., a Vickers subsidiary, at Crayford) Medium D Two Star mild steel prototype 1
27.9.18 1
No change c. spring 1920 1
Royal Ordnance Factory Woolwich Medium D (Modified) 62
c. summer 1919 20
i.e. 42 cancelled 28.11.19 uncertain 3
Mk I Gun Carrier and Salvage variant
Builder (of first tank in bold type) Initial orders Revisions Gun Carrier compilations GC Salvage Completion
Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd, Birmingham 1 only, pre-production machine June 1916 1 GC
No change 1 only 1.1.17 -
Kitson & Co. Ltd. Airedale Foundry, Leeds 49
date uncertain 47 GC and 2 Salvage
i.e. variation 16.10.16 First 6 between June–July 1917 Total 26 at 21.10.17
Last 5 in 1st quarter of 1918
2 June/July 1917
TOTAL 50 48 + 2 Salvage 48 2
APPENDIX 3
British Tank Constructors, Output by Type, 1916–19
Type Contractor Location Built Total Built Cost £000
Mk I Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 113 150 750
Wm Foster & Co. Ltd Lincoln 37
Mk II Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 25 50 250
Wm Foster & Co. Ltd Lincoln 25
Mk III Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 50 50 250
Mk IV Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 640 1,015 5,075
Wm Foster & Co. Ltd Lincoln 100
Sir Wm Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd Newcastle upon Tyne 100
Coventry Ordnance Works Glasgow 100
Mirrlees, Watson & Co. Ltd Glasgow 50
Wm Beardmore & Co. Ltd Glasgow 25
Tenders Mk IV Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 180 205 1,127.5
Wm Beardmore & Co. Ltd Glasgow 25
Mk V Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 400 400 2,400
Mk V Star Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 700 700 4,550
Mk V Two Star Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co. Ltd Birmingham 25 25 170
Mk VII Brown Bros, Ltd Edinburgh 3 3 25.5
Mk VIII North British Locomotive Co. Ltd Glasgow 11 11 82
Mk IX Wm Marshall Sons & Co. Ltd Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 46 46 253
Medium A Wm Foster & Co. Ltd Lincoln 200 200 800
Medium B Patent Shaft & Axletree Co. Ltd Wednesbury 50 80 360
Coventry Ordnance Works Glasgow 11
North British Locomotive Co. Ltd Glasgow 19
Medium C Wm Foster & Co. Ltd Lincoln 36 36 180
Medium D John Fowler & Co. Ltd Leeds 3 5 60
Vickers Ltd. Birmingham 2
Medium D Star Vickers Ltd London 1 1 12
Medium D Two Star Vickers Ltd London 1 1 12
Medium D (M) Royal Arsenal Woolwich 3 3 30
Gun Carriers Kitson & Co. Ltd Leeds 48 48 168
Salvage Tanks Kitson & Co. Ltd Leeds 2 2 10
TOTALS 16,565
APPENDIX 4
Quarterly Output of British Tanks by Type, 1916–18
LIST OF IMAGES
David Roberts. (Ruston Hornsby Ltd)
Col E.D. Swinton. (A.G. Stern, Tanks 1914–1918, The Log-Book of a Pioneer, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1919)
Sir William Tritton. (Liddell Hart Centre, Stern papers)
Sir Eustace Tennyson d’Eyncourt. (National Maritime Museum)
Cdre Murray Sueter. (Getty Images)
Lt Walter Wilson and Maj Tommy Hetherington. (LHC, Stern papers)
Wg Cdr Charles Samson & Lt Bill Samson. (Imperial War Museum, HU 67853)
Col Bertie Stern. (LHC, Stern papers)
Col Rookes E.B. Crompton. (Getty Images)
Col Stern’s team at Renault tank factory, Boulogne-Billancourt, 1917. (Imperial War Museum, Q 14469)
Col Philip Johnson. (Ven Dodge)
Bramah Diplock’s Pedrail of 1905, and his first chaintrack, 1911. (Imperial War Museum, Q 80778)
Hornsby’s No. 1 caterpillar, 1905. (Tank Museum, Bovington)
Foster’s howitzer tractor trials, Lincoln, December 1914. (Tank Museum, Bovington)
Tritton’s Automatic Portable Bridge, April 1915. (Imperial War Museum, Q 70923)
Admiralty pattern Rolls-Royce armoured car, France, 1914. (Tank Museum, Bovington)
Bullock tractor with experimental ‘elephant feet’, August 1915. (LHC, Stern papers)
Experimental chassis on Pedrail tracks, 1916. (LHC, Stern papers)
Mock-up of Tritton’s Trench Tractor, Lincoln, May 1915. (LHC, Stern papers)
‘Little Willie’ on Tritton’s successful tracks, 8 December 1915. (Imperial War Museum, Q 70931)
Conference beside ‘Mother’ during secret trials, Lincoln, January 1915. (Imperial War Museum, Q 70940)
Mk I entraining at Lincoln, 1916. (LHC, Stern papers)
Medium A tanks in Foster’s erecting shop, Lincoln. (Imperial War Museum, Q 70974)
Fire trench in replica battlefield at North Stow, Elveden, 1916. (Reproduced by the kind permission of Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds)
Detail from the newly discovered 1916 plan of replica trench systems at the tank training ground, Elveden. (Tank Museum, Bovington)
Arguably the world’s first building to suffer tank gunfire. Tank training ground, Elveden, 1916. (Reproduced by the kind permission of Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds)
Tankodrome at Rollencourt, June 1917. (Tank Museum, Bovington)
Forward assembly area, Arras offensive, April 1917. (Imperial War Museum, CO 1568)
NOTES
Principal sources are abbreviated as follows:
BL(N) The British Library Newspaper Library, Colindale, London NW9
Bod Department of Spec
ial Collections and Western Manuscripts, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
CAC Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge
HLRO House of Lords Record Office, London SW1
IME Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London SW1
IWM Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London SE1
LHC Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King’s College, London WC2. (The Stern papers have been Recatalogued and references below may have been revised.)
LTM London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, London WC2
NMM National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London SE10
PRO Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey (The National Archives)
SML Science Museum Library, South Kensington, London SW7. (Courtesy, Trustees)
TM Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset
Extracts from Maj Gen Sir Ernest Dunlop Swinton’s Eyewitness (1932), and Sir Albert Stern’s Tanks 1914–1918, The Log-Book of a Pioneer (1919), are reproduced by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. Extracts from Sir Murray Fraser Sueter’s The Evolution of the Tank (Hutchinson, 1937) are reproduced by permission of The Random House Group Limited.
1. The Trackless Waste
1. War Office Mechanical Transport Committee, Annual Report 1911–12, PRO, WO107/63.
2. Lord Hankey, The Supreme Command, 1st edn (2 vols, London, George Allen & Unwin, 1961), vol. 1 1914 –1918, p.231.
3. E.D. Swinton, Report on Experiments to Employ Hydraulic Jets for the Attack of Trenches, 9.11.1915, PRO, CAB42/5/24/G34.
4. Sir E.W. Moir, note of interview on Ministry of Munitions (henceforth MoM) file, 10.11.1922. PRO, MUN 9/26.
5. Von Donop, statement to the Royal Commission on the Private Manufacture of Arms. Report. Sunday Express, 11.10.1935.
6. I. Lloyd, Report on Hornsby’s Endless Chain Wheel Tractor, 31.3.1906. TM Army Trials to 1915.