Vickers MK VIB
 

This was sold into the UK with another owned by Bert Barker. I would be keen to know where it ended up. I think the museum it was sold to went bust.

The frame on the side was for a target and the splotches are bullet strikes. It would be identifiable wherever it is now by all of those bullet indentations. the jacketed rounds penetrated quite a way into the Armour.

This vehicle was used by the NSW Armored corps . all those used in Victoria had Australian native bird names the ones used in NSW has marsupial names. This tank was Koala .

Attachment 53030

Gina,
They were brought back to the UK by Tony Budge, who had a large collection of vehicles, Koala is now in the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, externally restored. There was another brought back that was much rougher and cut about. It was restored in the UK for the Jacque Littlefield Collection in the USA, I was involved latterly doing the electrical work and instruments. In doing so I was able to identify it with info from Mike Cecil, to be Platypus. That one is now in full working order.

regards, Richard

Gina,
The wrong way around, it was the NSW unit (1st Light Tank Company) that had the bird names, and the Vic unit (2nd Light Tank Company) the marsupials. I have seen photographic evidence of these.

Just by chance, does anyone happen to know where there might be a turret lying around anywhere.
Colin.

...And the one at the Littlefield Collection looks excellent, too, although it is in British markings, not Australian, which is a pity from an Australian's perspective. I saw it a couple of months ago when I visited (again).

Can't say the AC1 they have looks good, though: the ex-Belfield tank is out in the weather, and weathering badly in the California sun, wind and rain. Such a waste.

Richard, I didn't know the other one ended up at Duxford: I'd have paid more attention to it when I visited. Have to put it high on the list for next time I'm there.

Mike C

Hi Mike,
Having done some research on this tank at the time, as you will remember, I was a bit puzzled that the owner wanted it painted to represent Northern France theatre 1939-40, especially having found photos of the actual vehicle in training in Vic. At least it has its correct numbers on it.

Out of the 10 tanks that went to Australia, 5 are known to still exist in some form or another (that includes Colin's!)

regards, Richard

Jb
 

I was told that John Belfield had at least one, or maybe two of these . What happened to them ?

Koala
 

Here is the article from British and American Tanks of WWII that showed me the first pictures I had of Koala in action. ( Chamberlain and Ellis arms and Armour press 1969 ) . The name Koala was still quite visible when she was recovered. Platypus had most the top removed , however the front hatches and turret were still laying next to Koala when they were recovered.

The AWM folk provided some better shots of Koala and some of the NSW division that I have someplace .

Attachment 53085

Vickers at home
 

After it was recovered we gave her a bit of a bogus paint job with an authentic one slated when full restoration was going to be undertaken.

Attachment 53086

hi Gina,
That looks like Wallaby in the foreground of your attachment and on exercise in Victoria.

There are some excellent photos of the 5 that were sent to the NSW unit on the State Library website. Seem to recollect they were taken at the Victoria barracks and looking like they had just been shipped in.

Here is a link to a photo of the NSW based tanks as they arrived from England in 1937. Taken at Victoria Barracks (not Paddington, got my London train stations muddled up!)
http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemL...x?itemID=11291

Found a couple of photos of Platypus, rest are held hostage on a broken pc.
One is as completed in Mike Stallwood's yard in England and the other is of the instrument panel I restored, but still awaiting the temp guage to be returned.

Very Nice:)

Koala and platypus being rescued from a farm near Griffith. Lionel and his wife Jeanette driving their Clubman recently featured in a photo by Keith bring the FGT back from Sydney

The Truck belonged to Bert Barker. Bert got platypus . It was cut down to transport rice during the wet.

Attachment 53122 Attachment 53123

they are photos of slides I will scan the slides one day and get better shots but back in the oldern days taking a photo of a slide wa about the only way to transfer them to prints. .

Thanks for the photos, Gina. It fills in another gap in the history of Platypus.

regards, Richard

Great photo's. The two vickers I have are "Bowerbird" and "Wombat" which thanks to a fellow MLU member reunited the complete set of bogies, return rollers and both Main cross axles to Bowerbird. It does go to show that you should never say "Never". I am hoping that there maybe a turret or 2 still out there.
Colin.

Good luck with finding turrets Colin. I would love to see your Vickers one day.

I was told by the farmer who sold Platypus and Koala that scrap merchants regularly went around the farms and brought up stuff like the turrets. Both these tanks were within weeks of scrapping when rescued. there was a carrier and an old Willies Knight sedan there as well that most likely were scrapped.

The missing armor of Platypus went to make farm bits and pieces the front sprocket of Koala had been removed one winter by the boys to see how it worked...it ended up wired to a dingo trap out in the bush ...took a lot of finding ...

The farmer in question brought the Vickers because they were cheap and more powerful than a carrier. He said no one wanted the Vickers and so far as he knew they were all sold of to small buyers like himself. I recall he said they were purchased from Auction near Albury and driven on the road back to Griffith.

The original speedo, tacho and temp guage were still in Playpus, but had to be overhaulled. The mileage reading was around 15,000 if I recall. As they were used for training from about 1938 until mid way through the war until the Stuarts came along, this could be genuine ....

Aussie Lt Tk Mk VIAs
 

Good evening -

Ref the Aussie Mk VIAs, here are the details I hold on them...

They all came from the same contract - T/3021 to Vickers Armstrong, Elswick. The Govt bought nthem to replace the ageing Medium Mk.IIs. The contract was let out on 9 Apr 1936, and the company advised on 11 May 1936.

It appears the vehs arrived in Australia in Aug 1937, with the two light coys being established in early 1939 - the 1st in Sydney, the 2nd in Melbourne...details can be found in 'Dust, Sand & Jungle' by Paul Handel...

'KANGAROO'

T. 1790
CMM 974
VAE No. 1556
Veh Engine No: 9466
2nd (Australian) Light Tank Company
Aust VRN - DD 270

'KOALA'

T. 1791
CMM 975
VAE No. 1557
Veh Engine No: 9467
Aust DD 271

(Veh pictured in Pathe News film 600.11)


'PLATYPUS'

T. 1792
CMM 976
VAE No. 1558 &
Veh Engine No: 9396
Aust DD 272

'WALLABY'

T. 1793
CMM 977
VAE No. 1559
Veh Engine No: 9468
Aust DD 273


'WOMBAT'

T. 1794
CMM 978
VAE No. 1560
Veh Engine No: 9469
Aust DD 274


'BOWER BIRD'

T. 1795
CMM 979
VAE No. 156
Veh Engine No: 9470
Aust DD 275

(9 Sep 37 - Veh pictured at Victoria Bks - Pic 8627, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)


'EMU'

T. 1796
CMM 980
VAE No. 1562
Veh Engine No: 9471
Aust DD 276

(9 Sep 37 - Veh pictured at Victoria Bks - Pic 8627, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)


'KINGFISHER'

T. 1797
CMM 981
VAE No. 1563 &
Veh Engine No: 9521
Aust DD 277

(9 Sep 37 - Veh pictured at Victoria Bks - Pic 8627, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)


'KOOKABURRA'

T. 1798
CMM 982
VAE No. 1564 & Aust DD 278
Veh Engine No: 9523

(9 Sep 37 - Veh pictured at Victoria Bks - Pic 8627, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)
(20 Nov 37 - Veh pictured at Cenotaph Memorial prob for Cambrai Day wreath laying - Pic 16376, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)


'MAGPIE'

T. 1799
CMM 983
VAE No. 1565
Veh Engine No: 9530
Aust DD 279

(9 Sep 37 - Veh pictured at Victoria Bks - Pic 8627, Hood Collection, Library of NSW)

Hope this helps

Roddy

koala
 

Found this photo of koala while searching.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richard64pics/8612061367/

Luke

Not quite a turret, but an interesting find nevertheless: http://www.livesteammodels.co.uk/dhmg/albask.html

Hi all and here they are, sitting in one of the MK1VBs I have here awaiting quietly under cover to be restored back to driving condition. All sorts of thing have turned up over the years and I am hoping that there maybe a bit more might find it's way to Adelaide prior to their restoration. I normally take a lot of pics anyway but I will take pics of every detail of these 2 parts of our history. :cheers:
Colin.
Oh and by the way, that half circle recess around the basket is there to allow the crank handle to pass through for hand starting. I am already getting familiar with these little tanks.

Love the photo of Koala . Just about exactly as it was when it was exported ...right down to the grey Ferguson tractor rear implement light mounted on the turret. :doh:

Heh heh I wonder if they stuck with it

Additional Photos

Here are some from the AWM. I assume these Vickers light tanks (I cant recognize the various marks) are with Australian troops, and that these tanks never made it to Australian shores.

Hi Lynn,

I think ASCOT is from 1st Royal Tank Regiment, going by the 24 AoS plate. I cannot be 100% sure but I think that is ARDENT in front of it too.
I hope this helps.

cheers

Kevin

Kevin, If that is the case, does the "T" number tie up as well? How does one tell the difference between the various marks?

T-2458
 

Lynn -

I hold the fol details for T-2458...

T. 2458
(FMX 812 )

Lt Tk Mk.VIB

Contract T/3995 to Vickers Armstrong - Contract Let 12 Apr 37

C Sqn, 2/6th (Australian) Divisional Cavalry Regiment & Egyptian Armed Forces

Engine No: S/9897

- 1939/40 - Veh prob listed with Mobile Desert Force

- 13 Jun 41 - Veh with 2/3 Aust Fd Wksp at Affula, Syria for urgent repairs. Completed during the day - Wksp War Diary, AWM 52:14/2/3 via Shane Lovel Archive

- Jun 41 - Noted on Syrian border prior to invasion - AWM pic - 1941/1942

- Veh likely sold to CIE, Egyptian Government - BTM Ledger 623.438(41)WD Nos/8


Hope this helps

Roddy

Hi Lynn,

I don't have the census number for ASCOT and going by Roddy's little history of T.2458 I think that the name and number do not match.

As to identifying the different Mks:-

cheers

Kevin

Thanks Roddy and Kevin. Do your spheres of interest extend to Carriers?
Would you guys be able to help at all, with the movement of Ben's Scout carrier, Various units, dates etc. We were wondering if she had been at Fort Capuzzo. A carrier that was there is only two numbers off. Any ideas?

By the looks of the photos, all three models ran the Australian style track. (bogie wheels wider than U.C carriers) I take it that this change came with the introduction of the Mk VI range.