Australian WW1 Tank

[Mike Cecil]

Allan,

Things changed a little after the real tank arrived from the UK in July, and there was negative comment in some newspaper reports in the latter part of 1918 because what was on exhibition in some country towns wasn't the real tank. Tanks in general had caught the public imagination after September 1916, and in the absence in Australia of the real thing, replicas had to suffice until July 1918.

The real tank was a vital part of fundraising in the second half of 1918. The crowds in major centres such as Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Albury, and, much later, Brisbane, to see the real tank were enormous, and the demonstrations of trench crossing, climbing over barriers and knocking down stone 'houses' had the crowds enthralled. Lots of pounds were raised for war bonds and various charitable organisations. (You can read all about in 'Pioneers of Australian Armour', available from Bigsky publishing).

Mike