The Second World War Tank Crisis - book review

[Mike Cecil]

The British author Lt Col Dick Taylor (rtd) is well-known to everyone with an interest in the history of British AFVs, particularly those of the Second World War. His latest book, 'The Second World War Tank Crisis: The Fall & Rise of British Armour 1939-1945' was recently released by Pen & Sword Military (ISBN 978 1 39900 352 0). The cover lists the retail price at 25GBP, though mine cost me the postage to the USA on top of that.

This is an excellent book that goes into great detail about the 'how and why' of the design, construction and politics behind the tanks that Britain went to war with in 1939, and for the first few years of the war. His reasoning is compelling, and certainly shows the political and technical dexterity of the Air Ministry, and to a lesser extent, the Navy, in cornering the best available design and construction skills well before the war even began. He illustrates the Army staggering from bad design and poor construction to another bad design and poor construction until 1943, when things began to change for the better. He details why the change, and the result which emerged as Cromwell, then Comet and eventually Centurion, the latter being designed and the first few built prior to the cessation of hostilities.

There are a couple of small aspects I think he could have been improved. He states that all the Covenanter tanks were eventually scrapped, without noting that some were modified into special equipment, particularly bridgelayers. He also states the Matilda 2 was obsolete by 1942 - a true statement with regard to North Africa and Europe, but far from the case in the Far East, which I think could have been mentioned. The Australian Army received over 400 Matilda 2 tanks armed mainly with the 2-pdr, and a small number with the 3-inch Howitzer. These were used with great effect against the Japanese, especially once the Australian 2-pdr HE and A-Pers (Canister) rounds were developed and became available to front-line units (not to mention specialist variants such as the Dozer and flamethrower.)

Overall, an excellent, well-researched, extensively referenced and well-written narrative. I learned a great deal and can see some interesting parallels in the development of the Australian Cruiser tank.

Very highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of Armour and British armour in particular.

Mike

[Ganmain Tony]

I will be getting a copy ASAP.

Sounds like a really worthwhile read.

[Mike K]

A pity that the BEF only had a small number of these tanks. The Germans were almost overwhelmed during their first encounter with Matilda 2 tanks. The Germans panicked at the sight of the lumbering monsters advancing and Rommel personally rallied the troops holding the line.

My uncle had or still has ( not sure ) a Matilda 2 hull on his farm down East Gippsland way.