Surviving British First World War tanks
More Info to be added
Surviving Tanks and their histories
Good images of most of these tanks, and more links cab be found at: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_WW1_Tanks.pdf
Mk I - one surviving tank
702
Note: The Serial Number of this tank is uncertain.
On display in Bovington Tank Museum,
Mk II - one surviving tank
785 Dahlia (Arrras) The Flying Scotsman (Third Ypres)
25 Mar 1917 – "D" Battalion from "D" Battalion - Train 2 to Montenescourt (W21)
9 Apr 1917 – "D" Battalion, 10 Company, D5, "Dahlia", Lt Humphries - Attached to VII Corps, ditched, attacked, returned (W21)
23 Apr 1917 – "D" Battalion, 10 Company, D5, "Dahlia", Lt Dawe - Attached to VII Corps, broke down prior to start. (W21) (W21)
3 May 1917 – "D" Battalion, 12 Company, D48, Lt Chick HR - Attached to 62nd Division, attacked, returned. (W21)
13 May 1917 - "F" Battalion, 18 Company, F53 - Supply tank with battalion , WO 95-91-6 pg13
1917, Third Ypres - "F" Battalion, F53, "The Flying Scotsman" - Supply Tank (16)
20 Oct 1917 - F Battalion supply Tanks handed over to Central workshops at Erin. (W6)
1919 - Returned to Britain and had tail wheels added to give the impression it was a MK I
Photographed with tail wheels
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2361640820/in/set-72157601073014868/
On display in Bovington Tank Museum, with female sponson.
Mk III - No surviving tanks
Mk IV - Seven surviving tanks
Unknown Serial number
Ashford's presentation tank, much been replaced.
In situ Ashford Kent
2743
22-Aug-17 - D Battalion, D42 - Presumably put out of action by Direct Hits from enemy shelling at Bell Vue forward area. W4 W21
May - Nov 1918 - Presumably with a battalion in France as it has unditching rails and identification stripes when it is a presentation tank post war.
1919 to 1940 (approx.) - Presentation tank at Gloucester city (Gwyn Evans).
Photographed with un-ditching rails and identification stripes. (E Bay photo)
1940 to 1983 - Bovington tank museum (Gwyn Evans)
1983 to present day - on display museum of Lincolnshire Life, painted as "Flirt II", serial 2179 (Gwyn Evans).
Post war source: http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/news/the-mystery-of-the-tank-that-came-back-from-the-war/123304.article
2324 Fearless (1917), Excellent (1940)
13-Jul-17 - "F" Battalion, 17 Coy, F26 - with battalion 95/91
31-Jul-17 - F Battalion, 17 Coy, F26, 2Lt Thurston - In action, ditched W23p
01-Aug-17 - To Salvage. Hit and too badly damaged to repair F63.
09-Aug-17 - Handed over to Salvage W6
11-Aug-17 - Salved whole on improvised radiator to I.3a.5.6.
23-Aug-17 - Heavily shelled at I.3a.5.5 whilst attempting to move.
24-Aug-17 - From I.3a.5.5 to Reigersburg Chateau.
31-Aug-17 - Loaded for CW W32
1940 – HMLS Excellent X5.p133
Present Day: Bovington tank museum Exhibit. Photograph: X5.p132, http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/937593218/in/set-72157601074582281/
2620 Deborah
20-Nov-17 - "D" Battalion, 11 Company, 12 Section, D51, 2/Lt. F.G. Heap - In action, hit and KO W21
1919 – Buried in a shell hole XXXX
Photographed derelict: X4i, X4h
Present Day: In Museum following excavation: X5.p138 X24.p172, X44.p172
4093 Lodestar III
On display in The Royal Museum of the Army, Brussels
4633 Liberty
05-Nov-18 -Shipped to Americans from Newbury mun4-2800
Present Day - On display in Aberdeen US Army Ordinance Museum (serial number on plate unclear in photo, confirmed by photographer, Bill Maloney)
4643 Grit
Photographed many times in Australia:
DAX2080, P04425.001, RELAWM05040.001, A04990, A04987, A04988, A04989, A04991, A04992, P05386.001, H19493, H15956, H15957
Present Day - On display AWM - http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/advancing/MarkIV.asp
Mk V – Possibly nine surviving tanks.
9118 Dumbarton (http://1914-1918)
16 Jun 18 - Male tank - 4th Battalion - Taken on Strength from central stores W4
08 Aug 18 - Male tank - 4th Battalion, "B" Company, 7 Sec, Lt Struthers - In action, hit and KO WMH
12 Aug 18 - Male tank - 4th Battalion - Handed over to Salvage W4a
18 Sep 18 - Male tank - 4th Battalion, B41, Lt Smallwood GF - Attacked with 6th Division, 71st Brigade, 2nd Sherwood Foresters. Engaged enemy. Ditched and abandoned s3c6.9 W2
Photographed having its Engine removed at Central Workshops, date unknown - X11.p139
Present Day - In Russia, Kubinka Tank Museum http://www.tankmuseum.ru/p5.html
9171 Devil
Post war - Photographed in front of the ruined Cloth Hall in Ypres S68a front end paper. Presumably post war as no tanks served in the salient in 1918
1925 – 4th Battalion RTR – Withdrawn from service.
Gate Guard outside Royal Armoured Corps Training centre, Bovington.
Present Day - On display Imperial War Museum, sponsons are wooden mock ups.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/70000138
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/937582586/in/set-72157601074581465
9186 Audacious
2 Jun 1920 - 1st tank detachment, 1st tank Division, White Russian Army. s65.p32
Present Day - In Ukraine - On display Lugansk http://shushpanzer-ru.livejournal.com/734797.html
9199
08 Aug 18 - 8th Battalion, C Company, 2Lt Whittenbury HA - Attacked from Green line. Reached Blue line. Rallied W25
15 Aug 18 - 8th Battalion, C Company, 2Lt Dunlop - Formed part of composite coy. And proceeded to Vauvillers W8
21 Aug 18 - 8th Battalion, C Company, 2Lt Wilkinson - Formed part of composite coy. And proceeded to Mirlemont W8
29 Aug 18 - 8th Battalion, C coy - Tank entrained with B Company. W8
24 Jun 09 - male tank - Exhibit at Bovington Tank Museum http://www.tankmuseum.org/
9303
Present Day - In Russia, On display in Archangel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_I_(tank)#cite_note-atwater_et_al-24
9344
23 Jul 18 - 9th Battalion, - 51 Regiment, 3 French Division. Reached objective. Little opposition met, one or two enemy MG put out of action. Fit.1 Crewmen wounded. 95/94
Present Day - In Ukraine - On display Lugansk http://shushpanzer-ru.livejournal.com/734797.html
2009 - Video of tank being refurbished - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgwBhSvURyc&NR=1&feature=endscreen
Three more tanks survive in the Ukraine:
One at the Historical Museum, Kharkhov, Kharkiv Oblast (Ukraine)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50564690@N08/6215825494/
And two in the Regional History Museum, Ukraine s5.p132
The author had nor been able to find any more information on these tanks.
Mk V* - one surviving tank
9591
29 Sep 18 - 301st Battalion, A Company, Lt Hobbs - Hit and Destroyed between British Front Line and Starting point 95-94
Recovered and shipped to the United States, as of 2011 it is the only known surviving Mk V* tank residing in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor in Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA. http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html#
Whippets - Five surviving tanks
Unknown Serial number
A Whippet on display in Aberdeen US Army Ordinance Museum http://www.ordmusfound.org/
http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/AberdeenUSArmyOrdinanceMuseum/EarlyTanks/WhippetMediumTank/index.htm
A231 Carnaby
08 Aug 1918 - 3rd Battalion, A Company, 3 Section, A16, LCpl King,
03 Oct 1918 - 3rd Battalion, A Company, " Carnaby"; attacked with 5th Aus. Infantry Brigade, towards Beaurevoir. Broke Down H.2.d.9.t. (W3)
Present Day - on display Base Borden Military Museum, Ontario, Canada
A259 Caesar II
25/03/1918 - 3rd Battalion, C Company, 9 Sec. 2Lt Parry, successfully helped defend Colincamps (W3)
08/08/1918 - 3rd Battalion, C Company, 9 Section, C48, Cpl T Jervis (W3)
29/08/1918 - 3rd Battalion, Lt Sewell; OIC rescued crew of A233, he and driver KIA (OIC posthumous VC) (W3) (S5.p102f)
29/09/1918 - 3rd Battalion, C Company ditched (W3)
2000 - Tank on Display Bovington. (X5.p103)
A347 Firefly
12/08/1918 - 6th Battalion, B Company, with Battalion, E25central. (W6Bv)
08/10/1918 - 6th Battalion. B Company, in action, rallied (H6)
17/10/1918 - 6th Battalion, B Company, Attacked DEMILIEU from Southeast, knocked out by field gun W18c.8.1. (W6)
20/10/1918 - 6th Battalion, to Salvage (W6).
2003 - Photographed named "Firefly" in Museum in Brussels, still in original paint scheme (http://www.landships.freeservers.com/whippet_info.htm)
A387 HMLS Union
1919 - Presented to South Africa, Transferred from Permanent Force to South African Air Force
1921 - Rand Rebellion - in action, driver killed by shot though viewing aperture.
1922 - 1939 - Served at Roberts Heights
1939 - retired
Present day - On display The South African Military College
Source for the above: http://landships.activeboard.com/t51019122/hmls-union-sa-medium-a-whippet/?page=1