1919 and thereafter
A work in progress
This page will give a brief overview of the fates of the First world war British tanks after the 1918 Armistice.
Great Britain
Many tanks were presented to towns as war memorials. Most were broken up in the 30's and early 40's. Only one now survives in Ashford Kent.
The Mk V and V* continued in service for several years, were deployed to the Rhineland and Ireland, and were also sent to various British towns during periods of industrial unrest.
Ireland
17th battalion deployed to Ireland with Whippets, Mk V and Mk V* and saw service in the 1919 to 1921 Anglo Irish War.
France
Some tanks were presented to towns as war memorials. All were apparently broken up by the victorious Germans in the early 40's.
100 Mk V* were ordered by France some were delivered but the rest were cancelled when the Armistice was signed. Some remained in service as driver training vehicles until WW2.
Belgium
Some tanks were presented to towns as war memorials. All were apparently broken up by the victorious Germans in the early 40's.
Germany
Several beutetanks (including at least one Whippet) served with the Freikorps in 1919 and 1920.
Some British tanks served with the occupying forces in the Rhineland.
Some Mk V tanks (by now on display) were appropriated in the USSR in WW2, at least two of these were taken to Berlin, presumably as trophies. They were liberated by the Russians in 1945.
Russia
A number of Mk V and Whippets were supplied to the White Russians. The best source for these actions is:
Tanks of the (Russian) Civil War (2001) I Moshchanskiy & S Romadin; translated (2009) Tom Hillman & Craig Martelle (S65)
The two osprey books are also good:
Armoured Units of the Russian Civil War. Red Army (2006) David Bullock (Osprey) (S63)
Armoured units of the Russian Civil War. White Russian (2003) D Bullock and A Deryabin, Osprey (S10)
Most were captured by the Red Russians and some served with the USSR until the early 1930's.
Several were on display in town squares when the Germans overran the western USSR, two were taken to Berlin, the only WW1 heavy tanks to ever enter the city.
Several still survive and some are still on display: 9186 and 9334 in Lugansk, Ukraine;
Estonia
Six Mk V were shipped to Estonia, (including two of: 9116, 9147, 9369); eventually two were transferred to Latvia.
http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html#
They may have been used in World War two.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1296596295/1297011285/MKIV+Soviet+%28ex-British+1918%29+in+action+in+1941
Latvia
Two of the Estonian MK V were transferred to Latvia and one other Mk V was obtained: 9116, 9147 and 9369
http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html#
They may have been used in World War two.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1296596295/1297011285/MKIV+Soviet+%28ex-British+1918%29+in+action+in+1941
Japan
At least one Mk IV and four whippets were exported to Japan
probably
4637 :http://www.weaponsofwwii.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3130
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ja/5/58/Japanese_MarkIV.JPG
A390: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/5878331003/in/photostream/
A391: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ja/7/76/Japanese_Whippet.jpg
USA
A dozen Mk IV were exported to the USA. One of these, 4633 is on display: http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/AberdeenUSArmyOrdinanceMuseum/EarlyTanks/BritishMkVFemale/index.htm
A number of MkV and MkV* tanks were shipped back to the USA, the last surviving MKV* is on display.
Canada
Whippet W231 is on display in Canada. Base Borden Military Museum,
Austrailia
Mk IV, 4643 "Grit" was sent to Australia to raise funds. It is still on display: http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/advancing/MarkIV.asp
South Africa
One whippet was sent to to South Africa in 1919. It saw service there in the 1922 Rand Rebellion. It is currently on display.