Classic Military Vehicle – September 2019

A

n article by two Royal Tank Corps
offi cers that appeared in the Royal Tank
Corps Journal around 1931 discussed
the problems facing the commander of a
two-man light tank which, they felt, could be
overcome if the tank’s crew could be increased
by at least half a man.
Since half a man was not feasible, the War
Offi ce decided that in future they would

concentrate on the development of a three-man

light tank.

So that, in addition to the driver there would

be a new man to operate the weapons and the

wireless, leaving the commander free to keep

a look-out from his hatch, navigate, direct the

driver and generally command.

This was not an entirely original idea. In

1929 Vickers-Armstrongs had produced an

ugly looking tank designated A5E1which had

a crew of three but ultimately disappeared

without trace while, three years earlier the Royal

Ordnance Factory had been responsible for the

design and construction of A3E1, sometimes

referred to as the three-man light tank. This

was a peculiar contraption featuring a machine

gun turret at each end which must have been

more diffi cult to command and fi ght than

Since half a man was not feasible, the War
Offi ce decided that in future they would

This was not an entirely original idea. In

1929 Vickers-Armstrongs had produced an

gun turret at each end which must have been

more diffi cult to command and fi ght than

‘Naturally the new turret was larger,

in order to accommodate two men and as a result the

tank’s hull was wider to carry it’

The

of Tanks

A Light Mark V on the road at

Bovington. The two-man turret crew

is visible and the commander has his

map reading frame erected

The section lined up, in those peaceful days the

regiment liked to have itself identifi ed on the turret