TESTING TANKS' TACTICS.
Page 17
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Putting " Egberts " and "Old Bills" Through Their Paces.
UPON the occasion of his recent visit to the Provinces, Sir William Robertson took avail of the opportunity to visit" Somewhere in the Midlands," one of the cradles in which these and other powerful and ponderous weapons of war are raised and put through their paces previous to despatch to one or other of the many fighting fronts. The eminent military comp-lender was piloted first, through the factorieS where these weird monsters are contrived and their parts assembled, afterwards proceeding to the testing ground where ravines, ditches, trenches and bluffs of artificial creatien abound, to assure the builders and designera that the products of their ingenuity are fully capable of fulfilling the various operations for which. they have been designed.
Our upper picture shows one of the large petrol tractors which are used for drawing heavy loads, particularly guns. A comprehensive idea of the massive proportions and powerful lines of the unit may be gathered from a comparison of the three men on the footplate with the huge driving wheel.
In the central picture a Tank is seen being put through its tactics. Sir William Robertson is accompanied (on the left) by Colonel Lueas, his aide-de-camp, and Sir William Tritton, who, it will be recalled, played a prominent, part in the introduction of this new offensive weapon to the art Of warfare, The beteks picture depicts a scene in the fitting shop.
Two small8 teain tractor used for military road and general haulage, and reresentative of 6 Wellown make, are receiving their final touches preparatory to service. The directors of the "Tank Concern "have just Fecal red a -beautiful old hall in the neighbourhood of the works, and hare spent a considerable stun in furnishing and equipping it as--6 Workers' communal home. It will house 68 residential mem-. bors, who, withthe social members, will constitute a club, the whole being run under' a management committee on easy terms and under a. popular constitution. A clever idea is the transformation of the entrance' hall into a heated locker room, where the member on entering can, remove his working clothes, clean and change after his day's work. Sir William Robertson was highly pleased with the whole scheme.