Royal Tunbridge Wells - First World War Tank

On the green outside the former Vale Road Post Office
London Road
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN1 1ED
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 58224 39731
Denomination: Undefined

Description

First World War tank 131, presented to Tunbridge Wells in 1919, in recognition of money raised towards war effort. (The tank was dismantled/sold for scrap in 1937).

Inscription

(Unknown)

Inscription legible?

yes

Commemorations

First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 0
Served and returned: 0
Died: 0
Exact count: yes
Information shown: Undefined
Order of information: Undefined

Components

Relic
Measurements: Undefined
Materials: Undefined

Condition

If you know the condition of this memorial, please help by adding details

History

1937: Dismantled and sols for scrap (£51).// 1919: Presented to the town.

Trust fund/Scholarship

No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

Reference

rootschat website: www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=600341.0
Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 17 December 1937 (page 13) reported: "ECHO OF THE TANK.—Mr. G. W. Goddard, of 11, Thomas-street, a well-known Tunbridge Wells resident, has received a copy of the New York Sunday News ’’ which contains a photograph of the demolition work the tank which was recently broken up and moved from the Common. The caption beneath the photograph reads:—“ From world war to the next? . . . This tank stood as a monument of peace Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. But that was 20 years ago. Now the hissing flame of cutting torch and resounding blows of sledge hammer reduce it to scrap—for new armaments.” www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000483/19371217/277/0013
Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 30 July 1937 (page 5); reported on a recent Council meeting held on 28th July. Commenting 'THE “OLD WAR HORSE” TO GO', the reporter stated: ''Another question also came up for final settlement, that of whether the tank on the Common should be sold for scrap metal for the sum £51, or whether it should be retained as an example of British ingenuity. Councillor Dr. Rankine championed the cause of those who wished to retain it, saying it was dreadful to think that the Council would sell the ex-Service men’s birthright for a mess of pottage for a miserable £51 to get rid of a thing of beauty. Despite the efforts which were made by a small brigade they were in the end overwhelmed by others who wished that it had never been brought to the town. It was a thrustful skirmish'; the reporter's account of the council's heated discussion concluded: 'OUTLIVED ITS USEFULNESS. Alderman. E B. SAUNDERS was also in favour of the tank being disposed of. He said it had outlived its usefulness, and perhaps it would have been better had they never had It. Just recently he had to see a tank “cemetery,” and he wished that the Tunbridge Wells tank might have been among the “corpses.” Alderman CALEY, referring to Alderman Miss Baker’s question about removing the concrete platform, said it would be the Council’s responsibility to remove it and make good the turf. The cost was estimated at about £5. The MAYOR said that he would not be averse to the suggestion made by Councillor Dr. Rankine if the tank could be placed on some other part of the Common. He had every sympathy with the views of ex-Service men, and he had read Major Ruffell’s letter and other letters which had appeared in the local Press. There was no doubt that in the minds of ex-Service men there were differences of opinion. At the same time he thought the General Purposes Committee were right in recommending its removal. The amendment was lost'. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000483/19370730/129/0005
Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser - Friday 01 August 1919 (page 3) printed a lengthy report (with photos) of the presentation of the tank: 'THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS TANK. RECEPTION BY THE MAYOR. On Wednesday afternoon the Tank presented to Tunbridge Wells by the National War Savings Committee was formally received by the Mayor on behalf of the Borough. It had been arranged that there should be a procession from the S.E. Railway Goods Station, where the monster had been waiting in readiness for the hour of its public appearance, and the Camden-road had kept up its elaborate Peace decorations and triumphal arches in honour of the reception. The route from Camden-road was via Monson-road and York-road to the Common, and a crowd accompanied the Tank, which is one of the earlier type, on its journey, while the streets were lined with sightseers. A Detachment of the Skinners' School Cadet Corps formed the escort, and the Bugle Band of the King's Rifle Cadets headed the cortege. The Chief Constable, with a Detachment of Borough Constables, who, by their ribbands, were all war veterans, accompanied the tank, together with several Corporation officials. The pace of the Tank was a very stately one, and its caterpillar tractors steadily revolved, the Band rather outdistanced it. Ample time had been allowed to complete the journey to Vale Royal, and a halt was called in York-road, as the Tank (slowly as it went) was in front of time. The crew within its steel walls opened the side apertures for a breath of fresh air, and got busy with oil, rag and spanners, much to the excitement of the inevitable small boys, who were anxious for a forbidden peep at the interior. The confident opinion of the small boys that the Tank had refused to crawl an inch further was falsified just before three o'clock, when the Cadet Band struck up a marching air, and the monster responded with the discordant sounds of its internal mechanism beginning to rotate, and its caterpillar tractors once more slowly revolved. At the corner of York-road it skidded with an awkward lurch at left angles into London-road, and commenced the final stage of its journey. The slopes of the Common were thronged with spectators, but the main concourse of people had assembled at the scene of the final ceremony. The steep slopes of the Common, which here form a natural amphitheatre, were crowded with a mass of eager sightseers, who were provided with a genuine thrill which was not in the original programme. The Tank had made a disappointingly uneventful journey as far as Richmond Terrace. It had performed no circus tricks; it had not even butted any civic dignitary marching in front of it, and it occurred to Alderman Snell, we believe, that the crowd were a little disappointed that the star performer of the day had not shown his capacity for climbing any obstacle in its path. The Mayor took up the suggestion with his usual promptitude, and whispered something to Lieut, Hepworth, the officer in the Tank, who was understood to reply: "Why, certainly," with the result that the monster, apparently of its own volition, turned on to the Common, and in its own leisurely fashion proceeded to climb the steep bank at the side of the road, scattering the spectators who had chosen this point of vantage. Then the Tank disappeared behind the trees, and the crowd at Vale Royal who were craining their necks towards London-road wondered what had become of it. Suddenly a very perceptible movement was observed among the dense mass of people lining the steep slope of the Common facing the Wesleyan Church. A gap in the crowd appeared as if by magic, and then on the summit of the hill the Tank appeared and poised itself on the sky line ready for a plunge down the precipitous slope, which in the winter is given over to toboganning. Was the Tank going to toboggan into the London-road? The crowd evidently had perfect confidence in the officer in charge, for their curiosity mastered their discretion, and they budged as little out of the way as possible to get a good view, while the monster halted at the top of the slope preparatory to its final plunge. The forepart of the Tank gradually loomed over the slope with the officer in command directing its movements from underneath, very much as a tame elephant is directed by the dignified ring master of a circus. Gradually, amid a thrill of excitement, the Tank dipped and then caterpillared down the slope withort any increase in its sedate pace, and gave a final bump over the ditch at the bottom of the greensward, and found itself once more on the macadam of London-road. while the crowd closed in behind it. With a final awkward lurch it swerved along the temporary timber roadway on to the concrete foundation prepared for it. A final manoeuvre was to inch it into central position, and then the Mayor was invited by Lieut. Hepworth. the officer in command, to stop the motor for the last time and place the Tank out of action. With a blue cloud of petrol vapour still ascending of high temperature, and must have been absolutely torrid within, a stair case was provided for the Mayor, attended by the Mace-bearer, Lieut. Hepworth (officer in charge), Major Rigg (representing the National War Savings Committee), Mr. Alderman Snell local War Savings Committee). The final adjustment of the Tank was greeted by the Band of the Garrison Artillery playing the American marching air. with its insistent refrain of "Over there," and then silence was called by the Macebearer for the ceremony. Lieutenant HEPWORTH then said: I have great pleasure on behalf of the War Savings Committee in handing over this male tank to the Mayor, as representing the Borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The MAYOR, in reply, said: "On behalf of the Borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells I beg to accept the Tank, which has been so generously given to the town by the National War Savings Committee (cheers). Proceeding, the Mayor said they were proud to know that this Tank had served on the Western Front, and with our gallant soldiers to the final victory. This tank was presented as a memento to the town for what it had done in the National War Savings Committee, and he wished to thank all the inhabitants who, by their generous response to the appeal, has assured such a fine result for the borough that this Tank was presented as a recognition and memento of what Tunbridge Wells had accomplished. They would be interested to know that Tunbridge Wells and Swansea were the only towns among the many to which Tanks had been presented in which the Tanks were left with their side guns in acknowledgement of special efforts by the two towns (cheers). It was a great honour which Tunbridge Wells shared with Swansea...' www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001068/19190801/033/0003

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