Austin Armoured Cars towed by 'heavy' tanks in 1918?

[IanW]

Hi,

 

Have just purchased MiniArt's Austin AC and read about how in the 1918 Battle of Amiens, 17th AC Battalion's cars were towed across no-man's land by 'heavy' tanks.

 

 Am assuming these would be Mk.V's but has anyone come across photos or more detailed information as to exactly how this took place, taks involved, etc? I would love to make as a diorama!

 

Thanks very much,

Ian

[Kingsman]

MkVs were certainly at Amiens but would not have been universal.  MkIVs would have been present too and possibly some older Mks converted to supply tanks.  IIRC Bovington's MkII was at Amiens as a supply tank.

 

I wonder if the cars were towed by supply tanks following behind.  Combat tanks' already-limited mobility would have been further compromised by towing a deadweight load.  Any tow attached to the lugs at the rear of the horns would have prevented turning and would have snagged the tracks even in a straight tow as the cars were narrower than the tanks.  The tanks that were equipped to tow supply sledges had a tow point fitted to the rear roof behind the spud box.  There is an unanswered (AFAIK) question as to whether gun or supply tanks - or both - were equipped for sledge tow.  Whichever it was, there were not many.

 

My other worry bead with this story is that if the terrain was too bad for the cars to cross unaided, their undercarriages might potentially have become packed with mud and debris and axles might even have been torn off during the tow.  So were they perhaps loaded onto supply sledges or fitted with improvised skis?

[IanW]

Thanks for the reply - you bring up a good point that had made me wonder... how did "towing" the cars make crossing trenches, terrain, etc any easier? But if they were on sledges, that makes more sense.