Posted 9 years ago
racer4four
(586 items)
A few weeks ago we visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, and although we have been often before there was a new artefact on display.
The tank Mephisto was recently moved to Canberra to be displayed at the War Memorial, which includes a very large and excellent military museum. Mephisto is the only surviving complete A7V in the world, although there are some replicas worldwide.
This German WW1 A7V Sturmpanzerwagen was the fifth produced from the first production batch, although only 20 in total were ever built.
This tank, no 506, first saw combat at St Quentin in March 1918, where it was a successful weapon. A month later, in April 1918, sporting it's new name Mephisto and a picture of a red devil, it was used in a battle at Villers-Brettoneux. Unfortunately it became stuck in a shell crater and was abandoned by the Germans.
Almost a month later, under the covering noise of artillery fire, Australian and British infantry towed the tank out of the ditch and behind Commonwealth lines.
It was used on a British training ground until October 1918 and Great Britain was keen to have the tank sent to England for their planned War Museum. Australian engineers quickly spirited it away and shipped Mephisto to Australia and from then on it was displayed at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.
Mephisto was given some restoration work and shipped to Canberra to be added to the Museum temporarily for the ANZAC Centenary.
Photos show the tank from various angles, and there is one with Vincent also (he was the driving force behind the visit).
It's a very cool thing - very basic in design but showing the basis for tanks to come. I can't imagine what is was like to man(up to 11 people were required), or how it seemed when one of these was approaching you in war.
Great post Racer4four.
Wow == neat info.
11 people to run it it.....hope no one had Beans !! LOL
Great write up Karen and pictures......we were there last year.....it is just wonderful!!!
Fortunately, I've never had to experience the horrors of war, but I imagine it must have been scary as hell when one of these was approaching you in battle. [:<\
I imagine you know the recent facts
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3650412/Auction-Evil-Hitler-s-uniform-sells-215-000-collector-Argentina-bought-Goering-s-XXL-underpants-nightshirt-2-000.html
I've seen video of this tank on display from before it was moved. Glad to see I won't have to travel from Canberra to Brisbane to see it when I finally check off that bucket list item.
Chris
Really interesting. Thanks for sharing. Pretty thin armor.
Thanks Roy - I am not big on artillery but the age, idea and concept of this very early tank impressed me.
Thanks Rose - It is really tiny inside, and must have been incredibly hot, noisy and fumy with that big engine enclosed in the cabin.
It's a great place isn't it Judy! I'm so happy they have fully restored the 1920s dioramas of WW1 - they are very special.
I can't imagine it either KJ, especially as these were a new weapon and aimed at trench artillerymen. Awful!
Thanks for the link Kivanitz. I wasn't aware of that auction and I fully understand the emotion associated with it.
It's good to learn every day Thomas! Thanks.
Chris it was fantastic to see this tank in the flesh so to speak.
The museum has been recently refurbished and updated, but the real stand out pieces G for George Lancaster and the Japanese submarine ate still there. I could be there for days to really take it all in.
I'm sure there are many great war museums world wide so your bucket list will be long!
Very thin armour BB - a smallish shell would have done a lot of damage.
I guess when you look at it you have to see it as one of the first tanks. The British Mark 4s were better but even they were young technology, and weren't very good!
Awesome Tank:) it must of been very intimidating to see coming at you.
As a new weapon of war they must have been extremely frightening. Thanks Trey!
Some small corrections to this account:
The time that elapsed between Mephisto being abandoned by its crew and recovered by Allied troops was actually three months - April 24th to July 22nd. It was towed away, under cover of darkness, by one of two British Gun Carrier tractors sent to the scene. Twenty-three British tank crew and thirteen Australian infantrymen were involved. The tank was not "towed behind Commonwealth lines"; it had been abandoned by the Germans in April before it could reach their own front line. Australian troops eventually took control of the area, so it was already behind the Allied line when it was decided to salvage it. It was towed out of sight of German artillery, hidden in a nearby wood, and later towed to the training ground at Vaux-en-Amiénois. It wasn't "used" there; it simply stood there for several weeks, and was an an object of great curiosity. It wasn't spirited away by Australian engineers - it was taken to London docks, where it remained while its future was decided. Since the British had taken possession of two A7Vs (Hagen and Wotan), it was agreed that Australia could receive Mephisto as a war trophy, because of the part played in its recovery and in the battle of Villers-Bretonneux by Australian troops. It was sent from Tilbury on April 2nd, 1919. The crew was a mimimum of eighteen, but sometimes as many as twenty-five men would travel in an A7V.
Chrisnp: " Glad to see I won't have to travel from Canberra to Brisbane to see it when I finally check off that bucket list item." I'm afraid you will. Mephisto is now back at the QM permanently and will be part of a display commemorating Australia's role in the Great War. Sorry.