“Hounds” British Tank Corps
After the battle at Kambre, which became finest hour for tanks, even the most inveterate skeptics, it became clear that in the future to conduct a successful attack without the use of tanks is simply impossible. Without tanks, the attacking side for every kilometer captured from the enemy positions was forced to pay tens of thousands of deaths and enormous expenditure of ammunition. British tanks took to the battlefield in the middle of the Great War. I can not say that they decided the outcome of the war, but their role is, indeed, proved to be significant. The result of using tanks exceed all expectations in their expectations.

Yet success could not hide the shortcomings of the new weapons. Heavy tanks had neither enough power reserve, or maneuverability. Among the British military spread opinion about the need to add more heavy tanks moving light. Previously, others are aware of Colonel Fuller, who offered the concept of a “cavalry” of the tank, having a large reserve of travel and high speed, even at the expense of cannons. In accordance with the theoretical assumptions the British began to design a medium tank.

In principle, the firm W. Foster, his draft was ready even before the order for such a machine came from the War Department. Tanks were produced in December 1916, suffered in February 1917 and in June the same year, the military issued an order for the first batch of 200 medium tanks.

In March 1918 the first production tank, designated Mk.A., left the assembly line plant. The new tank, created by William Tritton in firm W. Foster in Lincoln, was considered a high-speed, and that developed twice the speed than the Mk-IV, earned the nickname “Whippet” – “Greyhound”.
A special feature of the tank “Whippet” was the presence of two engines, instead of one, as a heavy tank. Posted Motors “Taylor” with a capacity of 45 hp, were also unusually – in front of the cabinet, next to the fuel tanks. Each engine through its transmission sets in motion one of the tracks. Gearbox and the driving wheels were in the rear of the chassis. Rotate the tank could be one of three ways – either by reducing the number of revolutions of an engine, or by switching the transmission, or both, and another way at the same time. One of the disadvantages of the construction was that if you went down one of the engines, the tank could not continue.

Actually, it was not the only shortcoming of the tank. Despite the increase in speed to 14 km / h, the suspension remained tight (although by that time in France already appeared tanks with soft suspension). Because of this speed tank Mk.A. cross-country still remained low. The tank was very difficult to manage, and the driver required considerable skill, and an overview of the after cabin that housed the crew and armament (4 MGs), was unimportant. From rotating towers designers refused to simplify and reduce the cost of production of the tank, although the prototype “Whippet” – light tank Tritton, had a revolving turret.

Mk.A. “Whippet” were expensive and difficult to manufacture and use, but, nevertheless, exceeded its heavy “colleagues”. Tankers boasted that “Hounds” are capable of their own power back from the battlefield to its original position! Heavy Mk-I – Mk-IV because of frequent breakdowns and a small supply of fuel that could not always.
Mk.A. started service March 26, 1918. On that day, 12 tanks were sent to explore an Kolinkam. But his first fight “Hounds” took under Willer Breton April 24, 1918. 7 tanks at a speed of about 10 km / h appeared on the battlefield and fled about 1,200 Germans, who were preparing to attack. It killed 400 German soldiers. True, the price for success has been great – from 7 tanks returned 3, the other 4 were burned (one tank knocked A7V № 525 “Siegfried”; three Mk.A. destroyed gunners).

Tanks “Whippet” took an active part in all battles of the war, including by Amien August 8, 1918, when 96 medium tanks Mk.A. the first time in the history of armored troops have carried out what appeared to be operational breakthrough. Turning away from his infantry and accompanied by the cavalry, they had a spectacular raid on German lines. As a result of concerted action by all arms of the British by the evening of that day were able to capture 16,000 prisoners and 400 guns, as well as to advance 11 kilometers into the interior of Germany’s strong defense. About that, how many Mk.A. “Whippet” could be a formidable weapon, can be judged by the actions of the tank with a rather strange nickname “Music Box” Lieutenant Arnold in the Battle of Amiens. “Whippet”, broke away from his zalegshey under heavy artillery fire the cavalry alone made a daring raid on German lines. Approximately 12 hours in a raid the crew put down the battery, dispersed the convoy of cars and wagons and destroyed over 200 enemy soldiers. Only two hits, igniting gasoline, dug out from the fortified roof spare cans, the tank was taken out of action. It should be noted that the canisters were set out in violation of the instructions (they were supposed to strengthen the back).

Yet “cavalry” to become a tank “Whippet” failed. According to personnel of the battalions ‘Whippet’ interaction with the cavalry, as such, were not there, and both types of weapons do not help each other, but rather interfered. In the event, when the tanks have been deployed to the cavalry, their speed was not enough – they drove squads which went at a gallop. During the same battle the cavalry could not keep up, she stayed behind the infantry, tanks, and therefore “Whippet” were supposed to fight on their own, helping the infantry, where it is convenient case. Entering the operational space have been impossible without the support of mechanized infantry in armored personnel carriers and trucks, with no moving vehicles of communication and supply, without a clear interaction with the cavalry. All of this in 1918, it was impossible to achieve.