Matilda Tank Census Number

[David Dunlop]

I'm looking at a British War Artists painting of a Matilda Tank assembly line in the London Midlands and Scottish Railway Shops at Horwich, sometime during the war.

Interestingly, the Matilda in the fore ground bears the number 'T191483' in white and this has peaked my curiosity. Could this actually be the legitimate number from a Matilda seen that day by the artist, or purely fictitious? Not sure if war artist paintings and drawings were under as strict a censorship as photographs were during the war.

David

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

I'm looking at a British War Artists painting of a Matilda Tank assembly line in the London Midlands and Scottish Railway Shops at Horwich, sometime during the war.

Interestingly, the Matilda in the fore ground bears the number 'T191483' in white and this has peaked my curiosity. Could this actually be the legitimate number from a Matilda seen that day by the artist, or purely fictitious? Not sure if war artist paintings and drawings were under as strict a censorship as photographs were during the war.

David

David, the census number of 'T191483,' is purely fictitious. The last six digit census number allocated to a Matilda, was ‘T131175,’ a Mk IIA** Matilda IV, built under Contract TM.10605, W.D. Numbers allotted T131126 to T131175, Manufacturer: John Fowler & Company Ltd (Contract for 50 Infantry Tank, Mark II, Matilda II (A12), dated 15 December 1941) (50 Mk IIA** Matilda IV tanks were built under this contract).

Cheers