WWI Mk. IV colour photo

[Richard Farrant]

There is a Mark IV tank in my home town of Ashford. It was driven to the site it still stands on, in 1919. Many of these tanks were given to towns around the country after WW1, this is the only remaining example of those. The reason for its survival was that it the inside was converted to an electricity sub-station, with the rear of the hull between the tracks having double doors fitted. I think it was around the 1970's that this electrical instalation was removed. The area around the tank was redeveloped and the Council requested a survey by the local REME workshops with a view to re-locating it, but due to the bottom and rear of the hull being removed and serious corrosion, it was viewed that this would not be practical.

Eventually a new shopping centre was built alongside and a purpose made shelter has been built over it. The 2nd Royal Tank Regt. have repainted it on occasions and it is now a memorial. Recently I was able to inspect it inside with a view to undertaking some conservation work on it and rebuilding the rear to its original appearance, (although we did not get the contract), and was interested to see that both the giant drive chains were still fitted inside. This contradicts various accounts I have read, where the chains were removed on placing these gifted tanks to stop anyone using them in an uprising against the government of the time!

The attached photo was taken around 1980, but now its appearance is enhance by a more authentic paint job with numbers applied and dummy Lewis guns in the sponsons.