The British Mark IV Female Tank Serial 4643 was sent to Australia to assist in raising War Loans, ...

Accession Number A04991
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Film copy negative
Maker Unknown
Place made Australia: New South Wales, Sydney
Date made 1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

The British Mark IV Female Tank Serial 4643 was sent to Australia to assist in raising War Loans, its first stop was Adelaide in September and after a public naming competition the name 'Grit' was bestowed on the tank by Lady Galway, the wife of the South Australian Governor. The tank then moved onto Melbourne and was exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Show where it was just as popular as it was in Adelaide. In October the tank was railed to Sydney for display. An admission charge of eleven shillings was made for adults and three pence for children. For the sum of ten pound ten shillings a ride around a specially constructed circuit could be purchased and for five pound five shillings the tank could be inspected at close hand. The tank was used in few displays during 1919 and was placed in storage in the Army engineering depot in South Melbourne and later transferred to the Australian War Museum. Eventually Grit was moved to Canberra and is now on display in ANZAC Hall at the Australian War Memorial. The tank was commanded by Captain NL Brown.

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