| Accession Number | E03100 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Glass original half plate negative |
| Maker |
Unknown Australian Official Photographer |
| Place made | France: Picardie, Somme, Chuignes |
| Date made | 24 August 1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
View of a damaged British Mark V Male tank with the numbers '9004' and 'B.4' painted on the side. ...
Description
View of a damaged British Mark V Male tank with the numbers '9004' and 'B.4' painted on the side. The sponson is marked also with 'E1'. Underneath the marking B4 is painted a skull and cross bones. This also is painted on the rear of the tank. The tank has been painted on its front sponson horns with the British recognition marking of a white red white stripe, which also appears on the rear of the upper hull cupola. The cupola is fitted with a semaphore signalling device. The tank is missing its starboard track.
In the background there are smoke clouds from burning drums of fuel, which were supposed to have been prepared by the enemy to provide a smoke screen for their retreating troops, near Chuignes. The drums were accidentally set on fire by the German artillery, on 24 August 1918, after the area had been advanced over by troops of the 2nd Division.