Last use of the Light Tank Mk VI?

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Chris C, Aug 7, 2019.

  1. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    I'm not actually sure if this is the last use but it's the latest I've heard of and think it's kind of neat :) Anyone know of later?

    I knew that some Lights were converted to anti-aircraft use and they were used in the desert as late as 1942, such as this photograph from the IWM:

    [​IMG]
    THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH AFRICA 1942. © IWM (E 16827)
    IWM Non Commercial License

    However, from this document I photographed today about operations in Tunisia, April 12 1943 --

    LIGHT TANK MK VI ANTI-AIRCRAFT

    A few of these vehicles are held by both 25 Army Tank Bde and 26 Armoured Brigade.

    They are well liked by the users, although 26 Armd Bde state that the mechanical condition of their vehicles is so poor as to make it necessary to limit the amount of running carried out.

    As far as the armament is concerned, the 25 Army Tank Bde found it was necessary to adjust the firing bar to ensure that all four guns fired simultaneously while 26 Armd Bde report that their only trouble has been due to faulty feed at high angles of elevation caused by the angle of the belt when the guns are in that position.​
     
  2. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    You got me wondering about a 'favourite' beute machine.
    vickersspg03.jpg
    10.5cm leFH 16 ... Mk VI 736 (e)
    The limited info I have has them all shot out in the east by by '42, though.

    Werner Regensberg's little Schiffer book has some Mk.VIs serving on in Panzerschules, but no dates.
     
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  3. RobG64

    RobG64 Well-Known Member

    Hi Chris C
    The Army in India was still using Mk VI light tanks into 1943 on the North West Frontier in Frontier Armoured Regiments and an independent tank squadron. The tanks were withdrawn from the F.A.R.'s by March 1943 whilst the squadron used them until at least late summer 1943 (Note: both 44th Cavalry, I.A.C. and 101st Lt Tank Squadron I.A.C. were formed from 8th Light Cavalry!!):

    8th King George V's Own Light Cavalry - equipped as a Frontier Armoured Regiment (one light tank squadron and two armoured car squadrons) serving at Dera Ismail Khan from October 1941. Converted to an armoured reconnaissance regiment in March 1943

    44th Cavalry, Indian Armoured Corps - equipped as a Frontier Armoured Regiment and disbanded at Kohat in March 1943

    101st (Independent) Light Tank Squadron, Indian Armoured Corps - served at Dera Ismail Khan from January 1942 and re-joined 8th Light Cavalry in September 1943 (I am unsure as to when they would have "lost" their Mk VI tanks but I think it could have been between April and August 1943)

    This fits the timescale mentioned above (roughly by April 1943) for the last use of Mk VI tanks (unless anyone can correct me!)

    RobG
     
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  4. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    I think the Egyptian Army might still have had a few postwar. There's one in the Israeli tank museum at Latrun I believe.
     
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  5. Don Juan

    Don Juan Well-Known Member

    The Light Tank Mk.VI was also used for airfield defence by Home Forces, to take on paratroopers, saboteurs etc.

    The war diary for 28th Armoured Brigade (9th Armd Div) shows that they still had two Light tanks for this purpose in December 1943, and I would assume that these were still employed into 1944. Someone will need to check the brigade's 1944 war diary. There's a chance these could be Tetrarchs, but Light Tank MkVI's are more likely.
     
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  6. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Well, that makes sense - those Mk VIs might not have had as much mileage, and in milder conditions.
     

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