School of Tank Technology

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by dbf, Jul 3, 2009.

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  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    From The Times 10 February, 1943:
    Picture 6.png
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2017
    dbf, Jul 3, 2009
    #1
  2. plant-pilot

    plant-pilot Senior Member

    I don't understand why the word 'school' is highlighted. Surely engineers going into the field of armoured vehicle technology should learn the fundamentals somewhere? If you don't learn how the problems of mobility, firepower and protection have been 'solved' in the past, the same mistakes will be made repeatedly by designers. There are several establishments in the UK which are used as such 'schools' and there were many more in the past.

    I would say that as well as engineers and designers, tank crews and mechanics benefit from such 'schools of tank technology'.
     
    plant-pilot, Jul 3, 2009
    #2
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Hi Plant-Pilot,
    Seems to be a little confusion arising from my search of Times archives.

    At the time I was searching their photo gallery - between specific dates - for information about a school which was bombed. All hits are highlighted by the search engine - hence "School" being shown in this way.

    'Fraid this is nothing other than the search engine's handy way of grabbing attention.
     
    dbf, Jul 3, 2009
    #3
  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    I think it's just an artifact of a page search highlight (pdf, browser, etc.) that's been unintentionally transferred with a screen-grab PP.
    Edit - ah, sorry, cross-posted with D's explanation above.

    Nice to see some pictures of these chaps at their indoor work anyway, not common.
     
    von Poop, Jul 3, 2009
    #4
  5. plant-pilot

    plant-pilot Senior Member

    No worries, it certainly 'grabbed my attention' and confused me a bit. Now I understand why the highlight, all confusion has evaporated and you can feel free to ignore my ramble.
     
    plant-pilot, Jul 3, 2009
    #5
  6. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Recently picked up this photo. It must be post-1949 by the BDs. Anyone know anything about it?

    [​IMG]
     
    Paul Reed, Nov 2, 2009
    #6
  7. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Close up of the officers. The one-handed one is interesting... and intriguing!

    [​IMG]
     
    Paul Reed, Nov 2, 2009
    #7
  8. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Close up of the officers. The one-handed one is interesting... and intriguing!

    [​IMG]

    So is the guy in civvies on the left of the main picture.
     
    Gage, Nov 2, 2009
    #8
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Some notes from Macksey's postwar history of the RTR up until 1975 ('The Tanks' - AAP 1979) :

    School of Tank Technology.
    Formed in 1942/43.
    Based at Chobham with the FVRDE in Wartime.
    Expanded to extra facilities at Shrivenham postwar.
    1951 moved to Bovington.
    Renamed 'The Armour School' in 1966
    (Notes that the course became 'unfashionable' c.1965 and pottered on by the will of RAC Commanders.

    Main task was to produce Officers capable of being 'Regimental Technical Adjutants', and other specialists in trials and intelligence.

    Commanding officers:
    Col. O E Chapman 1943-46
    Col. Frederick William Scriven Gordon-Hall 1946-48
    Col. Clare Brayton Bouchier 1948-51
    Col. F R S Mackenzie 1955-58 (May be 'Frederick Stephen Ronald')
    Col. Sir Frederick Coates 1958-61
    Col. B S Heath 1961-64
    Col. R Coombes 1964-67 (possibly 'Raoul')
    Col. R R Moss 1972-74 (possibly 'Reginald Roy')
    (nobody listed 1951-55 ?)

    I would guess that one or more of these chaps is front row in your course/staff picture Paul.

    ~A
     
    von Poop, Nov 2, 2009
    #9
    Paul Reed likes this.
  10. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Interesting - thanks for that.
     
    Paul Reed, Nov 2, 2009
    #10
  11. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Can someone who's good at it (I'm not) do a run through of assorted cap badges in the front row. They seem pretty identifiable and it may help in ID-ing as I've the entry regiments of a few of the senior chaps at the STT before they moved under the RAC umbrella.
     
    von Poop, Nov 2, 2009
    #11
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    RTR, Civvie, Royal Engineers, RTR, Full Colonel, Yeomanry unit ?, RTR, Queens Hussars unit ?, Royal Hussars?
     
    Drew5233, Nov 2, 2009
    #12
  13. idler

    idler GeneralList

    The Colonel is RTR - you can see his Big Willie...
    Rear rank, 4th from left looks like a Cherrypicker - 11th Hussars.
    Lots of REME - certainly post-1947 because of the 'modern' cap badge.
    Officer to the right of the Colonel might be 3rd (King's Own) Hussars.
     
    idler, Nov 2, 2009
    #13
  14. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Badges in the officer group: RE, RTR, Staff, 3rd Hussars, RTR, ?City/County of London Yeomanry.
     
    Paul Reed, Nov 2, 2009
    #14
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I was trying to decide if they were a course or instructors and I think I'm going with instructors.
     
    Drew5233, Nov 2, 2009
    #15
  16. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Would that be the same Sir Frederick Coates Bt. who was wounded at Tobruk on 21 November 1941, serving with 1 RTR?

    Many thanks!

    All the best

    Andreas
     
    Andreas, Nov 30, 2010
    #16
  17. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Andreas - I would say you are right about the colonel who lost his hand - all the others look a mixed bag of 9th Lancers -12th Lancers - 16/5th lancers- KDG's etc - a scary lot nevertheless
    Cheers
     
    Tom Canning, Nov 30, 2010
    #17
  18. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Collections listing for "SCHOOL OF TANK TECHNOLOGY COLLECTION" | Imperial War Museums
    Many familiar, some not so, but most really good quality - well worth a browse if only for those crisp 'illustrative' shots.

    Nice Camo:
    BRITISH ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES 1918-1939 | Imperial War Museums

    And some really good Dragon pictures scattered about:
    BRITISH MILITARY VEHICLES 1918-1939 | Imperial War Museums

    I'm suspecting their 'themes' approach may actually be a boon for the site in the long run. For example, 'Mechanisation in the British Army 1919-1939' is great stuff.
     
    von Poop, Dec 1, 2011
    #18
  19. REME Lad

    REME Lad Junior Member

    STT. I was stationed with School of Tank Technology at Chobham and Bovington in 1951 - 52. If anyone is interested, I can give details of this photo, STT, and possibly shed some light on the other one.
     

    Attached Files:

    REME Lad, Dec 2, 2011
    #19
  20. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    REME Lad - that would be very interesting.
     
    Paul Reed, Dec 2, 2011
    #20
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