The Great Tank Scandal: Part 1: British Armour in the Second World War Book

Taking 1939 as its starting point, this book examines the development of British and Commonwealth armoured fighting vehicles, looking at the factors which led to the "great tank scandal". The book asks why Britain, who conceived and invented the tank in 1916, had such inferior tanks in World War II. Indecision in high places, stubborn industrialists, the German bombing campaigns and years of military vacillation meant that by the time of Dunkirk the British Army was virtually devoid of tanks. The story in this volume ends on the beaches of Dieppe, a tragedy that paves the way for a sequel which will deal with the last three yeares of the war. The author uses original source material - reports, minutes and correspondence - to tell the story, including the extracts from the diary of Michael Dewar, who headed the British Tank Mission to Washington, but met with opposition from London when he attempted to get American tanks for the British Army.Read More