'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎51v] (107/294)

44816-1
78
PTER 10
WEAPONS iJE) EQUIK.ENT
In this chapter it is intended to describe various devices v/hich
were introduced or modifications developed to meet the particular needs
of the operations. Some notes have also been included as to the advan
tages and disadvantages of various standard equipments. Certain technical
defects have been reported upon separately, and since many are inevitably
of a secret nature further reference to them has been omitted from these
pages.
AidLUhED FIGHTING- VErUCLES
panics
Eighteen Light Tanks, Mark III, were in use in Palestine from May to
November and covered a total mileage of 58,600. Out of the original
eighteen, fifteen tanks were evacuated to Egypt for overhaul, and replaced
after covering, since their previous overhaul, some 2000 to 2500 miles of
which roughly Ibfo had been run in Palestine. Heavy replacements of track
ana suspension parts were necessary, and experience showed that if tanks
were to operate for any length of time in the rocky hill country profusion
would have to be made for something approaching 100^ per month of all
track ana suspension spares. The tanks were struck by bullets in about
14 actions, some of them being fired from as close a range as 15 yards;
buo the only damages sustained, apart from two drivers wounded by bullet
splash, rterr vr.o sietal containers on running ooards destroyed, together
with tneir contents, and various lamps hit.
xne ^rk III tank was found to have certain minor defects in design
^-C., generally’- by reason of its spe*ed and reliability proved to be
an adidracle machine for its task. Although it was unable to render much
assistance to infantry in the rocky hill country, except by keeping to
° lie :i5a ^ n roa ^ s or fairly well-defined tracks and wadis , it was able to
go anywhere on -he plains and so undertake duties, particularly at night,
which could be performed by no other arm. Sven in the hills tanks did
saccced on several occasions in advancing slowly by roundabout routes to
y '^ n or so of most inaccessible points, and had it not been for
frequent breakages and shedding of tracks on extremely rocky ground
OA ei r u ^fulness would have been still mo^re enhrtnced. The only impossible
going p_ov^d to be terraced hillsides and hills covered by very large
ou-iers. nere it v^as found that tanks were often stooped by a ledge
on a comparatively small gradient, on large sloping slabs of smooth
« e r S -to f l3 ? ulders ^ich rolled away underneath.
±~~ Pafes^ire ° sno,; kT'ical samples of ground encountered by tanks
thr J-saavantages of the two-man tank as compared with the
nor"- " -T-rw-.t '^ re were not 50 apparent in tliis work as in
oirn indt-p■‘-iw" COiTIri an.ders acted very much more on their
to _ NeVeJ I ohe ; ess the absence of a third member of the crew
ance of^c -^ s frequently caused severe strain on the endur-
S no- ^et t n iOUnCl that a sufficiently high degree of silence
and exhaust system S^sec^ b—^ of the suspension
an aver®^ secure beuter results in this direction. On
thus crivincr tv ^ G0Ux; ' be heard just before it could be seen,
opened upon him. ^ C?por ' unit ^ to ta He cover before fire could be