Coventry Tank Week 1914-18 on film

Some fascinating video footage on Pathe - Tank Week Does that look like the bottom of Hertford Street? Pretty amazing film for 1914-18. Also this one, possibly Binley Road?

Greyfriars Green I believe? The tank was also exhibited there for some years afterwards as well.

Additional information: Coventry Tank Week was held from Monday 11 Feb 1918 until Saturday 16 Feb 1918 The Tank is No.119 'Old Bill' The tank was probably transported from Wolverhampton which held its Tank Week the previous week. These weeks were held mainly to boost the sale of National War Bonds Believe they raised a total of £1,370,276 during the week Archived local papers held at libraries and Recod Offices will tell the full story At the end of WW1 a significant number of tanks were allocated to towns and cities throughout the country because they added significant sums to the Treasury through National War Savings. During the war only six tanks toured the country; Old Bill, Julian, Iron Ration, Nelson, Drake and Egbert. Coventry was unlikely to have Old Bill on permanent display and another tank yould have been allocated. Peter Schofield

The Times Tuesday, 12 February 1918 - Coventry's Tank Bank The Coventry Tank Bank was opened yesterday by the Mayor, who was accompanied by the Mayoress Lord and Lady Aylesford, Lord Leigh and a large number of representatives of commercial and Labour interests. Before the Tank arrived the local bonds subscription amounted to over £1,000,000 and the new announcement after yesterday's ceremony included the contributions of Courtaulds (Limited) £100,000; the Mayor £5,000; Lord Aylesford £3,000; Lady Aylesford £1,000,000; and Lord Leigh £1,000. Corporal Hutt, the Coventry man who recently received the VC appeared on the Tank and handed a cheque for the citizens gift of £1,000 made in the recognition to his bravery, to the Tank bank.

Of the 46 tanks that were presented to various towns and cities, the sole survivor is in Ashford (Kent) town centre.

Hello Tank 119 was manned by 2nd Lt R.C Davis M.C., Sgt Hayle, Gnt Bessant and Gnr Scott. I recognise Sgt Hayle as the soldier seen shaking hands with an official at the very end of the Tank Week 2 video. 2Lt Davis MC was my father-in-law? He earned his M.C. during the battle of Cambrai where he was wounded following a direct hit on his tank 'Harvester'.

Talking of tanks, my father was required to make a scale model of a Churchill tank whilst he was in the Humber Experimental Department during WWII, which was to be presented by the company to Churchill. It would be interesting to know what happened to it! He wasn't allowed to put his name on it, but did put his name inside it, so if it still exists, and one day is opened up, who knows what might transpire? Sorry, I know this thread is about WWI, but it seemed appropriate.

As it's the anniversary of the Somme, thought I'd update this courtesy of the Telegraph as some of the earlier photos have disappeared. Greyfriars Green : Edited by member, 3rd Jul 2016 7:06 pm

The Telegraph has a piece about Corporal Hutt's involvement in Tank Week. VC hero inspired Coventry folk to buy hundreds of new tanks