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Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1917, Page 2

How the fighting tank was evolved from j a ploughing machine is described by Mr. J. W. Preston, of Messrs William j Foster and Co., Lincoln". The Foster ! Prairie Engine, with an addition to its power and some changes, was intro- j duced to Army work in the Transport! Department. It had Inigo travelling! wheels. Twelve months of the war had passed before its possibilities in battle were considered, A plan was submitted by th<> firm to the authorities, who gave permission to go on. In the preparation of further plans and specifiatlons and the sifting of innumerable ideas many laborious hours, many allnight sittings were spent Materials were gathered, and two uncouth moncters gradually took shape in the workshops. Trials followel—first in an ordinary Lincolnshire bog field; itiion at dead of night, up a slippery hillside asd over a trench, shell crater, and barbed wire. Everyone that mattered there, seemed satisfied that there was ample promise in tins new invention, and a.very disagreeable surprise in store for the enemy, ino real official trial, however, was for other times, at a spot ‘somewhere in England.” Secretly the two tanks were conveyed to the official , trial ground. Mechanics, drivers, and! handymen went from the works, their lips sealed ns to their destination. Tli 0 1 ground chosen, might have been taken ! en bloc from tho worst part of tho. war j zone in Belgium or France. There were hills and hollows, trenches, barbed wire, parapets, all of the latest and most fiend ish type. The ground was worked into a thick puddle in some places. 'Hie keen, critical eyes of British and French military officials were watching. At the word of command away went tho two tanks, clearing the trenches, crushing down the parapets, scarcely deigning to * notice the barbed wire, through the puddled clay. So, was continued thoso trials for several days, with still more • officials to watch and criticise, but all agreed that the invention, or evolution, of the tanks was an undoubted success. Official instructions were given for a. large number of tanks to ho constructed and, ready for action by a certain time. “All at full pressure!” was the motto.” lie says, “Military officials addressed the workmen to encourage them to do their utmost. Workmen were taken into the confidence of the works officials with a view to keeping up the pace, Heavy loads of' material came by passenger trains to save time; other loads poured in by motor-lorry. As the tanks were completed they were so'ht, still in secret, to ‘somewhere in England’ to mobilise and got their crews. Weeks wont by without a word of what had become of them. But at la'st Mr. Preston saw “Brilliant British Victory” on the contents bill of an evening paper and eagerly paid his halfpenny. In the stop-press column, was n despatch from Sir Douglas Haig briefly reporting, an important advance on September 15, finishing with 'the statement : "In this attack wo used n now type of heavy armoured car which has been of great assistance.” Fuller reports confirmed tlic nows of the success of tho tanks.