AMERICAN TANKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1942, Page 4

AMERICAN TANKS

LARGE NUMBERS IN NEW ZEALAND

DISTRIBUTION TO ARMOURED REGIMENTS.

EQUIPPING HOME DEFENCE

FORCES.

Large numbers of light American tanks, usually called General Stuart, have arrived for distribution to New Zealand light armoured fighting vehicle regiments. They are yet anuother sign of the progress achieved in recent months in greatly augmenting the equipment of the country’s home defence forces.

Very fast, of about 11| tons, and with rubber 'tracks, they are of a type which has already been supplied to Allied forces in various theatres of war. In addition to a shell gun, they are armed with a number of machineguns and an anti-aircraft piece. Some of the tanks are now at the New Zealand Armoured Fighting Vehicle School, where tank experts are putting them through their paces before they become a general issue to the light armoured fighting vehicle regiments, formerly the mounted rifles regiments. Others are being used by the Army Tank Brigade. Following its usual sensible practice, the Army has not waited for the delivery of the vehicles to accustom selected personnel to the use of them. Various ranks from the different regiments have already received intensive courses at the A.F.V. School and have been equipped to pass on the knowledge they have received to the remaining personnel of their units. By this method the time taken to bring the regiments to the stage where they can fight with their new equipment should be reduced .to a minimum.

The arrival of the General Stuarts will enable the release of a large number of Bren gun-carriers from the light armoured fighting vehicle regiments to infantry battalions, many of which are already well equipped with them. Other carriers may be used as tank tenders and as reconnaissance vehicles by the light armoured fighting vehicle regiments and other mechanised units. Like the American General Grant and General Lee types, the General Stuart tanks are named after a general who played a prominent part in the Civil War. Major-General J. E. B. Stuart rose in the Confederates’ army to the command of its cavalry corps, one of the United States forerunners of j its present armoured divisions.