TRANSPORTER COMPANY

Dragon, 1 December 1942, Page 22

TRANSPORTER COMPANY

The Transporter Company represents the most recent development in modern tank warfare. The tank is essentially a fighting vehicle with a limited number of operating hours before requiring an overhaul, and in the early days of this war the lack of a full realisation of this led to disappointing results. Tanks had to make long journeys under their own power to the battlefronts, with the result that when the serious business of battle started nearly all their fighting hours had been expended on this journey. The Germans were the first to realise the position and evolved the tank transporter, a huge lorry cabable of carrying tanks to and from the battle in order to make the fullest use of the fighting hours when they were most needed. The result was that without possessing a tremendous numerical superiority in tanks the fighting hours of his machines enabled him to gain a big preponderence in the battle area. The scene is a Squadron Orderly Room. Enter a Trooper ho has been sent by his instructor to collect an oscillator for morse practice. "Please Sir, Sgt. . . . sent me for the "Osculator." A certain amount of restrained amusement on the part of the O.C. and one of the N.C.O.'s who happened to be present. When the Trooper had departed the said N.C.O. could contain himself no longer and roared with laughter. When he could speak he turned to the O.C. and said: "The darn fool—he wants to go up on the roof." Complete mystification on the O.C.'s part. "Well," elucidated the N.C.0., "fancy coming in here and asking for one of those moving staircases." ! ! !