The A7V tank

[Don D.]

I just got back from a quick trip to Texas and on my flights I read a book I picked from ebay on the German A7V Tank, and the captured British Mark IV Tanks of WW1. 240 glorious pages of technical, developmental, and employment details. The operational deployment details are really worth noting. For instance: 20 AV7s saw combat on the Western Front. Each had a crew of 18. (20 x 18= 360) 60 Captured Mark IV saw combat. Each had a crew of 12 personell. (60 x 12= 720) So we have potentially 1080 personell elegible for the Kampfwagonabzeichen. If you assume 30% casualties, 30% people rotating out to other assignments or missing actions for various reasons you still have 432 people theoretically elegible for the badge. The book quotes the 100 number but the more I look at it that seems to be a nice round arbitrary figure. Perhaps it was the number of former tankers on active duty at the time the badge was instituted. Just a thought.

Another interesting thing worth noting is that in several photos members of the tank crews are seen wearing the Machinegunners Sharpshooter Badge. Obviously the course taught machinegun skills that were thought to be critical enough to send some tankers to.

Authors: Hundleby & Strasheim
Published in 1990
ISBN: 0-85429-788-X

[regular122]

Don,

I think the numbers might even be higher than the 430 or even 1000. Casualties have replacements. It is also possible for units to have more crews than vehicles, such as in the flying units.

I know the controversy over the number of those that actually served stems from the number of tank badges applied for. Most we see today are fakes. But it actually makes sense that a bit higher numbers would warrant a badge for their service in the first place rather than a group so small as to not draw any attention as a sanctioned badge. I find it hard to believe the 100 number as the only amount ever authorized for the badge. Just some thoughts.

As to the tanks themselves Don, does the book list the numbers and names of the A7Vs? I am aware of these compiled from various lists, not all of which agree:

501 Gretchen: scrapped by the Allies in 1919 (Female).
502/540: Scrapped by Germans in October 1918.
503 Faust4-18, KonigWilhelm 5-18, Heiland 7-18: Scrapped by Germans in October 1918.
504/544 Schnuck: lost at Fremicourt 31 August 1918. Built on the 504 carrier chasis. Scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
505 Baden I: scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
506 Mephisto: lost at Villers-Bretonneux on 24 April 1918, recovered by Australians, now in Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Australia.
507 Cyklop: scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
525 Siegfried: scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
526 Alter Fritz, Fritz: Scrapped by Germans in 1 June 1918.
527 Lotti: lost at Pompelle Fort 1 June 1918. Scrapped by the Allies in 1922
528 Hagen: lost at Fremicourt 31 August 1918. Scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
529 Nixe II: lost at Reims 31 May 1918, recovered by Americans and scrapped at Aberdeen Proving Grounds Museum in 1942.
540 Heiland: scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
541: Possible same as 540. Scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
542 Elfriede: lost at Villers-Bretonneux 24 April 1918. scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
543 Bulle 4-18, Adalbert 5-18, : scrapped by the Allies in 1919.
560 : lost at Iwuy 11 October 1918.
561 Nixe: Lost or scrapped by Germans 24 April 1918.
562 Herkules: scrapped by Germans after 31 August 1918.
563 Wotan: scrapped by the Allies in 1919, a replica of "Wotan" was built in the late '80s based largely on "Mephisto", now in Panzermuseum in Munster, Germany.
564: Scrapped by the Allies in 1919.

Post War
54: Hedi: Thought to be built on the 524 chasis. Witold J. Lawrynowicz lists one more A7V built from parts seeing service with Kampfwagenabteilung Vetter and later participated in fighting the Communists in Lipsk in first half on 1919. There was one sister of unknown number. Are there others?

I wonder how many pics we could post of these? I'll start with a few.

Steve

[regular122]

501 Gretchen.

[regular122]

504 Schnuck led by 528 Hagen.

[regular122]

504 Schnuck

[regular122]

505 Baden I

[regular122]

506 Mephisto. This one is the only survivor of the original wartime A7Vs. Now in Australia.

[regular122]

507 Cyklop.

[regular122]

Cannot tell the name on this one but think it would be the next in order.

525 Siegfried.

[regular122]

527 Lotti.

[Igor Starikow]

540 Heiland

[Alan]

506 Mephisto. This one is the only survivor of the original wartime A7Vs. Now in Australia.

Where abouts in Australia, I'd love to go see her

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Alan, it is here:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/features/mephisto/index.asp

Cheers, Ade.

[Alan]

Great, thanks for that Adrian

[tegunn]

"Another interesting thing worth noting is that in several photos members of the tank crews are seen wearing the Machinegunners Sharpshooter Badge. Obviously the course taught machinegun skills that were thought to be critical enough to send some tankers to."

It makes sense being the tanks had so many MG's..Almost a requirement to have the badge!