Armoured warfare

Armoured warfare in modern warfare is understood to be the use of armoured fighting vehicles as a central component of the methods of war.

The inter-war period

After the Great War, various commanders who had been associated with the development of the tank were involved in developing the new ideas. Liddell Hart wrote extensively on tank warfare and the theories of Colonel Fuller. The British War Office sanctioned the creation of the Experimental Mechanized Force which was formed on May 1, 1927, under Colonel R. J. Collins. The units were entirely mobile and consisted of reconnaissance tankettes and armoured cars, a battalion of 48 Vickers medium tanks, a motorized machine gun battalion, a mechanized artillery regiment, which had one battery of fully-tracked self-propelled guns capable of acting as conventional or anit-aircraft artillery (Birch guns), and a motorized company of field engineers. The unit carried out operations on Salisbury Plain and was observed by the other major nations, the United States, Germany, and the Soviet Union. Although its performance was recognised it was disbanded in 1928. The British Army began the conversion of its Cavalry from horse to tanks. Although there were differences on where British military strength should be developed with the air force and navy being favoured by some in power, all bar a few regiments were fully converted by 1939.

Related Topics:
Liddell Hart - Fuller - Tankette - Armoured car - Birch gun - Salisbury Plain - United States - Germany - Soviet Union

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