Commanders!
Say hello to the only British tank to serve throughout the entire Second World War. The "Queen of the Desert" was the leading British infantry tank in the early years of World War Two. It served with the British Expeditionary Force in France, then later in North Africa, and proved to be a cutting-edge vehicle with thick frontal and hull armor, and a fantastic ability to support infantry troops and exploit weaknesses in enemy lines. This fierce tank took two London bus engines to power and featured a "doorbell" on its back so infantry units could communicate with the crew.
After causing the Italian Army many problems in Libya, the Matilda II only became outclassed when the Afrika Korps' 88 mm guns were eventually introduced to the battlefield. Nevertheless, the tank played a key role in the desert, and later proved essential in the South-East Pacific with the Australian Army until the end of the war.
Join Richard "The Challenger" Cutland as he takes a closer look at this beautifully restored historic vehicle at The Tank Museum in Bovington, U.K.
Thanks to The Tank Museum
Some of the footage in this video is courtesy of our friends at The Tank Museum. If you'd like to learn more about this particular Matilda tank, check out The Matilda Diaries on The Tank Museum's YouTube channel.
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Roll Out!
