British Tanks Of The Second World War is the definitive archive film documentary tracing the
development of British Tanks from the Tog 1 at the outset of war to the Comet at the end of hostilities
through a never ending cycle of improvements to meet the joint challenges of firepower, manoeuvrability
and crew protection.

The Germans started World War Two with the deadly advantage of having developed a formidable
Panzer Force both in terms of their tanks' mechanical superiority and the integrated Panzer Divisions
preparations for their deployment. The British tanks by contrast were basic, unimaginative
throwbacks to the crude designs of the Great War.

Tanks were needed to smash through defences and enemy lines, to destroy gun positions and to
isolate and paralyse the enemy in minimal time. As the war progressed relentlessy across Northern
Europe British Tanks met the challenge of the heavier German Tanks by successfully mating the 17
Pdr Gun to the Sherman Tank creating the tank destroying Firefly. Other adaptations to tanks
included the ability to 'swim' and lay bridges - helping to maintain the flow of armour into the heart of
the Reich.

British Tanks Of The Second World War is the fascinating story of the design triumphs and adaptations
that turned around the mismanagement, underproduction and technical inferiority of British tanks at
the beginning of the war into a fearsome strike force that outfought the Panzer divisions and paved
the way for Victory!

Beach Obstacles (1943, 31 minutes) - A fascinating silent film illustrating the many ways adapted
tanks can be employed to overcome passive beach defences - walls, wire-filled gullies, concrete 'egg'
obstacles, steel tubes etc. Includes images of Churchill tanks with 'Carpet' laying equipment enabling
troops to cross areas of densely packed barbed wire and customised Convenanter and Matilda with a
variety of explosive charges.