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Vickers Mk. E (6-ton) light tank in Polish service - a gallery

This page is a supplement to the Polish Vickers Mk.E (6-ton) light tank page, containing miscellaneous photos of these tanks in the Polish service.

Polish twin-turret Vickers Mark E tanks on Independence Day parade at Mokotów Field in Warsaw 11 November 1933, in original four-colour camouflage. The closest tank has number 1355 (second one made for Poland), written in old script on a table at the rear. The tanks have added oil coolers behind crew compartment. Unfortunately, the armament is not visible, but at least half of tanks were armed with 37 mm cannons by then.

[source: NAC]

Polish Vickers Mark E tanks on a parade at Mokotowskie Field in Warsaw on 5 or 6 August 1934, commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Polish Legion Movement. The tanks were repainted in new standard three colour camouflage, and part of them were converted to single-turret. Well visible is typical cooling air outlet hood. Twin-turret tanks have markings of the 1st platoon (disc), while single-turret one of the – 2nd platoon (triangle).

[source: NAC]

Polish Vickers Mark E tanks on Independence Day parade at Mokotowskie Field in Warsaw 11 November 1934. The tanks have still original air intakes.

As above. Visible are three twin-turret tanks with 37 mm SA cannons and wz. 25 Hotchkiss TMG, with markings of the 1st platoon (disc) and three single-turret ones with markings of the 2nd platoon (triangle).

[source: NAC]

Polish Vickers Mark E tanks on Independence Day parade at Mokotowskie airfield in Warsaw on 11 November 1935. Visible are new air intakes and front registration numbers. Leading single-turret tank has number 1464, behind it - twin-turret number 1355, probably armed with 13.2 mm wz. 30 Hotchkiss TMG and 7.92 mm wz. 30 TMG.

[source: NAC]

Twin turret Vickers, no. 1358, leads a truck column, approximately 1935-36. The tank has covers on MG barrels (most probably wz.25 Hotchkiss), and wears early three-colour camouflage style. Standing by the tank is Polish well-known motorist engineer Witold Rychter.

[source: Witold Rychter, "Dzieje samochodu", Warsaw 1983].

Polish Vickers Mark E tanks, probably Independence Day parade in Warsaw on 11 November 1936, sporting final standard camouflage. Leading tank has nuber 1479 - such numbers were painted only until 1937.

Twin-turret Vickers Mark E number 1482 on a parade in Warsaw, 11 November 1936. The tank had been already rearmed with 7.92mm wz. 30 (Browning) machine guns.

[source: NAC]

Polish Vickers tanks on a parade in Warsaw at Mokotowskie airfield, before the king of Romania Charles II, June 1937.

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The Polish Vickers E tanks on a parade, probably in June 1937 (the photo is originally colorized).

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Vickers E tanks on a parade, probably in 1936-37. Visible are boxes on the rear fenders and mufflers.

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Vickers Mk.E of the 121st Light Tank Company in August 1939, shortly before the war.
[6]

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September 1939 - World War II

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We present here only few photographs of Vickers tanks destroyed or captured in September 1939. Unfortunately, in most cases we have no access to higher quality photographs. You can find more on Pancerne wraki '39 [Armoured wrecks '39] website. Vickers E from the 121st Light Tank Company damaged and captured by the Germans at Trzciana on 6 September 1939. Note a camouflage from tree branches.

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Polish abandoned twin-turret Vickers tank, place unknown.

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Polish Vickers Mk.E destroyed probably near Tomaszów Lubelski.

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Polish Vickers tanks, probably captured by the Germans after a battle of Tomaszów Lubelski.

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Polish Vickers captured by the Germans (reportedly in Niemirów - probably abandoned tank of the Warsaw Armoured-Motorized brigade)
[collection of Piotr Smoliński]

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Polish Vickers Mk. E tank captured by the Germans, with a TKS tankette (location unknown - probably near Tomaszów Lubelski).

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Top

Part I: Vickers Mk.E tank - history and construction

Part II: Vickers Mk.E tank - international service

Part III: Vickers Mk.E in Polish service.

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Main sources:
1. Janusz Magnuski: Angielski lekki czołg Vickers Mark E w polskiej służbie; "Nowa Technika Wojskowa" nr. 5 and 6/99.
2. Adam Jońca, Rajmund Szubański, Jan Tarczyński: Wrzesień 1939 - Pojazdy Wojska Polskiego - Barwa i broń; WKL; Warsaw 1990.
3. J. Tarczyński, K. Barbarski, A. Jońca: Pojazdy w Wojsku Polskim - Polish Army Vehicles - 1918-1939; Ajaks; Pruszków 1995.
8. Adam Jońca: Vickers Mark E, series: Pojazdy Wojska Polskiego nr. 3; Vesper; Czerwonak 2021.