The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The sole surviving A7V was, until recently, housed in a special glass case at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.

For many years before that, it sat under a simple "bus shelter" at the old museum a few miles away.

Some of the original weapons appear to have been "souvenired" after capture, but some were returned at later dates.

I understand that the damage to the roof is from artillery fire.

Walkaround images here: http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/peter_battle/a7v/

"Mephisto" was captured at Villers-Bretonneux on 24 April 1918 by the 26th Battalion of the 7th Brigade (Australian). Most of the troops in 26th Bn came from Brisbane, some from Tasmania. That is probably why it ended up in Brisbane. My grandfather was a member of that battalion, but had been returned to Australia in 1917 and discharged due to injuries and illness resulting from his presence at fun places like Gallipoli and Pozieres.

Several plastic model companies (Tamiya, Tauro and Emhar), have produced models of the A7V.

A German team measured up "Mephisto" up to produce a replica that was completed in 1988.

"Mephisto" suffered water ingress in the 2011 Brisbane floods and is still off-site in an undisclosed location. The Australian War Memorial has been trying to get it moved to Canberra for decades.

Watch this space.

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