This Surviving WW1 Russian Mark V Composite 'Hermaphrodite' Tank can be found outside the Historical Museum, Kharkhov, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Britain sent the 'White Russians' modified Mark V tanks that only had one gun to fight the Communist 'Red Russians'.

Surviving WW1 Russian Mark V Composite Hermaphrodite Tank outside the Historical Museum, Kharkhov, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine

At the end of the battle Cambrai the German army captured a lot of British tanks. German high command suddenly realised that there was a good chance of the attacking troops coming across enemy operated British tanks. During the first tank on tank battle against the new German A7V tank, the British female tanks involved in the engagement had to retreat is there were only armed with machine guns.

The British Mark V female tanks were designed to attack German infantry emplacements not engage in tank on tank battles. A decision was made to give them the fighting chance by adding a male six pounder cannon to one side of the vehicle. It went into the same positions forward facing machine gun. These tanks were given the nickname Hermaphrodites but officially known as Mark V Composite tanks.

Surviving WW1 Russian Mark V Composite Hermaphrodite Tank outside the Historical Museum, Kharkhov, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine

These Mark V Composite Hermaphrodite Tank had been shipped by the British, via Persia (Iran/Iraq) and up the Volga to Volgograd. Their purpose was to support the ‘White Russian' armies. A lot of these tanks were later engaged in a battle in eastern Ukraine. They were captured by the Red Army and used for a number of years until they were abandoned.

Surviving WW1 Russian Mark V Composite Hermaphrodite Tank outside the Historical Museum, Kharkhov, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine

Civil War tank books