Matilda Infantry Tank 1938-45 (New Vanguard) [Paperback]

David Fletcher (Author), Peter Sarson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: New Vanguard | Publication Date: January 27, 1994

The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title ‘Queen of the Desert’. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype ‘Hedgehog’ bunker-busting weapon.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The unrivalled illustrated reference on fighting vehicles, transport and artillery through the ages. Each volume is illustrated throughout, making these books uniquely accessible to history enthusiasts of all ages.

About the Author

David Fletcher was born in 1942. He has written a number of books and articles on military subjects and is currently the librarian at the Tank Museum, Bovington, UK. He has spent over 30 years studying the development of British armoured vehicles during the two World Wars.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 27, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855324571
• ISBN-13: 978-1855324572
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.1 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,778,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for such a small book, January 29, 2007

By 

A. Vaughan (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Matilda Infantry Tank 1938-45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback)

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of photos and some of the obscure variants covered - an excellent "quick" reference book!

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Matilda Infantry Tank 1938-45 by David Fletcher, November 10, 2008

By 

C. W. Carter "World War Two historian" (Fargo, North Dakota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Matilda Infantry Tank 1938-45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback)

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the British Matilda Tank earned His Majesty's Royal Army many Laurels. Designed to escort attacking infantry against enemy positions, the Matilda's sister vehicle, the Crusader Tank, took responsibility on the outside for the flanks and subsequent breakthrough opportunities. This turned out to be easier demonstrated in theory than practice in North Africa, but the foundation was laid nonetheless for the employment of heavy and medium tanks working in combination. The Germans furthered this concept with the Panther and Tiger Tanks. Mentioned also in this book is the Matilda's performance against the Japanese Army up until the close of the war. Peter Sarson's cutaway drawing of the Matilda inside is wonderful and on its own justified the purchase of this book. I found this book to be an entertaining and enlightening read.