Fallen Sentinel Australian Tanks in World War II eBook Peter Beale
Download As PDF : Fallen Sentinel Australian Tanks in World War II eBook Peter Beale 
Fallen Sentinel tells the story of Australian tanks in World War II, a dismal tale for both tankman and taxpayer. Against the backdrop of the sweeping conquest of Western Europe by Hitler's Panzers, the Australian Government, cash-strapped and resource poor, attempted to field its own tank force to do battle with the Axis forces. Three armoured divisions were created — and all three disbanded before they had seen action. In what became a prodigious waste of time, material, and human endeavour, sixty-six Australian cruiser tanks were produced — the Sentinel tank —none of which would ever take the field of battle. This is a book that portrays governments under pressure and the bureaucratic bungles that saw opportunities lost and precious resources squandered. Fallen Sentinel presents a careful dissection of government process in the crucible of war, a rare gem in an age when most wartime histories focus on the front-line soldier. Peter Beale presents a damning indictment of the frailty of government under pressure, a bureaucracy in crisis and the extraordinary failure of government process at the highest level. Modern-day governments would do well to heed the lessons of this book.
Fallen Sentinel Australian Tanks in World War II eBook Peter Beale
The story of Australian tanks in WWII turns out to be surprisingly complex. Despite its title, "Fallen Sentinel" is only partially about the AC1 Sentinel, Australia's first indigenous tank design. It also covers, in equal depth, the difficulties faced by Australian industry during the war; and the campaigns fought by Australia's few active tank units in North Africa, Syria, New Guinea and Bougainville.The AC1's story really turns out to be the story of a country, just out of the Depression and low on resources, that nonetheless tried its hardest (not always with success) to maintain a strong and modernized military. Australia initially hoped to field three armored divisions in the deserts of North Africa and equip them with a modern tank of its own. In the end it had a single brigade, fighting in tank-unfriendly jungle, equipped with the obsolete Matilda. Australia's infantry divisions rose to the challenge of reduced manpower and equipment by operating smaller, almost completely unmechanized "Jungle Divisions"; its budding tank corps saw almost no action in comparison. Only in Borneo at the very end of the war were entire companies able to fight together and prove the worth of an armored force.
The infantry battalions of Australia are well documented, and there are a number of recent histories of the infantry divisions that shed light on the lesser-known war in New Guinea. These cover in passing the use of tanks alongside the infantry in such battles as Sattelberg and Buna, but "Fallen Sentinel" provides greater depth. Also discussed here are the reconnaissance regiments which operated in North Africa and Syria with captured Italian vehicles. The few chapters devoted to armored battles make me wish there were more to know, but the Australian armoured corps never reached its true potential.
Plenty of attention is also given to the technical and political battles that went into the creation of the Australian armored force, and insight into the personalities of the politicians and officers who called for it. A 1941 plane crash killed one of the most enthusiastic adherents and nearly scuttled the project in its infancy.
Anyone interested in WWII tank warfare and development should find this book enjoyable and enlightening, if a little dry.
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Fallen Sentinel Australian Tanks in World War II eBook Peter Beale Reviews
The book title is misleading, the Sentinel tank is treated as a mere example of the neglect of issues of defence that occurred in many Western countries including Australia between the two world wars. Consequentially details of the requirements, design, production and specifications of the various versions is only briefly mentioned in passing when relevant to support the overriding government neglect theme. Which is laboured well past the point of sufficiency.
The book could easily have included specific Sentinel information, without detracting from it's main agenda at all, which would have broadened the appeal and historical value of the book. A serious lost opportunity given the lack of available information on Australia's WWII specific industry and what it produced. Two stars but only because it's just a bit better than nothing.
Very Good Book on Armor Operations of the Australian army in WWII. This is the first book I have ever seen exclusively on this subject.
Very similar to other books on the same subject
The story of Australian tanks in WWII turns out to be surprisingly complex. Despite its title, "Fallen Sentinel" is only partially about the AC1 Sentinel, Australia's first indigenous tank design. It also covers, in equal depth, the difficulties faced by Australian industry during the war; and the campaigns fought by Australia's few active tank units in North Africa, Syria, New Guinea and Bougainville.
The AC1's story really turns out to be the story of a country, just out of the Depression and low on resources, that nonetheless tried its hardest (not always with success) to maintain a strong and modernized military. Australia initially hoped to field three armored divisions in the deserts of North Africa and equip them with a modern tank of its own. In the end it had a single brigade, fighting in tank-unfriendly jungle, equipped with the obsolete Matilda. Australia's infantry divisions rose to the challenge of reduced manpower and equipment by operating smaller, almost completely unmechanized "Jungle Divisions"; its budding tank corps saw almost no action in comparison. Only in Borneo at the very end of the war were entire companies able to fight together and prove the worth of an armored force.
The infantry battalions of Australia are well documented, and there are a number of recent histories of the infantry divisions that shed light on the lesser-known war in New Guinea. These cover in passing the use of tanks alongside the infantry in such battles as Sattelberg and Buna, but "Fallen Sentinel" provides greater depth. Also discussed here are the reconnaissance regiments which operated in North Africa and Syria with captured Italian vehicles. The few chapters devoted to armored battles make me wish there were more to know, but the Australian armoured corps never reached its true potential.
Plenty of attention is also given to the technical and political battles that went into the creation of the Australian armored force, and insight into the personalities of the politicians and officers who called for it. A 1941 plane crash killed one of the most enthusiastic adherents and nearly scuttled the project in its infancy.
Anyone interested in WWII tank warfare and development should find this book enjoyable and enlightening, if a little dry.
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