Tank Commander Series

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Crawford (Retd). Founder (1999) and Proprietor, Stuart Crawford Associates, Edinburgh; Co-Author, “A' the Blue Bonnets: Defending an Independent Scotland” (RUSI, October 2012). Formerly: Regular Army officer, Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th Royal Tank Regiment (1980-99); As you may know the Regiment was amalgamated in 1993 and disappeared off the order of battle. Graduate, British Army Staff College, Camberley (1986), and US Army Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1993) Instructor, British Army Staff College, Camberley (1993-95); Defence Research Fellow, Glasgow University (1995-96). For more information visit the Scottish Affairs Committee web site. He also published a paper on Resilience and National Security. Also participated in the debate on The future of Scotland: international implications and comparisons.

You can contact Stuart by email at: swc @ swcrawford.co.uk

See other of Stuart's articles on defence matters

Electric Scotland Note: I have included a number of YouTube videos on the Tank regiments which I selected myself. I've also added a CapX article on the possible demise of the tank in the British Army.

We're 'The Fourth' The Fourth Royal Tank Regiment

Part 1
Musings of a real tank commander

Intake 87-11 Royal Armoured Corp

Part 2
Sandhurst beckons

Royal Armoured Corps Training at Catterick (Intake 91/03) - Part 1

Part 3
Becoming my troop’s muppet

Royal Armoured Corps Training at Catterick (Intake 91/03) - Part 2

Part 4
Work, idleness and hedonistic madness

The Royal Tank Regiment

Part 5
One flew over the Officers' Mess

Part 6
Some Regimental History

Part 7
Ripping it up in a Chieftain

Part 8
Drinking on the job and getting singed

Part 9
Mojos, Crab Air and Cordite

Part 10
Hairy moments, wild mustangs and Medicine Hat

Part 11
Jollies and Adventure training

Part 12
Parading, partying and some training

Part 13
Adventuring in Swat with the 13th Lancers

Part 14
Overrun by Yanks but saved by very cheap Gin. Also included in this part an account of Ostend and Zeebrugge, April 23: May 10, 1918 Despaches of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keys, K.C.B., K.C.V.O. and other Narratives of the Operations edited by C. Sanford Terry, Litt.D. (1919) (pdf)

Part 15
Fergie’s Dad, Thrusters and Owl Pie

Part 16
My thatched cottage, Steam Beer & TE Lawrence's Grave

Part 17
Dicking about in Dhekelia with mezes & brandy sours

Part 18
Defending the Green line from Turks, Greeks and our own rascals

Part 19
Jaikets, gophers, and being rudely stripped

Part 20
From Wilderness to Gravy Train

Part 21
Shemaghs, Wooly Pullys and Whisky shampoo

Part 22
Noddy suits, a shock of pink, and gravy trains

Part 23
Caught in the SCUD in Riyadh

Part 24
Patriot games in Kuwait

Part 25
Medals, Mark Urban and the Man from Oz

Part 26
Briefings, de la Billiere, boardgames and body armour

Part 27
Baghdad retreat, battlefield booty and boredom

Part 28
Fighting the wrong wars, death’s acre and a careering Hercules

Part 29
Smoke bombs, nurses and pre-emptive strikes

Part 30
Victory Tour, honest reflections and a crass decision

Part 31
Backwards Airways and BMW on my double blue

Part 32
Learning how to fight the American way

Part 33
On the US, U2 and eggs-over-easy

Ukraine is lucky to have Britain’s Challenger 2 tanks
By James Jeffrey [external link]