Tanks for the memories | James Jeffrey

At long last, the time has come for former British Army tank crews to prop up the bar, wax lyrical about the glory days and maybe even get some belated recognition for just how cool their job was. 

“You said our day was done! That the tank was an outdated dinosaur!” the bleary-eyed former tankie would be well-justified in exclaiming. “But let me tell you that Challenger 2 can really shift once those turbos kick in, not to mention the magic carpet-like sensation from its hydro-gas suspension working at speed across cross-country … ” 

After I left the army in 2010, it seemed tanks were all but irrelevant. The emerging modern battlefield was apparently all about drones, technology, cyber warfare and smart, savvy soldiers tapping away at their laptops. The British Army continued to reduce its number of tanks with every review of defence.

Tanks provide close to that ideal Aristotelian balance that all militaries seek

Now, though, there is a squadron of Chally tanks — as it was affectionately known by those of us crewing it — heading to Ukraine to join a load of M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 tanks supplied by the US and Germany respectively. 

Ukraine has been asking for tanks after finding that once it had broken through Russian lines its military wasn’t able to exploit and advance into depth. This is what you need to do in war to win. It also lets you get “inside the enemy’s decision-making cycle”, whereby just as they have made a decision, it is rendered irrelevant because the sway of battle has suddenly shifted to their disadvantage. Now they are burdened with having to make a totally new choice. It keeps the enemy harassed, confused and wears them down physically and mentally (similar things can happen in less than harmonious marriages, apparently). 

Tanks, especially modern ones, are perfect for exploiting through and beyond enemy lines — first brilliantly displayed by tank commander supremo Heinz Guderian with the Blitzkrieg at the start of WWII that sideswiped France. They also aren’t too shabby at providing a defensive role given their degree of protection and firepower. Russia is reportedly planning to launch a big offensive…