The Tank Factory ― British Military Vehicle Development and the Chobham Establishment

The United Kingdom invented the tank and was responsible for campaign-winning tactics, yet by the start of World War II had fallen well behind other nations in the design and build of armored vehicles. William Suttie tells the history of tank design from a government perspective and the decisions and failures that led to that state of affairs, going on to detail the formation of the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment at Chertsey. This fascinating book reveals that establishment’s history, its groundbreaking research, inventions and designs, and many stories of the people who worked there, and its aim to ensure that the British Army would never be under-protected or outgunned again.

William Suttie worked as a scientist for the UK Ministry of Defence for over 30 years, mainly working on military vehicle research and technology. He started work at the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment in 1978. Since then he has undertaken a number of advisor roles within the MOD in the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. He has a degree in automotive engineering and a masters degree in military vehicle technology