War mechanical inventions: editorial from the Commonwealth engineer

Editorial from the Australian journal Commonwealth engineer, 1 January 1920, which argues the case that Lance de Mole invented the armoured tank.

Lance de Mole was born in Kent Town, South Australia, on 13 March 1880, son of William F. de Mole, civil engineer and surveyor, and Emily, nee Moulden. In 1885 family moved to Melbourne. In 1897 he went to Western Australia to do survey work with his father.

Interested in inventions, by 1900 and in 1912 Lance de Mole had designed an armoured vehicle with a chain-track tractor movement which he submitted to British War Office. It went unnoticed, as did another attempt in 1915. He enlisted in 10th Battalion in 1917 and took a model of tank to London where it was ignored. He was unsuccessful in obtaining official recognition for his design, although he was paid 987 by the British Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors to cover his expenses.

De Mole was appointed Commander of the British Empire in 1920. In 1921 he joined the Sydney Water Board as an engineer. He died in Sydney in 1950.

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