Vickers Mk VI B light tank was capable of 35 mph (56 km/h) and armed with a water-cooled Vickers .303” and a Vickers 0.5” machine-gun the Light Mk VI B was a useful light tank.

Vickers Mk VI B light tanks

The A9 design was originally designed by Vickers to be a medium tank in 1934. However, it was re-designated a Cruiser tank for service with the armoured divisions as the Cruiser Tank Mark I, A9. A total of 125 were built. The A9 Cruiser Mk I saw some action in France in 1940 and again during the early desert battles in 1940 and 1941. 

One of its best design features was its suspension, which was later adopted for the Valentine Infantry tank. Part of the new technology develops during the creation of the A9 was to make a new type of rubber that could withstand the heat and pressure of a 16-ton tank moving at 15 mph. The new rubber and improved variations played an important part of further British tank development.

The main armament of the Cruiser Tank Mk I was the 2 pdr. 

The Close Support (CS) version mounted a 3.7" howitzer in place of the 2 pdr main gun.  It was also fitted with two hull-turret Vickers machine-guns.

Specifications
Crew: 6
Weight: 13 Tonnes
Length: 5.70m (19')
Width: 2.5m (8' 3")
Height: 2.65m (8' 9")
Armour: 6 - 14mm
Powerplant: AEC 150hp
Armament: 1 x 2pdr or 3.7" howitzer, 3 x Vickers MG
Speed: 40kph (25mph)
Range: 240km (150 miles)

A9 Cruiser Mk I and Mk II's

The origins of the Ordinance Quick Fire (OQF) 4.5” howitzer go back as far as the Boer War of 1899-1902. The British forces begun to realise that their own field artillery was being outclassed by the more modern pieces being fielded by the Boers. The British immediately got to work developing potential contenders in an attempt to catch up.

By 1908, the 4.5” howitzer was ready for service. The 4.5” howitzer saw action on most fronts during the First World War and by the beginning of the Second World War the 4.5” howitzer continued its service with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France during 1940.

After the Fall of France, the 4.5” howitzer continued to see action in the Desert in 1940-1941 with both British and Commonwealth forces before phased out of service by the 25pdr. The 4.5” howitzer was last used operationally in early 1942 in Malaya while holding back the Japanese.

By 1943 the 4.5” howitzer was withdrawn from the field but remained in service for training purposes. It was finally declared obsolete in 1944 when ammunition stocks came to an end. The 4.5” howitzer also saw limited service with the Finnish Army during the Winter War of 1939-40. Designated the 114 H/18 by the Fins, some guns were even mounted in the BT-42 Self-propelled Assault Gun.