Finnish Forces

Vickers 6-ton tank (Winter War)

Vickers 6-ton tank, armed with 37mm gun and 2 Vickers machineguns. 32 of these tanks were bought from Britain in 1936-1938 but without guns and optics because of low defence budgets by naive government. The arming of the tanks didn't start until 1939, and wasn't finish before the Winter War. The bad quality of the finnish armour during Winter War is well described by the failed Battle of Honkaniemi in February 1940. It was the first finnish tank battle and the only armoured battle of the Winter War. From the 13 Vickers tanks sent to battle, only 6 got to the battlefield. All the others suffered engine failures and other malfunctions. In the battle itself, the tanks got into a 40 minute fight with numerous Soviet anti-tank guns and tanks which included heavy T-28's. 8 enemy tanks was destroyed but all the 6 Vickers tanks were lost. #1 got stuck, was abandoned and then destroyed by enemy artillery. #2 was hit and caught on fire, the commander survived. #3 was destroyed by anti-tank gun, the crew was lost. #4 was destroyed and its crew was lost. #5 engine blew up after hit by anti-tank rifle, the driver survived. #6 engine failed, crew abandoned it and survived. After the Winter Winter war, the remaining Vickers tanks were rearmed with captured 45mm guns used in T-26 and the tanks were designated as "T-26E" (E = English). They remained in combat service through WWII and then some served as training tanks until 1959.