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Churchill tank on display at VE Day event

Tony Fisher
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Vauxhall Heritage Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a coat and bowler hat inspecting a tank with a man in full uniformVauxhall Heritage
Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the Luton Hoo Estate where much of the testing for the tank was carried out

A Churchill tank that was made at the Vauxhall factory in Luton has gone on display in the town this weekend as part of VE Day celebrations.

The 38-ton Mark III tank, transported from The Tank Museum in Dorset and owned by The Churchill Trust, has gone on show in St George's Square.

In May 1940 during World War Two, Vauxhall Motors stopped making cars and dedicated its production line to the Churchill tank.

Andy King, from Save Our Town, which has supported the event, said it was "important to tell the untold stories of how Luton's industrial heritage played such a vital role in the Allied victory".

Vauxhall Heritage Men in uniform and suits inspecting a tank which is at the end of an assembly line in a factoryVauxhall Heritage
King George VI visited the Vauxhall factory in 1941 to inspect the first Churchill tanks to come off the production line

Mr King added: "Save Our Town is delighted to see the Churchill tank return home to Luton for this special occasion."

After the retreat from Dunkirk in France in June 1940, the British Army only had 100 tanks left.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill asked for the new tank to be ready for production by March 1941, with the first seeing service in 1942.

On 30 August 1940 the Luftwaffe carried out a daylight raid on the factory in which 39 people were killed and 200 injured.

Production resumed five days later.

In total over 5,600 tanks were produced with agility favoured over speed which resulted in it being able to turn on a sixpence.

Early versions had problems with reliability, firepower and armour against the German designs, but Vauxhall gradually resolved these issues.

About 250,000 lorries, including Bedford trucks, were also produced that were vital to military operations and the Allied victory.

Churchill tanks were used in North Africa, Italy and western Europe, and had engines based on the one used in the Bedford truck.

Tank Museum A brass plate depicting the name and serial number of the last Churchill tank to come off the production line at Vauxhall Motors Limited in Luton in 1945Tank Museum
A brass plate on a Mk VII Churchill tank housed at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset

Hazel Simmons, leader of Luton Council, said: "This is a unique opportunity for our community to connect with a significant piece of our local heritage.

"Vauxhall's remarkable contribution to the war effort shaped not only our town's history but helped secure victory for the Allied forces."

Vauxhall Heritage A World War Two tank beside a pre-war car with a tree in the backgroundVauxhall Heritage
It took about a year for Vauxhall to design and put the Churchill into production - one is seen here next to a pre-war Vauxhall 10 car

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