Landships II

the unpublished answer from TE Team Manager Lucien
"Greg Sargeant
Hello Greg,
I'm pretty sure that's not an American tank, I have no recollection of the Americans ever using St.Chamonds.
Also, that is not the US marking in any way. What probably happened was that that is a French tank with the name written at the back and a large part of the letters got burned out when the tank was destroyed.
Trawling a bit online, I was able to find this Saint Chamond tank, Cincinnatus:
www.chars-francais.net/2015/images/stories/galery-st-chamond/st-c_cincinnatus/saint-chamond-3%20cincinnatus%2001.jpg
www.chars-francais.net/2015/images/stories/galery-st-chamond/st-c_cincinnatus/saint-chamond-3%20cincinnatus%2002.jpg
The position of the last two letters matches that of those in your photo and notice the very peculiar S on both photos. Also, the Saint Chamond model matches, while the camouflage doesn't (but it is quite possible for the camouflage to have been redone at some point or another).
So, sorry to say, but the caption is most probably wrong.
All the best,
Lucian, TE team manager"

Hope that helps, James.

Bonjour,

"I'm pretty sure that's not an American tank"

Of course ! !  

The french tank Saint Chamond was never on duty in the US Army !

The French Groupement Saint Chamond n° XI (Groupe AS 32 - 34 - 35) was only in support of the American Army.

All is in this topic from "Pages 14-18"

                 https://forum.pages14-18.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=52871

About French tank in the World War One, some other topics here :

                 https://forum.pages14-18.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=52768

 

The "US", painted on the Saint Chamond, was probably done, by some soldiers from supply units, not engaged with front line units and these tanks.

For these men, all destroyed equipments, behind the front line, and unknown to them, was just an enemy matérial,  "take of war" from the american Army !

One of this postcard of these destroyed tank is even written "Tank boche" !

 

Bon week-end - Michel