Lancelot De Mole
Encyclopedia
Lancelot Eldin De Mole CBE, (13 March 1880 – 6 May 1950) was an Australian engineer and inventor. He suggested the idea of what would become the tank
to the British authorities before the First World War but his idea was not taken up at the time and the tank was brought to fruition later by others.
, the son of William Frederick de Mole, an architect and surveyor, and his wife Emily, née Moulden. His family moved to Victoria when he was 7 years old, and he was educated at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School until 1891, and then the Berwick Grammar School. After leaving school he trained as an engineering draftsman.
After the war De Mole became an engineer in the design branch of the Sydney Water Board.
De Mole made several more proposals to the British War Office after 1912, in 1914 and 1916. In 1916 after the Mark I tank
had been deployed, he asked to be recognized as the inventor, sending a one-eighth scale model of his invention.
The British Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors in 1919 rejected his claim as an inventor of the tank, noting that De Mole: "had made and reduced to practical shape, as far back as the year 1912, a brilliant invention which anticipated, and in some respects surpassed, that actually put into use in the year 1916" but "a claimant must show a causal connection between the making of his invention and the user of any similar invention by the Government".
The Commission recognised the brilliance of De Mole's design, even considering that it was superior to the machines actually developed, but due to its narrow remit, could only make a payment of £987 to De Mole to cover his expenses; he was made an honorary corporal
; in 1920 he was appointed CBE
.
After the war Mole made his case to the Australian government. Inquiries from that government to the British one yielded little but polite responses that Mr De Mole’s ideas had unfortunately been too advanced for their time and this were not recognized as they should have been.
A model of his tank is displayed at the Australian War Memorial
, Canberra
.
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
to the British authorities before the First World War but his idea was not taken up at the time and the tank was brought to fruition later by others.
Life
De Mole was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, the son of William Frederick de Mole, an architect and surveyor, and his wife Emily, née Moulden. His family moved to Victoria when he was 7 years old, and he was educated at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School until 1891, and then the Berwick Grammar School. After leaving school he trained as an engineering draftsman.
After the war De Mole became an engineer in the design branch of the Sydney Water Board.
Inventions
In 1912 De Mole submitted an idea of a tracked armoured vehicle ("chain-rail vehicle which could be easily steered and carry heavy loads over rough ground and trenches") to the British War Office; in June 1913 he received a reply that his idea had been rejected.De Mole made several more proposals to the British War Office after 1912, in 1914 and 1916. In 1916 after the Mark I tank
Mark I tank
The British Mark I was a tracked vehicle developed by the British Army during the First World War and the world's first combat tank. The Mark I entered service in August 1916, and was first used in action on the morning of 15 September 1916 during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, of the Somme...
had been deployed, he asked to be recognized as the inventor, sending a one-eighth scale model of his invention.
The British Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors in 1919 rejected his claim as an inventor of the tank, noting that De Mole: "had made and reduced to practical shape, as far back as the year 1912, a brilliant invention which anticipated, and in some respects surpassed, that actually put into use in the year 1916" but "a claimant must show a causal connection between the making of his invention and the user of any similar invention by the Government".
The Commission recognised the brilliance of De Mole's design, even considering that it was superior to the machines actually developed, but due to its narrow remit, could only make a payment of £987 to De Mole to cover his expenses; he was made an honorary corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
; in 1920 he was appointed CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
.
After the war Mole made his case to the Australian government. Inquiries from that government to the British one yielded little but polite responses that Mr De Mole’s ideas had unfortunately been too advanced for their time and this were not recognized as they should have been.
A model of his tank is displayed at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
U.S. patents
He held a number of patents, including:- US patent no.1,408,569, (held by Lancelot Eldin de Mole), dated 7 March 1922, for a "Road Vehicle".http://www.google.com/patents?id=xS9QAAAAEBAJ&dq=1408569
- US patent no.1,448,056, (held by Lancelot Eldin de Mole), dated 13 March 1923, for a "Differential or Balance Gear".http://www.google.com/patents?id=emBTAAAAEBAJ&dq=1448056
- US patent no.1,737,573, (held by Lancelot Eldin de Mole), dated 3 December 1929, for a "Changing Sign and Display Apparatus".http://www.google.com/patents?id=emBTAAAAEBAJ&dq=1737573