Former Estonian Mk.V tanks of English construction in the Berlin park Lustgarten. In the background you can see the building of the Old Museum (Altes Museum).
These Mk.V tanks, re-equipped with Maxim machine guns, took part in the defense of Tallinn in 1941, were captured by the Nazis and transported to Berlin for an exhibition of trophies. In April 1945, presumably participated in the defense of Berlin.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: 1945
These Mark V tanks were never in Estonian service. The served on the Western Front, and after the War they were sent, along with many others, to Russia, to support the White Russian (Czarist) army. They were then captured by the Red Army and operated until the 1930s. When they were retired, fourteen were sent to various cities around the Soviet Union, to serve as war memorials. The two tanks in this photograph were on display in Smolensk, in front of the cathedral. They were much photographed by visiting German troops. In 1941 they were captured again, this time by German forces. In 1943 they were taken to Berlin and put on display in the Lustgarten and remained there until after the end of WWII. The Mark Vs that fell into Estonian hands were a different matter. It’s believed that they played some active part in the defence of Tallinn in 1941, but never went to Berlin.
These are not the tanks that took part in the defence of Tallinn. These tanks went from the Western Front to Russia in 1919, to support the White Russian forces, and were captured by the Red Army. The Soviets put them on display in Smolensk, then they were captured by the Wehrmacht in World War Two. In 1943 they were taken to Berlin and put on display in the Lustgarten, where they remained until some time after 1945. It’s assumed they were then broken up.