Motor Drawn Battery 1917

In 1916 when the world was at war the United States Army began making plans for a horseless regiment of heavy field artillery. Instead of horses pulling the heavy guns on to the war fields they were to be replaced by "caterpillar tractors" (the first of its kind in the world). As a result of using tractors instead of horses the Army was also able to experiment with higher calibre field guns and appease all horse lovers.

Due to this new radical experiment the Army also set up a new regiment known as the 9th Heavy Field Artillery. This regiment was unique in the fact that it would have no horses whatsoever. All regimental officers would ride in military vehicles rather than on horseback. Field guns and ammunition would be hauled by the caterpillar tractors similar to  "tank cars", "land dreadnaughts" and "Willy wagons" used by the British Army. The artillery men were now expected to ride in motorcycles with sidecars.
It was expected if all went smoothly with the tractors, the Army would soon be introducing 16 inch field and siege howitzers ("shock and awe" of the day!), similar to the 42 centimener guns used by the German Army. Four caterpillar tractors would be required to move each 16 inch field gun, one for the gun and three for hauling its mount and ammunition.  The Holt Company at Peoria, Illinois were the only bidder for supplying the caterpillar tractors. The Holt Company also supplied the British Army with the foundations for the armored fighting monsters which were used on the Somme front. At the time of the photograph there were five motor drawn batteries already in the Hawaiian Department at Honolulu and several on the Texas border.

Facts and Trivia about the Holt Company

Holt Company not only pioneered the use of the caterpillar track during World War I but their crawler tractors inspired the first military tanks, which helped end World War I.

In 1925 the Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Co. merge to form Caterpillar Tractor Co, making Peoria the world's leader in earth moving and tractor equipment.