British World War One 1914 - 1918 Mark I to Mark IV tanks

In January 1915 Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, put his influence behind a suggestion made by Lt Col. Swinton that there was a need for an armoured military vehicle. The idea of a "land battleship" appealed to Winston. The first experimental machine was completed In December 1915. Two types were built, a “land cruiser” and a “land destroyer,” one with an artillery gun and the other just with machine guns. Lt Col. Swinton was given command of the Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps at Bisley in March 1916. When it moved to Elveden Camp, he had under his control six companies of tanks. These new secret weapons were called ‘Tanks’ a code name on all documentation to confuse the enemy.

These new weapons of war were shipped to France 13th August 1916, four tank companies were sent. When the first vehicles were shipped to France, their containers were labelled “water tanks.”Tanks were used for the first time on the battlefield of the Somme 15th September 1916,.This action is known as the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Thirty Six British Mark 1 tanks of C and D Companies took part. The first appearance of the tanks caused considerable alarm to the Germans. But their shortcomings were soon observed and tactical responses were soon devised. The unit’s name was changed from Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps  to the Heavy Branch in November 1916.

The 'Male' Mark 1 tank carried two Hotchkiss 6-lb (57mm) guns and 4 machine guns. The 'Female' Mark 1 tank carried 5 machine guns. They were powered by a 105hp Daimler engine, through three gearboxes, driving the caterpillar tracks. To turn the tank had to halt, making it an easy target. Early Mark 1 tanks had a tail wheel which was designed to aid balance but which in practice proved useless. It was soon abandoned. On flat grass their top speed was 4 miles per hour but on the shell scarred battlefield this was rarely achieved. In most circumstances the infantry moved far faster.

The tanks were crewed by a Subaltern, 3 Drivers and 4 Gunners, of which one was an NCO. Interior conditions were very bad. They had to endure intense heat, noise and exhaust from the engine. Their bodies were always bruised from violent movement as the tank crossed the ground. When bullets struck the plating molten metal splashed. The men would be violently sick or badly injured even after a short journey. The crew also wore protective clothing , heavy helmets, leather caps, goggles and metal face protectors. They all added to the heat, weight and discomfort of going into battle. Some of the crew were often in no fit state to continue. They complained of disorientation, nausea, fatigue, burns from the hot engine and headaches from the noise and carbon monoxide poisoning. When it was all over, it took an average crew forty-eight hours to recover from a six hour drive. These early tanks also proved to be mechanically unreliable. When a tank broke down on the battle field in no- mans land they then became vulnerable to directed shellfire. If the crew tried to escape they were often cut down by enemy machine gun fire.

Only 36 of the 49 tanks deployed at the battle of Flers-Courcelette, even made it as far as the start line. Fourteen of these new wonder weapons broke down or ditched. Enemy fire hit seventeen of the thirty six tanks . Ten were knocked out of action and the other 7 were only slightly damaged. They were sent into action ahead of the infantry in subsections of two or three tanks. The British artillery barrage left open lanes through which the tanks could pass. It was realised that the tanks would draw enemy fire. At the start the Allies infantry cheered the Tanks as they followed on behind but they soon realised that tanks attracted the attention of enemy artillery. The initial surprise of the use of tanks helped the allied infantry break into an enemy position but they still could not break through, as there were not enough vehicles.

GHQ however saw potential, and planned on acquiring masses of tanks. In April 1917 at Arras sixty, mainly Mark 1, tanks saw action. The very poor wet and muddy ground conditions, proved the undoing of the tanks on this occasion. They just could not tackle the ground and became bogged down. Some did manage to break through. The non-appearance of massed tanks as planned caused a serious disruption to the costly Australian attack at Bullecourt, which created an unfortunate mistrust.

Passchendaele in the summer of 1917 was another slog through deep mud that proved a tank graveyard as tank after tank sank and was then shelled. More tanks were available for this offensive and they included the new Mark IV tanks but morale in the Tank Corps was low.

At Cambrai ground conditions were far more favourable. On 20th November 1917 three hundred and seventy eight Mark IV tanks smashed through the German Hindenburg Line creating a chance for a breakthrough. Insufficient mobile reserves could get through in time to exploit the tanks success. Within days the chance had gone but this incident was a key learning experience for the Allied command.

The German Army launched a major offensive in March 1918. British tanks were not used as a defensive weapon, but they played an important part in the extraordinary 24th - 25th April counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux.

Tanks proved to be useful in crushing wire; over-running machine gun posts and strong points; helping infantry through the streets of destroyed villages during the Allied attack on 4th July at Le Hamel, and on 8th August 1918 in front of Amiens. 450 tanks were launched on the Germans in the latter attack. Whippets, the new British light tank, and various armoured cars were able to penetrate deep behind the German defences. Losses were significant and within days of the initial assault the Tank Corps was a spent force. It took just under two months before another Tank assault could be considered. They were used again on the assaults on the Hindenburg line in late September 1918. Two thousand and four hundred men and officers of the Tank Corps became casualties between 21st August 1918 to the end of World War I on 11th November 1918

World War One tanks were not war-winners but they were useful tools. The British Mark I-IV male tanks had 2x 6-pounder guns, 12mm thick armour, 4x machine guns, weighed 28 tons, had a crew of eight and a top speed of 3.7 mph. The British Mark I-III female tanks had 5x machine guns, 12mm thick armour, weighed 27 tons, had a crew of eight and a top speed of 3.7 mph. The British Mark IV female tanks had 6x machine guns, 12mm thick armour, weighed 27 tons, had a crew of eight and a top speed of 3.7 mph. The British Mark V male tanks had 2x 6-pounder guns, 14mm thick armour, 4x machine guns, weighed 29 tons, had a crew of eight and a top speed of 4.6 mph. The British Mark V male tanks had 14mm thick armour, 6x machine guns, weighed 29 tons, had a crew of eight and a top speed of 4.6 mph

The first tank versus tank battle of the war on happened on 24th April 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux -- a battle in which there was no clear winner. It involved a German A7V and a British Mark 1V. In response to the Allied Tank assaults they had developed their own tank called the A7V. By the end of the war only fifteen had been built. It was a 30 ton giant with a crew of 18. The German tank corps used these A7V’s and some captured Mark IV’s. The above Photograph shows a captured Mk1V in German colours.