Somme 1914-18: Lessons in War by Martin Marix Evans

Somme 1914-18: Lessons in War by Martin Marix Evans

Author:Martin Marix Evans [Evans, Martin Marix]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: World War I
Goodreads: 8488793
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2010-07-09T04:00:00+00:00


The First Tanks in Battle

Early in the war it had become apparent that the trench systems, protected with barbed wire, supported by pre-ranged artillery and armed with machine-guns, were almost impregnable to infantry and to cavalry. Colonel Ernest Swinton summed up the requirements for a device to overcome trenches, rather than a machine to reintroduce mobile warfare. The bullet-proof vehicle had to be ‘capable of destroying machine-guns, of crossing country and trenches, of breaking through entanglements and of climbing earthworks.’ The inspiration was found in the many and curious machines that had been developed for agricultural use, where the track-laying vehicle had proved its ability to deal with broken ground. The army wanted nothing to do with the silly idea and in the early days the development was pressed ahead by the Royal Naval Air Service! The first example, Little Willie, was built in 1915. It was high in the body, and mounted on conventional caterpillar tracks low in profile. An improved version, Mother, soon followed, designed by Lieutenant W.G. Wilson and William Tritton of Foster’s, the Leicestershire company contracted to produce tracked vehicles for the army. A rhomboid profile lowered the overall height, and the tracks ran right round the rhombus, giving improved performance in trench-crossing and dealing with embankments and shell-holes.

The vehicles were very primitive, even by the standards achieved later in the war. Weighing 28 tons, they were powered by unreliable engines of only 105 horsepower and could manage a snail-like 0.5 miles per hour (0.85 kilometres per hour) off the road, consuming a gallon of petrol in the process. Their armour was light, sufficient to withstand small-arms fire but easily penetrated by shell-fire. The impact of machine-gun bullets on the armour caused flakes to peel off, sending metal fragments, ‘splash’, flying around inside. Crews were issued with bizarre leather helmets with goggles and chain mail visors for protection. Few bothered to wear these uncomfortable and restricting head-pieces, and veterans could be recognised by the black powdering of tiny scars on their faces. The noise and fumes inside were indescribable.

The first orders were placed with Messrs. Foster & Co., Lincoln, and the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Co., Birmingham. Two models of the Mark I tank were made. The ‘male’ was armed with two 6-pounder naval guns in pod-like sponsons, fitted on each side. The ‘female’ had twin Vickers machine-guns. To protect it from grenades, the tank had a chicken-wire shield mounted on top; a device soon abandoned as it caused more problems than it solved.

Navigation and steering were difficult. Two brakemen controlled a track apiece, and the officer in command used compass bearings and time elapsed to attempt to work out his position. Vision was poor, and on more than one occasion the tanks opened fire on their own troops. Radio communication was not developed until late in the war, and the first tanks could only send messages by using the infantry’s systems, where telephone lines were intact and not cut by the tank tracks, or by carrier pigeon.



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