Technology Used In The Battle
Development of the tank began early in 1915 and specifically made to be used in the Battle of Somme. The idea of this machine was to combine the caterpillar tracks of an American tractor with an iron-clad machine that could straddle the enemy's trenches. By mid 1916 a working model was available for testing.
Manned by a crew of four, the 30-ton weapon consisted of two cannons mounted on its sides and drove at a slow pace of only three miles an hour. Crew inside had to put up with the unbearably hot and dusty air which was filled with the nauseating smell of gas fumes.
The new weapon made its battlefield debut on September 15, 1916 when fifty of the machines joined the Battle of the Somme although only 35 of the tanks actually took part in the battle. Their presence shocked the enemy, but their practical impact was minimal due to a lack of effective tactics and numerous mechanical failures.
Manned by a crew of four, the 30-ton weapon consisted of two cannons mounted on its sides and drove at a slow pace of only three miles an hour. Crew inside had to put up with the unbearably hot and dusty air which was filled with the nauseating smell of gas fumes.
The new weapon made its battlefield debut on September 15, 1916 when fifty of the machines joined the Battle of the Somme although only 35 of the tanks actually took part in the battle. Their presence shocked the enemy, but their practical impact was minimal due to a lack of effective tactics and numerous mechanical failures.