Tanks in World War I

Tanks in World
War I

The British Mark IV tank was the improved version of the Mark I. The 28-tonne tank had a top speed of 6 km/h. It was manned by a crew of 8. It was not easy to handle, requiring the coordinated work of 4 crew members. Two types were distinguished, according to armament: male (two 57 mm guns and three machine guns), and female (five machine guns). Altogether 1200 Mark IV tanks were made.

Tanks are mobile tracked combat vehicles equipped with strong armour and heavy firepower. The first tanks appeared during World War I. They were developed as a means to break the deadlock on the Western Front.

The first ever deployment of tanks took place in September 1916, when British Mark I tanks attacked the German lines during the Battle of the Somme.

Sponson

It accommodated one cannon and one machine gun, or two machine guns.

Continuous
’caterpillar’ track

A special feature of this tank was the pair of tracks surrounding the hull.

Gun

Male tanks were equipped with two 6-pounder (57 mm) guns.

The ’feet’ of the tank

The continuous tracks, inspired by agricultural machines, provided mobility on uneven terrain peppered with shell craters and trenches, and was able to carry the enormous weight of the tank.

Perhaps the best tank used in WWI was made by the French Renault company. The main task of the 6.5-tonne tank was to support the infantry. It featured a turret capable of swivelling through 360 degrees. Manned by a crew of 2, the driver sat at the front, the commander stood behind him, operating the armament. The success of this tank is demonstrated by its popularity: Nearly 4000 were made, which were used by more than 20 countries. It was still in frontline service in WWII.

To counterbalance the advantage of British and French tanks, the Germans also experimented with developing tanks. The A7V was the first serial-produced German tank. Weighing 30 tonnes, this monster had a crew of 18. It was equipped with one cannon and 6 machine guns. Although it speed exceeded that of other WWI tanks, this unwieldy tank had poor off-road capability. Only 20 A7V tanks were built.

Rotating turret

Accommodated a 37mm gun or one machine gun.

The origin of the term ’tank’

When the Brits began developing a tracked and armoured vehicle, they called it land­ship. Later, to keep the aim of the project secret, they renamed it water carrier. However, doubts arose concerning its abbreviation, WC, so eventually the choice fell on the name tank, as in ’container’, and became universally accepted.