The first tank - Little Willy

On September 6, 1915 the world’s first tank rolled out of England. Nicknamed “Little Willie”, the prototype weighed a hefty 14 tons and could only traverse rough terrain at a speed of 2mph. Designed for trench warfare, Little Willie underwhelmed initially due to its cumbersome movement, and because it would frequently become stuck in the trenches it was designed to navigate.

In 1916 a follow-up to the prototype was introduced. Named “Big Willie” the tank made its debut appearance in the First Battle of the Somme, in a batch entitled “Mark I”. Although the tanks were noisy and prone to malfunctions, their potential was realised by the military and by 1917 a new batch, Mark IV, captured 8,000 enemy troops and guns.