15 September - day, when on front appeared tanks

September 15, 1916 on the battlefield for the first time left the tanks. It happened during the battle of the Somme: the British used Mark I combat vehicles against the Germans. And although in the course battlefield it turned out, that technique not so good, as like would (from 49 tanks only 32 proved on benchmark positions), she has proven its effectiveness.

During one of the largest battles in the history of mankind, the losses of the British army were 20 times less than usual. With 18 military vehicles were able to push the defense into 5 km Later tanks upgraded and sent to Palestine. The thickness of the armour was sufficient to withstand the impact of bullets and even repel pieces of shells, but when a direct hit of the whole shell metal layer could not withstand. Two versions of the tank were sent to the front: one equipped with machine guns, the second with machine guns and two 57 – mm guns.