The First Tank versus Tank Action by David Rowlands The Mark IV Tank of Lt. F. MItchell MC, 1st battalion Tank Corps engages
A7V tanks at Villers-Bretonneux, 24th April 1918.
To the Green Fields Beyond, Cambrai,
France, 20th November 1917 by David Pentland. DHM1538 At
0620 hours covered by a brief barrage from 1000 guns, Brigadier General
Elles in a MkIV called Hilda led his 476 tanks against the impregnable
German Hindenburg line at Cambrai. Supported by 6 infantry divisions
and 4 Royal Flying Corps squadrons flying ground attack missions, the
attack had broken through 3 trench lines and penetrated 5 miles on a 6
mile front by lunchtime. Although these gains were not exploited and
later retaken by a German counter offensive, Cambrai showed the full
potential of the tank on the battlefield.