#OTD20 | September 15, 1916

Tanks Roll into Battle

September 15, 1916: History is made as military tanks are used for the first time in combat.

British Mark I tanks rolls into combat for the first time during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, a pivotal moment in the Battle of the Somme. These early tracked fighting vehicles revolutionize warfare with their armored might, forever altering the field of battle. One Australian crewman remark on the awesome invention, saying it:

"Ladled out death as you might vamp out indifferent music from a hurdy gurdy."

Viewing Options

The Battle of the Somme and advances in battlefield technology are chronicled in our curriculum-aligned film, World War I.

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Preview a short excerpt from each video chapter in World War I.

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Additional Resources

Access more information from Media Rich Learning and curated off-site sources.

National Army Museum

Explore the stories of World War I with this excellent resource from Britain's National Army Museum.

Tank Museum

Learn more about the Mark I at the Tank Museum.

#OTD20

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