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Vestes Bellica Military history archive

Vestes Bellica

Scenes of the War - abandoned or destroyed British tanks

British tank near Arras. Original photo. Dated: 04/26/1917.
British tank near Arras. Original photo. Dated: 04/26/1917.

The British tanks were various models, called Mark I-V. These tanks measured 8 m in length and weighed 28 t. With 150 hp they reached a maximum speed of 7.4 km/h.

British tank near Arras. Original photo. May 1917.
British tank near Arras. Original photo. May 1917.

The crew consisted of 8 men; the armament was two 5.7 cm guns and four machine guns, though this varied by model. The tanks were not invulnerable; direct artillery hits in particular were feared.

British tank at Cambrai. German soldiers in front. Contemporary photo postcard, dated: 02/14/1918.
British tank at Cambrai. German soldiers in front. Contemporary photo postcard, dated: 02/14/1918.

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Scenes of War - Rail Transport

The railway played a decisive role in the First World War. Without the developed rail network the rapid mobilization of the (seven) German armies in the West would not have been possible. But a powerful rail system was also indispensable for rapid troop movements. Already in the run-up to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 the German General Staff had recognized the decisive importance of the railway. In 1914 there were already15 bridges over the Rhine between Strasbourg and Wesel. In addition to the classic rail network, branch lines or light railways also assumed an important role during the course of the war, especially in the front area. To do justice to the strategic role of the railway, at the beginning of the war the various railway administrations were merged and placed under a central military command.