Pope, Stephen The Tank Corps In The Great War. Volume 1: Conception, Birth and Baptism of Fire, November 1914-November 1916

This is the first volume of a six volume history of the Tank Corps during the First World War. The first volume, which covers the period November 1914 to November 1916, gives an introduction to the initial design and development of the first battle tanks. It provides details of the selection and training of crewmen and the tactical and logistic challenges associated with bringing a new weapon system into combat within one year after acceptance of the prototype. The impact of armoured vehicles in the initial actions in 1916 was limited. However, as the British C-in-C Douglas Haig determined within two days of their debut on the Somme, tanks would soon become a key element in the all-arms battle.
The battle chapters of this initial and subsequent volumes analyses the part played by tanks in success or failure of the British Army until the summer of 1918, after which the tanks took the lead as American, Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand forces drove back the Germans during a 100 day advance which culminated in the defeat of the German Army in the field.
Each volume is illustrated by contemporary photographs and tables showing the order of battle of tank units in each battle, as well the formations they supported, and the opposing forces, besides a selection of colour photographs showing the battlefields today. It also includes a separate map book which enables the readers to follow the course of the battle. Whilst designed for readers with a passion for detail of the development of the British Army during the last two years of the First World War, this new history aims to enable those with a general interest to gain an understanding of the part played by the tanks, their crew and their commanders in the destruction of the Germans will to win, some six months before the planned start of the 1919 offensive. The tanks had successfully fought through the mud and the blood, to the green fields beyond.

The effectiveness of armoured vehicles in the first battles in 1916 was limited. But as British Commander-in-Chief Douglas Haig realised just two days after their debut on the Somme, tanks were soon to become a key element in the battles.
The battle chapters of this first and subsequent volumes analyse the role of tanks in the success or failure of the British Army up to the summer of 1918. Thereafter, the tanks took the lead as American, Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand forces pushed back the Germans during a 100-day advance that culminated in the defeat of the German army in the field.
Each volume is illustrated with contemporary photographs and tables showing the order of armoured units in each battle, as well as the formations they supported and the opposing forces, and also includes a selection of colour photographs depicting the battlefields of today. The book also includes a separate map book that allows readers to follow the progress of the battle. This new history is aimed at readers interested in the development of the British Army in the last two years of the First World War, but will also give those with a general interest an understanding of the role played by the tanks, their crews and their commanders in destroying the German will to win some six months before the planned start of the offensive in 1919. The tanks had successfully fought their way through the mud and blood to the green fields.