The first tanks – Britain’s secret weapon

A FIRST World War weekend in June will focus on the importance of the Battle of Messines (7th -14th of June 1917) in Flanders, Belgium, with an opportunity to learn more at two free events in the town.

Most of us know that the Great War was the first in which mechanised weaponry became a major factor and that the efficiency of new weaponry meeting with out-dated tactics was supposedly responsible for huge losses – but is this all true?

The name “Tank” came from British attempts to ensure the secrecy of the new weapons under the guise of water tanks. Tanks famously made their debut in the Great War and played a significant part in the Battle of Messines (7th -14th of June 1917) in Flanders, Belgium.

Westbury Town Council’s Great War working group will hold two free events to mark this battle and to look at tanks and the impact they had on “modern” warfare.

Local military historian, Lt Colonel Andrew Field MBE will return to the Laverton Institute (Bratton Road – free parking opposite) to deliver a talk entitled ‘The first tanks; Britain’s secret weapon’, in which he will talk about tanks, their effect and the tactics used against the enemy. The talk will be held on Friday 9th June at 7.30pm (doors opening at 7pm, with a pay bar).

On Saturday 10th June there will be a series of WW1-related displays near Soisy Gardens (next to the library) from 10am to 3pm. This will include representations of a WW1 trench, casualty treatment and other memorabilia by C Company Rolling History. The highlight will be a scaled working model of a WW1 Foster tank, which will be put through its paces by owner Ian Douglas.

At the same time, children will have an opportunity to make their own model tanks at a craft session in All Saints Church Hall (just behind the library) with a prize of a family ticket for entry to the Tank Museum at Bovington, Dorset for the best tank. [Please note – all children must be accompanied by an adult.]

Both events are free.