1918: World War I: First tank-to-tank combat, during the second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. Three British Mark IVs meet three German A7Vs.
Clank! The Dawn of Steel on Steel: The First Tank-on-Tank Clash at Villers-Bretonneux
The spring of 1918 was a tense and brutal affair on the Western Front. Germany, emboldened by Russia's withdrawal from World War I, launched its Spring Offensive, a series of massive attacks aimed at breaking the Allied lines before American troops could arrive in full force. Amidst the chaos and relentless fighting, a new and terrifying form of warfare emerged: the tank. And on April 24th, 1918, near the village of Villers-Bretonneux, France, that new form saw its own paradigm shift - the first tank-on-tank battle in history.
For those unfamiliar with the behemoths involved, let's set the stage. On the Allied side were the British Mark IV tanks. These were lumbering, rhomboid-shaped machines, clad in thick steel and armed with either two 6-pounder guns (the "Male" version) or machine guns (the "Female" version). They were slow, unreliable, and prone to breaking down, but they were also incredibly intimidating and capable of traversing the shell-scarred terrain that infantry couldn’t even dream of crossing.
Opposing them were the German A7Vs. These were much fewer in number than their British counterparts, and represented Germany's initial, somewhat clumsy attempt at armored warfare. The A7V was a boxier, more conventional design, carrying a 57mm gun at the front and multiple machine guns around its perimeter. While faster than the Mark IV, it was less adept at crossing trenches and rough ground, and its armor was arguably thinner.
The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux saw the British desperately trying to recapture the strategically important village from the Germans. This was a crucial point in the German offensive, and the British were determined to hold the line. As part of their counterattack, several Mark IV tanks were deployed to support the infantry advance.
It was during this advance, near a wooded area called Bois des Coquelicots (Poppy Wood), that three British Mark IVs, two "Females" commanded by Second Lieutenant Frank Brown and Lieutenant Michael Mortimore, and one "Male" commanded by Second Lieutenant Cecil Harold Sewell, encountered three German A7Vs.
The scene was chaotic. The air was thick with the acrid smell of cordite, the ground trembled with the relentless bombardment, and the roar of engines filled the air. The crews of both sides were likely a mixture of fear and adrenaline as they spotted the enemy tanks looming through the smoke and haze.
The "Male" Mark IV, commanded by Sewell, quickly engaged one of the A7Vs, firing its 6-pounder guns with devastating effect. The German tank was disabled, forcing its crew to bail out. Sewell's decisive action immediately tipped the balance in the British favor.
Meanwhile, the two "Female" Mark IVs, armed only with machine guns, were less effective against the heavily armored German tanks. While they sprayed the A7Vs with bullets, forcing them to keep their hatches closed, they lacked the firepower to inflict serious damage.
The fight was intense and short-lived. One of the remaining A7Vs, under the command of Second Lieutenant Wilhelm Biltz, managed to damage Mortimore's "Female" Mark IV with a direct hit, forcing the crew to abandon the vehicle. Biltz then engaged Brown’s other “Female,” which was eventually forced to withdraw after sustaining damage.
However, the arrival of Sewell's "Male" tank shifted the momentum once again. Seeing the damaged British tanks, Sewell turned his attention to Biltz’s A7V. After a brief exchange of fire, Sewell managed to disable the German tank, which was left smoking and immobile on the battlefield. The remaining A7V retreated.
The result of this first tank-on-tank engagement was arguably a tactical victory for the British. While they lost one tank, they managed to disable two A7Vs and force the third to retreat. More importantly, it was a crucial learning experience for both sides.
This encounter highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of both tank designs. It underscored the importance of having effective anti-tank weaponry, as demonstrated by the Mark IV "Male" with its 6-pounder guns. It also revealed the vulnerability of the A7V to well-aimed fire.
The clash at Villers-Bretonneux, while a relatively small event in the grand scheme of World War I, marked a pivotal moment in military history. It was the genesis of tank warfare as we know it, a glimpse into a future where armored vehicles would dominate the battlefield. The clanking, grinding, and explosive reality of steel facing steel had arrived, forever changing the face of war. The names of the crews involved, like Sewell, Biltz, Mortimore and Brown, are a testament to the bravery of these early tank pioneers, navigating a battlefield that was both terrifying and utterly new.
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