In front of it lay the very strong Hindenburg Line – a defensive position in which the Germans put a great deal of trust. Aside from their undoubted initial value as a surprise tactic the tanks were deemed to be of limited use in offensive operations, unwieldy and prone to malfunction.Ĭambrai was an important town as it contained a strategic railhead. Mobility, lacking for the previous three years in World War One, suddenly found a place on the battlefield – though it was not to last for the duration of the battle. In fact, Cambrai saw a mixture of tanks being used, heavy artillery and air power. Cambrai was the first battle in which tanks were used en masse. The Battle of Cambrai, fought in November-December 1917, proved to be a significant event in World War One. When the British dispatched 400 tanks against the German army at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, the result was a draw - but legend quickly declared the tank a winner following its first major role in combat.
Members of the British Army maneuver a tank, or “landship”, over a trench during the Battle of Cambrai just west of the French town.
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