greatest tank battles battle of el alamein

#GREATEST TANK BATTLES BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN TRIAL#

It was part of the Wehrmacht’s thrust into the Ardennes region, and was meant to tie down the French First Army. The Battle of Hannut was fought during the Battle of Belgium, Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Low Countries. Two destroyed French SOMUA S35s and an artillery piece being inspected by German soldiers, May, 1940. The German Army launched a massive counterattack, and brutal trench warfare ensued.īy the end of the battle, almost all the British gains were lost, over 100 tanks were lost or destroyed, and both sides suffered around 40,000 casualties each. The British had torn through four miles of German defenses and captured up to 7,500 prisoners with low casualties.īut by the end of the day, more than half of the tanks were out of action due to mechanical failure. The initial attack on November 20th was met with huge success. Nineteen British divisions were assembled for the battle, including 476 tanks and five horsed cavalry divisions. The objective was to take the commune of Cambrai, an important supply point for the Germans at the heart of the Hindenburg Line, in order to reduce the pressure on the French. The Battle of Cambrai was the first time tanks were used on a large scale for a military offensive. Take a look at how 10 of the biggest tank battles in history went: Battle of Cambrai: November 20 – December 8, 1917Ī Mark IV (Male) tank of ‘H’ Battalion, ‘Hyacinth’, ditched in a German trench while supporting 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment near Ribecourt during the Battle of Cambrai, 20 November 1917. Entire wars have depended on their successful use.

In the one hundred years since its invention, tanks have been the winning factor in a number of battles.

#GREATEST TANK BATTLES BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN TRIAL#

Few weapons strike enemy soldiers with the fear that a fully loaded tank rolling towards them does.Īfter their trial by fire on the fields of Europe in World War I, tanks have become a necessity for any army that wants to be considered a serious foe. The tank is one of the most important weapon systems on the battlefield.

Greatest tank battles battle of el alamein