Research took place in both Great Britain and France, with Germany only belatedly following the Allies' lead. Although vehicles that incorporated the basic principles of the tank (armour, firepower, and all-terrain mobility) had been projected in the decade or so before the War, it was the alarmingly heavy casualties of the start of its trench warfare that stimulated development. The development of tanks in World War I was a response to the stalemate that developed on the Western Front. After testing, the British government ordered the production of 150 ‘Mother’ style tanks, which occurred in early 1916.A British Mark V* tank- carries an unditching beam on the roof that could be attached to the tracks and used to free itself from muddy trenches and shell craters A British tank destroyed by the Germans on the Western Front, 1917 As well, the new design, which was first referred to as ‘Big Willie’ or ‘Mother’ included side mounted 6-pounder (57 mm) guns. For instance, a rhomboidal shape was chosen because it allowed the tanks better ability to scale over and out of enemy trenches. Revisions were made to the original design, including changing the body shape to better meet the needs of the battlefields of the Western Front. Regardless, the construction of ‘Little Willie’ proved to the British Army that the invention had potential. It also included caterpillar tracks, which became the standard form of movement for all later tanks. The ‘Little Willie’ tank was a 14 ton armored box with a 105 hp Daimler engine. This first design, which was completed in September of 1915, was called ‘Little Willie’ and is considered to be the prototype to the first British tank. More specifically, the first practical tank design was undertaken by William Foster & Co Ltd in Lincoln, England. The development of the first tank began in 1915 and was based on earlier armored vehicle designs that had already been used in World War I.
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