Exhibition at Hatfield House commemorating 100 years since first tank trials

The BBC is running a story about a historic exhibition at the Hatfield House in Hertfordshire UK.  In early 1916 a Mark I tank was trialled at the grounds of the Hatfield House in front of military personnel, politicians and King George V.  These trials are considered the first tank trails in the UK.  At the end of WWI, the 4th Marquess, owner of Hatfield House, was presented with a Mark I tank used in the trials.  In 1969 the tank was given to the Tank Museum in Bovington.  To mark the 100th anniversary of the first tank trials at Hatfield, a replica Mark IV tank owned by  Mac and William McCullagh has been loaned the Hatfield estate where it will be on display.  The exhibition at Hatfield House will run to 30 September 2016.  The replica Mark IV is named “Edwin B14” after a relative of the owners who died at the Battle of Messine Ride in June 1917.  In 2014 this replica tank was placed on top of the Vanguard Holdings Ltd building in Greenford to mark the 100 anniversary of the start of WWI.

For more information on the Mark I tank at Bovington, click here.