Destroyed British tank at Gaza

New Zealand mounted troopers inspect a British Mk I tank destroyed during the Second Battle of Gaza, April 1917. Of the eight tanks that took part in the battle, three - HMLS Sir Archibald, HMLS War Baby and HMLS Nutty - were destroyed by enemy artillery fire.

The British Mk I was very slow - it had a top speed of just under 6 km/h - and was notorious for its frequent mechanical failures with tanks often breaking down on the battlefield in the middle of an attack. Both of these facts made them vulnerable to enemy field artillery if the opposing gunners held their nerve and engaged the tanks with direct fire.

Image courtesy National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 9402959
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.