Somewhat off the beaten track, Cambrai Tank Museum lies a few Km from Cambrai itself. The main exhibit Deborah the WW1 tank is lovingly at the heart of this small museum which gives some of the history of the battle near by, The tank was taken out and the story of her crews is there for you to experience. Something this intimate makes this now ancient was seem very personal and very real. This as a good way to spend an hour to honour the brave men who served.
Eight men in a dark steel box the size of a Ford Transit, six machine guns hammering away, spent cases rattling across the floor. A thin skin of armour plate is the only thing between the crew and enemy bullets and shrapnel clattering against the hull.
This is the birth of tank warfare 100 years ago. The Battle of Cambrai in northern France in 1917 saw the first use of massed tanks in an effort to break the bloody trench deadlock of World War One. A surprise attack by 476 tanks smashed through German lines on November 20. Church bells were rung at home to celebrate after more than three years of assaults by bayonets against machine guns. Now one of the Cambrai tanks has risen from the crater where it was buried to take centre stage in a new museum after years of work by local businessman Philippe Gorczynski. Deborah is a 26-ton Mark 4, built at Oldbury near Birmingham with a top speed of 4mph. Now she is on show in the museum in Flesquières to commemorate the battle and the 44,000 British and Empire casualties.
The museum stands next to Flesquières Hill British Cemetery, where four of her crew are buried in sight of the spot where German shells ripped open Deborah’s hull. Her commander, Lieutenant Frank Heap, from Blackpool, was awarded the Military Cross for leading the survivors to safety. His four comrades buried beside the museum are Lance Corporal George Foot, 20, from Cricklewood, North London, Gunner Fred Tipping, 36, from Sneinton, Notts, Gnr William Galway, 25, of Holywood, Co Down, and Gnr Joseph Cheverton from Harlesden, North London, who turned 20 the day before he died.