"Tanks In The Great War 1914-1918" by J.F.C. Fuller, is one amazing book.
It was first printed in 1920, but has recently been reprinted by "The Battery Press, Inc." ISBN: 0-89839-325-6
This book covers all the different tank battles in surprising detail. Even the Second and Third battles of Gaza. Which tanks were there, what type, how many, what they did, did they finish the mission, etc. Extremely detailed.
I remember someone posting that they were interested in those desert tank battles, well this is definitely the book for you to get!
I've currently got a first edition on loan from the library at the college I work at. It is very detailed on operations. Fuller had a reputation as one of the gurus of armoured warfare (though I read a review of a book recently that attacks that view, and which I shall be borrowing from the library soon). Shady character, politically, he ended up involved with Mosley's fascists later and narrowly escaped being interned during the second world war.
Fuller was also an acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, something else which didn't do anything for his reputation. They shared an interest in mysticism (and maybe self-publicity too). Patrick Wright's 'Tank: the progress of a monstrous war machine' has an amusing section on it. The bok is generally pretty good on the genesis of the tank but falls apart once it gets beyond the 30s and starts investigating the tank as a social symbol.
he got into a rather nastly argument tritton and Wilson over wh oactualyl invented the tank, there was a comision set up to sort thsi out and in the ned they favored tritton and wilson
also were is the new edtion sold? is it available on amazon.com
I thought it was a first edition judging from the price! But this is a wonderously printed book. I do not know how it stacks up to the original, but the printing, and binding, is very good. I think it was worth the money. And, thinking about it now, it is probably far cheaper than a 1st edition.