Landships II

eugene · Field Marshal

reactions to the tank

Mark Hansen · Legend

"The British Tanks 1915 - 19" doesn't have much to say except that the Turks stood up well to the tanks. It may have been that the tanks were used badly, similar to their first appearance on the Western Front. It may also have been that the Turks saw how easily artillery took them out.

Centurion · Legend

It should also be remembered that there would not have been much of a surprise element. Tanks were generally known about and the arrival of the tanks in Egypt does not appear to have been kept specially secret. Turkish intellegence services although lacking to some area were known to have plenty of agents in Cairo. Quite possibly Turkish officers had briefed their men on what to expect. Even worse the approach in 2nd Gaza seems to have been in the open in daylight (in 3rd Gaza they seem to have had beter success with a pre dawn attack).