The Tank That Time Forgot: The Story of Deborah (WW1 Documentary)



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Early in the morning of 20th November 1917 across rolling countryside in northern France, the rumble of engines could be heard. Moments later, under a hurricane bombardment, German soldiers manning the mighty Hindenburg Line, watched on with horror as hundreds of new weapons of war emerged from the mist to launch the first large-scale tank assault in history.
In this video we follow the incredible story of one tank and its crew and their remarkable legacy which has continued for a century. This is the story of D51: Deborah, at the Battle of Cambrai.

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Not So Quiet On The Western Front! (Podcast): https://battleguide.co.uk/nsq
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Written References:
· J. Taylor, Deborah and the War of the Tanks 1917 (2016)
· J. Murland, The Battle of Cambrai 1917 (2022)
· C. McNab, Cambrai 1917 (2012)
· Various Record Sets, War Diaries of the Battalions (2018, Naval & Military Press)

Audio/Video References:
· A. Turner, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCliic2w_C4&t=1812s
· J. Taylor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzOQMlyvqWw&t=103s
· The Tank Museum, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX_BnN4cWbo

General Sources:
· Imperial War Museum Sound Archive (IWMSA)
· US National Archives (NARA)
· National Library of Scotland Image Collection (NLS)
· Australian War Memorial Image Archive (AWM)
· War Diaries of the Battalions (NMP)
· British Newspaper Archive (BNA)
· The National Archives, Kew (TNA)
· Google Earth Pro & Web Versions
· Memory Maps, Trench Maps of the First World War
· Maptiler Pro (Desktop Version)
· Maptiler Pro
Credits:
· Research: Dan Hill
· Script & Narration: Dan Hill
· Editing: Shane Greer & Linus Klassen
· Thumbnail Design: Linus Klassen
· Music & Sound Effects: Shane Greer

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46 thoughts on “The Tank That Time Forgot: The Story of Deborah (WW1 Documentary)”

  1. My grandfathers father was a medic during the 1st world war and his experience with a tank was horrifying, my grandfather was telling me stories of his father when he was a kid tho I'd never get to meet him due to die fighting in Lichtenberg with the freikorp

    Reply
  2. There is a full size, working recreation of "Deborah" at the amazing and interesting NORFOLK TANK MUSEUM. The documentaries don't give a true idea of how cramped Deborah and others really were. Until you get face to face with Deborah you don't get and idea, once you get to see her in reality it really brings it home at how brave theses boys and men really were (and of course all other tank crews throughout the wars on all sides)

    Reply
  3. A small mistake in describing the MkIV tank, I know nothing about tanks but having worked on marine engines it sounded impossible the exhaust has inside the compartment, I looked it up and it wasn't and couldn't be, unless exhaust fumes blew back into the tank because there's no reason any would leak from the exhaust pipework inside, the same as any boat engine or submarine.

    Reply
  4. very good documentary about Deborah I myself am a volunteer at the Norfolk Tank Museum home of Deborah 2 the so called Guy Martin Tank and has helped to drive her on several occasions it gives you a little bit of an idea what it was like being shut inside while it was moving

    Reply

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