![]() ![]() The Mephisto WW1 A7V German tank on permanent display at Qld Museum takes its name from the painting of Germanic evil spirit Mephistoheles depicted with an English tank under his arm. Moving unchecked across the land between the lines, they took up position near the British trenches, raking them with machinegun fire, driving off British troops and giving cover to infantry who made enough ground to break through the line and capture Villers-Bretonneux, an important objective on the road to Amiens. When several A7V tanks rumbled out of the smoke and mist on April 24, 1918, initially they had the desired effect. But at the battle for Villers-Bretonneux, which was fought on flat land, it was thought they might have more success. The German machines were large, heavy, slow and had a tendency to tip over on hilly land. The Germans soon began working on their own version, but it was not until March 1918 that they introduced their first tanks. They were first deployed during the battle of the Somme in 1916. Since the start of the war the Allies had worked on developing armoured vehicles armed with guns - under the codename tank, pretending they were working on water carriers. ![]() Through the trees, on the far horizon, the remaining ruined tower of the church at Villers-Bretonneux can be observed. That action saw Cliff Sadlier, from Perth, WA, awarded the Victoria Cross and Charlie Stokes, from Subiaco, WA awarded the DCM. Night attack by 13th Brigade on Villers-Bretonneux, oil painting by Will Longstaf, depicts the dramatic action at night at Villers-Bretonneux on the eve of Anzac Day in 1918.
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