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Engineering recognition for Little Willie tank Engineering recognition for Little Willie tank
(about 13 hours later)
The vehicle credited with being the world's first military tank is to be recognised with an engineering honour. The vehicle credited with being the world's first military tank has been recognised with an engineering award.
The 18-tonne Little Willie prototype tank was built in 1915 and is being given an Institution of Mechanical Engineers heritage award. The 18-tonne Little Willie prototype tank, built in 1915, received the heritage award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
The E-Type Jaguar and Tower Bridge have previously been honoured as similar British engineering successes.The E-Type Jaguar and Tower Bridge have previously been honoured as similar British engineering successes.
A special ceremony is due to take place later at Little Willie's current home, The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset. A special ceremony was held at Little Willie's current home, the Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset.
Weighing 18 tons, with an intended crew of two plus four gunners, it was built by William Foster and Co in Lincoln as the army's first completed tank prototype. Weighing 18 tonnes, with an intended crew of two plus four gunners, it was built by William Foster and Co in Lincoln as the Army's first completed tank prototype.
'Modern warfare'
However, although the completed vehicle was running by the end of 1915, a new design was already under construction, meaning Little Willie never saw combat.However, although the completed vehicle was running by the end of 1915, a new design was already under construction, meaning Little Willie never saw combat.
John Wood, Chairman of the Institution's Engineering Heritage Committee, described it as "an example of British engineering at its finest". John Wood, chairman of the institution's Engineering Heritage Committee, described it as "an example of British engineering at its finest".
"Despite it never seeing combat, Little Willie's design was hugely innovative and designers and engineers used it as a starting point for many of the tanks which followed later. It really did change the face of modern warfare," he added. "Despite it never seeing combat, Little Willie's design was hugely innovative and designers and engineers used it as a starting point for many of the tanks which followed later.
"It really did change the face of modern warfare," he said.
The Engineering Heritage Awards were established by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1984 with the aim of promoting artefacts or landmarks of significant engineering importance.The Engineering Heritage Awards were established by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1984 with the aim of promoting artefacts or landmarks of significant engineering importance.
David Willey, curator of the tank museum said the lessons learned from developing Little Willie proved very influential. David Willey, curator of the Bovington Tank Museum, said the lessons learned from developing Little Willie proved very influential.
"Little Willie was designed to save British lives on the battlefield by helping our soldiers break into the German trench systems and not get held up on barbed wire and caught by machine gun fire," he said. "Little Willie was designed to save British lives on the battlefield by helping our soldiers break into the German trench systems and not get held up on barbed wire and caught by machine-gun fire."