TANKS AND TRENCHES: FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF TANK WARFARE IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR. by Fletcher, David, editor - 1996

London: Grange, 1996. 214 pp, large 8vo (9 3/4" H). B&w photographs. "These echoes from the early days of tank warfare give an idea of the crucial role that tanks played in breaking the murderous stalemate on the Western Front. This influence was acknowledged by friend and foe alike and, while not decisive, it certainly hastened the end of that dreadful conflict, saving thousands of Allied lives and ushering in a new era of mechanised warfare. (The editor) draws his material exclusively from the archives of the world famous Tank Museum at Bovington Camp, Dorset. His linking narrative guides us through the war, battle by battle, from 15 September 1916 to the Armistice, using firsthand accounts of the tank actions, extracts from unit war diaries and other primary sources. Many of these accounts are previously unpublished or have had limited circulation, providing us with a fresh and vivid insight into the early days of tank warfare. A wealth of original photographs showing the tanks and their crews both in action and at rest support these vivid accounts. Their relevance is further enhanced by a selection of contemporary aerial reconnaissance photographs revealing the topography of the landscape over which many of the battles were fought." Book lightly cracked at pages 116/117 and slightly at pages 52/53.. Reprint.. Hard Cover. Very Good/Near Fine.