On September 15th 1916, the first tanks appeared on the western front when 35 British ma­chines joined the Battle of the Somme in a third attempt to attack and break through the Ger­man defences. The attack failed and no decisive breakthrough occurred, but the potential of the new weapon was recognized. Over the last 100 years the tank has become the cornerstone of land forces worldwide.

This first published collection of paintings and drawings by David Pentland, shows over 90 of his finest images from the last twenty five years, to mark the tanks’ 100th anniversary, and pay trib­ute to the men and machines of its story.

The book traces the history of this unique vehicle from early design concepts, and its subsequent development through the two world wars and postwar era.

Each painting describes a specific battle or en­gagement, and has been thoroughly researched to be as accurate as possible, to appeal to historians and armour enthusiasts alike.