Tankopedia
WW1HeavyHeavy TankUnited Kingdom

Mark IV

In service 1917 - 1918

The definitive British rhomboid tank of the First World War and the first to be produced in genuinely useful numbers.

Built byMetropolitan Carriage, Wagon & Finance Co.

Mark IV
MarkIVTankWithUnditchingBeam1917 — Unidentified British Government photographer., via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Development history

The Mark IV refined the earlier Mark I with thicker armour against the German K armour-piercing bullet, better fuel arrangements and improved sponsons that could be swung inboard for rail transport. It fought in enormous numbers at Messines, Cambrai and Amiens, where massed tanks finally broke trench deadlock rather than merely denting it. Its mechanical unreliability and 6 km/h walking pace meant losses were often caused by ditching and breakdown rather than enemy fire.

Photo gallery

Period photographs with source and licence details.

1 images

Variants

One canonical record, 3 recorded variants.

  1. Mark IV Male

    1917

    Two sponson-mounted 6-pdr guns for destroying strongpoints.

  2. Mark IV Female

    1917

    Machine-gun-only sponsons for cutting down infantry in the open.

  3. Mark IV Tadpole / Supply

    1917

    Extended tail or stripped sponsons for stores carrying.

Notable actions

  • Battle of Messines (1917)
  • Third Ypres (1917)
  • Battle of Cambrai (1917)
  • Battle of Amiens (1918)