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When did British tanks first enter combat during World War I?
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armoured vehicle
A British Warrior mechanized combat vehicle serving in NATO's Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1997.
British tanks first entered combat during World War I on September 15, 1916, during the First Battle of the Somme.12
Although their early deployment was hampered by tactical mishandling and technical defects, which limited their initial success, this event marked the first appearance of tanks in warfare. It is important to recognize that while these early efforts were experimental and faced significant challenges, they established the foundational role of armored vehicles in overcoming the stalemate of trench warfare.21