Horace Leslie Birks
Tank commander Horace Leslie Birks recalls his nerves when commanding a tank at Passchendaele, and the battle of Cambrai, the first battle to use tanks en masse.
Horace Leslie Birks sailed for France in 1915 as a Private with the 5th Batallion of the London Rifle Brigade. Having been wounded at Gommecourt in July 1916, he was transferred to the Machine Gun Crops heavy branch and became a Second Lieutenant in February 1917.
He recalls his nervousness when first ordered to command a tank in action at Passchendaele, and what it was like to operate inside those hot, steamy and altogether claustrophobic cockpits while machine gun fire and shells rained down. Next came Cambrai, the first battle to use tanks en masse.
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Tanks at Cambrai
Duration: 02:00
The Great War Interviews Collection
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Interviewed Guest | Horace Leslie Birks |
| Producer | Detlef Siebert |
| Executive Producer | Sandra Gorel |
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Stories of War
Stories of War
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The Great War Interviews
A collection of interviews with World War One veterans and civilians filmed in the 1960s.
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