First World War tank 'Deborah' makes her final journey

A pair of film-makers are hoping to tell the story of one of the first British tanks to be deployed in a mass attack, to mark the anniversary of the battle that saw its destruction 100 years ago.

The D51 tank known as ‘Deborah’ was among more than 400 sent to attack German defences in Northern France in the wake of the Battle of the Somme.

Deborah was knocked out on the opening day of the Battle of Cambrai, and lay buried under fields until she was discovered in 1998.

The tank has been on display in a barn while funds were raised to build a permanent home. 

Fiona Graham and Paul Ottley from the University of Staffordshire are working on a documentary about Deborah.

“The really important aspect of this whole project is that we’re trying to preserve the story of Deborah”

Early August saw a large crowd gather outside the barn in Flesquières as Deborah began her final journey to the site of a new museum that will take shape around her over the next four months, before it opens in November 2017.

On the day Deborah was finally moved to her new home, Lt. Col. Paul Macro of the Royal Tank Regiment paid his respects:

“When something that’s only going to happen once occurs, getting involved with that is an outstanding opportunity”

The new museum near Cambrai is next to the British War Cemetery where four of Deborah’s crew who died in the battle are buried.