New Zealand soldiers posing for a photograph with a captured German Tank Gewehr, August 25, 1918.

The German "Mauser Tankgewehr M1918", usually just called the T-Gewehr (Tank Rifle), was the first ever designated anti-tank rifle in the history of warfare, and the only one used in the First World War.

By June 1917, the British were deploying the Mark IV tanks on the battlefield, and the Germans discovered their standard armour-piercing bullets were no longer effective at putting them out of action.

Not even their MG-08 machine-guns could pierce the British tanks and hand-grenades and artillery were too unreliable to stop a tank advancing directly towards a German trench.

Following the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, in which the British really demonstrated the potential of their tanks to break the trench stalemate, the Germans began development of a new rifle designated for anti-tank purposes.

By January 1918, the Tankgewehr M1918 had been developed, manufactured by Mauser, a high-caliber, single-shot, bolt-action rifle, heavily inspired by rifles used to hunt elephants in Africa.

Mass production of the Tank Gewehr began in May 1918, and 15,800 had been built by the end of the war.

The Tank Gewehr weighed 15.9 kg alone, 18.5 kg with the bipod, and was operated by a two-man crew, a gunner and an ammunition bearer.

The gunner carried the rifle itself and 20 specially designed 13 mm Mauser cartridges, whilst the ammunition bearer carried two shoulder bags with 20 rounds each, and an ammunition box with an additional 72 cartridges.

With an effective range of 500 meters, the Tank Gewehr did its job at stopping enemy tanks. However, missing a muzzle brake, the rifle suffered from massive recoil, and shooting multiple rounds often led to headaches for the gunner.

The bipod had to be anchored to the ground before firing if the gunner did not want to risk serious injuries due to the recoil.

don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Comments

Two boys in this photograph from the early 1900s, taken by Dr. Allan Warner of the Isolation Hospital in Leicester

Two boys in this photograph from the early 1900s, taken by Dr. Allan Warner of the Isolation Hospital in Leicester, UK, had been exposed to the same source of smallpox. One of them had received the smallpox vaccine, while the other had not. Dr. Warner captured these images as part of his study on the disease. The smallpox vaccine holds historical significance as the first vaccine developed to combat a contagious disease. In 1796, British doctor Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with the milder cowpox virus could provide immunity against the deadly smallpox virus. Cowpox acted as a natural vaccine until the modern smallpox vaccine became available in the 20th century. From 1958 to 1977, the World Health Organization led a global vaccination campaign that successfully eradicated smallpox, marking it as the only human disease to be completely eliminated. Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

THE LEGEND OF TRAPPER NELSON.

THE LEGEND OF TRAPPER NELSON. As you ride up the Loxahatchee River from its mouth in Jupiter, the canopy of slash pines and cabbage palms eventually starts to close in on you. Wildlife hides in the gnarled thickets of mangrove. Everything about this place feels prehistoric. The turns become more and more hairpin, deceiving and disorienting you, as turtles and alligators eye you wearily before slipping beneath the murky water. Nearly eight miles up the northwest fork of the river, a weathered, wooden boathouse juts out into the dark water: the first sign of human existence seen for miles. Alongside it is a dock that leads through a bamboo thicket into what was once the heart of wild Florida: Trapper Nelson’s homestead, zoo and jungle garden. The biggest attraction, though, was Trapper himself. Known as Tarzan of the Loxahatchee, he’d wrestle alligators, trap wildcats, and dazzle guests with his infallible good looks and stories of the wild. He was a man who lived witho...

During the Vietnam War, one of the most dangerous jobs was undertaken by a select few known as "tunnel rats."

During the Vietnam War, one of the most dangerous jobs was undertaken by a select few known as "tunnel rats." These unsung heroes were American, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers specially trained as combat engineers, who crawled through Viet Cong underground tunnels to perform perilous covert search and destroy missions.⁠ ⁠ Tunnel rats gently prodded for armed mines in order to disarm them — and prayed that they survived with both their legs intact. Most men were volunteers and tended to be of smaller stature, making it easier for them to maneuver through the cramped subterranean spaces Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

WORLD OF ALL

Search This Blog