First World War Tanks by E. Bartholomew is a booklet of 30 pages that provides a brief overview of the various tanks used by the combatants in World War I. Bartholomew puts a heavy emphasis on Britain’s tanks because they were the first to develop the tank and push the use of them.
Bartholomew does an excellent job of summarizing the design, development, and proliferation of tanks. Although the tanks initial use in combat in the Battle of the Somme was less than ideal, they soon proved their worth in the Battle of Cambrai. In addition to describing the technical aspects of the first tanks, Bartholomew includes a brief summary of the battles that the tanks participated in – from both sides of the war. Finally, the includes several photographs of the various tanks in production and action.