Little Willie 1915

Location: The Tank Museum, Bovington, Wareham, Dorset, United Kingdom

Date: October 1999

This series of images was taken in October 1999 at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, UK.

This museum is probably the original armour museum and, in many ways, still the best. Since I first visited it in 1982, it has been continually expanded and upgraded and in terms of the “whole package” (including research and visitors facilites) Bovington must be the benchmark against which other armour museums are judged.

Any reference on the development of the original tanks will mention “Little Willie”, an early testbed on the way to the final rhomboid shaped heavy tanks which were eventually fielded. Bovington holds the original vehicle in its collection and as you can see from the pics, it is in good condition. We are fortunate to have this important vehicle extant and in such good condition. The damage shown around the openings for the driver’s visor were, I understand, the result of an unfortunate attempt at towing after WWI.