Width: 7.7cm (3in)
Silver. Each in the form of the starboard side view of a Great War Mark I Male Tank. Maker’s mark of Royal warrant holder Henry Hodson Plante of Bury Street, St James’s, London, Hallmarked Birmingham 1934 and 1937.
The Mark I was the first British tank. 150 were built, in male and female types. The males mounted a long-barrelled naval 6-inch gun in each sponson, whereas the females carried water-cooled Vickers heavy machine guns. Mark I’s went into action for the first time on 15 September 1916 on the Somme. Crews struggled with frequent breakdowns, carbon monoxide build-up, and the high risk of the fuel tanks exploding when hit. The Mark I was replaced by the much improved and iconic Mark IV in May of 1917.