There is to be a life sized tribute of the very first military tank set in the center of the city where it was built.
The Lincoln Council granted permission for the memorial to be placed near the location where it was first built in the William Foster and Company factory. The Lincoln Tank Memorial Group hopes the project will be completed in time for the 100th anniversary of World War One. The monument is going to be placed in the center of the Tritton Road circle and it will be in the image of a Mark I model. The first prototype military tank was dubbed “Little Willie” and was built on the Lincoln factory in 1915.
When the tank was finished, there was already another design being constructed. The Mark I became the military standard for all British tanks during the first World War. Julie Cooke is a member of the memorial group and stated that her grandmother and her great uncle worked at the William Foster and Company factory. She tells the BBC: “This isn’t just about the tank, this is about the engineering history of the city. “Most of the engineering firms have died out now. We hope it will educate people both locally and visitors to the city.”
The project is estimated to cost £40,000 and it has taken over 18 months to accumulate the funds. The group is confident that the monument will be unveiled in September. Local engineering firms, military enthusiasts and organizations from all over the globe have contributed to the project.
