World War One was the first mechanised war, where modern, well-equipped armies met each other on a level playing field
David Lloyd George called World War One ‘an engineer’s war’ and by 1918 there had been a terrific surge in the invention or technological improvement to many existing and new machines. Technology became commonplace in war and the tank, fighter and bomber aircraft, submarines, flamethrowers, pinpoint-accurate artillery and airships all became a familiar sight.
Many of these machines were specifically created for war, but many other vehicles already existed in service and civilian life that saw huge improvements during the war due to military investment.
The internal combustion engine became a vastly different machine during World War One thanks to the introduction of new materials, the use of better machining techniques and increased power to weight.
By the end of the war, the civilian motor industry had inherited these military innovations and vehicles such as cars, lorries and motorcycles were far ahead of the old pre-war machines.
At the start of World War One, the British military did not put much faith in the newfangled petrol engine. They were already heavily invested in the old, e…
