Once upon a time

there was a demand for something that would change the name of war, a secret weapon that could win the war. Churchill was looking just for that.

Little Willie was the answer to that.

Little willie was a prototype of a tank created in 1915 during World War 1. It was design by "The Smart guy" and "BIg head" with Churchill's help. William Foster & Co. of Lincoln, was contracted to build a prototype machine based on some imported American tracks. When these failed the British designers came up with a new pattern which worked and these were fitted to the Foster's Landship which was now known as Little Willie - said to be an uncomplimentary nickname for the German Crown Prince.

Little Willie was powered by a Daimler six-cylinder petrol engine but all of the internal fittings were removed many years ago. All that remains is the combined worm differential and gearbox although they are not in the correct place. At one time it also had a turret but this was taken off although the turret ring can still be seen. Since it never entered service many of the statistics are little more than conjectural, things such as fuel capacity and armour thickness, particularly since the fuel tank is missing and plate from which the vehicle is built is not actually armored. As contemporary photographs show the vehicle originally had a wheeled tail as a counterbalance and steering aid. All that remains, in its present state, is part of the hydraulic lifting mechanism and the pulleys.

Little Willie took part in two demonstrations, on 29th January and 8th February 1916 at Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire. Both served to prove that only the new machine Mother, was able to match War Office requirements.