By September 1916, 49 tanks were in use on the Somme. They provided greater mobility and cover for infantry on the battlefield, and they could be used as carriers for supplies. However, tanks gradually gained respect as tactical weapons. Initially, commanders and men found it difficult to adjust to these bulky monsters with their cumbersome design. The tank which resulted from the trials, the 'Mark I', was used in battle for the first time at Flers-Courcelette on the Somme battlefield on 15 September 1916. The very first tank prototypes were developed in secret trials in late 1915 and early 1916. However, it is commonly accepted that it derived from the term "water carrier" - the innocent name tanks were initially given to divert any enemy attention from this new war project. There is some debate about the origin of the word "tank". In the earlier years of the war, there was some doubt as to their effectiveness and worth. The evolution of their use was a long process. It would be impossible to discuss the warfare of 1918 without mentioning the immense impact of "landships" or tanks.
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