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A routine inspection of the famous Tiger 131 German tank on show at the Tank Museum in Dorset has unearthed a piece of shrapnel that has remained hidden inside one of its wheels for more than 80 years.
The shrapnel originates from the fighting that took place in April 1943 in the hills at Medjez-el-Bab, northern Tunisia, between British forces advancing towards Tunis and a German counter-attack, which was supported by tanks, including Tiger 131. When fire from the British tanks disabled the Tiger, its crew fled. The abandoned tank remained on the hill, surrounded by British forces, who held their position for several days under heavy German shelling. It is uncertain whether the recently discovered piece of shrapnel is the result of the British tank shots or the later German artillery fire on the British troops.
Tiger 131 was the first German Tiger tank captured intact by the Western Allies in WWII, and is currently the only functional Tiger I tank in the world. The vehicle is one of the Tank Museum’s most popular exhibits; it has been restored extensively in recent years and is subject to regular servicing to keep it running, making it surprising that this large, 80-year old chunk of metal has never been noticed before.
Nick Booth, Head of Curatorial Services at the museum, described the find as ‘a stark reminder of the history of this tank – and of the desperate conditions in which British soldiers fought it to a standstill on a Tunisian hillside in 1943’.
Text: Amy Brunskill / Image: The Tank Museum
