From the Tankmadam to the battlefield: searching for the stories behind the tanks of the Westhoek

Tanks today mainly evoke images of steel, tracks, and cannons. But during the Eerste Wereldoorlog they were so much more to their crews. They were rolling ovens, mechanical monsters, and their only home. In October in Poperinge and the Westhoek, the story of these tank crews takes center stage in an organization by the Koninklijke Heemkring Aan de Schreve. Leen Van Meerbeek, better known as the Tankmadam, will tell during a fascinating lecture on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, about the life of the first tank crews. Not the technology, but primarily the human behind the steel is central. How did the men live in such a cramped metal machine? How did they deal with fear, heat, and danger? And what role did camaraderie play when they had to face the battlefield together? Using historical images, testimonies, and stories, the world of the first tank crews is brought to life. After all, a tank was not only a weapon, but also the place where crew members lived, worked, and fought together for hours. The lecture ‘De Tank – more than steel and cannons’ starts at 8:00 PM in De Kring (Center) in Poperinge Drie. Days later, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the story is literally followed onto the battlefield. During a historical trip through the Ypres Salient, participants go in search of the traces of the tanks and their crews in the landscape. The tour leads past well-known and lesser-known locations, including the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient, the Tank Cemetery, Pond Farm, and the Hooge Crater Museum where we will sit down together for dinner. Afterwards, it heads towards the Menin Gate, where a wreath is laid in memory of the victims of the Eerste Wereldoorlog. The bus departs at 1:00 PM from Poperinge station. Around 8:30 PM, the return journey to Poperinge is undertaken. The lecture and the trip together form a historical diptych, but can perfectly be attended separately. Anyone who only wants to participate in the trip therefore does not have to attend the lecture first. First listen to the Tankmadam. Three days later, follow in her footsteps.