The British and French forces were combined in a battle against the Germans from July 1 – November 18, 1916.  In this battle the Germans were bombarded with over 250,000 artillery shells, but the trench blocks (wood and barbed wire meant for preventing advancement) were still intact.  The armored machine gun nests were still standing and able to open fire on the oncoming infantry until the stronger French artillery were able to destroy them.  Following that was the first use of tanks in battle (“Big Willie” – by the British).  Taking out the trench blocks and machine gun nests, tanks were a new mobile form of artillery that allowed for a better offensive against trench warfare and the problem of stalemates.  Early tanks were not completely reliable and continually had improvements made to them, but they allowed for a creeping barrage tactic that successfully defeated the Germans in many battles.  This technological advancement is another component that had a strong impact on the war and the interactions with trench life as it influenced the successes and failures of battles.