DORSET.- A piece of shrapnel concealed inside one of The Tank Museum’s most popular exhibits for over 80 years provides an insight into the bloody history of tank action during the Second World War.

Tiger 131 was the first of the German Tiger tanks to be captured intact by the Western Allies – making it a significant prize. To this day it remains one of the most famous tanks in the world, with thousands of fans flocking to see the only running Tiger I at The Tank Museum’s ‘Tiger Day’.

Keeping a tank that is over 80 years old in running order requires regular servicing, meaning the ins and outs of Tiger 131 are well known to the Workshop team. Therefore, engineers performing a routine inspection were surprised to discover a chunk of shrapnel inside one of its wheels.

Nick Booth, Head of Curatorial Services, said: “Tiger 131 has been extensively restored and overhauled in recent years, so to find a remnant from the battle in which it was captured is both remarkable and sobering.

“It’s 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.”

On 24 April 1943, British forces advanced towards Tunis, gaining an important position in the hills at Medjez-al-Bab. They held against a strong enemy counter-attack supported by tanks – including Tiger 131. British tanks arrived just in time to prevent the infantry being over-run.

Their fire was enough to disable the Tiger and cause its crew to flee – a fortunate decision for the Allies as Tiger crews were under strict orders to destroy disabled tanks to prevent them falling into enemy hands.

Under heavy German shelling, the British held the hill for several days – with the abandoned tank halted among their positions. During this time Tiger 131 took further damage – which is still visible on its rear tinwork.

Historian James Donaldson said: “We’re not certain if this shrapnel was a result of British tank shots or the German artillery fire that British troops were subjected to.

“It’s a heavy lump of metal, typical of the sort that would have been flying around the battlefield. You can only imagine what this would have done had it hit someone.”

When Tiger 131 was recovered it was found to be relatively undamaged – apart from the shot that had wedged itself in the turret mechanism and disabled the gun.

This WWII veteran has undergone several restorations over the years to keep it in running order, but its battle scars are preserved for all to see.

Tiger 131 – the world’s only running Tiger I tank - will be back in the arena for Tiger Day Autumn on 20 September 2025.