A CHANCE discovery in Poole's oldest church has revealed the identity of one of the first ever tank crewmen to be killed in action.

At the age of 23, Cyril William Coles engaged the enemy in the first tank attack in history on September 15, 1916, at the Battle of the Somme.

After his tank was hit, he climbed out, but straight into the sights of German machine gunners.

Now, a century later, his story is being told at The Tank Museum in Bovington after the discovery in the United Reformed Church in Skinner Street.

Melissa Lambert, the sister of the museum’s exhibitions manager, Sarah Lambert, spotted a photo and plaque in Coles’ memory at the church.

It prompted museum staff to research Coles’ life, and they discovered he was born at Canford, Dorset, in 1893.

He was the son of a corn miller and was working with his father at Creekmoor Mill in 1911.

He was also identified in one of the first group photographs of tank crewman and, after further research, the museum identified which tank he served in at Flers and what happened to him and the crew.

After being killed, his remains were interred next to the disabled tank, and following the Armistice they were relocated to the Bull Road cemetery to the east of Flers.

His memory was kept alive by his brother Donald Coles who, in 1925, named his only son after Cyril.

But staff have been unable to trace the family further and are appealing for any descendants to get in touch.

David Willey, curator of the tank museum, said: “We knew that a Cyril Coles was killed on the very first day that tanks ever went into battle.

“But finding such a personal story practically on our doorstep was a complete coincidence.

“For our centenary exhibition we identified eight of the first tank men, some of whom took part in the first ever action, and Cyril Coles is one of two who didn’t survive the war.

“One hundred years later we feel it is important to remember these brave men, and we’re pleased to have been able to bring Cyril Coles to people’s attention with our exhibition.”

To mark the centenary the museum is taking a replica of a World War One tank – made for the film War Horse – to Trafalgar Square on September 15.