13 November 1916 - Supporting 51st Division

The Tanks on the Somme. 13^th November 1916.

D Company with, 51^st Division, XIII Corps, 4^th Army

D Company intended to get 2 tanks into action on 13^th November 1916

D company

Lt Bruce

Lt Telford

Notes:

Orders

Assist 51st Divisions attack on the Caves at Beaumont Hamel. Zero hour was 5:45am, the tanks were committed after 9.50am to help the infantry whose advance had been stopped. ^(S2.p139).

Account of operations

The tanks started and advanced down the road from Auchonvillers, they crossed the German front line, then one ditched just inside the lines at Q4d.95.15; the other ditched on the northern edge of the village ^(S2.p139).

Summary

Intended: 2

At start: 2

Failed to Start:

Engaged enemy: 2

Ditched / Broke Down: 2

Hit and Knocked out:

Rallied: 0

Penetrated by AP bullets: 0

Note

Aftermath

Sources

W4 - D Company’s War Diary. Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.

S2 - Pidgeon, Trevor (2010) Tanks on the Somme

S12 - Chris McCarthy. (1998) The Somme. The Day by Day Account. Brockhampton Press.

S22 - Staedman, Michael (1995) Thiepval, Leo Cooper P. 86ff

13 November 1916 - 51st Division map

Somme 1916 Narratives