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The Tanks on the Somme. 15th September 1916.
D Company, 3 section, with 41st Division, XV Corps, 3rd Army
D Company, 3 section intended to get 10 tanks into action on 15th September 1916
3 Section (reinforced), Capt Sellick SS
C Group
D6, 747, 2Lt Legge RC
D Group
D9, 546, “Dolly”, 2Lt Huffman V
D14, 534, 2Lt Court GF
D17, 759, “Dinnaken”, Lt Hastie SH
E Group
D15, 537, 2Lt Bagshaw JL
D2, 539, “Daredevil II”, lt Bell HR
D19, 753, Capt Sellick SS
F Group
D16, 538, “Dracula”, Lt Arnold AE
D18, 743, 2Lt Bond, LC
D7, 742, Lt Enoch AJ
Orders
747 to start from S12c.1.8. drive along Flers Road to switch trench, turn right and drive along Switch trench for 150 yards before turning North East along Gate Lane and follow this to the second objective, the junction of Flers trench and Gap Trench. He was them to continue to advance North easterly, enter 14th Divisions sector and advance from the brown to Blue lines15 minutes ahead of the infantry. Stopping at the German battery in Bulls Road until Zero + 4 hours 15 ins (10:35am) when he was to attack Gueudecourt with the tanks of D and E groups.
D group to start from S11d.8.5 on the Flers Road, follow the road almost as far as Flers then swing to the right and attack the eastern edge of the village. Finally the tanks were to enter 14th Division’s sector and attack Guedecourt.
E and F groups were to start from S11d.4.2. and advance to Switch Trench. Here the groups would split up, E group going to the right, straight though the village, over Box and Cox and the Gird Line and finally to enter Gueudecourt. F group was to continue up the western side of Flers and Gueudecourt.
As only eight tanks reached their start points the orders appear to have been modified, D group being ordered to go through the centre of Flers, C group (747) being ordered to advance along the eastern side whilst E and F groups advanced along the western edge.
Account of operations
747 probably started a little late, crossing the Switch and Gate Lane after the infantry had captured them. The tank continued North, not moving into 14th Divisions area as ordered but staying close to the eastern edge of Flers and enabling the infantry's advance by silencing MGs therein. At 10:15 747 pushed on alone to Bulls Road where he fired on the guns positioned there. Presumably believing he had silenced these guns 747 now pushed on towards Gueudecourt and engaged two German Batteries positioned where the Pilgrims Way crossed Gird Trench and Gird Support. 747 was hit and burnt out at N26c.3.3; the OIC and three crewmen were killed, one crewman captured and three made it back to British lines.
539 and 753 ditched before reaching the start line and did not attack.
742 crossed the start line but ditched soon thereafter, possibly at S12a.5.3. and did not engage the enemy.
546 and 534 also started, but 534 became ditched after going about 300 yards at S11 central 546 became stuck whilst attempting to extricate 534.
537, 538 and 743 continued to advance alongside Tea Lane, the barrage and the gap therein had now gone on ahead, the infantry followed behind the tanks. 537 was hit and knocked out at S6c.5.1, two crew being killed and the others wounded as they bailed out.
538 advanced and straddled the Switch, suppressing the enemy whilst the infantry advanced, captured the first objective, and advanced on the Brown Line / Flers Line / second objective. 538 and 743 moved to the right alongside Flood Street while 759 had advanced behind the infantry to the Flers Line, where the infantry were held up by the wire.
538, 743 and 759 all advanced into the wire and crushed it. 759 paused astride the trench and fired on the Germans therein, suppressing them, presumably the other two tanks did likewise. The infantry advanced into and through the breaches created.
538 and 743 advanced along the west side of the village while 759 moved up the main road, 747 had already moved down the East side. All the tanks fired on the enemy, silencing MGs and enabling the infantry to advance and take the village. 759 reached N31a.2.2., the square at the north of the village, he turned here and headed back through the village, then headed back to the rally point having received the order to withdraw. The tank broke down on the return and was left at S12b.60.83.
538 and 743 had meanwhile advanced up the outside of the western side of the village to M36b.6.1 and M36b.95.35 which they reached by 8:55am. The two tanks now paused in their advance, 538 moved behind some trees to hide from Balloon born artillery observers’ crew and the crew had some tea. On the left, in the New Zealand Division sector, they saw D12 (719) suffer a hit and catch fire, they went over to unsuccessfully help extinguish the flames.
After a short rest 538, 743 and D11 (547) resumed the advance, apparently helping the New Zealanders capture the North western end of Flers which they had done before Midday.
At 2:30 743 and probably 538 were both in action once more, about 2:30pm when, at the infantry’s request, they moved out of Flers where they had been hiding and broke up a German counterattack.
538 and 743 were joined by D8 (720) and the three tanks retired from Flers about 3:15pm.
Summary
Intended: 10
At start: 8
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 4
Ditched / Broke Down: 4
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 2
Penetrated by AP bullets: 0
Aftermath
537, 747 No further record
534 and 546 were photographed whilst being dug out in the afternoon of the 15th (X16.p74) and were both in action on the 16th.
742 photographed ditched: TM 927/E1, X1.p 167, X7.p20, X42.p16 in action on 25th September.
743 in action on 25th September.
538 in action on 1st October.
539 in action on 7th October.
753 still hadn’t seen action by 7th October 1916, no further record.
759 remained ditched for several weeks, was photographed a few times:
IWM Q 5577: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205073352, X1.171
IWM Q 5578: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205193937, on-line image unavailible (Oct 2013), X16.p86
IWM C199, X42.p11:
759 was eventually recovered and used as a Wireless tank by “C” Battalion on 31st July 1917.
Source
S1 - The Tanks at Flers (1995) Trevor Pidgeon
S16 - Flers & Gueudecourt (2002) Trevor Pidgeon
S42 - Tanks and trenches (1994) David Fletcher
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