15 September 1916 - Supporting III Corps
The Tanks on the Somme. 15th September 1916.
D Company, 4 section, with 47th, 50th and 15th Divisions, III Corps 3rd Army
D Company, 4 section intended to get 8 tanks into action on 15th September 1916
4 Section (reinforced)
Sub section
D21, 512, Lt Sharp AE
D22, 745, Lt Robinson FA
Improvised sub section
D13, 548, “Delilah”, 2Lt Sampson
C23, unknown, male, “Clan Ruthven”, 2Lt Henderson AM
Sub section
D24, 751, Lt Stones W
D25, 511, 2Lt Colle ECK
Sub section
D20, 744, 2Lt Drader HCF
D23, 528, Capt Mann GW
Notes:
C23's name from Landships Forum: http://landships.activeboard.com/t51209572/hmls-campania/
Orders
512 and 742 to start from southern corner of the Wood at Z – 29 mins, pass through the south eastern edge of the Wood and arrive at the German front line on the left of the double crater at Z-1 min. At Z+2 mins they were to move out of the wood and arrive at the first objective, (just beyond the Switch ) at Z + 32 mins and thence at the second objective, the Starfish at Z + 1 hr 46 mins. They were then to cross into the area of the brigade in the left, attack the cough Drop, drive up the western side of Drop Alley as far as Flers support.
C23 and 548 were both was to start from S4c.6.2 at Zero – 38 mins and at Zero – 27 mins respectively. The tanks were to separate, each arriving at a different point on the German front line at Z – 1min. At Z + 2 they were to advance though the wood to, attack and cross switch trench in its north eastern corner and meet up at the first objective on the woods far side at Z + 32mins. Then they were to continue to the Starfish line, join D21 and D22 and proceed onwards with them as above.
751 and 511 were to start at Z – 33 mins (5:47am) from S2b.8.0 which was just behind Swansea trench. They were to reach the German front line just before Zero and five minutes before the infantry. They were to halt astride trenches, the front tank at S2b.9.9 on Switch trench and the rear tank astride Hook trench in the German front line. At Zero plus 49 mins the tanks were to advance and make for the sunken road ahead, M32d.90.65.
744 and 528 were to support the attack on 46th Brigade on the left of 15th Division. 744 was to start at Z – 48 mins (5:32am) froX6c.2.9. near Pithie post in Butterworth trench. From here he was to go to the sunken road and reach it where it joined with the German support line, Tangle Trench arriving there at Zero + 3 mins.
Account of operations
512 ditched in a crater at S4c.95.27 before crossing the British front line.
745 proceeded some way through the wood but left it about 6:45am upon reaching Anderson trench, probably because of the appalling ground but possibly due its way being barred by a German barricade. The tank mistakenly fired on men of the 6th battalion (City of London) Rifles crowded in Worcester Trench, killing several and then ditched. Eventually, after 14 hours it was extricated and returned to British lines.
548 entered the Wood just after 6am and was subjected to heavy small arms and MG fire, it crossed the German front line and was assaulted by several Germans who climbed onto the tank, one even managed to push a weapon through a loophole and wounded a crewman. The tank replied in kind, firing furiously until it reached a second German trench and broke down at S4c.7.9. Two shells struck the tank and the crew evacuated.
C23 started late and ditched at 6:15am in a British trench 50 yards beyond the start point, S4c.45.40. The tank was abandoned.
Without the support of the tanks, but with the gaps in the barrage left to facilitate their advance the infantry suffered heavy casualties trying to take High Wood. Eventually they managed to work around the flanks of the Wood and the Germans surrendered.
751 and 511 crossed the British front line on time at 6:03am and advanced to Hook and Switch trenches. The infantry were only 30 seconds behind them and thus the rear tank was unable to fire at the retreating Germans for fear of hitting their own men. As per orders the tanks moved forward again at Z + 40mins, 751 was hit twice by shells, the second breaking a track and stopping the tank at M32d.9.2. The tank was abandoned.
511 meanwhile reached the sunken road at M32d.9.5 and waited there until Z + 1 hour 41 mins. The tank resumed its advance, going along the eastern edged of Martinpuich and silencing three MGs therein. Finally the tank went, with the infantry, to its final objective, M33a.1.4 before it returned and rallied with damaged steering gear.
528 broke a track before reaching the start point.
744 attacked on time, veered off course a little but reached Bottom trench and Tangle trench to find the Germans therein either fled or surrendering. The tank advanced along the sunken road, fired into the dugouts built into the embankment, stopped next to Tangle trench and fired on fleeing Germans and on Germans still firing on the advancing British infantry. The tank did not advance to the final objective, the factory line, probably because it was short of fuel. It returned and rallied.
The infantry captured the factory line, and launched another attack at 3pm which captured Martinpuich, tanks were detailed to assist this attack but none did.
Summary
Intended: 8
At start: 7
Failed to Start: 0
Engaged enemy: 4
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 2
Penetrated by AP bullets:
Note
Ditched broke down includes 548
Aftermath
C23 was destroyed by a shell hit on the 21st and remained in situ until at least 1918.
IWM Q 48205: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205282182, X1.p108
751 was set afire by a German shell hit on the 16th and then remained in situ until at least 1918.
511, 745 were in action on 26th September 1916
744 was filmed immediately after the battle:
IWM FLM 2043:
Still X1.p119
next recorded in action on 15th November 1916.
512 was still ditched don the 7th October 1916, but must have been recovered as it was s supply tanks with “H” battalion on 21st September 1917.
528 was repaired on the 17th September, with D company on 23rd October 1916 and survived until at least July 1917.
548 was photographed KO on the battlefield
IWM Q48206: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205282183, X1.p107
and was still there in 1918: X11.p58, in German hands X7.p22
Source
S1 - The Tanks at Flers (1995) Trevor Pidgeon