10 Company 3 May 1917
10 Company 3 May 1917
The Tanks at Arras. 3rd May 1917
10 Company. D Battalion with 21st Division, VII Corps, 3rd Army
part of 1st Tank Brigade
10 Company intended to get 3 tanks into action on 3rd May 1917 (WHQbg) (bhs):
10 Company – Maj. Haskett Smith (S62.p75)
D9, 770, 2Lt McElvaine AF
D10, 784 2Lt Puttock HH
D1, 554, 2Lt Richards HL
Reserve
D6, 565, 2Lt Head WOR
Note
565 is incorrectly listed as 505 on the final version of the Battlegraph in PRO WO 95-97.
The actions of 565 and 784 were incorrectly allocated to each other on the Battlegraph in the Brigade War Diary (W21bg)
The above crew numbers are presumably those displayed on the tanks, three of the crews were actually drawn from 11 company as follows: 770 crew D35; 554 crew D24; 784 crew D29. 565's crew is simply listed as being No.4. (BHS)
Orders
64th brigade was to advance down the Hindenburg line to a final objective beyond the Sensee, 110th brigade, on the left, was to advance 1400 yards to ther Sense then capture Fontaine [ lez Croisilles ] beyond it. (OH)
565 was a reserve tank, the other three tanks were ordered to attack. (BHS)
770 was attached to the 64th infantry brigade . It was to proceed from Start Point T6b.2.2. and support infantry bombers who were to work down support trench of the Hindenburg Line from T6d.10.5. to V7c.6.7.. then to return to Start Point. (BHS)
784 and 554 were both attached to the 110th infantry brigade. 784 was to proceed with the infantry to the German front line trench then onto the line running along the Sensee river where the infantry would consolidate. Then advance again with the infantry and support the attack on Fontaine lez Croisilles, going around the southern edge of the village. (BHS)
554 was to leave the Start point at N30c.9.4 at Zero and proceed South East down Wood Trench towards Fontaine Wood, skirting the north of the wood. At Zero +2hrs to continue towards Una Lane and then work along it south as far as the sunken road. returning through Fontaine to a position behind Fontaine. (BHS)
Zero hour: 3:45am (BHS)
Account of operations
565 remained in reserve where it was heavily shelled, it did not see action and withdrew at 11pm on the 4th May. (BHS) the Battlegraph must be incorrect in stating it was unable to cross the start line due to mechanical trouble (W21).
At Zero +1 or 2 minutes the enemy fired a counter barrage which lasted for 20 minutes (BHS)
770 started from SP at Z - 30 mins. The camouflage sheet atop the tank was set afire (BHS) the resultant flames drew artillery fire (W21n) the tank was shelled by a 4.2 battery until z-5 mins. The driver was taken ill at Zero, the OIC thus drove the tank into action at Zero; he was unable to find his bearings until Zero + 40 minutes due to the dark (BHS) and ended up moving back through the attacking troops of 18th Division (OH) (S18.p196) who temporarily retreated and thus lost the barrage as a result, the tank turned towards the German lines once more and crossed the Hindenburg Line (OH) finding itself 100 yard behind the Bombers, upon reaching them they were found to be held up at the British trench block at T6d.10.5. An enemy MG in the Hindenburg Line had been firing on the tank, this was now spotted and silenced by 6pdr fire. The tank was engaged by Trench mortars, rifle granades and bombs, several splinters entered via the Lewis gun ports and penetrated the top of the tank, these caused three casualties. Some germans were killed as they stood on their parapet to throw bombs, the tank ditched (BHS) at T6d.10.50. (W21bg) but was able to extricate itself. It attempted to go along the German trench but, at about Zero + 2hrs, when crossing the sunken road at V1c3.b (sic) [ U1c.3.6 ] the left track broke, probably due to a trench mortar hit. The crew stayed with the tank for 15 minites firing the 6pdr but had a very poor field of fire so the tank was abandoned, the Lewis guns taken, and the crew went to the nearest british held trench, a gunner being severely wounded by a rifle bullet as they got there. (BHS).
784 Crossed the British front line at Zero, (z+15 (W21bg)) no British infantry were in view so the tank turned left in No Mans Land to observe the British front line, whilst doing so the tank ditched in an unseen trench ( it was before dawn) at H 35d.1.3 (first and fifth digits unclear) (W21n) or N36d95 (W21bg) which ran from the British front line towards the enemy. The tank did not fire its guns or sustain any casualties . (BHS)
554 started at Zero, crossed the British front line and then reached Wood Trench about 200yds down from the sunken road, the twilight and British barrage limited visibility to about 10 yards. Heavy enemy MG fire broke the forward prism, the tank successfully passed through the enemy counter barrage. On reaching Wood Trench the tank came under heavy attack from bombs, rifle grenades and AP bullets the tank swung left to fire the right hand Lewis guns and AP bullets penetrated the tank and wounded both left hand gunners. A right hand gunner was put on the left and the tank went another 50 yards when it was realised that the radiator had been pierced, as the infantry were held up and AP bullets were still penetrating the tank, the tank returned to rally but broke down at N35d84 (BHS).
Note
The Battlegraph's and narrative give slightly differant version of events to those shown above which are based on the Battle History Sheets. The author has assumed the Battle history sheets are most accurate.
Summary
Allocated: 3
At start: 3
Failed to Start: 0
Engaged enemy: 2
Ditched / Broke Down: 2
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied:
Penetrated by AP Ammo: 1 (female MK I)
Note
Summary figures don't include the spare tank.
Aftermath
There is no further record of any of the four tanks.
Sources
W21n – C Battalion Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps. Battle of Arras. Narrative of Operations 9th to 11th April 1917 in PRO WO 95-97
W21bg - Battle graphs appended to the above Narrative in PRO WO 95-97
WHQ - War Diary Tank Corp HQ Appendices for 1917 in PRO WO 95-91
WHQbg - Battle graphs contained in the HQ Appendixes in PRO WO 95-91
BHS - Relevant Battle history Sheets contained in the HQ Appendixes in PRO WO 95-91
OH - Official History, 1917 Vol 1. pg.434f
S62 - Maj Watson WHL (???) A Company of Tanks