7company9april1917
7 Company 9 April 1917
The Tanks at Arras. 9th April 1917.
7 Company. C Battalion with, XVIIth Corps 3rd Army
7 Company intended to get 8 tanks into action on 9th April 1917 (W21)
“a” section
C1, 792, 2Lt Bryce*
C2, 549
C3, 772
C4, 561, 2Lt Le Clair*
“b” section
Starting from St Nicholas supporting 26th Division
C5, 764
C6, 752. 2/Lieut: W.D. Tarbet
C7, 716. 2 Lt V Smith*
C8, 786
Notes:
Section letters not given , “a” and “b” added by author.
* These three Crew Commanders names are correct for 23rd April but may be incorrect for the 9th. (W21)
One section possibly commanded by Captain Jethro Tull (S99.p79)
Orders
“a” section were to start from Roclincourt (W21) and support 34th Division in their attack on the Bois de la Maison Blanche on the Blue Line, and then work down the valley to the south of the wood until they joined in the attack on Athies. (OH)
“b” section were to start from St Nicholas and support 26th Brigade, (W21) 9th Division’s attack on St. Lauernt – Blangy village, two tanks were then to support the attack on the Blue Line whilst the other two went to support the attack on Athies on the Brown Line. (OH)
Account of operations
The ground was wet and very soft (HQ)
“a” Section
All four tanks crossed the German front line, 792 ditched before reaching the Black Line, 549 attempted to help but also ditched. 772 also ditched prior to reaching the Black Line, it was then hit and knocked out by a German shell. 561 went to assist 772 but also ditched. (W21) ) (HQbg)
The Official history makes no mention of tanks assisting the attack of 34th Division (OH.p231f)
“b” section
764 ditched just after crossing British front Line. It was then hit by a 5.9 shell which smashed its track. (W21) (HQbg)
752 engaged the enemy just before reaching the Blue Line, then became ditched alongside the Fampoux Road. 2Lt Tarbet was then killed by a sniper whilst attempting to reconnoiter ahead of the ditched vehicle. (W21) ) (HQbg)
Photographed in the above position later in the day. (IWM Q 6434)(S58.p39)
716 went to assist 786 when it was ditched in the German front Line, then proceeded to the Blue Line but arrived too late to be of any assistance. The Battlgraph suggests this tank made it to the rally point (just behind the blue line). (W21) ) (HQbg)
786 became ditched in German front line, managed to unditch, possibly with 716’s help. Ditched again in the Blue Line and then suffered a direct hit. The Battlegraph suggests this tank made it to the rally point (just behind the blue line). (W21) ) (HQbg)
26th Brigades advance to the Black Line was completely successful, 7 / Seaforth highlanders on the right dealt with some resistance in St Laurent, 8 / Black Watch on the left met with little opposition. The advance on the blue Line was made by two companies of the Black Watch supported by two of the 10 / Argyll and Sutherland highlanders and a single company of the Seaforths supported by another Seaforth company. More opposition was met but was successfully overcome. All four tanks had been bogged or knocked out by this time. (OH)
NOTE: The Narrative of Operations states three of “b” section’s tanks were knocked out by direct hits. However 716 was in action again on the 23rd ; 752 was probably scheduled to go into action on the 23rd but broke down. 764 is not heard of again and thus was probably knocked out by a direct hit on the 9th (W21)
Summary
Intended: 8
At start: 8
Failed to Start: 0
Engaged enemy: 1
Ditched / Broke Down: 5
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 1
Penetrated by AP bullets: 0
Note
Rallied is 716, 786 may also have rallied in damaged condition.
Aftermath
792, 549, 561 and 752 were all extracted by the time the hand drawn Battlegraph was created.
792, 561, 752 and 716 were all in action on the 23rd April. (752 with 9th Company)
786 became supply tank “Beau Brocade” with “B” Battalion
764, 549 and 772 – No further record
Sources
W21 – C Battalion Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps. Battle of Arras. Narrative of Operations 9th to 11th April 1917. PRO 95/97
HQ – Tank Operations – April 9th to 13th in Appendixes to Tank Corp HQ War Diary. PRO WO 95 - 91
HQbg - Battle graphs for this action in Appendixes to Tank Corp HQ War Diary. PRO WO 95 - 91
OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 1, Pg.187, pg.227f.
S58 - Buffetaut, Yves (1997) The 1917 Spring Offensives