8company9april1917
8 Company 9 April 1917
The Tanks at Arras. 9th April 1917
8 Company. C Battalion with 14th Division, VIIth Corps 3rd Army
8 Company intended to get 10 tanks into action on 9th April 1917 (W21):
8 Company
C21, 578, “A Perfect Lady” (S7. plate F), Lt: G.C.T. Salter*,
C22, 776,
C23, 582, 2Lt R.C.Wareham
C24, 777, “Charlie Chaplin”, 2Lt: P.Sailliard
C26, 787, 2Lt: H.W. Jonston*
C27, 588, 2Lt W.E. Silver*
C28, 790, 2Lt: E.R. Saunders*
C29, 597, 2Lt: T. Toshack
C36, 600, 2Lt: C. Ambrose*
C39, 599, 2Lt: J.C. Cameron
* These OIC names correct for the 11th April
One section (possibly 8 section) commanded by Lt Elliot (s99.p76)
Note:
578 and 787 were photographed moving towards the front. This photo may have been taken on the 9th, 11th or an earlier date.
IWM Q 6298: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196007, X67.p26
Orders
Objective: The Harp (W21)
14th Division was to attack and capture the rightmost third of the Harp, the rest of the Harp being captured by 3rd Division; 14 tanks were to support this attack, ten from “C” and four from “D” tank battalions. (OH)
The Blue Line was to be captured by the 42nd and 43rd brigades on the left and right respectively; each brigade had two battalions in line. The 42nd Division's lead battalions were to capture “the String”, a third battalion then passing through to occupy the eastern side of "the Harp"; the 43rd Division's lead battalions were to capture the whole Hindenburg Line, a single battalion passing through to capture the brown line, two companies from 42nd Brigade were also to advance to the Brown Line on 43rdBrigade's left. (OH)
42rd Brigade was supported by eight ”C” Battalion tanks, the other two being allocated to 3rd Division; all ten were to start from north of Beaurains. Once the blue line had been secured all the “C” Battalion tanks were to support VI corps attack on the Brown line, scheduled to start at 12:30pm. (OH)
Account of operations
578 ditched before reaching the British Front Line. (W21)
Photographed at some point:
IWM Q 7284: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205227572
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/936748789/in/set-72157601073015696/
Great War Primary Document Archive: Photos of the Great War
776 crossed the German front line and fired on the enemy, the tank became ditched before reaching the Blue line. (W21)
582 eventually crossed the trenches at M12 [N12 written in original source] after some difficulty. Reached the Harp 20 minutes before the infantry, and in company with 597 fired on German infantry in Pot trench in the German front line. The tank was then bombed and put out of action. (W21)
597 in company with 582 fired on German infantry in Pot trench in the German front line. The tank’s fire covered the advance of the Infantry who were able to advance and take possession of the trench. (W21)
777 this tank almost reached the blue line, it bellied at the western edge of Noisy Work and was then hit and set afire. Prior to this the tank had fired on the enemy dealing with several snipers and MGs. (W21)
Photographed at some later date during the battle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3854616786/in/set-72157601073015696/
787 ditched before reaching the British Front Line. (W21) Photographed (IWM Q 6285).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2619199371/in/set-72157601073015696/
Great War Primary Document Archive: Photos of the Great War
In the 1980’s Sgt Harry Emans described ditching on 9th April 1917 in a male “C” Battalion tank which subsequently successfully attacked Monchy on the 11th this can only be 787 (S41.p19f)
588 crossed the German front line then ditched before reaching the Blue line. (W21)
790 fired on the enemy, then ditched in the German front line. (W21) (X67.27) (X58.p53)
600 crossed the German front line and fired on the enemy, the tank became ditched before reaching the Blue line. (W21)
599 plugged a gap in the British attack near N7a.7.5. He successfully held the line, routeing at least one MG crew and capturing their gun, until infantry came up and consolidated. Subsequently the tank received a direct hit, which killed one man and wounded three others. 5 Lewis guns were handed over to the infantry. (W21)
A brief account of a male tank crossing the German front line was given by one of its gunners, Archie Richards. (S18.p119) The tank was probably 776 which is the only male tank that crossed the German front line and wasn’t set afire.
The 42nd Brigade stated that the tanks struggled on the bad ground, those that reached the String arrived late. Seven tanks were ditched, three were knocked out, two by direct shell hits and one by infantry bombs. The infantry secured the Blue line by 8:20am and the brown line by 8:45am. A few tanks did continue the advance, moving towards Feuchy Chape at 12:20pm (OH)
Summary
Intended: 10
At start: 10
Failed to start: 0
Engaged enemy: 7
Ditched / Broke Down: 6
Hit and Knocked out: 3
Rallied: 1
Penetrated by AP ammo: 0
Note: Rallied is 597 whose fate is not recorded.
Aftermath
777, 599 - No further record
787, 790, 578, 588, 597, 600 - in action on 11th April
776, 582 - in action on 23rd April
Sources
W21 – C Battalion Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps. Battle of Arras. Narrative of Operations 9th to 11th April 1917. PRO 95/97
- Battle graphs for the above.
OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 1, Pg.211f
S18 - Nicholls Jonathon (2005) Cheerful Sacrifice. The Battle of Arras 1917, Pen and Sword
S41 - Richard Pullen (2008) Beyond the Green Fields
S58 - Buffetaut, Yves (1997) The 1917 Spring Offensives
Note: The transcription of C Battalion’s War Diary available from The Tank Museum, Bovington doesn’t start until after Arras.