16 and 17 Companies. 27 November 1917.
The Tanks at Cambrai. 27th November 1917 - Bourlon
16 and 17 Companies, with 62nd Division, III Corps
16 and 17 Companies F battalion had 17 (18) tanks in action on 27th November 1917 (H6):
F1, 2730, “Firespite II”
F2, m, “Frivolous”
F4, f, “Flirt II”
F5, m, “Fervent”
F6, 2310, “Feu d’Artifice” – With C battalion QV
F7, m, “Feu de Ceil II”
F11, 2319, “Fizyama”
F12, 2321, m, “Friar Tuck”
F13, f, “Falcon II”
F21, 2540, f, “Five Knights”
F26, m, “Fearless II”
F27, m, “Fighting Mac II”
F28, 2548, “Formidible”
F30, f, 2879, “Flaming Fire II”
F31, m , “Fearnought”
FW3
FS2
Note:
F1 serial number from photograph IWM Q 7279: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205239107
All other serial numbers from list of 3rd Brigade Tanks dated 13 July 1917 in PRO WO 95 / 91. Courtesy of Gwyn Evans.
F6 was attached to the "C" battalion section and is included in that narrative.
FS2 is liste twice, once as going into action and becoming lost, the second time as delivering supplies.
F8 and F12 sexes from War History account of action on 20th November.
F4 sex from photograph: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2184827639/in/set-72157601074582281/ , this contradicts the War History account of action on the 21st November.
F7 sex from War History account of action on the 21st November.
F2, F4, F5, F13, F21, F30, F31 sexes from photograph's taken after battle (see aftermath section below).
F31 may have been commanded by 2Lt Eckley who was killed on the 27th (CWG); Fearnought's unidentified OIC was also killed on this date (H6)
Orders (H6)
To support infantry and secure a line North of Bourlon Wood and village.
20 tanks attacked: 17 tanks from F battalion and 3 from C battalion.
Account of Operations (H6)
All tanks bar F12 which broke down on the way forward, reached POA at 12.30 on 27th, thence led to starting points by infantry. Enemy barrage caused 50% infantry casualties and hit and damaged F28 which was withdrawn. It rained all night thus rendering ground conditions bad. The attack went in at 6.30am as planned, the infantry reached the centre of the village but were forced back to their starting points.
F4 entered the village at 6.40am after manoeuvring to avoid wounded infantrymen. The tank Ditched and broke down whilst attempting to avoid (or trying to unditch) the ditched F13. F4 was Towed clear by F1 at 8.30, but its big ends were gone. The tank was abandoned at 9.55am as the infantry retreated.
F13 Silenced an MG whilst approaching the village. Then ditched in marshy ground whilst manoeuvring to avoid a wounded man. The Tank was abandoned, having being stripped of Lewis guns, the crew rallied at 1.pm
F7 reached village at 6.45am, went through house to avoid two tanks ditched in road, then to Church where infantry was held up; the tank destroyed the Tower with 6pdr fire and thus silenced enemy snipers. Then went along a street, demolishing houses en route and thus silencing enemy fire. No infantry were in sight so the tank withdrew, firing all the way. Rallied at RP at 10.45am, remained there until dusk.
FW3 entered Bourlon Village, followed by infantry, engaged enemy therein but smashed right track whilst turning to withdraw, tank stripped of Lewis guns and abandoned.
F5 entered village, proceeded through centre and then northwards. missing. later photographed by the germans when captured (see aftermath below)
F11 started off in front of infantry, reached sunken road in village and received two direct hits. Managed to get tank to a sheltered spot but broke down. Derelict I28 stripped for spares and tank repaired. Section commander ordered tank to go through village to right, ready to repel counter attack. Tank rallied at 1pm.
F1 entered village with infantry, stopped by barricade in main street, re entered village further east, Stood by for a counter attack which didn’t happen, then withdrew with infantry, rallied at 11am.
F21 tank hit and Knocked out (right track) whilst proceeding ahead of infantry. Tank abandoned, crew engaged enemy from a sunken road and then a derelict building. OIC and one OR wounded.
F26 entered village alone, infantry having been pinned down by heavy fire. Demolished a wire barricade but couldn’t cross a large tank trap. Some infantry joined tank. Fired at by at least 6MGs and an AT gun whilst withdrawing. AT gun fired six shots, one of which hit unditching beam and exhaust, then tank destroyed the AT gun. Tank developed engine trouble and remaining accompany infantry surrendered to enemy who had surrounded vehicle. Tank managed to slowly withdraw to Tankodrome.
FS2 (supply tank) dumped supplies at N end of Sunken Road returned to tankodrome by 2.30pm.
F2, F30, F27, F17 and F31:
F27 made it as far as the high ground in front of the village where it was apparently knocked out by MG fire. The infantry never advanced this far.
F2 and F30 both went along west side of Sunken Road into village in NE direction. They outran their infantry support.
F31 entered village with infantry, then hit and knocked out by enemy. 2 OR wounded and captured, later escaped and re-laid tanks fate.
FS2 advanced through village with F5 then went missing.
These five tanks were all captured on 28th November 1917. Only F31's fate was known to the British, the other four tanks were simply listed as missing. They were still listed as such in "F" Battalion's War history when it was published in 1919. In 1998 a diary came to light written by one of the tank commanders which is quoted in "Following the tanks p120ff". Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski (1999)
Summary
Intended: 16
Reserve: 0
At Start: 14
Started: 14
Engaged enemy: 14
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 7
Rallied: 4
The supply tank is not included in the above list
Total tanks does not include F6 which is listed in the "C" battalion narrative.
Hit and knocked out includes the 4 tanks that were missing (F2, F17, F5, F30).
It is assumed that all 14 tanks that started engaged the enemy.
Aftermath
F5 photographed in German hands (X44.p89)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/5863871305/in/set-72157601074582281
F4 photographed ditched:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2184827639/in/set-72157601074582281/
F13 and F4 were also both photographed together presumably at the locations where they were original abandoned: X37.p122, x37.p123 and:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4307502430/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4284219207/in/set-72157601074582281/
F13 also photographed on its own
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2918612253/in/set-72157601074582281/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gellechimay/8502209647/in/set-72157632776426715
F13 was still in running order and the Germans filmed it knocking a tree over soon after the battle, several stills exist of this.
IWM Q57499: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205215592 (Bild 183-S34490).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3409183013/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/8417382818/in/set-72157601074582281
Also photographed in German hands;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4102353133/in/set-72157601074582281/
As it was still in running order the Germans used it to make a film "Die Englischen Tanks bei Cambrai" which was shown in German cinemas in January 1918 (S74.p52)
F4 was also recovered by the Germans.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4096408187/in/set-72157601074582281/
F30, F31 and another tank (possibly F17) all photographed by the Germans whilst still in situ where they had been knocked out, all have had their sponsons removed by the time the photograph was taken.
IWM Q 29943: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205080373
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3080896891/in/set-72157601074582281/
These three tanks were part of a larger group also containing F27 and F2 of which other photographs exist, X25.p94, X37.p119
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4363656453/in/set-72157601074582281/
F30 was photographed by the Germans whilst knocked out (X25.p94) a Beutpanzer bearing this crew number was knocked out whilst attacking the French in 1918 (X5.p68). Note other (unreferenced) photographs show this tank clearly bears the name "Hydra" on its stowage box thus indicating that the stowage box was added to F30.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4209444257/in/set-72157601074582281/
F27 was photographed apparently abandoned:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3292130437/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4302707986/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4223973500/in/set-72157601074582281/
F31 also photographed in German hands (X25.p93)
FW3 also photographed in German hands
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3923327744/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/4344960004/in/set-72157625639179301/
F21 also photographed in German hands (X37.p119).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/7846041934/in/set-72157601074582281/
Sources
H6 – 6th (F) Tank Battalion War History PRO 95/107
W23 – War Diary of 3rd Tank Brigade, relevant battle graph and narrative PRO WO95/104
S37 - Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski (1999) Following the Tanks, Cambrai