2 Brigade Composite Company 1 December 1917

Composite Company, 2^nd Brigade, with 1^st Guards Brigade (??), 1^st Guards Division (??) , Corps

2 Brigade had 20 tanks in action on 1^st December 1917 ^(H8)

Composite Company Commander Captain Pearson (H Battalion). 2IC Lt Hickey

Composite Company. Maj. Pearson (19 tanks) ^(s61.p134ff)

H Battalion contributed ten tanks

H28, 8027, m, "Hadrian", 2Lt Hardy GD,

H29, 8086, m, "Havoc II", 2Lt Hughes KE,

24 Coy sect commanders: Capt Batten PW, Capt Grimley CW, Capt Mustard A (W8a) [letters indistinct].

JE Reilley (Adjutant) all also in action

2Lt Guy also in action, he was the only survivor of his KO tank ^(S30.p170)

B Battalion contributed seven tanks ^(H2)

B9, 2667, f, "Black Bess", 2Lt. Jones ER

B11, 4587

B14, 4588

B44, 2637

B48, 2095

and two more tanks (from 5 or 6 companies)

one tank Commanded by 2Lt PA Symons

A Battalion contributed 2 tanks ^(H1)

A25, 2058, m, 2Lt de Faye E ^(W1bh)

A28, m, 2Lt Shaw TJ ^(W1bh)

Notes

According to "B" Battalion's War Diary ^(w2) "B" Battalion contributed 3 tanks and two section commanders from 4 Company.

A28 is presumably not 2857 which had been hit three times and damaged on Nov 20^th. According to the tank's 20^th November battle history sheet it fired 17 boxes of SAA on the 20^th and did not fire any 6pdr shells. The narrative always mentions when “Apollyn II” fired its 6pdr. Bearing in mind this, and the serial number, it seems reasonable to assume 2857, “Adventuress II” was a female tank.

On 30^th Nov A28’s battle history sheet states the tank fired 6pdr shells, no WD number is given on this sheet so it seems reasonable to assume that Crew A28 were with a different unidentified tank on the 30^th. It is possible this was one of the six tanks taken over from 1^st Brigade on the 30^th November.

H29 serial number an educated guess based on Battle History Sheet from March 1918.

B9's presence based on the fact it was photographed captured by the Germans and was not recorded as handed to salvage in November.

B11, B14, B44 and B48 are all listed on "B" Battalions list of tanks handed to salvage in November 1917 (sic). Their locations suggest they had been in action on the 1st December.

There were 48 new tanks that at Bertincourt, west of Havrincourt Wood, each with a fresh driver and two fresh crewmen. The Official history implies these were not in action on November 30^th and December 1^{st (OH.p170)}

Orders

The composite company consisting of ten tanks from "H" battalion, two from "A" Battalion and four from "B" Battalion was formed on the evening of 30th November and ordered to support the 5^th Cavalry Division's attack on Gauche Wood and Villers Guislains. The tanks were to assembly at Revelon Farm (W16b.6.7) where they would join with three more "B" Battalion tanks already there. ^(W22)

Nine tanks were to start from Gouin Copse [Genin Well Copse ? ] at 6:10am and support the Umballa brigade's attack on Gauche Wood, the remaining ten tanks to start from Vaucelette Farm to support the Lucknow Brigade's attack on Villers Guilsilins ^(W22) . ( 8 tanks and 6 tanks respectively according to the Official history ^(OH.p231)

Once Gauche Wood and Villers Guislains had been secured the surviving tanks were to go to Villers Ridge and support the attack of the 4^th Cavalry Division ^(W22)

Objectives

A28 - Battalion to proceed to SE corner of Gauche Wood and then on to Villers Guislin and hold a position on Villers Ridge.

Account of Operations

Two tanks broke down and failed to start ^(W22) (Possibly B48 ^(W2s) ).

The tanks that were to start from Vaucellette Farm only got as far as Revelon Farm, they joined the other tanks and headed towards Gauche Wood. ^(OH.p231) The cavalry were informed of the change ^(W22) The Official History implies they were to turn south upon reaching the Wood and carry out their orders to support the dismounted attack of the Lucknow Brigade, in the event the Lucknow Brigade advanced without tanks and thus got no further than Vaucellette Farm. ^(OH.p231)

At 6:10am seventeen tanks started from Goiun Copse [Genin Well Copse ? ].The tanks start point was thus a mile from that of the dismounted cavalry ^(H2) The tanks were not divided into sections, simply attacking as one large group (S61)

^{The tanks assigned to the Umbala brigade did not reach the dismounted cavalry until 7:15am, they crossed the railway then got lost in the mist and proceeded towards Gouzecourt, some plunging into Hodson's horse which held the left front of the Umballa Brigade. These tanks were followed by the tanks that were supposed to support the Lucknow Brigade (OH). Many enemy MGs were engaged and silenced during the advance to Gauche Wood (W22)}

^{Meanwhile the 2 / Grenadier Guards had advanced on the wood from south of Gouzecourt, rushing across 1000 yds of exposed uphill slope and entering the wood with relatively few casualties, the 12 tanks of "H" battalion (Major Pratts Company (H8) ) that were supposed to lead them were delayed by a sunken road, eventually catching up to assist the infantry in the wood. (OH)}

^{The Lancers now advanced on Guache wood, their tanks returning and assisting them (OH) reaching the wood about 7.50am (H8).}

The tanks helped clear the enemy out of the western edge of the wood which was strongly held, then some of them advanced though the wood towards Villers Guislins. Meanwhile the other tanks patrolled the wood and helped the infantry clear the strong enemy presence from it, numerous MGs were silenced, some when the tanks drove over them, and some British 60Pdr guns that the enemy were using were recaptured. Later the Guards and some dismounted cavalry took possession of the wood. ^(W22)

^{The number of "H" Battalion tanks fro this composite company lost to the south of the wood is unrecorded, as the other Composite companies in action on this day lost approximately half their strength it seems reasonable to assume thesetank suffered accordingly and that five of the ten tans were knocked out.}

The tanks that proceeded towards Villers Guislins came under heavy direct artillery fire which knocked out several tanks ^(H8) ( three according to the Official History, possibly B11 and two tanks form Majot Pratt's Composite Company) three tanks made it to the outskirts of the village but the heavy fire forced them to withdraw ^(W22) at 1.20pm ^(OH) and rally ^(W22) back in Gauche Wood. ^(H2)

"B" Battalion one tank failed to start (possibly B48) and four were knocked out, implying two of "B" Battalion tanks rallied. ^(H2)

The four knocked out tanks were presumably: B9, 2667, which was captured by the Germans

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/5484055352/in/set-72157625639179301/

B11, 4587 which was hit at X2d.7.0.; B14, 4588 which was hit at X7b.2.9.; B44, 2637 was hit in the secondary gears at W6a.3.9 ^(W2s)

B48, 2095 may have been the tank that failed to start as it was at the Start Point in Gouzeaucourt with a [defective] worm wheel. ^(W2s) Though this tank may not have been in action on this date as the Start point was well to the south of Gouzeaucourt.

"A" Battalion’s War History states its [two ?] tanks had been in action on the 30^th, stayed in the field overnight and then attacked with the other tanks on the 1^st. This is not confirmed by the battle history sheets which do not indicate A25 and / or A28 were in action on the 30^th.

A28 proceeded from the assembly point at W16b.6.7. crossing the British front line at 6.30am. The tank advanced from W11c.5.2. to W12b central against only light MG opposition coming from ahead. The tank came across a sunken road at W12a.7.8 . which was then occupied by the infantry. The tank followed the sunken road along the valley to W6a.5.6. [ W6d ] then it, along with the rest of the company, turned towards Gauche Wood, crossing the railway at X1c.2.5. and continued due east of the wood. The tank entered the South Western corner of the wood and silenced three enemy MGs and caused 20 or 30 Germans to surrender, then it proceeded along the southern edge of the wood silencing MGs and snipers despite being engaged by enemy field guns upon reaching X7b.5.1. The wood was eventually cleared and the tank patrolled the South Eastern Edge while the infantry consolidated therein. A28 then advanced on Villers Guislin but broke down for 15 minutes with a broken fan belt at X2c.9.0. Two other tanks were with A28, two further tanks had been knocked out, the rest were observed retiring back to Gauche Wood. The tank was repaired, retired and rallied by 1.30pm. ^(W1bh)

A25 started form near Revlon Farm at 6.30am, crossed the British front line and then turned left towards Gouzeaucourt. After 30 minutes the tank turned half right and engaged the enemy with both 6 Pdrs, the tanks unditching beam was blown off but the tank remained undamaged and continued, entering [Gauche ?] Wood but failing to find many targets. As the tank left the wood in search of the enemy a shell hit the turret, killing the OIC and driver and wounding two gunners. The tank was abandoned. ^(W1bh)

Summary

Intended: 19

Reserve: 0

At Start: 18

Started: 18

Engaged enemy: 18

Ditched / Broke Down:

Hit and Knocked out: 10

Rallied: 8

Notes:

Engaged enemy total is a guess.

Hit and Knocked out includes five "H" Battalion tanks, rallied includes five "H" Battalion tanks, the actual numbers that rallied or we knocked out is unrecorded.

In total 73 tanks were sent forward against the enemy on November 30th and December 1st ^(W22)

Aftermath

"A", "B" and "H" battalion's were next in action during March 1918

B9 photographed in German hands: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/5484055352/in/set-72157625639179301/

B11, B14, B44 and B48 were all handed to salvage.

Sources

W2s - "B" Tank Battalion War Diary PRO WO 95 / 113: Tanks Handed to Salvage during November 1917

W8a – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion PRO WO 95/104

W22 - War diary of 2nd Tank Brigade, Appendix, Action of 2^nd Tank Brigade tanks on 30^th November and 1^st December in PRO WO 95 / 92

H8 - War history of "H" / 9^th Tank Battalion transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.

OH - Official History, 1917, Vol 3, P239f unless otherwise indicated.

S30 – The Boiler Plate War (1963) George Foley

S61 – Rolling into Action (1936) Capt DE Hickey

S30 – The Boiler Plate War (1963) George Foley

1 Dec 1917 - Map

H Battalion. 1st December 1917

Cambrai narratives