23 Company. 20 November 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai. 20th November 1917
23 Company, H Battalion, with 71st Brigade, 6th Division, III Corps
23 Company had 12 tanks in action on 20th November 1917 (W8a)
Company Commander Maj Pearson (S61.p101ff)
5 Section. Capt Grounds GL (in H22)
H21, f, Harlech, 2Lt Jones EHH - Left tank
H22, Hercules, 2Lt Mickle L - Advance guard tank
H23, 2612, “Hong-Kong”, 2Lt Viviash WH - Right tank
6 Section. Capt Gerrard WD (in H25)
H24, , Hotspur, Lt Bown CW - Left tank
H25, m, Harlequin, 2Lt Glanville LCH - Advance guard tank
H26, m, Honfleur II, 2Lt Noonan EG - Right tank
7 Section. Capt Hickey DE (in H28)
H27, f, Hermosa, Lt Keay SG - Left tank
H28, 8027, m, Hadrian, 2Lt Hardy GD - Advance guard tank
H29, m, Havoc II, 2Lt Hughes KE - Right tank
8 Section. Capt Edwards WH (in H30)
H31, , Hannibal II, 2Lt Caffery JNS - Left tank
H30, Hydra, 2Lt Buckbarrow N - Advance guard tank
H32, f, Huguenot, 2Lt McAllistar - Right tank
Notes
The first tank listed above in each section was the no 1 tank, the second the lead tank and the third the no 2 tank (W2tb, W71b)
Three of H Battalion’s tanks failed to make the start point, they were replaced by three reserve tanks. (4 tanks in the Brigade report of operations (W21tb)
A 23 company tank failed to start and was replaced by a reserve tank. The above tanks are listed in the orders and preliminary report.
The orders have H24 and H25 with each other’s commanders; the hand written orders are as above, the Tabulated orders have the OICs with each other’s tanks.
H21, H26 and H32 sexes from report of operation on 1st December.
H23 serial number from March 1918 BHS.
H25 and H32 sexes from orders for 24th October 1917.
H29 sex from S37.
H31’s OIC is given as 2Lt McAllister JL in S37
H27, H28, H29 and H32 sexes from “Rolling into action” (S61.p92)
H28 serial number from battalion War Diary on 24th February 1918 when 8027 Hadrian swapped for 2844 (note photograph is unclear).
Hickey says "Havoc" (not "Havoc II") was in action with crew no 27, (S61.p278) it is possible "Havoc" broke down and was replaced with a spare tank that was thus christened "Havoc II".
Reserve, Wire pulling and Supply tanks. (W8a)
H Battalion took 40 tanks to the Fins area on the 14th. These were supplemented by 4 Wire pullers, 2 supply and one gun carrying Tank. At 3.30 on the 19th in Dessert Wood the battalion had 36 fighting tanks, 4 spare tanks and the two supply tanks complete with sledges (W8a).
The battalion was also provided with a Gun carrying tank (GC122), one of the Supply tanks was to carry the Brigade's radio. On the orders of OIC “B” [indistinct] Battalion. They were to proceed with the 4 reserve tanks to L26b [indistinct] (Dessert Wood ?) and there form a Brigade dump, later proceeding to Villers Plouch (R13b.4.3) and Beaucamp (Q12c.9.6) respectively (Appendix G to order No 1).
In “Rolling into Action” (S62.p109) Capt Hickey claims 8 section was the supply section, pulling sledges. This appears to be contradicted by the account in Appendix G to order No 1.
Orders(W8a) (S61.p101ff)
Company in the second wave, providing support to 22 and 24 Companies until intermediate system crossed.
Then to pass through other companies and lead attack on support system.
5 and 7 sections to support Sherwood foresters. 6 and 8 sections to support 11th Essex.
According to Hickey 8 section was pulling supply sledges.
23 Company to start from British support line in front of Beaucamp at Zero + 30 (s62.p102)
22 and 23 companies will rally on Brown Line
See link to diagram below for start positions and further discussion.
Account of Operations (W8a) (S61.p101ff)
The whole company reached the starting Point and the 1st objective (Hindenberg Line) and then formed the 1st wave for the attack on the 3rd Objective (Hindenburg Support system) and reached the same
According to Hickey, 7 sections commander, all three of 6 sections tanks were disabled, H25 was hit by an enemy light gun; the OIC, Lt Granville, crept forward with a Lewis Gun and dealt with the crew of a field gun in action East of Flesquires.
7 section was fired on whilst crossing no mans land, H28 was hit by MG fire and then lost its camouflage netting which tangled in the wire before the Hindenburg Line. The section passed through the lead company on the Hindenburg line and then passed through Ribecourt’s South East corner firing a few shots in the village though it seemed empty. The section was unable to proceed directly to its objective on the Hindenburg support line due to the obstruction presented by the Marcoing – Ribcourt Railway’s embankment. H28 lost its Fascine whilst traversing a light railway embankment near the main railway line. The section then crossed the Hindenburg Support line via the road which the trenches had not been dug across, the tanks then traversed the railway embankment and came up on the rear of the abandoned support Line and thus achieved their objective. The section then proceeded towards Marcoing, dealing with a nest of MGs in a farmhouse en-route. The section reached Marcoing but didn’t engage the enemy. They turned back and rallied at 1pm, H28 being fired on by a field gun en-route.
Hickey also states only one tank from 8 section was ready for action on the night of the 20th.
Summary
Intended: 12
Reserve: 2
At Start: 12
Started: 12
Engaged enemy: 12
Ditched / Broke Down: 2
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 9
The battalion had four reserve tanks, the author has allocated two to this company, their actual disposition is unknown.
Aftermath
H21, H23, H25, H27, H28, H29, H30 and (possibly) H31 all in action on the 23rd.
H24 sponsons jammed on the 30th when they were being run out prior to action (S61.p135).
Sources
W8a – War Diary of 8th tank Battalion PRO
Tank Corps order No. 1
Appendix B to Order No. 1 showing tank scheme of attack.
Appendix G to order No. 1. Communications, Supplies. HQ positions
Preliminary report on Assembly and Movement Forward and Actions of 20th, 21st and 23rd November 1917.
W2tb - 2nd Brigade Tank Corps report on Tank Operations November 20th to December 1st 1917 Appendix 5 to Brigade
War diary in PRO WO 95 / 101
W71b - WO 95-1619 - Appendix to 71st Brigade War Diary, 2nd Brigade Tank Corps table listing tank orders and objectives.
S61 – Rolling into Action (1936) Capt DE Hickey
S30 – The Boiler Plate War (1963) George Foley