24 Company. 20 November 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai. 20th November 1917
24 Company, H Battalion, with 71st, 6th Division, III Corps
24 Company had 12 tanks in action on 20th November 1917 (W8a):
Company Commander
9 Section. Capt Davis RG
H41, , Horsa II, 2Lt Mustard H - Left tank
H42, , Hawk, 2Lt Deuchar JL - Right tank
H43, 2875, Hengist, 2Lt Allwood JWS - Advance guard tank
10 Section. Capt Gibson E
H44, 8022, m, Humming Bird, 2Lt Hindhough H - Advance guard tank
H45, m, Hyacinth, 2Lt Jackson FH - Right tank
H46, f, Hyena, 2Lt Rees-Brown WH - Left tank
11 Section. 2Lt Rogerson H
H47, 8086, Henry VIII, 2Lt Lyness I - Right tank
H48, m, Hypatia, 2Lt Hancock BC - Advance guard tank
H49, f, High Flyer, 2Lt Pitt G - Left tank
12 Section. Capt Rogers JH
H50, 2894, f, Hurricane, 2Lt Jefford FR - Advance guard tank
H51, 2893, Hiawatha, 2Lt Jefferies ROG - Left tank
H52, , Heron II, 2Lt Imerson CC - Right tank
Reserve, Wire pulling and Supply tanks.
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 the 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).
Notes
3 of H Battalion’s tanks failed to make the start point, they were replaced by 3 reserve tanks. (4 tanks in the Brigade report of operations (W2tb)
The above tanks are listed in the orders and preliminary report, thus possibly 3 (or 4) of the above tanks may not have participated in the attack.
Positions of tanks (advance, left, right) as given in W2tb and W71b
H44 and H49 sexes from S37
H46 and H48 sexes from photographs:
H50 serial number from H Battalion's War Diary entry in January 1918.
H50 sex implied in account given at S40.p116
H43, H44, H47 and H51 serial numbers educated guesses based on March Battle History Sheets
Orders
The orders are a little unclear (W2tb) W71b) . It appears that:
11, 12 and 9 sections (left to right) were to support the 1st Leicesters in the first wave.
11 Section was to stop on the Hindenburg line and await 3 Section.
11 and 10 sections were then to support the 9th Norfolks in the second wave.
The second wave of infantry was to be supported by all available tanks (so presumably 12 and 9 sections as well)
11, 12 and 9 sections to attack in advance at H - 10 minutes.
10 section to advance at H+10 minutes.
See link below for diagram of start positions and further discussion
9 Section
L31c.01.47 – K36d.63.64 along sunken road to L31c.20.78 and L36d.75.89
10 Section
Cross front system at K36a.60.65 [presumably K36d] making a new track through first system wire
11 Section
Cross front system at K26d.01.29 [presumably K36d] and proceed west of sunken Road and if necessary assist the infantry in clearing up this sector.
12 Section
K36d.56.67 – K36d.27.78. K36d.7.8 to K36b.4.1.
After crossing the Front system 9 and 12 sections were to protect the left flank and support 10 and 11 sections respectively.
After crossing the intermediate system all sections were to support 6 and 8 sections attack on the support system.
Once the Brown Line is secured 24 company are to capture the line Premy Chapel and the North and north Eastern Margins of Nine Wood.
1 section will move through the ride that runs from Premy Chapel towards Noyells.
Account of Operations (W2tb)
First Objective: Hindenburg front line system
24 Company successfully carried out the first part of the attack crossing over the Hindenburg Line using the Fascines, the first wave reaching the position before 7.05am and the second wave by 7.15am.
Second Objective: Ribencourt and the Blue Line beyond it
The company was released by the infantry at 7.15am. 10 and 11 sections attacked Ribencourt and the Blue Line beyond it, H43 didn’t attack, the other five tanks following in support, H45 ditched and was photographed (see below); little opposition was encountered but some MGs were silenced in Ribencourt.
Third Objective: Hindenburg Support system
At 10am 23 Company passed through the other two companies and led the attack on the Brown Line. 22 and 24 companies followed up in support, a battery was silenced at L20a4.7. and a number of enemy troops surrendered and were handed over to the infantry. All ten 24 company tanks reached the Brown line and rallied.
Fourth Objective: Nine Wood – Premy Chapel
At 11.30 am the infantry released the tanks; H2, H3, H5 and H8 all attached alongside 10 tanks of 24 Company. The 22 Company tanks reached their objective by 11.45am, before the 24 company tanks.
H2 and H3 then patrolled along a line between Marcoing and Premy Chapel silencing enemy MGs. H5 and H8 split up, one tank patrolled around Premy Chapel, the other covered the infantry attack on Nine Wood.
Meanwhile the ten tanks of 24 company patrolled along the Line from Premy Chapel to Nine Wood, clearing the wood of the enemy before the infantry arrived in support.
These four tanks and the ten tanks of 24 Company were released by the 29th Division once they had consolidated at 1.15pm.
The whole company reached the 3rd and 4th objectives except:
H43 and H45 which both reached the 1st objective, H45 ditching there, H43 didn’t proceed any further (it too ditched according to Jack Horsfal(S44.p74).
Bryn Hammond (S40.p173) quotes a gunner in “Hurricane” (H50) who states his tanks suffered a direct hit which broke the track. The gunner was wounded. This is not corroborated in any other source but it is worth noting that "Hurricane" did not see action again at Cambrai.
Summary
Intended: 12
Reserve: 1
At Start: 12
started: 12
Engaged enemy: 12
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 0
Rallied: 11
The battalion had four reserve tanks, the author has allocated one to this company, their actual disposition is unknown.
Aftermath
Hyacinth photographed ditched: IWM Q 6432: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205213173
Horsa II (H41), Hyena (H46), Henry VIII (H47), Hypatia (H48), High Flyer (H49) and Hiawatha (H51) all in action on 23rd Nov.
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 - 71st Infantry Brigade Operational order No. 251 and attached tables (dated 17th Nov 1917) in 71st Infantry Brigade War Diary
S30 – The Boiler Plate War (1963) George Foley
S40 - Cambrai 1917 (2008) Bryn Hammond
S61 – Rolling into Action (1936) Capt DE Hickey