4 Company 20 November 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai. 20th November 1917
4 Company, B Battalion, with 16th Brigade,6th Division, IV Corps
4 Company had 12 tanks in action on 20th November 1917 (W2a):
4 Company - Company Commander Major
1 Section. Capt Groves, Basil
B2, 2005, "Black Prince", 2Lt Tew W – Advanced tank
B4, 2043, "Bulwark", 2Lt McNaught – Left tank
B8, 2556, f, "Banshee", 2Lt Chambers - Right tank
2 Section - Capt Haseler, William
B7, 2050, "Bantam", Lt Marshall – Advanced tank
f, "Barbarian II", 2Lt Dickens – Left tank
B9, 2667, "Black Bess", 2Lt Jones Leigh - Right tank
3 Section – Capt. Rearden MC
B13, 2707, “Bushranger”, 2Lt Wakefield – Advanced tank
B11, 4587, “Bellerophon II”, Lt Fox - Left tank
B14, 4588, “Belladonna II”, Lt Haskett - Right tank
4 Section – Capt. Benjafield
“Bystander”, 2Lt Kerr – Advanced tank
B6, 2555, "Boadicea", 2Lt Sharpe - Left tank 2Lt Dickens DTG OIC later
B3, 4661, “Bluebird II”, 2Lt Greenwood - Right tank
Spare tanks
B19, 8029, "Black Prince II"
“Barbarian II” and “Bystander” are presumably two of the following three tanks which are listed in the Salvage report, the other two tanks are presumably wire pullers or spares.
B1, 2682
B10, 2860
B12, 4667,
B16, 2364
Wire Pulling tanks
2 wire pulling tanks were with 4 Company on 18 November, they are presumably the two tanks that were not "Barbarian II" and "Bystander"
Notes:
See link to OB page below
Orders (W2a)
First phase
4 Company were to follow the first wave.
Second phase
4 Company were to lead the second wave's attack on the Hindenburg Support line. 1 and 2 sections assisting the 1st KSLI on the left, 3 and 4 sections assisting the 1st Buffs on the right Support line (W2a) between the western edge of Couillette wood and the infantry brigades western boundary. (WMH)
Third Phase
4 Company were not involved in the third phase
Fourth Phase
Following Capture of Hindenburg support line 4 and 6 Companies were to rally in the Grand Ravine and then form a composite company of 3 sections of 4 tanks each to assist the cavalry in attacking Noyelles, Fontaine, Cantaing and the high ground to the north of Fontaine.
Account of Operations
4 Company successfully crossed Hindenburg front system and attacked the Hindenburg Support line. (W2a)
1 section's three tanks all reached the final objective with the infantry, one having broken down for 30 seconds en route. (X78.p109)
B7 and B12 were both hit and knocked out, Capt Haseler, Lt Andrew- Marshall and a corporal were all killed. (X78.p110)
A tank also ditched (W2a) [possibly B16]. The war diary states one tank was KO and another ditched, it is possible B7 and B12 were meant and thus only two tanks were lost.
Thus 9 (or 10) tanks reached and helped capture the Brown Line.
The 16th Brigade advanced, subduing the enemy very efficiently and securing the second objective by 11am (OH).
4 and 6 Companies then rallied in the Grand Ravine, another tank was hit and set afire here (possibly B53 which was burnt out in L27a (W2s)). The tanks moved forward slightly to avoid the shellfire and a composite company of 3 sections of 4 tanks each was formed at 11.30 am.
At 1.30 pm the three supply and four spare tanks arrived. Another tank suffered a direct hit which wounded one crewman but did little damage to the tank. The tanks waited for the cavalry until dark at 6pm.
The gun carrying tank arrived late. The other seven supply /spare tanks moved forwards to the RP just beyond the Grand Ravine at H + 1 hr 30 minutes, reaching there at 1.30pm. (W2a)
Basil Groves stated that the Wire Pulling tanks had cleared two wide gaps through the 50 yard deep belts of wire. (S78.p109)
The Salvage report indicates B13, 2707 had suffered 3 direct hits and remained at R2 central (W2s) this is just before the first German trench to the left of Coilette Wood. The report also indicates B16 was hit on the left track and remained in L27, just to the left of Coilette Wood. This would seem to suggest that, contrary to Ian Verrinders sources, B13 and B16 were two of the tanks in 4 Company that were knocked out. It is also worth noting that whilst B7 was returned to Dessart Wood near Fins by the 29th November, B12 was hit on the track at Q36d.7.3 in Gouzecourt, this implies that B12 was in action on the 1st December 1917 and wasn't therefore knocked out on the 20th November.
Two tanks were allocated to carry bridging equipment for the cavalry Corp (WTPR) ; as 4 Company was to support the Cavalry Corp these tanks may have been the companies Wire Pullers, which would presumably not have been used to pull wire.
Summary
Intended: 12
Reserve: 2
At start: 12
Started:
Engaged enemy: 12
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 10
Total does not include spare, wire pulling and supply tanks.
The other figures are provisional.
Aftermath
B10, 2860 was in action on 21st November when it was hit and burnt out.
B3, 4661 was possibly in action on 21st November when it was hit on the Sponson, later recovered to Fins .
Other 4 company tanks may have been in action on 21st November.
B8, 2556 was in action with crew B3 on 23rd November when it broke down at L2d.8.9.
B19, 8029 was in action with crew B2 on 23rd November, it was still with the battalion in March 1918. .
B14, 4588 was in action with crew B14 on 23rd November when it rallied. (WMH) It was presumably in action again on the 1st December as it was hit at X7b.2.9 (W2s)
B11, 4587 was presumably in action on the 1st December as it was hit at X2d.7.0 (W2s)
B9, 2667 probably in action on 1st December.(W2s)
B13, 2707 was handed to salvage before the 29th November having suffered 3 direct hits at R2a central
B1, 2682 and B7, 2050 were both handed to salvage in Dessart Wood (near Fins) on 29th November .
B6, 2555 was with 2nd Battalion in March 1918.
B16, 2364, was handed to salvage before 29th November whilst in L27
B12 was hit on the track at Q36d.7.3 in Gouzecourt when it was handed to salvage after the 29th November 1917.
Sources
W2 – Battalion War Diary transcript from Bovington Tank Museum
W2a – Battalion War Diary PRO WO 95 / 113: Orders, Account of operations Nov 20th – 23rd,
W2s – Battalion War Diary PRO WO 95 / 113: Tanks Handed to Salvage during November 1917”
W23 – 3rd Tank Brigade War Diary PRO 95/ XXX
WTPR - Preliminary Report on Tank Corp operations with the 3rd Army 20th Nov. - 1st Dec. 1917. Appendix 4 to Tank Corp War Diary for November 1917 in PRO WO 95 / 92
WMH - Henshall papers, IWM 73/126/1
"16th Infantry Brigade Operational Order No 232. 14th Nov 1917".
S78 - Tank Action in the Great War (2009) Ian Verrinder
OH - Official History, 1917 Vol 3. p55
B Battalion OB. 20 November 1917
2nd Tank Brigade. 20 November 1917 - Map
B / 2nd Battalion List of narratives