7 Company. 23 November 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai. 23rd November 1917
7 Company, C Battalion, with 132nd Brigade, 51st Division, IV Corps
7 Company had 5 tanks in action on 23rd November 1917 (H3, W3):
Right Section Capt FS Parsons
CW4, f, 4514, 2Lt JT Yeoman
C14, f, 2883, "Culloden II", 2Lt. AH Martin
and a male tank (OH)
Left Section RA Youll
C2, f, 2724, "Ceylon", 2Lt. EF Arundel
C12, f, 2726, "Cumbrae", Lt. EP Readman
C13, m, 2053, "Caithness", 2Lt. LF Masters
Note Only tank names in Battalion War History, other details from Battalion War diary.
Orders(W3a )
Capt .Parsons section was to go to La Folie Wood and deal with any enemy there (W3a) thus preventing fire from enfilading the advancing 1/6 Gordons (OH) the tanks were then to proceed to Fontaine and cover the consolidation. (W3a)
The left section were to co operate with the 6th Seaforths, proceeding eastwards down the sunken road, mopping up Bourlon Wood and covering the consolidation. (W3a)
Account of Operations
Capt Parson's section's male tank was KO at the start point (OH) CW4 and C14 reached La Folie Wood about three quarters of an hour after receiving their orders and found the the wood to be strongly held. The tanks cleared the enemy form the fringes in 15 minutes but the female tanks were unable to deal with the enemy holding the Château. Both tanks were pierced by AP ammo, C14 caught fire and was abandoned, the crew evacuating to CW4. (W3a) The 1/6 Gordons advance was thus stopped by enfilading MG fire from La Folie Wood on their right, and heavy fire from the village ahead they thus lost touch with their tanks who entered the village unsupported (OH) CW4 remained in action, engaging the enemy in the wood and dispersing groups of re organising enemy on the Cambrai Fontaine Road. The tank remained supporting B Company, 9th Royal Scots until the battalion was relieved at midnight. The tank then rallied. (W3a)
The right section found the infantry held up at the sand pit by MG fire form the NW corner of Fontaine, at infantry’s request C13 was sent to deal with this threat. C13 spent an hour silencing the enemy fire, engaging numerous targets with 6pdr and Lewis guns including several steel cupola. The infantry didn’t follow so the tank returned to them and covered their consolidation until it rallied at 6.30pm.
C2 and C12 entered Bourlon Wood along the Sunken Road, only being fired on after about 700yds at which point fire became very heavy. By now the [British] infantry were retiring from the village and northern edge of the wood. The tanks continued, firing on enemy in the outskirts of the village. C12 suffered form gear trouble and thus was only able to move in reverse, it retired covering the infantry, eventually rallying; 2 of the crew were wounded. C2 was joined by a male tank from H battalion (HXX), both tanks followed the infantry as they withdrew. C2 then bellied badly in the centre of the wood and was abandoned.
Summary
Intended: 6
Reserve: 0
At Start: 5
Started: 5
Engaged enemy: 5
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 3
Note
The failed to start tank is the male the Official History says was hit and KO at the start point.
Aftermath
C2 - Photographed in Bourlon wood by the Germans, presumably in German hands (x71.p86)
CW4 -
C12 - Possibly photographed still carrying C battalion crew number at Mont St Eloi on 1 April 1918: IWM Q 337: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205077394
C13, 2053 - Transferred to 2nd battalion on 12th March 1918.
C14, 2883 - Photographed after capture by the Germans, X74.p25:
IWM Q 29882: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205215593
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2052533781/in/set-72157601074582281/
and photographed being loaded onto a train, X11.p111
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/936758729/in/set-72157601074582281/
It may have seen further service as a Beutpanzer following repair X74.p58
Some C battalion tanks were readied for action on the 30th but were not engaged.
On 10th December C battalion was told it was to be renamed 3rd (Light) battalion and convert to whippets.
By 17th all tanks and personnel had withdrawn from forward Area.
Sources
W3a – C Battalion War Diary, Battlegraph and Narrative of Operations PRO WO 95 / 106
H3 - C Battalion War History PRO WO 95 / 104
S11 - The British Tanks 1915-1919 (2001) David Fletcher
OH - Official History 1917. Vol 3. p 127
S71 - Iamages of War. German Army on the Western Front 1917-1918 (2007) David Bilton
S74 - Beute-Tanks (2011) Rainer Strasheim