8 Company. 20 November 1917.

The Tanks at Cambrai. 20^th November 1917

8 Company, C Battalion, with 5^th Berkshires, 35^th Brigade,12^th Division, III Corps

8 Company had 15 tanks in action on 20^th November 1917 ^(W3a):

Company Commander: Major Edward Carter ^(s40.p115)

5 Section. 2Lt EP Wolf

2061, m, C21, Curmudgeon II, 2Lt. RLN Cobean

2731, f, C22, Cynic , 2Lt. DF Brundrit

2021, m, C23, Crusty , 2Lt. H? Ashforth

6 Section. Lt ER Saunders

2888, f, C26, Celerity II, Lt. JH List,

2383, m, C27, Centaur II, 2Lt. EC Wood,

2842, f, C28, Corncrake II, 2Lt HE Calcutt,

7 Section Capt R? Johnston

2882, f, C32, Crab II, 2Lt. WP Whyte

8042, m, C33, Crustacean II, 2Lt. W Robinow

2877, f, C34, Crocodile II, 2Lt. RJ Rew,

8 Section Capt WE SiIver

8033, m, C37, Caliban , 2Lt. F? Boxall,

2839, f, C38, Cannibal II, 2Lt. FLA Field

2059, m, C39, Cyclops, 2Lt. EJ Rollings

Reserve Tanks

8089, m, C29, Curiosity II, 2Lt. CN Roberts. With 6 Section

2400, f, C31, Caterpillar II, 2Lt. AD Adams, With 7 Section

Supply Tank

6003, Sp, CS1, Clown, 2Lt G Ritchie, Supply Tank

Notes

Curiosity II’s name is typed over another tanks name on the List.

In the War Diary Clown’s name is typed over the word supply in the list, Clown’s number has been altered from C36 by the crossing out of the number and the addition of S1.

Orders^(W3a)

8 Company were to attack in the first wave on the Right of 35^th Brigade, 5 and 6 sections were on the right of the company.

The first wave was to capture the Blue Line, 7 and 8 section’s survivors were then to join the Second Wave’s assault to the Brown line supporting the 7^th Suffolks. They were to rally at the Battalion Rallying Point R17a in the evening.

After capturing the Blue Line 5 and 6 sections were to help form a defensive right flank; 5 section on the Eastern portion of Gonnelieu Spur, 6 section on the North Eastern Portion; an hour before dusk they were to rally at R22d.95.55.

An initial objective, the Black line roughly corresponded with the rear of Bleak Support and Barrack Support trenches. (PRO WO 95/104)

One C Battalion tank was assigned a radio, its identity is unknown. It was possibly intended to stop the tank at R17a.2.9. (PRO WO 95/104)

Account of Operations ^(W3a)

Prior to the attack C Company lay up in a roofless factory, when they moved out to the start point they pushed one of the factories walls over and drove over the rubble ^(S40.p115).

CS1 was hit before reaching the British Front Line.

The entire company successfully passed through the enemy’s first system and all bar C22 and C39, which ditched just before reaching the Blue Line, reached the Blue line on time.

C21 and C23 now assisted the infantry by clearing posts on the Gonnelieu Spur, both being hit and burnt out whilst doing so ^(W3a). C23 was knocked out first, it’s OIC wnet to get help from C21 and disappeared. C21 was KO whilst helping C28 clear Quarry post ^(SCR). C26, C27 and C28 were in echelon and helped stop an enemy counter attack from Banteux.^(W3a)

C32, C33 and C34 helped steady the infantry who were held up at Bleak House, C32 then ditched on the Blue line, her OIC transferred to C34. C33 and C34 became the first tanks to reach the brown line in this sector and took up position on the right to cover the infantry’s consolidation; C33 was ditched for a time. C32 was eventually Unditched and rallied.

C37 and C38 assisted with the capture of Bleak House and captured an enemy battery North of La Pave Farm whilst doing so. They then attacked Pam Pam Farm on their way to the Brown Line prior to rallying.

According to the battlegraph C29 ditched just after crossing the German front line was unditched and crossed the Blue line prior to rallying,

C31 presumably did not go into action as it is not listed on the battlegraph nor mentioned in the Narrative.

In the “Boiler Plate War” (p156ff) Bert Day is quoted. He states that his officer was wounded and thus he took command of a C Battalion tank on the extreme right of the attack and that it was hit and knocked out. The tank was presumably C21 or C23.

Summary

Intended: 12

Reserve: 2

At Start: 12

Engaged enemy: 12

Ditched / Broke Down: 3

Hit and Knocked out: 2

Rallied: 7

The reserve tanks are not included in the other totals above as neither saw action.

Aftermath

C27, C28 and C29 were all in action again on the 27^th November

C22 Photographed in German Hands: Bild 102-03379A IWM Q45410 Bild 146-1970-032-13, X74.p31