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The Tanks at Cambrai. 21st November 1917
F Battalion, with 87th Brigade, 29th Division, III Corps
F battalion had 14 tanks in action on 21st November 1917 (H6):
Marcoing
F4, f, “Flirt II”
F5, “Fervent”
F8, m, “Freemason”
F12, 2321, m, “Friar Tuck”
F24, “Frisky II”
F31, m , “Fearnought”
F47, 2010, f, “Faralone”, 2Lt TGL Taylor(S37)
F55, 2720, f, “Fly by night” 2Lt W Maughan,
F58, 2723, f, “Fly Flapper”, 2Lt DN Shaw (S37)
FW1
Crevecoeur
F15, “Fifinella”
F41, 8019, m, “Fray Bentos II”, 2Lt CH Hodge
F42, 2721, f, “Faun”, 2lt JL Lees
F48, 2736, f, “Fiara”, 2Lt EN Edwards
Note:
F12, F42, F48 serial numbers from list of 3rd Brigade Tanks dated 13 July 1917 in PRO WO 95 / 91. Courtesy of Gwyn Evans.
F8, F12, F31 sexes from War History account of action on 20th November.
F4 sex from photograph: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2184827639/in/set-72157601074582281/ , this contradicts the War History account of action on the 21st November.
F48 name from 22 August action when “Fiara” attacked and rallied.
F42 serial number from 22 Aug records, the tank was handed back to the crew by the salvage company.
F15 name from 31 July records. This may be a different tank as F15 was badly ditched in the German font line on the 31st July.
F41 sex from War History account of action on the 27th November.
F41, F42, F47, F48, F55 and F58 serial numbers, all other tank sexes and all section and tank commanders names from OB taken from Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski (1999) Following the Tanks, Cambrai (S37); The Author has been unable to locate an original source for this information.
Orders (H6)
3rd tank brigade ordered 10 tanks to Marcoing and any spares to Creavecour, attack to commence at 11am.
At Marcoing 87th Brigade ordered tanks to cut wire of Marcoing – Masnieres-Beaurevoir line from a point roughly 1500yds NE of Marcoing to Rummilly, and to clear village of the enemy.
At Crevecouer four tanks were sent to support 59th brigade, 20th Division as replacements for ten “I” battalion tanks which hadn't arrived. the 11 KRRC of 59th brigade were to secure the canal bridges in Crevecoeur (OH.p103)
Account of Operations (H6)
Marcoing
One "F" battalion tank broke down and failed to attack.
The remaining nine “F” battalion tanks were joined by [ seven ] “A” Battalion tanks that had also been ordered to Marcoing.
All tanks crossed over the Northern road bridge on the Lock East of Marcoing, the bridge was still been cleared of mines by the RE. Four tanks then turned left and worked the Wire towards Flot Farm, five, with two "A" battalion tanks turned right and flattened the wire towards Rumilly. Tanks were fired on by many MGs with AP ammo and some field guns. The infantry did not follow the tanks, possibly due to a lack of definite orders, or possibly due to the heavy MG fire.
Flot farm
F4 broke down prior to start, repaired and got into action at 1.30pm. Screened two tanks at Flot farm, whilst one unditched the other. Destroyed a strong point in Railway embankment with 6 pdr fire [presumably incorrect as F4 was a female tank] . Next shelled ridge in front and scattered many of enemy, fireing LG at them as they fled. Rallied at dusk.
F5 left Marcoing at 11.50 and turned towards Flot farm. Engaged a party of about 150 retiring enemy. OIC wounded and All Lewis guns put out of action by MG AP fire. Continued to role out the wire but developed Mechanical trouble and thus forced to return to RP.
F24 Turned toward Flot Farm under heavy MG fire. Turned back to find infantry and was directed by them to fire at some strong points, these were fired upon but not silenced. Took a bombing party consisting of an Officer and six OR on board, these entered one strong point only to find it empty. Tank them returned as short of fuel. Eventually refilled and Rallied at RP.
F58 proceeded to Flot farm firing at MGs en route. Rolled down wire to Rummilly, which infantry occupied. Rallied at 5.50pm
Rumilly
F47 rolled down wire to Cambrai Road and fired on houses in North of Rummilly and other targets in village. Infantry followed and occupied village. Rallied at 4.30pm
F8 Went past the Ammunition pits towards Rummilly. Fired on enemy in houses close to Cambrai Road. Crossed road then railway then saw FW1 receive a direct hit and burst into flames. Engaged enemy gun with 6pdr, but couldn’t see results due to gun sights being broken infantry had by now come up so tank turned to Start point and rallied at 3.30pm.
F12 subjected to heavy MG fire, engaged same with 6pdr. No wire found, only stakes to hold wire. Returned to RP.
F55 proceeded past ammunition pits to Rummilly in company with 3 other tanks. Prevented form firing on Rummilly by British infantry advancing in front of the tank. Did engage retiring enemy, including at least 2 MG crews. Enemy field guns in buildings in Rummilly fired on the tank and were fired upon in turn. The North West of the village was occupied by the infantry the tank crossed the Cambrai Road and saw FW1 being hit and set afire. F55 was then hit itself and turned to the rally point pursued by enemy fire.
FW1 followed F8, was hit numerous times and set afire in front of Marcoing. All crew missing.
F31 followed FW1 and F55.
Crevecoeur
The attack was supposed to start at 11 am but was delayed as the tanks hadn't arrived. The infantry, 11 KRRC eventually attacked at 1.20pm, initially without tank support. The 11 KRRC advanced eastwards towards Crevecoeur, one company north of the canal; they were delayed by fire from the Masnieres - Beaurevoir Line to their left, this line should have been attacked by 88th brigade but they had been busy stopping a counter attack and thus did not advance. At 3pm the advance resumed towards Revelon Château, now with four tanks in support. The Château was taken by the infantry, but evacuated after dark as it was under heavy fire for near by farm buildings. The Tank commanders did not believe the bridge would be able to take the weight of their vehicles. (OH.p103)
The tanks reached the Starting point at 11.00am (or 1.30pm, it is unclear) but didn’t attack due to confused orders from the infantry. Eventually all four moved off towards the bridge at Crevecoeur at 3.30pm in support of 11 KRRC. The tanks reached the canal and fired on the entrenchments by Revelon Chateau, the enemy bolted form these. F41 and F48 went to the bridge head. F15 and F42 went to the right. The infantry refused to advance due to lack of numbers and the growing darkness, all four tanks rallied at Battalion HQ. (H6)
Summary
Intended: 14
Reserve: 0
At Start: 13
Started: 13
Engaged enemy: 9
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 12
Rallied does not include the tank which failed to start.
Aftermath
F15, F41, F42 and F48 all in action on the 22nd.
F4, F5, F12, F31 all in action on 26th / 27th.
FW1 was photographed destroyed in Marcoing by the Germans after its capture. (X60.p62)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/3411465173/in/set-72157601074582281/
F Battalion had 8 fit tanks ready for action on the 30th November, they did not see action.
The battalion was withdrawn to Bray by the 5th December, only 18 tanks were with the battalion when it paraded on the 13th, 30 were left in the filed, either derelict behind enemy lines or too near the British front line to allow them to be repaired. (W6t PRO-WO-95-107-3 p54 and 55)
Sources
W6t - War Diary of F / 6 Tank Battalion - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-107-3
H6 – 6th (F) Tank Battalion War History PRO 95/107
W23 – War Diary of 3rd Tank Brigade, relevant battle graph and narrative PRO WO95/104
OH - Official History, 1917, Vol 3.
S37 - Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski (1999) Following the Tanks, Cambrai
A and F battalions 21 November - Map - Rumilly
F Battalion 21 November 1917 - map - Crevecouer
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