G Battalion 21 November 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai 21st November 1917
19 Company, G Battalion with 186th Brigade (W186b), 62nd Div, IV Corp, (H7) 3rd Army
G Battalion had 19 tanks in action on 21st November 1917. (W21)
19 Company, 7 tanks. Company Commander Major Fernie (H7)
Captain Rudd
G61,????, “Extirpator”, 2Lt Elnslie,
G64,????, “Elf”, 2Lt Budge,
G66,????, “Eldorado II”, 2Lt Lindle,
Captain Moore
G42, 2559, Lt Lishman,
G48, 2534, 2Lt Abbott,
G53, 2778, “Gracchus”, 2Lt Latch,
G71, ????, D ?, Lt Custance,
Note:
Census number and tank name “Grachus” from information relating to G Battalion at the Third Battle of Ypres, may thus be incorrect on 21st November 1917.
20 Company possibly 5 tanks (W21a) Company Commander Major Fernie (H7)
Possibly:
G29, "Gorganzola"
G21, “Grasshopper II”
G34, "Ghurka"
and two other tanks
21 Company, 7 tanks in (W21)
9 Section Capt H. G. Merchant
G4, “Gloucester II”, Lt Burton,
G5, “Glenlivet II”, 2Lt C Cutts,
10 Section 2Lt McConnell
G6, 2545, “Grantham”, Lt Allden,
G7, 2562, “Giggle”, 2Lt Advey,
G41, 2305, “Grenadine”, 2Lt Christie,
12 Section Capt C. H. Kinnerson
G9, 2564, “Gondolier”, 2Lt T Gibson,
G11, 2768, “Glamorgan”, Sgt Hayrick,
Note:
The Summary of Operations 20th November to 23rd November 1917 states G Battalion committed 19 tanks to action on the 21st November. 19 and 21 Company’s Battlegraphs have survived and show they committed 7 tanks each, thus 20 Company probably committed five tanks. Prsumably these are the five that may have survived the previous days action: presumably “Grasshopper II”, "Gurkha", "Gorgonzola", the non starter form the green group and a supply tank.
“Grasshopper II” and "Gurkha" both photographed KO and captured in Bourlon Wood and thus must have survived until the 23rd.
Orders
The infantry's orders indicate eighteen tanks were to support them (W186b) the nineteenth was presumably sent forward as a spare.
The infantry's objectives were:
2/4th Duke of Wellington's (2/4 DW): capture Anneux and the trench from F20a.1.3 to road at E24b.8.6. (W186b)
2/7 DW: objective road at E24b.8.6 to Crucifix E17a.7.9
2/5 DW: Crucifix along road to E15d.4.5.
2/6 DW: were to leap frog through the 2/7 DW and capture the trench running along the NW and SW of the wood, thence move through the wood and occupy the SE corners fo the village, mopping it up in passing.
The tanks were split into four groups.
Six tanks were to support the attack on Anneux, then work left handed along the trench from F0.c.5.0, (W186b) presumably 21 Company.
Four tanks were to move via E30a, along the trench forming the objective of 2/7 DW.
Four tanks were to work along the trench in E22 and E21a
Four tanks were to advance directly on Bourlon.
Tanks to precede infantry and assist in the capture of Anneux and the Trench Line along the southern edge of Bourlon Wood.
9 and 10 sections were to proceed through Anneux to the 3rd Objective.
12 Section was only to proceed to the 2nd Objective.
Account of Action
General
Tanks preceded ahead infantry and captured Annuax and the Trench Line along the southern edge of Bourlon Wood. (W21a)
6 tanks captured Anneux, other tanks captured the crucifix, Chapel and Sugar factory. (W21a)
The attack on Anneux started at 10.20am, the tanks having being delayed moving forward through Graincourt. Two tanks advanced either side of Anneux and two through the centre. The trenches south of the village were strongly held, fire from the trenches on the east of the village was silenced by tanks. The infantry secured the village and established posts around the N and NW corner but were unable to advance further die to heavy fire. (W186b)
Meanwhile the attack on Anneux Chapel had started at 10am, a tank helped the infantry capture enemy posts in and around the sunken road in E24b, 200 Germans were killed or captured. The trenches south of Bourlon Wood were captured, but were found to be unfinished, the infantry thus withdrew. In the afternoon a tank helped the infantry secure Anneux chapel and the buildings thereabouts, 30 Germans were captured. (W186b)
The tanks supporting the 2/7 DW failed to arrive on time so the infantry attacked without them. They advanced to the sunken road in E24a and b where they were stopped by a thick belt of wire. The tanks arrived and cleared some of the wire but the infantry were still unable to make significant progress . (W186b)
The tanks allotted to the 2/5 DW failed to arrive and thus the battalion was unable to launch a frontal assault across thick wire. instead the infantry launched a bombing attack along the Hindenburg support line, reaching E22a.5.5 where a strongpoint held them up. At 3.30pm a tank was found and with its help the strong-point was cleared, the Germans fleeing in disorder. The infantry advanced along the Hindenburg Support line and by dark ahd cleared it from E22d to E21b.5.3. the tank meanwhile had continued its advance to E16a.9.1 where it met a large force of enemy infantry counter-attacking in waves. The tank was surrounded but fought its way clear, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. (W186b)
The 2/6 DW advanced and supported the other battalions. (W186b)
At the end of the day the front line ran; F25 central - NE outskirts of Anneux - Abnneux Chapel - The Quarry in E19a - Eastern portion of sunken road in E24b - along sunken road to E17c.8.3 - along trench to E22c.9.1 - the hindenburg support line in E22d, E22b and E22a - E21b.5.8 (W186b)
19 Company (W21)
G66 broke down before reaching the British Front Line and failed to start.
G71 also broke down at the British Front Line but was repaired and attacked.
All six of the tanks that started engaged the enemy, reached their objectives and rallied.
21 Company (W21)
G4 Attacked, engaged the enemy reached the 2nd objective and Rallied
G5 Attacked, engaged enemy, ditched and unditched prior to third (and final) objective, Rallied
G6 and G41 engaged the enemy and waited on the 3rd Objective for an hour but the infantry didn’t come up, they then rallied.
G7, G9, G11 all attacked, engaged the enemy, reached their objectives and rallied
Summary
Intended: 19
Reserve: 0
At Start: 18
Started: 18
Engaged enemy: 18
Ditched / Broke Down: 0
Hit and Knocked out:
Rallied: 18
Note
The above figures assume all five 20 Company tanks started, engaged the enemy, and rallied.
Aftermath
G7, G9, G11, G46 and G64 were in action again on the 23rd November.
G21, G29 and G34 were all possibly in action on 23rd November
Sources
W7 - G / 7 Tank Battalion War Diary, transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
W21 – 1st Tank Brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph and report.
W186b - 186th Infantry Brigade War Diary - Appendix 22. Narrative of operations 20th November to 3rd December 1917.
H7 – G / 7 Tank Battalion War History, transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
S44 – Flesquires, Cambrai (2003), Jack Horsfall and Nigel Cave
S30 – The Boiler Plate War, (1963), John Foley
Photos of “Grasshopper” and “Ghurka”:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/1330650105/in/set-72157601074582281/
G Battalion 21 November 1917 - Map