H Battalion. 1st December 1917
The Tanks at Cambrai. 1st December 1917
Major Pratt's Composite Company, H Battalion, with 1st and 3rd Guards Brigades, 1st Guards Division, Corps
Major Pratt's Composite Company had 12 tanks in action on 1st December 1917 (H8)
Major Pratt's Composite Company Maj. DH Pratt, JE Reilley (Adjutant) all also in action (W8a)
Section. Capt Batten (4 tanks) (W8a)
Section. Capt Grimley (4 tanks) (W22)
Section. 2Lt Mustard (4 tanks) (W22)
2Lt Hassell was in action in an unidentified tank (“Harrier”, (H7) having been KO on 20th November) (S30.p166).
and possibly:
H2, f, “Hector”, Lt Scott (tank ID a possibility (S30.p167))
H3, “Harrogate”, 2Lt Ogden (tank ID a possibility (S30.p170))
H5, “Hornets Beauty”
H8, “Huntsman II” (tank KO, may have been with Captain Sprays company)
2Lt Guy also in action, he was the only survivor of his KO tank (S30.p170)
The following 20 tanks were in action on 1st December (W8a). The account implies these tanks were those in Major Pratt and Captain Spray's composite companies.
4563 possibly HW2
4565, HW3
2372
2616
2640
2654
2865 possibly “Hermit”
2867, "Huntress"
2870, “Hoick Holloa”
2887
2893 possibly “Hiawatha”
2896
2898
6018 possibly a top tower supply tank
8008
8017
8018
8055
8086 possibly “Henry VIII”
8095
Notes
HW3 is serial 4565 in H battalion War Diary entry in January 1918
One of the female tanks (possibly H2) was named "Hector": S94.p32 and two other photographs discovered by Gwyn Evans.
2870 is “Hoick Holloa” according to its March 1918 Battle History Sheet.
H5, “Hornets Beauty” and H8, “Huntsman” were both in action and KO, their company allocation's are unrecorded they are included above but may have been with one of the other "H" battalion composite companies.
Background
"H" Battalion initially sent eight tanks forward on the 30th, these formed the two sections of captain Spray's Composite Company, commanded by Capt Gerrard and Capt Grounds. One of the tanks was “Hermosa” which was chosen because it was female and therefore didn't have its sponsons pushed in for entrainment. [For this reason it is therefore possible that all eight tanks were female]. Twenty two more "H" battalion tanks joined the others as they were made ready. (s61.p134ff)
"H" Battalion did not go into action until the morning of the 1st December when the Battalion's 30 tanks joined with 9 others form "A" and "B" Battalions.
Orders
Major Pratt's twelve tanks were to assembly about W5b.
Capt. Batten's section to support the attack on the enemy line from Gauche Wood to a position 200 yards north of the Wood. (W8a)
Capt Grimley and 2LT Musterd's sections to attack Gauche wood. (W8a) X2d.0.8 to SE corner of Gauche Wood (H8) Supporting the 2 / Grenadier Guards (OH.p239)
2Lt Hassell’s tank and two others were ordered to support the Grenadier Guards attack on a trench system beyond Gauche Wood (S30.p166).
Twenty tanks were to lead the attack of the 1st Guards Brigade (W1GB), the infantry following 400 yds behind (W2GG).
"D" and "E" Battalions were supposed to provide fourteen tanks to support the attack of 3 Guards Brigade, but they failed to arrive as the "E" Battalion tanks got lost and the "D" Battalion tanks had no petrol. Four tanks were thus lent to 3 Guards Brigade from 1 Guards Brigade (Capt Ground's section), all in support of the 1 Welsh Guards. (OH)
Account of Operations
The attack started at 5.30am.
Major Pratts twelve tanks were delayed by the sunken road in W6a and had to work their way around it. (OH.p239) (H8)
The tanks thus arrived late, so the 2 Grenadier Guards attacked without them (W2GG) The infantry started south of Gouzecourt and advanced due east towards Gauche Wood, rushing across 1000 yds of exposed uphill slope and entering the wood with relatively few casualties. The tanks eventually caught up and assisted the infantry in the wood. (OH.p239) (H8)
By 7:50am all twelve tanks were in Gauche wood supporting the Guards. They silenced many enemy MGs but made slow progress against stubborn resistance. The ten "H" battalion tanks from the Brigade's composite company arrived and joined in the attack. Many tanks were knocked out by direct hits from guns situated on the ridge to the SE (H8) ; their crews took their Lewis Guns and used them to strengthen the defense of the Guards open right flank. The Guards war diary contradicts the tank's account by stating that all the tanks that followed their attack were KO, and implies they were of little or no use. (W2GG)
Several tanks split from the others and advanced on Villers Guislin, some were knocked out by the direct artillery fire but three reached the village and patrolled therein without infantry support. Major Pratt withdrew the eight surviving tanks of his company at 10 am on the 2nd and then pulled back to Gouzeaucourt Wood (H8). The Official History says three tanks were knocked out advancing on Villers Guslin (OH) , one of these was probably B11, (see narrative), another is possibly "Hector", the last is presumably one of the other three tanks lost from Major Pratt's Company.
In the Boiler Plate War, (p166f), 2Lt Hassell describes how he saw tanks being Knocked Out on his left so he carefully avoided the skyline and took his 3 tank section to their objective beyond Gauche Wood. He then led the section towards Villers Guislains, the tanks separated and 2Lt Hassler’s tank advanced alone. The tank charged an enemy battery that was limbering up, engaging them with Lewis gun fire and inflicting some casualties. He then rescued Lt Scott and his crew as his tank (possibly H2) had been disabled. The tank proceeded towards the enemy but ditched and broke down in an enemy trench. The tank was repaired and started for the British Lines, proceeding slowly due to jammed gears, it successfully negotiated Gauche Wood and reached the rallying point. Hassell then returned to Gauche Wood on foot and found 2Lt Guy, the only survivor of his (unidentified) KO tank; and then a badly wounded 2Lt Ogden with a crewman from his tank (possibly H3), the only survivors. 2Lt Ogden was carried back to an ambulance post but died the next day.
Alfred Briscoe stated in 1969 that he was the driver of "Hotspur" which had been KO earlier in the battle. He drove a workshop tank forward from Fins sometime between the 26th and 30th. On the 1st he drove "Havoc" with a new officer who was fresh out of training, he did not come into action and the tank broke down at the Rally point. (WbvCam) If true this indicates that some of the tanks in action on the 30th November and 1st December were possibly drawn from the 48 new tanks at Brichicourt (OH.p170) .
Tanks probably lost (Hit and KO or abandoned) from above accounts.
“Hector” (H2), “Harrogate” (H3), “Hornets Beauty” (H5), “Huntsman” (H8),
According to the War Diary “Hector” (H2), “Harrogate” (H3), “Hornets Beauty” (H5), 6018 (no name, possibly Lt Ginham’s tank) and “Huntsman” (H8) were all knocked out (W8a). "Huntsman" is recorded as lost on the 20th November so this may be "Huntsmen II",
Rallied from above accounts:
2Lt Hassell’s tank (s30) and 7 other tanks (H8)
In total 73 tanks were sent forward against the enemy on November 30th and December 1st (W22)
Summary
Intended: 12
Reserve: 0
At Start: 12
Started: 12
Engaged enemy: 12
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 4
Rallied:8
Note
Hit and KO includes the 4 tanks of Major Pratt's Company that failed to rally.
Aftermath
2372, 2616, 2640, 2654, 2887, 2896, 2898, 6018, 8008, 8017, 8018, 8055, 8095 - no further record (13 tanks)
4565, HW3 handed to salvage on 1 Jan 1918.
4563, 2865, 2867, 2870, 2893, 8086 in Action with battalion in March 1918.
"Hector" photographed with roof blown off, possibly post war: S94.p32 and in German hands near Villers Guislin supposedly in March 1918, though the dead body nest to the tank implies the photos may have been taken soon after the action; the 25.03.18 date on the photograph possibly being the date it was sent. Photographs courtesy of Gwyn Evans.
“Hornets Beauty” may have been salvaged by the Germans and converted to beutepanzer 102 "Annchen" as this tank appears to carry a name containing the letters OR (X75.p130). Other candidates are possible (e.g. Horsa, Hornfleur)
Sources
W1GB - War Diary of 1st Guards Brigade. Narrative of Operations carried out by 1st guards brigade. November 30th and December 1st 1917.
W2GG - War Diary of 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards. Narrative of Operations. November 30th and December 2nd 1917.
W8a – War Diary of 8th Tank Battalion PRO WO 95/114
W22 - War diary of 2nd Tank Brigade, Appendix, Action of 2nd Tank Brigade tanks on 30th November and 1st December in PRO WO 95 / 92
WBv1917 - Bovington Tank Museum, Cambrai Box 1. MH.3.355.48.3
OH- Official History, 1917, Vol 3, P239f unless otherwise indicated.
S61 – Rolling into Action (1936) Capt DE Hickey
S30 – The Boiler Plate War (1963) George Foley
Capt. Spray's Composite Company. 1st December 1917
2 Brigade Composite Company 1 December 1917