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10 Company 4 October 1917
The Tanks at 3rd Ypres. 4th October 1917
10 Company, D Battalion, with 11th Division (158 /839) , XVIII Corps, 5th Army (S35)
10 Company had 12 tanks in action on 4th October 1917 (W21):
1 Section
D1, 2701, f, “Druid”, Lt DJ Salmon
D2, 2315, m, “Duke of Cornwall”, Lt HF Smith
D3, 2693, f, “Drone”, 2Lt AS Heffil
D13, 2859, f, “Dame”, 2Lt WG Wallace
2 Section
D5, 2518, f, “Dakoit”, 2Lt JH Wylie
D6, 2706, f, “Devil May Care”, Lt SF Glasscock
D7, 2331, m, “Deaths Head”, Capt RE Boucher
D8, 2320, m, “Diogenes”, 2 Lt LGF Short
3 Section
D9, 2054, m, “Danocles”, Lt J Raynor MC
D10, 2705, f, “Diana”, Lt RA Heptonstall
D11, 2703, f, “Dominie”, Lt TK Cook
D12, 2697, f, ”Dorothea”, Lt E Dawe
Plan
To assist Infantry in Capture of strong points in and around Poelcapelle(158 /839) .
Orders
1 Section
to turn right at retour Crossroads and engage objectives (158 /839) , supporting 11th Manchester’s, 34 Brigade (S35) .
D1 and D13 - Objective: Terrier Farm (W21) .
D2 and D3 - Objective: Gloster Farm (W21).
2 Section
To enter Poelcapelle and engage objectives (158 /839) supporting 7th South Staffordshire’s 33 Brigade (S35).
D5 - Objective: Poelcappelle Church (W21) .
D7 - Objective: Poelcappelle Road (W21).
D6 and D8 - Objective: Langemarck Road (W21) .
3 Section
D9 and D11 to enter Poelcapelle and engage (158 /839) Ferdan House (W21). supporting 9th Sherwood Foresters, 33 Brigade(S35)
D10 and D12 - to remain in reserve at V.19.b.3.1. (W21)
Account of Operation
All tanks left St Julien and proceeded [ up the Poelcapple Road ] to starting points about U30b.7.1 (158 /839) .
D11 broke down just after leaving the start line, with a twisted extension shaft of left secondary gear. The tank returned to the rallying point (W21) .
The other eleven tanks had some difficulty crossing trees that had fallen across the road at a slant. They also had to use pit props and timber to fill in damaged parts of the road and occasionally resorted to their unditching beams (158 /839) .
At Zero hour the Column left U30b.7.1. and moved past Delta house to Retour Crossroads. The tanks waited there for twenty minutes until the barrage lifted and the infantry came up (158 /839).
1 Section turned South East [right] and proceeded to follow the almost obliterated roadway to their objectives. [D2] quickly reduced Gloster farm with 6pdr fire (158 /839) , though a trench mortar also assisted (S35) , its inhabitants bolting and falling victim to [the tanks’] Lewis guns. A tank [presumably D2] then approached the blockhouse and the surviving defenders surrendered to the British Infantry. Terrier Farm fell to the advancing infantry on the capture of Gloster Farm (158 /839) . Whilst returning D1 became ditched at C6b.C9.29 and suffered a direct hit; a Sergeant was killed, and the Commander Lt DJ Salmon was wounded. D13, D2, and D3 all returned and rallied safely. (W21) .
2 and 3 Sections (less D11 (W21) ) proceeded through Poelcapelle reducing concrete Mebus emplacements with 6 pounder fire and using Lewis guns and case shot to shoot down those Germans who didn’t surrender to the accompanying infantry. The strong point at Menuier was similarly dealt with (158 /839) . The reserve tanks, D10 and D12 also moved forward and engaged the enemy. All the tanks returned and rallied except D5 which Ditched whilst returning at V19b.55.56, the tank was unable to unditch itself as its unditching gear was broken (W21)
Note: whilst advancing the South Staffordshires passed a derelict tank which was found to have a German Machine gun post beneath it (S35), this was presumably D44, 2337 which had broken down with engine trouble at V25a3.8 on Sept 20th.
11th Division's attack was successful, "due in a very large part to the presence of the tanks". (OH)
Summary
Intended: 10
Reserve: 2
At Start: 11
Failed to start: 0
Engaged enemy: 11
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 9
Aftermath
D5, 2518, No further record.
D1, 2701 was photographed whist derelict
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4011492675/in/set-72157601074582281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/8149324433/in/set-72157601074582281/
and stayed in position until after the war. (x60.p56)
D2, 2315 was presumably handed to Central workshops before 20-Nov-17 as crew D2 were with "Duke of Cornwall II" at Cambrai. 2315 is next heard of awaiting recovery from Longueau, implying it was in action in April 1918.
D3, 2693; D6, 2706; D8, 2320; D9, 2054, D10, 2705; D11, 2703; D12, 2697; D13, 2859 - In action on 20 Nov 1917 at Cambrai, D12 and D13 detached to "G" Battalion.
D7, 2331, Possibly fought as tank G78 at Cambrai. Next definitive record with 5th battalion in March 1918.
Sources
158/839 = PRO WO158 /839
W21 - 1st Tank Brigade War Diary (W21) relevant Battlegraph
S35 - Chris McCarthy (1995) Passchendaele. The Day by Day Account. Page101
OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 2, Pg.310
10 Company 4 October 1917 - Map
3rd Ypres Narratives - By date
3rd Ypres narratives - By Unit
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