The Tanks at 3rd Ypres. 9th October 1917

11 Company, D Battalion, with 5th Army

11 Company had 8 tanks in action on 9th October 1917 (W21):

Company Commander Major WHL Watson (s62.p148ff)

5 Section OIC Capt Talbot  (S62.p153)

D21, 2073, m, “Dreadnought II”, 2Lt JH de B Shaw

D23, 8046, m, “Dashing Dragoon II”, WH Benn

D24, 2759, f, “Deuce of Diamonds”, Lt RG Grant

D27, 2635, f, “Double Dee II”, FK Willis

7 Section OIC Capt Skinner (S62.p153) presumably with D29 (S62.p159)

D29, 2380, m, “Damon II”, Lt JA Cohen

D30, 2777, f, “Dusky Dis”, 2Lt HL Birks

D31, 2785, f, “Dolly”, 2Lt DT Stevens

D32, 2737, f, “Dop Doctor”, 2Lt GV Butler

Tank details from W21. 

Orders (W21)

5 Section to support XVIII Corp 

D21, 2073, objective: Nobles Farm. 

D23, 8046, objective: Meunier House 

D24, 2759, objective: Tracas Farm. 

D27, 2635, objective: Helles House 

7 Section supporting XIV Corp 

D29, 2380, objective: Conde House. 

D30, 2777, objective: Tranquille Farm.

D31, 2785, objective: Conde House.

D32, 2737, objective: Berthier Farm. 

Account of operations

The starting point for all the tanks was Retour Cross roads.

2Lt Birks states in his interview that ten tanks were due to attack and one failed to start, and thus the attack was made with nine tanks (Int 1) . Only eight tanks are listed in the war diary, it is possible that the two extra tanks were spares and that one of these replaced the broken down tank. 

One tank slid off the road and ditched with water over her carburettor prior to reaching the starting point (W21), it is not clear which vehicle this was, D21 is a possible contender if her final position given in the Brigade war diary is incorrect.  Major Watson states only seven tanks advanced (S62.p155) 

As the road was the only piece of hard ground the tanks had to proceed in single column, 7 section leading (W21).

2Lt HL Birks states in his 1963 interview (Int1) that his tank [D30] was the fourth tank in the column, all proceeded 100 yards apart. The road was obstructed by a  large tree trunk, the first tank, (presumably D29) managed to cross it, the second tank slid off the trunk and ditched at the side of the road (presumably D32), the third tank (presumably D31) became stuck halfway across the trunk and had to be driven into the mud at the side of the road to clear the way for the fourth tank, D30.  D30 and the fifth tank managed to cross the trunk, the other tanks all became ditched attempting to cross it. 

There is some confusion in the sources as if D31 was ditched at the tree trunk it cannot have been the tank that rescued Birks crew. 

D29, 2380 was presumably the lead tank.  It became ditched upon reaching the Poelcapple Crossroads at V19b.1.5, in a new shell crater; it was unable to unditch having broken the unditching gear whilst getting out of another shell hole whilst of the way up. The tank remained ditched and was subsequently hit by enemy shell fire (W21). 

D32 was presumably the second tank which slid off the tree trunk and became ditched at the side of the road.

D31, 2785 was probably the third tank, it became stuck on the tree trunk and had eventually had to be driven into the mud and deliberately ditched in order to allow the following tanks to proceed. Major Watson , the source, only identifies this tank as commanded by S, presumably Lt Stevens as none of the other other tank commanders listed above has an "S" initial. (S62.p155) D31 ditched at V19c.45.00 (W21).

D30, 2777 was the fourth tank. Having crossed the tree trunk this tank suffered a direct hit and caught fire at V19d.4.9, just beyond Poelcappelle Cemetery (W21). The crew met with Stephens (sic) tank [ D31 ] which was following behind them. 

Watson is presumably referring to D30 when he states a tank was hit whilst passing a derelict tank and thus blocked the road. He appears to be confusing the actions of D30 with those of D21  (s62.p157) .  

With the road blocked by the Knocked out D30 the other tanks had to stop. As the enemy shellfire was intensifying the decision was made to withdraw (W21) Major Watson states the tanks attempted to pass the knocked out tanks and carry on, he is presumably mistaken (s62.p157) .  Birks stated that only three tanks crossed over the tree trunk (Int 1)

D21, 2073 was probably the last tank in the column, as it attempted to turn around at V25a.2.8 it became entangled with a derelict tank, D44 and thus trapped the other tanks.  D21’s position corresponds with that given for D44, 2337 when it broke down and was abandoned on September 20th at Delta House (W21). A map reproduced in "Poelcapple 1917" (s55.p72) places D21 further south, so it is possible this was the tank that ditched at the start of the action. 

The other tanks now attempted to make good their escape across the boggy ground to either side of the road, none made it.

D23, 8046, Ditched at V19c.6.2 (W21).

D27, 2635, Suffered two direct hits at V19c.6.2 (W21).

D24, 2759, Suffered a direct hit at V19c.2.0 (W21) opposite D32

D32, 2737,  ditched at V19c.45.00 (W21) presumably whilst attempting to pass D31 and D24 

The Official history simply states the tanks failed to come into action due to the appalling state of the ground (OH) 

2Lt Talbot was killed whilst returning (S62.p159) (CWG)

Summary

Intended: 8

Reserve: 0

At Start: 7

Failed to start: 0

Engaged enemy: 0

Ditched / Broke Down: 4

Hit and Knocked out: 3

Rallied: 0

Note;

One unidentified tank failed to make the start point.

Direct hits are 2635, 2759 and 2777.

Aftermath

None of the tanks were apparently recovered in 1917.

British Engineers made the road passable for further operations by removing four tanks on the night of 23rd October 1917 (W21).

D31 blocked the road and was blown up, unfortunately the left side was thrown against D32, and thus the road remained blocked. (W21).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4152519457/in/set-72157607262328136/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4102347191/in/set-72157601074582281/

D30 and D44 were also blown up 

D24 was tipped clear 

Many of the tanks remained in situ until after the war:

The wrecks of D32, D24 and D31 were named "The tank gate of Poelcappelle" by the Germans (s55.p78) and were photographed numerous times: 

X55.p58

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4105451549/in/set-72157601074582281/

D29 was photographed several times whilst derelict, once by the Germans, (thus presumably in 1918) (X38.p163 and X55.p98 top), once by the allies (possibly post war judging by the intact buildings behind it) (CWM 19750085-010) / 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4101983298/in/set-72157601074582281/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4254722641/in/set-72157601074582281/

in situ (X55.p98 bottom)

The tank was eventually recovered and served as a monument in Poelcapple 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4056214583/in/set-72157601074582281/

X55.p100, X55.p102, X55.p103

until broken up by the Germans in World War 2 (s55.p94)

Sources

W21 –  1st Tank brigade War Diary – relevant Appendices and Battlegraphs

S4 - Campbell, Christy (2007). Band of Brigands

S38 - Barton, Peter, (2007). Passchendaele

S55 - Baccarne, Robert (2007) Poelcappelle 1917 - A trail of Wrecked tanks.

S62 - Watson WHL Major (1936 ?), A Company of Tanks

Int1 - 2Lt Birks (D30) , gave an account of his tank's actions in 1963 in a filmed interview, part of this was included in the Great War TV series, more was made available on BBC iPlayer: BBC iPlayer - The Great War Interviews - 10. Horace Leslie Birks , some of it is also quoted in “Band of Brigands” (S4.p295)

OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 2, Pg.324

For more information on this action see: http://www.tankmemorial.vpweb.co.uk/ 

11 Company 9 October 1917 - Map

3rd Ypres Narratives - By date

3rd Ypres narratives - By Unit