12company22august1917
12 Company 22 August 1917
The Tanks at 3rd Ypres. 22nd August 1917
12 Company, D Battalion, with 48th & 11th Divisions, XVIII Corps and, possibly, 61st Division XIX Corps, 5th Army (S35.p59)
12 Company had 12 tanks in action on 22nd August 1917
9 Section Capt Smith EG MC
D42, 2306, m, "Geyser", 2Lt Sherwood HL formerly with crew G21
D43, 2515, f, “Delysia”, Lt Enoch AI
D41, 2539, f, "Gridiron", Lt Lawrie AR formally with crew G24
D44, 2337, m, “Dracula”, 2Lt Symonds CL
10 Section Lt Lewis DR
D45, 2764, f, "Gazeka", 2Lt Symond JE formerly with crew G30
D46, 2058, m, “Dragon”, Lt Lewis DR
D47, 2318, m, “Damon”, 2Lt Vose JH
D48, 2748, f, “Diablo”, 2Lt Clarke JT
12 Section Capt. Nixon.
D49, 2738, f, “Dollar Princess”, Lt Paulett-Ring P
D50, 2335, m, “Dandy Dirmont”, 2Lt Dobinson HH
D51, 2525, m, "Grasshopper", 2Lt Macdonald GR formerly with crew G22
D52, 2745, f, “Despot”, 2Lt Shaw H
Notes.
Section numbers from 20 September Battlegraph.
Four tanks with "G" Battalion names are listed as they were taken from "G" Battalion to replace four 12 Company tanks Knocked Out when the Germans shelled Belle Vue on the night preceding the attack.
The four KO tanks were presumably D41, 2514, "Devil"; D42, 2743, "Daphne*; D45, 2661, "Destroyer" and D51, 2740. These vehicles were manned by D Battalion’s crews.
2743 was reciovered at some point as it eventualy ended up on display in Lincoln, this article is also the source of the name "Daphne":
2661 must have been repaired as it was back with crew D45 on 20th September when it was named “Destroyer”.
33rd infantry brigades war diary refers to the female tank with D44 as D41, "Devil" in both the orders and the account of operations (W33b) .
Devil" was presumably 2514's name and thus is correctly referred to in the orders. The Officer who wrote the infantry's account of Operations presumably was not aware that the tank had been changed for "Gridiorn".
Note that all four of the knocked out tanks were females but two of the replacements were males.
Orders
The tanks were to lead the attack, the infantry co-operating with them and mopping up in their wake (OH) .
Objectives
D42, 2306 and D43, 2515: Vancouver
D41, 2539 and D44, 2337: Bulow Farm
D45, 2764 and D46, 2058: Springfield
D47, 2318 and D48, 2748: Cemetery
D49, 2738 and D50, 2335: Winnipeg.
D51, 2325 and D52, 2745: Schuler Farm.
The tanks were to cross the Steenbeke at St. Julian and (158/839) , presumably as on 19th August, (See G Battalion) and, due to the boggy and crumped nature of the ground, proceed in single file keeping to the roads, the lead tanks being those with most distant objectives
Six tanks, comprising 12 Section and presumably tanks D47 and D48 were to advance along the St Julien to Winnipeg Road (158/839) with 1/5th Warwicks of 143 Brigade, 48th Division (S35.p59). D51 and D52 may have been ordered to support the 184th Brigade, 61st Division, XIX corps who were ordered to attack Schuler Farm (S35.p59)
These tanks may have been ordered to turn left (D49, D50, D47 and D48) and right (D51 and D52) at Winnipeg along the Winnipeg Langumarck Road and then engage their objectives from the rear.
Six tanks, comprising 9 Section and presumably tanks D45 and D46 were to advance along the St Julien to Poelcapelle Road. D42, D43, D45 and D46 to support 1/6th Gloucesters of 144 Brigade, 48th Division (S35.p59).
D41 and D44 to support 33rd Brigade, 11th Division. D44 closely followed by D41 was to reach Hillock Farm at Zero and be close up behind the barrage a about C6b.0.2 at Zero + 42 mins; moving forward form there as soon as the barrage lifts. The two tanks were then to advance along the St Julien - Poelcapple road to C6.b.15.55, there they were to turn and follow the track to Bulow Farm. (W33b)
The other tanks may have been ordered to turn right at the triangle and thus engage their objectives from the rear.
Zero was 4:45am (OH)
Account of Operations
The ground was very bad, shell holes were full of water and large stretches of the road had been shot away. (158/839)
The St Julien to Winnipeg Road was so badly damaged that none of the six tanks detailed to travel along it made it to their objectives. (158/839)
D47 ditched four times, eventually braking down with water over the Carburettor at C12d.2.4. (or C18d.2.4). (W21)
D48 ditched three times, eventually braking down at C12d.1.4 (or C12d.14) as a result of a petrol tank hit. (W21)
D52 ditched and unditched, then returned and rallied. (W21)
D49, D50 and D52 did engage the enemy. One or more of these tanks helped 1/5th Royal Warwicks (158/839) (who attacked Springfield and Winnipeg and captured the Gun Pits between Winnipeg and Springfield (S35.p59) with Lewis gun fire from Shell holes. (158/839)
D49 ditched at C12d.2.4 (or C12d.44) and was abandoned as the unditching gear was broken. (W21)
D50 suffered a direct hit and was knocked out at C12d.02.55 (or C12d.35). (W21)
D51 ditched and unditched, broke Down, right track out of action at C12d.2.5 9 (or C12d.14). (W21)
The Six tanks detailed to advance along the Poelcapelle Road fared better, all six of them engaging the enemy:
D44 and D41 had reached the junction of the St Julien - Poelcapple and Winnipeg - Langemark roads by Zero. They advanced with the infantry (6th Lincolns) but found the road blocked by trees 150 yds from C6.b.15.55, as they were level with Vieilles Maison they fired on that for a short time. They then turned to rally, D41 was hit by two shells and KO, (W33b) at C6b.1.4. (W21) all crew killed.A map attached to the infantry's report on the operation shows D44 at C6b.0.4 on the 24th August. (w33b) This is presumably an error and D41 is meant.
D44 was also lost on the west side of Poelcappalle Road at C6c.9.8 (W33b) It was recovered, rallied. (W21) and was in action in September.
D42 and D43 (W21) assisted (158/839) 1/6th Gloucesters (S35.p59) in the capture of Vancouver (158/839), both tanks suffered shell splinters through their hulls. Both tanks then returned and Rallied (W21) . Vancouver was later lost to a counter attack (S35.p59) presumably after the tanks had withdrawn.
Either D45 or D46 or both
a. Killed enemy running across Springfield Road near Triangle Farm, and fired on Springfield. (158/839)
b. Fired on Springfield from which several Germans bolted and kept down enemy’s fire near Vancouver. (158/839)
D45 returned and Rallied, (W21)
D46 Ditched just after starting to return (W21). This Tank remained 150 yds in front of the new British front line near Springfield. The crew tank kept firing throughout the 22nd and 23rd, the firing then stopped and the crew were reported missing. (158/839)
The Official History states 10 tanks were to assist the 48th Division, of which 6 ditched on the St Julien Winnipeg Road, the other 4 tanks helping with the capture of Springfield which was then retaken by the enemy. The remaining 4 tanks attacked along the Poelcapple Road, they helped the infantry capture Bulow Farm and Springfield, the later being lost shortly thereafter to a counter attack. 2 tanks helped the 11th Division capture Bulow Farm. (OH)
Note: Map references not in brackets are those given on the Battlegraph, map references in brackets are those given on the after action summary sheet.
Summary
intended: 12
At Start: 12
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 9
Ditched / Broke Down: 5
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 5
Note: It is unclear if all the tanks made it to the start point.
Aftermath
D41, 2539; D47, 2318; D50, 2335; D51, 2325; D48, 2748 - No further record
D44, 2337; D43, 2515 - in action on 20th September.
D42, 2306 survived and was still with crew D42 on 20th September when it was named “Daphne”.
D45, 2764 survived and was with crew D55 on 20th September when she was named “Dragon”.
D46, 2058 - in action again with "A" battalion on 1st December 1917.
D49, 2738 - with 1st battalion in April 1918
D52, 2745 - with 12th battalion in August 1918
Sources
W21 - 1st Tank Brigade War Diary relevant Battlegraph, and after action summary sheet
W33b - War diary of 33rd infantry Brigade, August 1917, Appendix 11 and Appendix 12.
158/839 - WO158 /839
OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 2, Pg.202
S35 = Chris McCarthy (1995) Passchendaele. The Day by Day Account (S35)
NOTE
D Battalion’s War Diary. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum. (W4) does not contain the reports pertinent to this action.
12 Company 22 August 1917 - Map
3rd Ypres Narratives - By date