18company22august1917

S37 – Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski (1999) Following the Tanks, Cambrai

18 Company 22 August 1917

The Tanks at 3^rd Ypres. 22^nd August 1917

18 Company, F Battalion, with 184^th Brigade, 61^st Division, XIX Corps, 5^th Army

18 Company had 8 fighting tanks in action on 22^nd August 1917. ^(W23):

9 Section. Capt Richardson

F41, 2329, m, “Fray Bentos”, 2Lt G Hill,

F42, 2721, “Faun”, 2Lt RW Peters,.

F43, 2722, “Fritz Phlattner”, 2Lt SC Harding,

F45, 2330, m, “Fiducia”, 2Lt H Pearson,

10 Section.

F46, 2770, “Fay”, 2Lt GH Brooks,

F47, 2746, “Foam”, 2Lt F Harris,

F48, 2736, “Fiara”, 2Lt GW Phillips

F49, 2781, “Fairy”, 2Lt EP Ireland,

Wireless tank

A wireless tank was assigned. ^(W23)This may have been tank 581 which was previously used as a signal tank on 31^st July.

Each tank in the company carried one spare man who was to act as a runner, this worked very well

Note:

Crew numbers, tank and OIC names' from War Diary.^(W6)

Mk IV crew and WD numbers from list of 3^rd Brigade Tanks dated 13 July 1917 in PRO WO 95 / 91. Courtesy of Gwyn Evans.

Orders

9 Section – 1^st wave – Green line, 10 Section 2^nd wave, in support. (W6)

All Start: c18c.2.3.

1^st Route: F42 with F46 in support to proceed along route: Pond farm, Hinder Cott, Schuler Gallery, Schular Farm. (W6)

2^nd Route: F45 with F47 in support to proceed along route: Gravenstavel Raod to Schuler Gallery. (W6)

3^rd Route: F43 with F48 in support to proceed along route: Dugoyts at 13b.2.7.; 13d.1.6.; Kansas House – Cross Cottages – to 13b 4.6 (W6)

4^th Route: F41 with F49 in support to proceed along route: Somme, Gallipoloi Martha House to 14c.4.9 (W6)

Account of Operations

9 Section.

F41, 2329 Engaged an MG in Somme Farm, then Gallipoli. Became ditched 7.20 am, D14c.3.8. Remained ditched in no mans land and under fire until abandoned on the night of the 24^th, remained in action for 68 hours ^(W6) .

Note: A comprehensive first hand account of this tanks lone 68 hour fight can be read in Pages 81 to 113 of "The Boiler Plate War", John Foley (1965) ^(S30)

F42, 2721, suffered a Direct Hit, right hand turret at start point. Advanced 200 yds under heavy fire and became ^(W6)ditched at 4am, at C18d.0.8. Spree Farm. OIC and all crew wounded. Tan, unditched and rwadied for further action with 11 section. ^(W23)

F43, 2722, followed F41, engaged enemy Somme Farm. Ditched before 6:56 am, 28D13d.5.49 ^(W6) , 30 yds W. of Kansas Cross. To left of “Fray Bentos”. Crew attacked with infantry. Officer KIA (^W23)and all OR wounded ^(W6) .

F45, 2330, Ditched ^(W6) Schular Galleries ^(W23) , near ^(W6)Gallipoli Farm, engaged enemy with 6 pdrs^(W23) . F49 attempted to assist unditching but failed. OIC and four crewmen wounded^(W6) .

10 Section.

F46, 2770, Crossed British front line and overtook infantry, Engaged enemy in shell holes, Infantry failed to advance returned to locate infantry and became ditched ^(W23) Abandoned at 28D13c, behind German lines following counterattack. Officer and two crewmen wounded. One crewmen KIA. ^(W6)

F47, 2746, Two direct Hits and abandoned at Spree Farm. Officer and five crewmen wounded. ^(W6)

F48, 2736, Direct hit prior to start but engine OK. Crossed start line, ^(W6) ditched in British front line ^(W23) , returned. Fresh crew put aboard with 2Lt Aldridge HA , attacked ^(W6)enemy MGs in shell holes near Pond Farm thus allowing infantry to advance. (W23) Returned and Rallied at Oosthoek Wood.^(W6)

F49, 2701,Engaged enemy ^(W6)MGs ^(W23) in Somme farm . Attempted to unditch F45 at Gallipoli. Ditched and Direct hit at Spree farm whilst returning. Tank started sinking, water over floorboards when tank abandoned. Officer and two crewmen wounded ^(W6) .

The infantry attack was mostly unsuccessful attack ^(OH)

Wireless tank

3^rd Brigade’s war diary states the Wireless tank broke down prior to the action and thus was not used ^(W23)

Summary

intended: 8

At Start: 8

Failed to Start: 0

Engaged enemy: 6

Ditched / Broke Down: 5

Hit and Knocked out: 2

Rallied: 1

Notes

The rallied tank (2770) had been hit but attacked (twice) anyway.

One of the knocked out tanks (2781) had ditched prior to being hit.

Aftermath

On 26 August F41, 2329; F43, 2722; F45, 2330; F46, 2770; F47, 2746 and F49, 2701 were all handed over to No. 2 Field coy for salvage ^(W32)

F41, 2329; F43, 2722 and F46, 2770 no futher record.

^F45,²³³⁰^{was moved from D13c78 to Reigersburg Ramp (?) on 2 November 1917.}^(W32)^{No further record.}

F47, 2746 was not recovered for some time, it was photographed derelict later in the war. ^(X11.p97) It was presumably discovered sometime in 1918 as it eventually serves as Barnsley's presentation tank.^(X8.p42)

F49, 2781 was recovered as on the 29 September 1917 it was moved from C24a97 Sheet 28NE to Reigersburg Chateau ^(W32)

F42, 2721 in action on 20-Nov-17 at Cambrai.

F48, 2736 in action on 21-Nov-17 at Cambrai.

F48 photographed with F38, presumably awaiting recovery to workshops: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/8498156997/in/set-72157601074582281/

Sources

W32 - War Diary of 2^nd Tank Field Salvage Coy in PRO WO 95 / 96

W6 - "F" Battalion War Diary, transcription form Bovington Tank Museum

W23 - 3^rd Tank Brigade War Diary in PRO WO 95 / 104

OH – Official History, 1917, Vol 2, Pg.203

Note: F / 6^th Battalion War Diary, transcription form Bovington Tank Museum ^(W3), contains a detailed account of this action.

8 & 18 Companies 22 August 1917 - Map

3rd Ypres Narratives - By date

3rd Ypres narratives - By Unit