8 Battalion B Company 8 August 1918

The Tanks at Amiens. 8^th August 1918

8 Battalion, B Company, with 4^th Brigade, 4^th Australian Div, Aus Corp, 4^th Army

8 Battalion, B Company had 12 tanks in action on 8^th August 1918 ^(W25):

B Company

5 section

H23, 9315, 2Lt Sunderland AA

9363, Sgt Brown W

H30, 9058, Lt Hodges HR

6 section - Captain Viveash WH ^{(W14aus) (W8)}

H21, 9030, Sgt Mitchell AJ

H29, 9308, 2Lt Hadley SN

H31, 9419, 2Lt Williams AJ

7 section – Captain Hickey DE ^(S61.p225)

H24, 9007, 2Lt Jefferies SS

H25, 9319, 2Lt Humphreys HW

H32, 9372, 2Lt Few CE

8 section – Lt Glanville ^(W13aus)

H22, 9008, m or c, 2Lt Browne ML

H28, 9292, f, 2Lt Draper CT

H33, 9183, m or c, 2Lt Jeavons CG

Supply section – 8^th Tank Brigade – Capt Westbrook MC

Supply tanks

4 infantry supply tanks were attached to 4^th Australian brigade ^(W14aus), all but one were destroyed by fire on the morning of the 7th ^(W13aus)

Fighting tanks were to carry 6 boxes SAA ^(W14Aus)

Notes

5 and 6 sections compositions educated guesses.

7 section and H32 Crew numbers and 7 section composition from “Rolling into Action” p225 and p228.

Other crew numbers correct for 4^th July 1918, may be incorrect on 8^th August.

8 Section composition from 13^th AIF Battalions War Diary, the section had 1 male tank, 1 female tank and 1 composite tank ^(W13aus)

Orders

B Company - 4^th AIF Brigade

5 section with 15^th AIF Battalion to capture Cerisy ^(W13aus)

6 section with 14^th AIF Battalion to capture Morcourt and red line Q17a – c ^(W13aus)

7 section on boundary between 13^th and 14^th AIF Battalion s. ^(W13aus)

8 section with 13^th AIF Battalion to capture red line Q17c – Q23d. ^(W13aus)

Note: 16^th AIF Battalion, the 4th AIF brigades last battalion, was to advance to the blue line with 15^th tank battalions B Group. ^(W4bAus)

Account of Operations

5 section – 15^th AIF Battalion with 3 allotted tanks moved from green line at 8.30am and left flank reached objective by 9am. Right flank held up by MG fire from sunken road in Q9b.7.0. to Q9b.5.99. All tanks knocked out and set afire by field guns firing from north of the river, (only 9315 and 9058 knocked out, 9363 reached the red line and rallied according to the battlegraph ^(W25bg)). A 3^rd Division (13^th Battalion) tank was seconded and advanced, but was forced back by the field guns and a trench mortar in Q9b.9.4. Objective finally taken just after 2:45pm when heavies bombarded Chipilly Spur. 2 field guns were also captured by the 15^th AIF Battalion ^(W15aus)

6 section - Tanks and 14^th AIF Battalion advanced in thick mist to the Green Line. Some infantry casualties caused by a heavy British gun firing short. Green line reached and 14^th Battalion reorganised ready for assault on red line, 6 section took up position, no sign of 7 section. Advance continued, MGs and snipers on Cerisy ridge being dealt with by tanks and scouts, the Strongpoint in Q9a was dealt with by “B” Company 14^th and their tank. After the battle 9008, from 8 section, was at Q9a.3.4 (knocked out just before the blue line according to the battelgraph ^(W25bg)) this tank had presumably become lost in the fog. At 8:50am, immediately after the British barrage lifted Cerisy was taken along with many prisoners [this contradicts 15^th Battalions account above]. As 14^th battalion topped the ridge it was heavily engaged by guns and MGs firing from the Cerisy spur, all the tanks except the one on the extreme right were knocked out. Regardless the 14^th pushed on and Morcourt was entered for the North and West at 9:20am, the one surviving tank (possibly 9030 ^(S61.p228)) supporting the infantries attack. Tanks were very well handled and greatly helped the infantry. ^(W14aus) The battlegraph indicates all 3 tanks made it the red line and rallied ^(W25bg)

7 Section – not seen by either 13^th or 14^th Battalions. ^{(W13aus) (W14aus)} The Section Commander indicates the three tanks separated, 9007 going left, 9319 staying in the centre and 9372 going right. All did good work, 9372 reaching the red line, 9007 had met opposition near Morcourt and one crew member was wounded ^(S61.p225ff). 9319 and 9372 both broke down and failed to reach the red line ^(W25bg), 9372’s “break down” was probably really the crew being overcome by fumes. ^(S61.p225ff) 9007 crossed the Red line then rallied. ^(W25bg).

8 section - Only two tanks were with 13^th AIF battalion on the Green Line, one then ditched in Hamilton Wood (9183 knocked out just before Red line ^W25bg). The third tank (9292 ^W25bg) made it to the (red line ^W25bg) final objective ^(W13aus) No opposition between Green and red lines, enemy MGs just beyond the red line dealt with by tanks ^(W13aus). The missing tank was presumably 9008 which was [possibly derelict] at Q9a.3.4 ^(W14aus)

Summary

Total Tanks: 12

Failed to Start:

Engaged enemy:

Ditched / Broke Down: 3

Hit and Knocked out: 3

Rallied: 6

1 Other rank Killed, 4 missing and 4 wounded.

Note:

4 tanks were knocked at by fire form Chipilly Ridge according to the War Diary. ^(W8)

Rallied doesn’t include the broken down tanks which may have rallied.

Some of the rallied tanks may have been damaged.

From Brigade report of operations

In action: 35

Reached objective: 15

Received direct hits: 12

KO by Land mines: 1

Mechanical trouble: 8

Rallied: 18

Fit for action on 9^th: 7

Aftermath

Captain Viveash was killed on the 9^th August. ^(W8)

7 section and three other ”B” Company tanks were in action on the night of 10^th / 11^th August.

9007, 9008, 9058, 9183 and 9315 all handed to salvage on 13^th August ^(W8)

Sources

W8 – 8^th Tank Battlion’s War Diary, Transcript form Bovington tank Museum.

W25bg – 5^th Tank brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph in PRO WO 95 - 112

W4bAus – War Diary 4^th Australian Brigade. Downloaded from AWM.

W13Aus – War Diary 13^th Australian Battalion. Downloaded from AWM.

W14Aus – War Diary 14^th Australian Battalion. Downloaded from AWM.

W15Aus – War Diary 15^th Australian Battalion. Downloaded from AWM.

S61 – Rolling into action 1936 DE Hickey

8 Battalion 8 August 1918