8 Battalion C Company 8 August 1918

The Tanks at Amiens. 8^th August 1918

8 Battalion, C Company, with 4^th and 5^th Australian Div, Aus Corp, 4^th Army

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

C Company

9 section Captain Miles ^(W8)

9199, 2Lt Whittenbury HA

9197, 2Lt Dunlop R

9152, Lt Murry JJ

10 section Captain De Thierry ^(W8)

H46, 9026, Lt McDonald J

H47, 9306, 2Lt Wilkinson GH

H51, 9310, Lt Jackson FH

11 section Captain Hindhaugh ^(W8)

9198, 2Lt Still HJ

9195, 2Lt Merriman W

H53, 9353, 2Lt Goodge JN

12 section Captain Rogers ^(W8)

H57, 9128, Lt Harrap RE

H50, 9416, Sgt McLennan SC

H60, 9385, Sgt Sherwood F

Supply section – 8^th tank brigade – Capt Westbrook MC

Supply tanks

Notes

Crew numbers correct for 4^th July 1918.

Section allocations an educated guess.

Orders

C Company – link between 4^th and 5^th Aus Divs.

10 and 11 sections with the 46^th AIF Battalion, 8^th Brigade, 4^th Division ^(W8)

9 and 10 section with 30^th AIF Battalion, 12^th Brigade, 5^th Division. ^(W8)

Account of Operations

No opposition between Green and Red lines, enemy MGs just beyond the red line dealt with by tanks. From B Company, 13^th AIF ^(W13aus)

Three tanks didn’t start from the Green Line at the appointed time: 9197 was knocked out by a Land mine before it reached the Green line; ^(W8) 9306 broke down before reaching the Green line ^(W25bg); 9353 developed engine trouble started half an hour late ^(W8); both 9306 and 9353 rallied. ^(w25bg)

The other nine tanks all left the Green line at the appointed time. 9416 broke down just after leaving the green line. 9385 got a little further but also broke down. ^(W8) The Battle graph indicates 9385 rallied and 9416 didn’t the War Diary says the opposite was true. ^{(w25bg) (W8)}

Little opposition was met until the red line was reached, then two tanks, 9026 and 9195 were knocked out apparently by an AT gun firing from Ashwell Wood Q35a.^(W8) Five tanks crossed the red line 9199, 9310, 9198 and 9128 all then turned back and rallied. 9152 kept going to the Blue Line but was knocked out before reaching it. ^(w25bg)

Summary

Total Tanks: 12

Failed to Start: 2

Engaged enemy:

Ditched / Broke Down: 3

Hit and Knocked out: 2

Rallied: 5

Note

Failed to start = one tank KO by land mine, the second broke down, not included in other totals

Rallied doesn’t include 3 broken down tanks which rallied, including the tank that broke down prior to starting.

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

9310 and 9198 both went into action on 9^th august, both failed to rally. ^(W8)

9197, 9152, 9026, 9310, 9198 and 9195 all handed to salvage on 14^th August. ^(W8)

9306, 9199, 9128, 9535 and 9385 all with company on 18^th August. ^(W8)

Sources

W8 – 8^th battalions War Diary, Transcript form Bovington tank Museum.

W25 – 5^th Tank brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph

W13aus - 13^th Australian Battalions War Diary. Downloaded from AWM.

8 Battalion 8 August 1918