8 Battalion C Company 8 August 1918
The Tanks at Amiens. 8th August 1918
8 Battalion, C Company, with 4th and 5th Australian Div, Aus Corp, 4th Army
8 Battalion, C Company had 12 tanks in action on 8th 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 – 8th tank brigade – Capt Westbrook MC
Supply tanks
Notes
Crew numbers correct for 4th July 1918.
Section allocations an educated guess.
Orders
C Company – link between 4th and 5th Aus Divs.
10 and 11 sections with the 46th AIF Battalion, 8th Brigade, 4th Division (W8)
9 and 10 section with 30th AIF Battalion, 12th Brigade, 5th 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, 13th 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 9th: 7
Aftermath
9310 and 9198 both went into action on 9th august, both failed to rally. (W8)
9197, 9152, 9026, 9310, 9198 and 9195 all handed to salvage on 14th August. (W8)
9306, 9199, 9128, 9535 and 9385 all with company on 18th August. (W8)
Sources
W8 – 8th battalions War Diary, Transcript form Bovington tank Museum.
W25 – 5th Tank brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph
W13aus - 13th Australian Battalions War Diary. Downloaded from AWM.