9company31july1917

9 Company 31 July 1917

The Tanks at 3^rd Ypres. 31st July 1917

9 Company, C Battalion, with 44^th and 46^th Brigades, 15^th Division, XIX Corps, 5^th Army

9 Company had 12 fighting tanks in action on 31^st July 1917 ^(W23):

10 Section. Capt E.L. Purdy MC

C46, 2049, m, "Challenger", 2Lt C.G. Walker

C47, 2510, "Conqueror", 2Lt W Moore

C48, 2048, m, "Caesar", 2Lt M.T. Archibald

C49, 2503, f, "Cleopatra", 2Lt C de P. Murry

11 Section. Capt S.L. Keppel-Palmer

C51, -??- "Chaperon" , 2Lt S.F. Anett

C51, 2732, f, "Chaperon II", 2Lt S.F. Anett

C52, 2061, "Consort", 2Lt S.O. Norman MC

C53, 2508, "Coquette", 2Lt S.H Deane

C54, 2052, m, "Chanticeler", 2Lt D.M. Laing

12 Section. Capt L Bates

C56, 2060, m, "Crusader", 2Lt ES Ball

C57, 2055, m, "Cayenne", 2Lt F.S. Arnold MC

C58, 2596, ?, "Chilli II", 2Lt A. Elsbury

C59, 2509, ?, "Comet", 2Lt P.D.T. Powell

Note.

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

Crew C58 had been with WD 2733 but this tank was hit by shell fire on the 4^th July and handed over to the Salvage Company ^{(W32, W3)}. Crew C58 may have been with 2596, "Chilli II" on 31st July; this tank fought at Cambrai.

WD numbers of C46, C48, C49, C51, C54 and C57 from list of tanks at Cambrai. ^(W3a)

WD number of C59 from War Diary of 2 Tank Field Salvage Coy ^(W32)

Tank and OIC names from "C" Battalion's War History^(H3)

Section and Section OIC names from 3^rd Tank Brigade War Diary^(W23)

Orders

To Assist Infantry in capturing the Black line and then hold position until 7 Company pass through to attack Green Line ^(H3).

Account of Operations

C46, 2049, Crossed Blue line at Zero + 1hr 45min. Engaged enemy MGs at Frezenberg, Zero + 2hrs 40mins. Patrolled Black Line engaging enemy. Rallied at Zero +12hrs. 2 OR wounded.^(H3)

C47, 2510, Engaged enemy at Frezenberg, assisted Seaforth Highlanders advance^(H3). Bellied South of Frezenberg redoubt and abandoned in Trench. 2 OR wounded .^(H3)

C48, 2048, Ditched and un-ditched twice before reaching British front line. Crossed German front line^(W23) Bellied twice more, Dug out returned and rallied. ^(H3)

C49, 2503, Bellied twice before reaching Blue Line, helped out by "Carnation". Advanced towards Black Line, broke down at 11am C.30.d.2.4. Abandoned.^(H3)

C51, "Chaperon", 28 July 1917 - Damaged by shellfire at deployment point on night of 28th / 29th July.^(H3)

C51, 2732, "Chaperon II", Replacement for Chaperon, engaged enemy MG team in German front line, Bellied (twice) on Blue Line and abandoned^(H3) .

C52, 2061, Bellied between Wild Wood and the Railway, I6d.1.9. Did not attack.^(H3)

C53, 2508, Bellied on Blue Line. Dug out and engaged enemy holding up infantry at Black Line. Bellied close to C56 (D25d.0.3) whilst trying to pull him clear. Engaged enemy whilst bellied, helping to disperse counter attack with C56. No 7 Coy passed through at 10 am. tank camouflaged and abandoned. Sgt wounded ^(H3)

C54, 2052, Bellied before reaching Blue Line, passed infantry^(H3) of 46th Brigade and assisted in advance from Black Line ^(158/839) . Patrolled until tanks of 7 Coy passed through. Rallied ^(H3)

C56, 2060, Assisted attack of Gordon Highlanders, ditched just beyond Black Line^(H3) . Ditched by C53, D25d.0.3. Beat off counter-attack with C53 ^(158/839). Abandoned.^(H3)

C57, 2055, Non-Starter with Engine trouble. Tank badly bellied on tree stump. I4a.1.3. ^(158/839).

C58, 2733, Bellied behind British front line, got clear, bellied again at I6d.5.8 ^(H3) (or I6d.5.3 ^(map)) , 7.00am ^(158/839). water over top of magneto. ^(H3)

C59, 2509, Bellied at ^(H3) I6d.1.9. ^(158/839)unditched then immediately received direct hit on left sponson, Gunner Tomlinson KIA ^(H3)

A redoubt in Frezenburg village stalled the advance of 46^th Brigade until two tanks [presumably C46 and C47] went either side of the redoubt and thus enabled the infantries advance sometime after 9am ^(OH)

Summary of fighting tanks

Intended: 12

Reserve: 1

At Start: 12

Failed to start: 1

Engaged enemy: 4

Ditched / Broke Down: 7

Hit and Knocked out: 1

Rallied: 2

Notes

Failed to start is C57, it does not include the original "Chaperone"

Ditched / broke down includes C48 which rallied later in the day.

Knocked out is C59

Aftermath

C46, 2049; C48, 2048; C49, 2503; C54, 2052, All in action with same crews at Cambrai.

C57, 2055 - To salvage on 1st August ^(W23). Salvaged whole to I.3a.5.5 on 13 Aug, moved from I.3a.5.5 to Reigersburg Chateau on 14 Aug ^(W32) . In action with same crew at Cambrai.

C51, 2732 - being worked on by crews + Workshops personnel on 1 Aug^(W23).In action with same crew at Cambrai.

C52, 2061 - Ditched, being worked on by crews + Workshops personnel on 1 Aug ^{(W23) ,} in action with crew C21 as "Carmudgeon II" at Cambrai.

C58, 2733 -.Tank to salvage on 1st August.^(W23) Un-ditched by Salvage team on 7 Aug, salvaged whole to I3a.5.5. on 13 Aug. From I3a.5.5 to Reigersburg Chateau on 22 Aug, from Salvage to Central Workshops on 08 Sept ^(W32)Supply tank with 3TC in August 1918.

C59, 2509 - Tank to salvage on 1st August. Unditched from I6d.4.8 and Salvaged whole to I.3a.5.5 on 17 Aug, moved from I3a.5.5 to Reigersburg Chateau on 31 Aug and loaded for CW ^(W32) No further record.

C47, 2510 - Tank to salvage 1^st August ^(W23)Tank photographed whilst Derelict: AWM J00649,

22 Sept 1917: IWM Q 11678: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205247244

IWM Q 3224: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205235783

IWM Q 14571:http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205249671?sicode=0#comment-29417

IWM Q 11682: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205247247

and still in situ in April 1918.

and October 1918: IWM Q 11401: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205247002

No further record

C53, 2508 and C56, 2060 both to salvage on 1st August ^(W23).no further record

C51 - No further record

Sources

W32 - = War Diary of 2 Tank field Salvage Coy^(W32)_.