7 Battalion 2 September 1918
Battle of the Drocourt Queant Switch Line. 2nd September 1918
7th Battalion with 15th Brigade, 5th Division, and 127th Brigade, 42nd Division, IV Corp, 3rd Army (H7) (OH)
7th Battalion had 6 MKIV tanks in action on 2nd September 1918 (H7)
C Company – Capt Allden MC
2 Sections
8 tanks
Lt Adney (CWG)
Notes:
The War history dos not mention a second section, just stating two tanks were sent forwards later to assist 42nd Division. The Official history states a section supported both 5th and 42nd brigades. The author has assumed the war history is inaccurate.
Orders
Zero hour 5:15am (OH)
A section from “C” company to support the 15th Brigade, 5th Division in capturing Beugny. (H7)
A second sectionb(OH) was presumably allocated to help 42nd Division captured Villers-au-Flos and the high ground to the south east of it. (H7)
Account of Operations
Beugny was captured, one tank being hit and destroyed. (H7) the New Zealanders, 2 Otago and 1 / Canterbury attacked in the centre and were held up by fire from a derelict tank (OH) The enemy recaptured Beugny and then abandoned it. (H7) Two of the tanks attached to 42nd Division broke down and failed to start, the other two arrived after zero but did give some assistance; 42nd Division, 1 / 5th and 1 / 6th Manchester captured Villers-au-Flos (OH)
Lt Adney was killed on this day (CWG)
Summary
Total Tanks: 8
Failed to Start: 2
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied:
Aftermath
7th Battalion was next in action on the 1st September 1918
Sources
H7 – 7th Battalion’s War History. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum
OH – Official History 1918 Vol IV, pg410
CWG - Commonwealth war Graves Commission - http://www.cwgc.org/