12 battalion, A Company. 8 October 1918
2nd Cambrai. (Niergnies). 8th October 1918
“A” Company, 12th Battalion with 63rd Division, Corp, 3rd Army (H12)
12th Battalion, “A” company had 7 tanks in action on 3rd September 1918 (W12)
“A” company – Maj. Campbell R (W12a)
L8, “Lukoie III”, 2Lt Carmichael N
L9, m, “Lightning III”, Lt Warsap FR
2 section - 2Lt Martell AR
L6, 4510, “Lily”, 2LT Wright JS
L7, 8034, “Looter”, 2Lt Martell AR
L11, 8021, “Liason”
L12, 8103, m, “Lochiel”, 2Lt de la Mare CB
L16, m, “Lion”, Capt Roe
Supply tanks
3 tanks
Notes
Serial numbers from 19th August 1918, Operational Orders No. 1, 12 Battalion box, Tank Museum Archives (W12b) The tanks may be different vehicles on this date.
L16, 4006, "Lion" had been burnt out on 31 August, the above tank must be "Lion II"
Orders
3rd army to capture a line running from Niergnies to Esmes. XVII Corps on the left (H12) to advance North Westerly so as to encircle Cambria and thus compel its evacuation 63rd division to carry out the main attack, starting from within VI corps sector; 57th Division to cover 63rd Division’s left flank.
63rd Division’s first objective was a trench just west of Niergnies, the second Niergnies village itself and the Esnes – Cambrai road beyond it as far as the crossing of the Marcoing – Cambrai railway. 188th and 189th brigades were both i the front line (OH)
“A” company was to support 63rd Division on the right of XVII corps. 188th brigade were on the right, supported by 190th brigade. 189th brigade were on the left. (W12a)
L6 was to support the “Drake” Battalion, 189th brigade, attack on the trench system in G5d then, after the artillery barrage had lifted to support the attack on the east of Niergnies” (W12a)
L7 and L11 no orders given (W12a)
L8 was to advance to the north of the railway with the 1/5th Lancashire capture the trench running through G4a and G4b. Then the tank was to cross the railway and support the 189th brigade attack on Niergnies. (W12a)
L9 was to advance with the “Hawk” battalion of 189th brigade and help capture Beuvre Mill in G5a and the trench running through G4d, A29c, G5d and the first objective. The tank was then to wait for the artillery barrage to lift and support the “Hood” battalion as it attacked the SW side of Niergnies. (W12a)
L12 was to support the 2nd Loyal Irish, 188th brigade attack on the trench system in G11c and then establish the infantry on the first objective. The tank was then to support the “Hood” battalions attack on La Belle Etoile on the final objective. (W12a)
L16 was to support the RMLI, 189th Brigade in their attack on the final objective and help capture the Cemetary in H1c and Mt Nouve in H1a. The tank was then to join L12 in attacking La Belle Etoille. (W12a)
Zero was at 4:30am (W12)
Account of Operations
L11 broke a track whilst moving up. (W12a)
L7 was hit and knocked out at the lying up position in Range Wood, 3 crew were killed. (W12a)
L6 was taken over by 2Lt Martell when L7 was knocked out. (W12a)
L8 was hit on the track by a British smokeshell and became ditched in a celler at G4c.4.2. (W12a) by the level crossing of the Cambrai – Rumilly Road. The OIC was then captured but persuaded his captors to surrender to him and handed them over when the infantry came forward. (H12)
The 2 Royal Irish, 188th brigade, with the assistance (OH) of L12 (W12a); and the Drake Battalion,189th Brigade secured the first objective by 6am. (OH) L6 may have assisted the Drake battalion (W12a)
The advance was continued at 6:40, the 1 Royal Marine and Hood Battalions both encountering severe opposition from the southern edge of Niergnies, it’s cemetery and la Belle Etoile (OH). L9 and L16 (W12a) supported the attack and the second objective was secured by 8am. (OH)
At 8:30am the enemy counter attacked, the infantry supported by four Beutepanzers (OH) (H12) of Abtielung 15 (s6.p40). The British and German tanks met, each side assumed the enemy tanks were friendly, from “C” company or Abieltung 16 respectively. When the tanks came within 50 yards of one another both sides realised their mistake and opened fire (s6.p40)
L16 fired one 6pdr (H12) at the lead German Beutepanzer, (s6.p40) No. 218, 2Lt Heuser, (S75.p105) and hit it near the track but failed to stop it (s6.p40) , L16 was then hit twice (H12) by Beutepanzer .(s6.p40) no 218 (S75.p105) and knocked out (H12); OIC and 2 crewmen wounded. (W12a) L16’s OIC and crew bailed out, Capt Roe joined L9 which had been on fire and had 5 crew, including both 6 pdr gunners, wounded advanced and engaged the German tanks with Lewis guns until it was hit (H12) by Beutepanzer no 2.(s6.p40) no 218 (S75.p105) and set afire, the crew bailed out and the OIC blew the tank up to prevent the Germans capturing it. L12 failed to identify the enemy tank as captured and thus (H12) also suffered two direct hits (presumably from Beutepanzer 218 (S75.p105)) and was knocked out, all bar one crew member becoming casualties. (W12a)
L6 had been hit by anti tank rifle (W12a) and had 3 Lewis Guns out of action (H12) it also developed radiator trouble it returned and rallied. 2Lt Martell left the tank (W12a); joined an artillery officer and they both manned a captured field gun and used it to hit a disabled beutepanzer (H12) No. 219, 2LT Paul (S75.p105) in the fuel tank (s6.p40) and thus knock it out (H12); Beutepanzer no 218 withdrew and rallied (s6.p40) possibly being fired on and hit by a captured AT rifle (OH)
The other two Beutepanzers had attacked to the south of the village where they were driven off By L54. (See ”C” companies narrative).
The infantry rallied and recaptured the lost ground by midday. At 4:30pm a second counterattack, supported by one Beutepanzer pushed the new British line back 200 – 300 yds. (OH)
“A” company fired 424 rounds of 6pdr and 9,450 rounds of SAA (W12a)
One supply tank broke down and thus was not used. The other two moved forward with “A” company (W12a)
Note:
The War History mistakenly gives L8 as as the tank which retired from Niergnies with radiator trouble, this tank must have been L6 as L8 had ditched earlier; also 2Lt Martell had boarded L6 when L7 was knocked out.
Summary
Total Tanks: 7
Failed to Start: 2
Engaged enemy: 5
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 3
Rallied: 1
Aftermath
This was “A” company’s last action.
2 tanks from B Coy were next in action on 23rd October, the battalion’s, and the MkIV’s last action.
One of the knocked out Beutepanzers was possibly photographed after the battle: X8.p39
One of the knocked out tanks was possibly photographed after the battle: X8.p44
Sources
W12 - War Diary of 12th Tank Battalion, Transcript from Bovington tank Museum
W12a - War Diary of 12th Tank Battalion, “A“ Company Transcript from Bovington tank Museum
H12 - War History of 12th Tank Battalion PRO WO 95 / 100
OH – Official History, 1918 Vol V. Pg.208f
S6 – German Panzers 1914 – 1918 (2006) David Zologa
S8 – British Mk IV tank (2004) David Fletcher
S75 - Beute-Tanks, Vol 2 (2011) Rainer Strasheim
Private RG Foreward was apparently a Lewis Gunner on L12, Lochiel: he left papers at the IWM but are not currently available on line and the author has not viewed them: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030006289?sicode=0#comment-30859