1 Battalion 24 August 1918
Battle of Albert. 24th August 1918
1st Battalion, with 175th Brigade, 58th Division, III Corp, 3rd Army
Background
On 18th August 1st Battalion had received 2 MkV tanks, bringing the total up to 15 tanks and 3 spare crews. These were formed into a composite company under the command of Major Lister. (H1)
1st Battalion had 5 tanks in action on 24th August 1918 (H1)
Section – Lt Gibbons (H1)
5 tanks (H1) possibly:
9806, "Ajax"
9823,
??59
Notes
Tanks identities speculative, see aftermath below.
Orders
To clear the enemy from Happy Valley (H1)
The five tanks were to enter Happy Valley at 4:45am to mop up after the infantry had secured their objectives beyond the valley. Two tanks were to enter the valley from the North and three from the South. (OH)
Account of Operations
All five tanks attacked, and successfully accomplished their mission. Two were knocked out when they struck landmines, one Officer being wounded (H1)
12th Division to the left of 47th Division was held up by fire from two strong points on their right which effectively caused a gap between the two divisions. A bombing attack failed to take the strong point near “Pear Tree” and the 37th Division stopped further assaults whilst artillery pounded the two positions. Both sides brought up reinforcements including 3 tanks from 1st Battalion which were committed to attack with the 6 / Royal West Kents at 1:30pm. The attack was repulsed, two tanks were disabled, the third’s guns jammed. The Germans evacuated both strong points about 6pm and they were both occupied. (OH)
Summary
Total Tanks: 5
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 3
Aftermath
The three surviving tanks may be those photographed in Meaulte in August 1918. (Simon Dunstan (2005) Mechanised Warfare. p13 and p16)
The same three tanks were also filmed. http://www3.nfb.ca/ww1/wartime-film.php?id=531528 7:22. The tank whose serial number appears to end in "23" seems to have two words written on the front glacis: "Happy" and something else, possibly "Happy Valley"?
1st Battalion returned to Hielly on the 25th August 1918 (H1)
1st Battalion next in action on 29th September 1918 (w1)
Sources
W1– 1st Battalion’s War diary. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum
H1 – 1st Battalion’s War History. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum
OH – Official History 1918 Vol IV Chap XIII, pg 240f