1 Battalion 24 August 1918

Battle of Albert. 24^th August 1918

1st Battalion, with 175^th Brigade, 58^th Division, III Corp, 3^rd Army

Background

On 18^th August 1^st 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 24^th 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)

12^th Division to the left of 47^th 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 37^th Division stopped further assaults whilst artillery pounded the two positions. Both sides brought up reinforcements including 3 tanks from 1^st 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"?

1^st Battalion returned to Hielly on the 25^th August 1918 ^(H1)

1^st Battalion next in action on 29^th September 1918 ^(w1)

Sources

W1– 1^st Battalion’s War diary. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum

H1 – 1^st Battalion’s War History. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum

OH – Official History 1918 Vol IV Chap XIII, pg 240f

Albert - 21 to 29 August 1918