12 Battalion, A company. 23 August 1918

Battle of Albert. 23^rd August 1918

12^th Battalion, 1^st Scots Guards, Guards Division, VI Corp, 3^rd Army ^{(H12) (OH)}

“A” Company 12^th Battalion, had 8 tanks in action on 23^rd August 1918

Major Campbell R

“A” company

Left section

L4, 4668, “ Lorraine”, Sgt Fleming

And 3 other tanks

Right section Capt Clarke

L1, 4554, “Ladybird”, Capt Clarke JP

L14, 2621, “Lassie”, 2Lt McGragor

L17, 4562, “Lightning”, 2Lt Thomas

and 1 other tank

Spare

L3, 2382, “Lupin”

Notes

All serial numbers and OIC names from 19 August orders, 12 Bttn Box, Bovington Tank Museum, (Courtesy of Gwyn Evans)

Captain J Clarke Section commander and OIC of L1 (S99.p80)

The unidentified tanks are presumably 4 of the following, all of which were with "A" company on the 19^th August.

L2, 2802, "Leader", 2Lt Shaw

L6, 4510, "Lily", 2Lt Carmichael

L7, 8034, "Looter", 2Lt Wright

L8, 2356, "Lukoi", 2Lt Staub

L11, 8021, "Liaison", 2Lt Graty

L12, 8103, "Lochiel", 2Lt Kibbey

L13, 4565, "Love", Sgt Curtis

L16, 4006, "Lion", 2Lt Webb

L18, 2713, "Lioness", 2Lt Underdown

Orders

4 tanks were to support each flank company of the 1^st Scots Guards as they attacked ^(H12) Hamlincourt village ^(OH) . 3 tanks were to lead each company and advance independently on the village, the other 2 tanks were to advance with the first wave of the infantry. Once the village was cleared the tanks and infantry were to advance on Hamel trench 500yds beyond the village. Zero was 4:55am. ^{(H12) (W12a)}

Account of Operations

L1 broke down and was replaced with L3. ^{(H12) (W12a)}

On the left L4 broke down and failed to start, another tank reached the railway 30 minutes late and thus failed to get into action. Three tanks from the right section also failed to start, L3 and L14 broke down and L17 belied on a tree stump near Moyennville. ^{(H12) (W12a)}

The remaining three tanks advanced with the infantry. The right section tank ditched on the edge of the village. The two tanks in the left section cleared Hamlincourt village and then Hamel switch ^(H12)(W12a), both were secured by 8am ^(OH); whilst returning they pulled the right section tank clear. ^(H12)(W12a)

The 3 tanks that engaged the enemy fired 150 6 pdr rounds and 3 case shot rounds, 870 rounds SAA. ^(W12a)

Summary

Total Tanks: 9

Failed to Start: 5

Engaged enemy: 3

Ditched / Broke Down: 1

Hit and Knocked out:

Rallied: 3

Rallied includes the ditched tank but not those that failed to start.

7 of the eight tanks that left the assembly point (i.e. excluding L3) rallied. ^(W12a)

Aftermath

L17 was handed to salvage, the other tanks rejoined the battalion.

L3, L4, L6, L7, L8, L11, L12, L14 and L16 were all in action on 31 Aug 1918.

Sources

W12 - War Diary of 12^th Tank Battalion, Transcript from Bovington tank Museum

H12 - War History of 12^th Tank Battalion, Transcript from Bovington tank Museum

W12a - War Diary of “A” Company,12^th Tank Battalion, Transcript from Bovington tank Museum

OH – Official History, 1918 Vol IV. Pg.223f

Albert - 21 to 29 August 1918