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The Battle of Albert, 21st August 1918
15th Battalion, “A” Company with 8th Brigade. 3rd Division, VI Corp, 3rd Army
15th Battalion, “A” Company had 12 tanks in action on 21st August 1918
A Company – Maj Allen DC. 2IC Capt Unwin JD
1Section. Section Commander Captain Smeddle M
O6, “Odette”, 2Lt Luck
O11, “Oliva”, 2Lt Payton
O4, “Olwch” or “Oliver”, 2Lt Bell PH
O1, “Olga”, Lt Hancock
2 Section. Section Commander Captain Clayton
O8, “Oldham”, 2Lt Brown
O7, “Oxford”, 2Lt Eccks
O14, “O’Flynn”, 2LT Kerfoot
O10, “Oulton”, 2Lt Walton
4Section. Section Commander Captain Shaw
O16, “O’Niel”, 2Lt Burrell
O13, “O’Malley”, 2Lt Kersey
O12, “O’Hara”, 2Lt Knights
O15, “O’Grady”, Lt Barton
Notes
Battalion was divided into four groups.
Tank Names and Crew numbers from Battalion War Diary.
Other information from Battlegraph in Brigade War Diary
Orders
Brigade Orders (W22)
2nd Tank Brigade was to support VI Corps attack.
The 12th Tank Battalion was to support the Guards and 2nd Division's attack on the Blue Line, then rally as the second wave passed through. The Blue line was to be reached by Zero + 55 mins.
The 15th Tank Battalion was to support the Guards and 3rd Division's attack on the Red line (Arras - Albert Railway). Leapfrogging through the first wave at the Blue Line at Zero + 90 minutes. The 15th Tank Battalion was also to cross the railway and operate as far as the red dotted line to cover the infantries consolidation.
6th Tank Battalion was to exploit beyond the final objective, red line, once it ha been secured by the infantry.
6th Tank Battalion was to cross the railway line as soon as crossings were secure; it was then to exploit towards Ervillers, Behagnies and Sapignies.
There was no preliminary bombardment, the supporting barrage coming down at Zero: 4:55am
8 Squadron RAF was to work with the tanks (W12b)
Battalion orders
“A” company were to the left of “B” company.
Account of Operations
The attack commenced in a slight mist which developed into thick fog which caused difficulty in maintaining direction and contact with the infantry.
All twelve tanks crossed the start line and the British front line.
1 section. O11 ditched just before the first objective. The other ten tanks all crossed the first objective. O6 entered the village of Courcelles and assisted the infantry with the very heavy opposition therein. 2Lt Bell led O4 to the railway where than tank covered the infantry’s consolidation and captured 150 prisoners; 2Lt Bell was awarded the MC. O4 also greatly assisted the infantry at the railway. O1 and O4 were both hit just after turning back, O1 on the far side of the final objective and O4 on the British side; Lt Hancock was badly gassed.. Captain Smeddle was awarded the MC for this action.
4 section was on the right of the Company’s attack area. O13 was knocked out in Courcelles (According to the battlegraph this tank broke down after crossing the first objective was repaired, reached the second objective and then broke down again before re-crossing the first objective whilst returning); O12 was knocked out near the railway and the OIC wounded (According to the battlegraph this tank failed to reach the second objective and then broke down before re-crossing the first objective whilst returning). O15 and O16 both reached the railway and assisted the infantry there. O16 then rallied. O15 exploited 500 yards beyond the railway (and then broke down according to the battlegraph); Lt Barton was awarded the MC. Captain Shaw was wounded whilst directing the tanks in Courcelles.
2 section operated in the centre of the company.
O7 was hit and set afire halfway to the first objective. O10 reached its objective and rallied. O14 lost a track at the railway. O8 got lost in the Fog, crossed the first objective than turned back and rallied
O7 is possibly the tank whose demise is described by one of its crew (S88.p39), one crew member was killed a second wounded and the tank burnt out..
Captain Unwin was also awarded the MC.
Outcome
Overall both sides correctly claimed a victory in their accounts of this action. The British had reached their main objective, the Arras-Albert railway; and the Germans had successfully withdrawn from their forward zone to their main line of resistance, the Arras-Albert railway (OH). From the tanks perspective the advance had gone well in the mist, though the infantry apparently led the tanks in most places. When the mist lifted the tanks were subjected to direct fie form the German guns on the far side of the railway, this was particularly effective near to Achiet le Petit where the Whippets of 3 battalion's C Company were severely mauled, suffering seven JO tanks out of nine.Whilst some tanks exploited onto the far side of the railway most did not.
Summary
Total Tanks: 12
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 11
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 5
Rallied: 4
The hit and knocked out total includes O12 and O13.
The author has assumed all the tanks except O7 engaged the enemy.
Aftermath
Sources
Tank Names and Crew numbers from Battalion War Diary.
Other information from Battlegraph in Brigade War Diary
W15a - 15th Battalion War Diary Appendices, relevant reports and battlegraphs – PRO WO 95-103
S88 - The Fighting Tanks since 1916 (1933) Ralph E Jones et al.
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