2 Battalion 23 August 1918

The Battle of Albert. 23^rd August 1918

2 Battalion, with 1^st Brigade, 1^st Australian Division, Australian Corp, 4^th Army ^(OH)

2 Battalion had 12 tanks in action on 23^rd August 1918 ^(H2)

Composite Company – Capt Harcourt AC ^(H2)

3 sections of 4 tanks. Each section formed of crews from one company and commanded by a section commander from that company.

9382, “Mabel”, f, 2Lt Hepp JR ^(W2)

9004, m, 2Lt Simmonds or Symmons ^(W2a)

9031, 2Lt Somper ^(W2a)

9312, 2Lt Teale ^(W2a)

9002, Lt Jones ^(W2a)

9305, 2Lt Kann ^(W2a)

Lt Craig WA

Lt Heggs JR

B31, 9006, "Buccaneer II"

Section – Capt Thompson

And probably six of the following tanks, two of which were commanded by Lt’s Craig and Heggs:

9302

9415

9003

9010

9256

9325

9398

9432

Notes:

Tanks are those that rallied on the 8^th and 9^th August 1918. Identities may be incorrect for the 23^rd.

The sources only identify tanks by their OIC’s names. The serial numbers were for the tanks commanded by these OICs on 8^th August.

9382 had joined from 13^th battalion

B31 serial number and name from SBv BMA

Orders

Assembly place: Amy Wood. Tanks to move up Proyart Valley and support 1^st Australian Infantry brigades attack on the high ground running from Foissy Beacon to the South East of Proyart. Zero 5:45am. ^(H2)

Objectives were Chignolles and the spur South East of it and the Western side of spur in R18 and R24. Once first objective was captured infantry were to exploit as far as the Chignes – Bray Valley, the 3^rd Australian brigade would then pass through the 2^nd and capture the high ground east of the valley and south of the Somme. ^(W2a)

1^st Australian Brigade to lead with 1^st and 4^th Battalions, 3^rd in support and 2^nd in reserve. ^(OH)

9382: To Take infantry over Green line round southern side of Chuirgholles. Then come back, mop up villages and take fresh infantry to high ground south of square Wood L.3.5.d ^(W2)

3 supply tanks were allocated to the brigade ^(W1baus)

Account of Operations

9031 broke down and failed to start ^(W2a). The other eleven tanks all attacked and led the infantry forward. ^(OH)

5 tanks advanced with the rightmost battalion (4^th AIF) which entered Motto wood at 5:14am. Robert Wood was enveloped and the enemy therein surrendered. A tank helped clear resistance in the outskirts of Matto Wood. ^(w1baus) the tanks operated well with the infantry, moving around about 100yds in advance of the infantry and dealing with opposition as indicated by them. ^(w4aus)

6 tanks were allocated to the 1^st AIF Battalion. These tanks assisted 1^st AIF Battalion’s right company in the initial stages of the attack. Then, later assisted the taking of Chuignolles and the clearing of triangular wood in R16a.5.9. At 6:15am an attack was made to clear Luc and Long Woods, tank B31 to assist. The attack went well but came under heavy MG and AT gun fire from wood at R4b.2.6., Marley Woods Hill and Long Wood itself. Both woods were cleared by 7:45am. ^(w1aus) They drew a lot of fire and allowed the infantry on the flanks to get forward. They didn’t participate in the second phase of the attack as several had been knocked out and the country was open. ^(w1aus)

By 5:45am the line was east of Motto Woods and Chuignolles Wood and Village had both been captured. Two tanks now assisted the second line companies of 4^th Australian battalion as they passed through to continue the advance and successfully captured Arcy Woods and a 15inch gun therein; thus securing the first objective. ^(OH)

During first stage of the attack, at 7am, “C” company 3^rd AIF, attached to 1^st AIF, attacked across the valley and captured Arcy Wood and a 77mm gun therein and then the wood and ridge in R11d. The attack was then stopped as AT and MG fire would have made continuing the attack too costly. ^(w1baus)

The protective barrage shielded the tanks which had stopped atop the ridgeline, when the barrage lifted the enemy started to fire MGs and whiz bangs so the tanks crossed the valley and attempted to silence the enemy fire, they were unable to climb the far bank so they patrolled along the valley silencing enemy MGs. An AT gun was at R11b.3.8. covering the only place the tanks could climb the ridge ^(W2) The surviving tanks were thus stopped and withdrew to Amy Wood to rally.1 other rank killed, 2 officers and 8 other ranks wounded. ^(H2)

During the second stage of the attack tanks helped overcome enemy MG nests in R18 and at R23b.5.9. ^(w1baus)

Four 77mm guns were captured in Chuignes. ^(w1baus)

Three reasons were given for the tanks failure to support the later stage of the attack: the steepness of the bank and the well sited AT gun: the slowness of the advance of 1^st AIF Brigade from the Green Line into the valley due to strong enemy resistance: tank crews were exhausted due to heat and fumes. ^(W2a)

Seven tanks reached the final objective and nine rallied. ^(OH)

Known actions of individual tanks:

9382 zigzagged to woods on SW edge of Chuirgholles. An AT gun there was Knocked out by 2Lt Simmons [9004] operating to 9382’s right. 9382 worked around south side of village firing on all crops and copses and silencing several enemy MGs. then mopped up outskirts of village. The tank drove through the smoke of two shells that had fallen short and found itself in the midst of a battery of Whiz Bangs, the gunners were obliterated, the tank then found itself behind a second battery and silenced that. At the infantries request the tank mopped up 12 MG nests in the centre of the village. Then attempted to catch up the infantry but was hit and damaged by an AT gun when at the top of a steep bank about A10b.3.5. the tank was repaired enough to allow it to return to Amy Wood and rally. ^(W2)

9312 broke down (overheated) to the south of Roberts Wood, was repaired, attacked and was knocked out by 3 direct hits at R17d.7.6. ^(W2a)

9002 was to the right of the ridgetop at R17d when it was ordered to swing left and mop up MGs ^(W2a)

9305 made it to Arcy Wood. ^(W2a)

Captain Thompsons’s section made it to R17a. ^(W2a)

.

9004 was hit whilst returning to Amy wood, was abandoned and destroyed by its crew. ^(W2a)

The tank was photographed, possibly whilst abandoned. -

B32, 9006, operated with the Austrailians attackinh th west slope of Chuignolles valley (w1aus. p58)

Supply tank with 1^st AIF battalion arrived at correct place. ^(w1aus)

Summary

Total Tanks: 12

Failed to Start: 1

Engaged enemy:

Ditched / Broke Down:

Hit and Knocked out: 2

Rallied: 9

At least one of the rallied tanks was damaged.

Aftermath

2^nd Battalions next action was on September 18^th.

9004 must have been salvaged and repaired as it was in action with 301^st American battalion on 29^th September 1918.

Sources

H2 – 2^nd Battalion War History. Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.

W2 – 2nd Battalion War Diary, Battle History Sheet of tank 9382. Transcript from BovingtonTank Museum.

W2a – 2nd Battalion War Diary, Report on Action of 23^rd August 1918 and

Report on Operations of 23^rd August 1918 in PRO WO 95-113

OH – Official History, 1918, Vol IV, pg.215ff

W1b aus

W1aus - 1st Australian infantry battalion War Diary, August 1918 , pdf download from AWM

W3aus

W4aus

SBv BMA - Provisional Tank Identification List, A Huygelier

Albert - 21 to 29 August 1918