3 Battalion 24 August 1918
The Battle of Albert. 24th August 1918
3rd Battalion with 63rd Brigade, 37th and NZ Divisions, IV Corp, 3rd Army (W3) (OH)
3rd Battalion had 15 tanks in action on 24th August 1918 (w3)
A Company
10 tanks
C Company
9 tanks
Notes
Only 20 tanks were fit for action on this date (H3)
A233 "Crossmichaell" was also in action this day accordion to a photograph's caption, this tank had been with "B" Company, 8 Section, crew B37 on 8th August.
IWM Q 7016: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205238877
Photographed at roughly the same time as above (note location of various stowed items): http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/5320968320/in/set-72157601073014542/
Orders
“A” Company to pass through “C” company on the first objective and assist in capturing the second objective attached to 5th Cavalry Brigade on the right (W3)
“C” Company to assist in capturing the first objective attached to 7th Cavalry Brigade on the left. (W3)
The first objective was the Grevillers – Biervillers Line, the second objective the high ground beyond. (H3)
Account of Operations
“C” Company left the lying up place in L11b at 3am went via Achiet le Petit and reached the railway crossing in G15d.1.4. at 5am. Two sections were sent to cooperate with 63rd Brigades attack NE between Achiet le grand and Bihucourt, the remaining sections were to attack round the North east of Grevillers supporting the NZ Division. (W3)
The 63rd brigades attack was postponed, one section remained with them awaiting the attack. The other two sections attacked with the New Zealand Division. Both sections started from the railway crossing at 5:30am, they advanced against no opposition until enemy MGs surrendered to them in G22d and G23a. The road in G30 to G24d was reached , the right section swung to the east of Grevillers; the left section advanced towards Biefvillers. The final objective was reached at 6:45am, the whippets patrolled in front of the infantry until 9am when “A” company and the New Zealanders passed through. The 63rd brigades attack was cancelled so the third section of “C” Company moved south of the Achiet le grand Bapaume Railway line, which it couldn’t cross, and protected the flank of the 2nd New Zealand brigade. Later the section supported a New Zealand battalion attack in Biefvillers, and then patrolled around the village until “A” battalion passed through at 9:15am. All three sections rallied. (W3)
“A” Company was to support the 2nd Canterbury regt. as it advanced from the first to second objectives, west of Fauvreuil to the high ground in H16 and H22. at 9:15am. The company started from the railway crossing in G15d with the infantry at 7:30am. Two of the three tanks in the right hand section broke down, the third rendered valuable assistance before it ditched at h25c.8.3. the centre section made good progress until they came under heavy MG and shell fire east of Biefvillers. The left hand section helped the infantry advance to H20, to the the East of Biefvillers. One tank advanced and fired on MGs in the embankment in H20 central and H14 central, this tanks was hit but continued to fire on the enemy before it crawled back to the forward allied infantry whereupon it brojke down and was abandoned when the infantry withdrew slightly. Two other tanks in this section did good work east of Biefvillers and north of Avesnes les Bapaume, 2 crew men form one tank were wounded, the other tanks sustained track damage, both retired. The section’s fourth tank operated with infantry east of Grevillers. 8 of the ten whippets rallied, all were more or less unfit for further action. (W3)
Summary
Total Tanks: 19
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out:
Rallied:
Notes
Aftermath
Sources
W3 – 3rd Battalion War Diary - transcript from Bovington tank museum.
H3 – 3rd Battalion War History. PRO WO 95-104
OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. 4, pg.252