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The Battle of Albert. 21st August 1918
3rd Battalion, C Coy with 63rd and 5th Divisions, IV Corp, 3rd Army (W3) (OH)
3rd Battalion, C Coy had 13 tanks in action on 21st August 1918 (w3)
C Company - Maj Price TR DSO MC (W3)
13 tanks – presumably from the following 15 which survived the action on August 9th
9 Section – Capt Henderson AK
C45, A290, “Cherubim II”,
C46, A211, “Challenger”,
C47, A253, “Conquerer III”, Capt Henderson AK
C48, A259, “Caeser II”,
10 Section - Lt Hore B MC
C49, A264, “Cleopatra”,
C50, A265, “Conviviality”,
C51, A271, “Chaperon II”,
11 Section - Capt Weber CF MC
C53, A229, “Coquette III”, Capt Weber CF MC
C54, A234, “Chanticleer”,
C55, A241, “Carnoustie”,
C56, A273, “Crusader II”,
12 Section - Capt Purdy EL MC
C57, A240, “Cayenne”, Lt Hore LB
C58, A227, “Chilli II”,
C59, A281, “Comet III”,
C60, A291, “Cummertrees”,
Notes
Above list correct for 6th August. A239 and Sgt Alsopp in 5 section on 6th August, A278 and Cpl Budd in 5 section on 6th August (W3)
Tanks are only identified by their OICs names on 21st August, these names are different from those given for 6th August, the tanks were presumably crewed by their second crews on 21st August.
Orders
Blue and Brown lines to be captured by 37th Division supported by MkIV tanks of 7th Battalion. (W3)
“C” Company to advance to deploy on brown line at Zero + 2 hrs 20 mins and then support 63rd Divisions’ advance on the Green Dotted Line. The Infantry were to be protected from short range MG fire by Mk V tanks of 10th Battalion advancing in diamond formation, one behind the infantry, two just in front of them and one 300yds in front of them; the whippets were to move 800-1000 yards ahead of the MkVs and deal with any MGs firing on the infantry from long range. (W3)
Once the Green Dotted Line was secure the whippets were to exploit onwards: “C” company was to exploit to Bienvillers and the cross roads at Monument Commemorative, H1c.3.6. (W3)
11 section on the left, 10 section on left centre, 12 section on right centre and 9 section on the right. (W3)
Account of Operations
“C” company were stuck behind “B” company which was delayed in Bucqouy thus “C” Company moved forward from the assembly position 35 minutes late. To avoid the tanks becoming separated in the thick mist, Major Price ordered the tanks to stay on the road until Achiet La Petit was reached. (W3)
Some Mgs were encountered just after the Company left Bucquoy; two tanks broke down and failed to reach the Brown line, the others met the infantry on the brown line at 7:50am. It was decided to try and encircle Achiet La Petit and the company left the road at G7d.4.2.. and went around the south of the village to south of the village to G13c.5.5 where the infantry requested assistance in clearing the trenches in G14c and G20a. The company, with one tank from 10th battalion cleared these trenches capturing six MGs and some prisoners. Capt Henderson’s tank broke down and Lt Hore took command of the company’s remaining seven tanks. (W3)
The tanks headed North East, two more broke down and only five reached the railway line and met the infantry at G15d.1.5. the infantry were being fired on by Mgs and artillery in G16 central and from the railway embankment near Achiet La Grand. Two tanks were sent North along the west of the railway line, the other three, led by Lt Hore crossed the railway at G15d.1.4. at 10am. By now the heat had caused most of the tanks MGs to overheat and jam. The mist lifted and the tanks were immediately fired on by artillery from all directions at close range, seven tanks were hit and knocked out, two being destroyed by their crews to prevent their capture after they were disabled (W3). Lt Hore was captured and his gunner was killed after refusing to surrender (H3) the other crewmen all escaped almost unscathed. Only two of the nine tanks which attacked rallied, one of which had been hit by a dud shell. The four tanks which had broken down also rallied. (W3)
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: 13
Failed to Start: 2
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down: 2
Hit and Knocked out: 7
Rallied: 2
Notes
Rallied doesn’t include the 2 tanks which failed to start or the two tanks which broke down all 4 of reached the rally point.
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.188
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