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Battle of Albert . 23rd August 1918
B Company, 9th Tank Battalion, with 156th Brigade, 52nd Division, VI Corp, 3rd Army (OH)
B Company, 9th Battalion had 6 fighting tanks in action on 23rd August 1918 (W9a)
B Company
6 section – Lt Shackleton
3 tanks
7 Section – Capt Kendzoir
I26, Lt Isherwood (H9)
9344, I28, Lt Russel AW (H9)(V2)
I29, Sgt Williams (H9)
8 section – Lt Cochran SW
I24
I36
I37
Notes
I26 and I28 were with 7 section on the 26th August, their inclusion here is speculative.
I28 crew number from film. date of film's creation unknown so 9344 may not be sporting the crew number and may be with another crew on this date.
Other tanks also filmed, including I21 but serial numbers not discernible. (V2, Episode 19, 30:53 - 31:26).
Orders
To capture of Henin trench and the ground beyond (H9)
B Company frontage 1500yds. (H9)
6 section on the left. North boundary M36a.3.5 then due east to Myrtle trench inclusive of Henin Trench. (W9a)
7 section in the centre. north boundary M36c.0.5 then due east to intersection with Henin Trench. (W9a)
8 section on the right, south boundary a line due east between s6 and s12. North boundary a line from S6a.0.3 along Long Alley Trench to junction with Spinney Avenue. I36 on the left, I37 on the right, I24 in support (W9a)
Barrage to come down on enemy front line from Zero to Zero +12 mins, then move forward at 100yds every 4 mins on the right, 3 mins in the centre and 2 min s on the left.
Zero hour at 5.7 am (W9a)
Account of Operations
Between 2am and 4am the enemy put down a heavy gas barrage on and about the starting point. (W9) this barrage wounded 2Lt Cochran and gadded Maj. Johnson. (H9)
6 section started forward at zero – 12 mins as ordered but only reached the enemy front line after the infantry; very little opposition was found in Henin trench, the three tanks reached their final objective and exploited. Whilst returning to rally I29 was hit and knocked out (H9) at N31d.7.5, it was towed clear by another tank and eventually rallied. (W9)
7 section also started on time, one tank became ditched at S5.1.9.9, another at S5b.5.8. The later was eventually repaired and went to aid another tank about 500yds away. The third tank reached the final objective, exploited and rallied at 8:45am. (W9)
8 section was commanded by Lt Russel. Lt Cochran having been wounded at 1:20am. I36 only went a short way over the enemies front line but then had to return as the crew had all been gassed, it rallied at 9.30am. I37 reached its final objective at 6:30am. Exploited and then rallied at 9.40am. I24 replaced I36, reached the sunken road at T1d.5.5 at 6.20am and then exploited, rallying at 9.30am. (W9)
Casualties: 2 officers and 5 other ranks wounded.
Wounded officers: Maj Johnson JJ DSO and 2Lt Cochran SW
The attack was successful, the 156th brigade securing their objective by 6am. The guards Division was then ordered forward and secured some of the high ground of the St Leger ridge beyond the Sensee. (OH)
Summary
Total Tanks: 8
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 5
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 3
Note
Broke down includes the tank whose crew were overcome by fumes and the tank that caught fire and burnt out.
Rallied does not include the three tanks which broke down all of which reached the rally point.
All 8 tanks rallied according to the war history (H9)
Aftermath
“B” Company were next in action on 26th August 11918.
Sources
W9a – 9th Tank Battalion War Diary Appendix – Headquarters 3rd Tank Brigade. Reference Operations 23rd August 1918 - Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum
H9 – 9th Tank Battalion’s War History, Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
OH – Official History. 1918. Volume IV. Pg.222 and pg.224.
V2 - The Great War (1964) BBC, Episode 19, 30:53 - 31:26 - BBC The Great War - 19of26 - The Hell Where Youth and Laughter Go - YouTube
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