13 Battalion 10 August 1918

The Tanks at Amiens. 10^th August 1918

13 Battalion, with 12^th Brigade, 4^th Canadian Division, Canadian Corp, 4^th Army ^(OH)

13 Battalion had 12 tanks in action on 10^th August 1918 ^(H13a):

Composite Company – Maj Griffin FD ^(H13a)

A Company

9023, Sgt Child,

9091, 2Lt Gray GG,

B Company

Probably

9386, 2Lt Yeo PD,

9051, 2Lt Anderson R,

9062, 2Lt Fraser AR,

9079, 2Lt Bale TW,

and 3 of the following tanks

9081, 2Lt Maitland VK,

9165, 2Lt Mayo HH,

9124, 2Lt Pain A,

9033, “Mudsplasher”, 2Lt Hall RH,

9346,

C Company -

Probably

9055, 2Lt Litchfield H,

and 2 of the following tanks

9014, 2Lt Seddon J,

9131, 2Lt Rogers NI,

9388, 2Lt Ribchester WA,

9188, 2Lt Evans GA,

9135, 2Lt Passells WE,

9097, 2Lt Bennett A,

Note:

Tanks identities from August 8^th Battlegraph, OICs may be in different tanks on this date.

The 13^th Battalion was temporarily attached to 4^th Tank Brigade on the 10^th August. ^(W24)

9033 name from 6^th Australian Battalions war diary, the source only states “Mudsplasher” was commanded by Lt Hall and thus this may not be tank 9033. ^(W6aus)

Orders

To attack with 12^th Brigade, Canadian 4^th Division ^(OH) and secure a line running from Hattencourt through Hallu to the railway junction south of Chaulnes. Assembly point railway line at Rosieres. Attack to start at 10:15am. Tanks to move forward in daylight, pass through Rosieres in single file and then deploy southwards in front of the infantry. Tanks to mop up villages of Maucourt Chilly and Halle and then advance to final objective with infantry. ^(H13a):

Capt Hill’s section to guard left flank. Lt Thomas was to capture Maucourt, Capt. Stewert, Chilly and Capt Willard, Hallu. ^(H13a):

85^th Canadian Battalion (Nova Scotia highlanders) on the left. 72^nd Battalion, (The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) on the right. ^(12bCan)

Account of Operations

All tanks started at Zero. There was no barrage and the shelling of the villages was slight. The enemy put up strong resistance, the tanks first encountering enemy MGs 300yds east of Rosieres and were silenced before the tanks deployed. The tanks advanced 1500yds across good going, then encountered the old 1916 trenches which were overgrown and partially collapsed, some tanks ditched, 7 reached the final objective. The infantry and tanks did not work well together, the infantry saying the tanks were too fast and the tanks saying the infantry were too slow. 9062 went forward 600yds and engaged some enemy MG nests, the tank became ditched, was fired at by about 20MG which riddled it with AP bullets and all its Hotchkiss guns were disabled, the infantry took over ¾ of an hour to advance and rescue the tank.

9055 was hit and damaged, the OIC and one crew member worked on top of the tank until it was repaired, the tank then rallied.

9091 was hit by an enemy battery, attempted to outflank it and was hit twice more and knocked out. ^(H13a)

According to the Canadians the tanks assisted in the early stages of the attack but were slowed up by the trenches. One helped clear an MG nest at F12a.3.9 “the Halt” on the railway. ^(12bCan) On the right the tanks supporting 85^th Battalion were held up by an unexpected intricate abandoned trench system near to the Amiens – Meslne railway, only two tanks assisted the advance as far as Chilly. ^(W85Can)

One tank fired Mgs and 6 pdrs at a party of German prisoners and their Canadian escorts, it ceased fire after the Canadian OIC attracted the tanks attention. ^(W72Can)

Capt Hill’s section on the left flank sent a tank to deal with enemy MGs firing from Lihons ridge, which was not held by the Australians as had been believed. This tank silenced many MGs then ditched in the old trench system. ^(H13a): This may be 9033 which appeared from Rosieres and moved about F6a.3.2. The tank silenced many Mgs around the Halt (F6c.4.0) and enabled the Australians advance. (w5aus)

Prisoners taken from Maucourt stated the tanks had moved up and down in front of the trenches firing on them and thus depleted the infantry and allowed the Canadians to advance. ^(H13a):

7 tanks rallied, 3 had been knocked out by shell fire, one set afire by bombs and one irretrievably ditched. 5 Other ranks were killed, 2 Officers and 19 other ranks wounded, 2 Officers and 12 other ranks wounded but remained on duty and 1 officer and 4 other ranks missing. ^(H13a)

2Lts Yeo and Anderson and 19 other ranks were wounded. 2Lts Gray and Fraser and 12 other ranks were wounded but remained on duty. 2Lt Bale and 4 other ranks were missing. ^(w13a) 2Lt Bale died on this date ^(CWG)

Summary

Total Tanks: 12

Failed to Start: 0

Engaged enemy:

Ditched / Broke Down: 1

Hit and Knocked out: 4

Rallied: 7

Notes:

Several of the rallied tanks had become ditched, at least one had been hit.

Aftermath

13^th battalion was next in action on the 23^rd August

9023, 9081, 9131, 9135, 9097, 9165, 9051, 9124, 9033, 9079, 9386, 9346, 9014, 9388, 9188, 9055 all possibly still operative.

Sources

W24 - 4^th Tank brigade War Diary. Report of Operations.

W25 - 5^th Tank brigade War Diary. Report of Operations.

H13a – History of the 13^th Tank Battalion in PRO WO 95/115

W13a – War Diary of the 13^th Tank Battalion in PRO WO 95/115

OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. IV, pg.125 – 126

W12bCan – 12 Canadian Brigade War Diary. Available online: http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacMain.asp

W72Can – 72 Canadian Battalion War Diary. Available online: http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacMain.asp

W85Can –85 Canadian Battalion War Diary. Available online: http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacMain.asp

W5aus – 5^th Australian Battalions war Diary. Downloaded from AWM.

Amiens