15 Battalion B Group 8 August 1918

The Tanks at Amiens 8^th August 1918

15^th Battalion, Group C, with 4^th Australian Brigade, 4^th and 5^th Australian Division, Aus Corp, 3^rd Army

Group B – Captain Hankey JB

Section Commander Captain Vellis (name unclear)

9539, O26, "Oppier", Lt Slade SH,

9814, O36, "O'Dawina", Lt Culbertson RB,

9543, O37, "Ottawa", (or “Ottama”), Lt Foster RP,

9828, O39, "Orion", 2Lt Thorogood WJ,

9817, O40, "Ot Stuff", 2Lt Wadeson RA,

Section Commander Captain Mathesone

????, O31, "Och Aye", Lt Lever,

9832, O32, "Oban", 2Lt Fraser CN,

9536, O33, "Oodradata", 2Lt Gibson TC,

9835, O34, "Olga", Lt Cordner J,

Notes

Tank Names and Crew numbers from Battalion War Diary.

Other information from Battlegraph in Brigade War Diary

Orders

15^th Battalions tanks were to pass through the leading waves on the red line and then deposit the 15 infantry Machine Gunners they were carrying on the blue Line.

Start time was 4.20am

Group C was attached to the 16^th Australian infantry battalion. ^(W14aus)

10 Vickers (not 16) guns from 4 Aus MG Coy to be loaded ^{(W13aus)(w4mgaus)} Each tank to carry 2 Vickers, one officer, 5 other ranks and two infantry bombers. One tank was kept as a HQ tank by 4 Australian MG company .^(w4mgaus) In addition 16 LG teams to be carried^{. (W16aus)}

Account of Operations

The tanks advanced with the 16^th AIF Battalion. Five tanks broke down before reaching the Red Line and their MG gunners proceeded forward on foot.

9828 broke down just before crossing the German front line ^(w25bg) near Hamel ^(W4MGaus) and again just before the red line, it was then hit, it turned back and rallied. ^(w25bg)

9539 broke down just after crossing the German front line and again just before reaching the Green line, it crossed the green line then broke down again and was hit and knocked out. It was later towed back to the rallying point. ^(w25bg)

9814 broke down just after crossing the start line ^(w25bg), at Q14a2.2, near Kate Wood ^(W4MGaus) it eventually made it to the blue Line then turned back and rallied. ^(w25bg)

9817 broke down in the green line ^(w25bg) near Cerisy, ^(W4MGaus but was repaired and continued to the Blue line ^(w25bg) where it did good work. ^(W4MGaus)

9543 broke down between the Start line and Green line. ^(w25bg) It was possibly the HQ or reserve tank which eventually reached the blue line where it was hit at Q18a.2.9. but continued. It was then hit again and set afire on the blue Line at Q12c.5.9. 75% of the crew and the passengers became casualties. Tank was withdrawn slightly to the cover of a bank. ^(W16aus) and eventually rallied ^(w25bg)

The remaining 4 tanks were unable to climb the steep bank in Q21b and were thus diverted via Q16d and the road running SE out of Morcourt. At 10.30 they moved out from Q23b.9.0 to clear enemy snipers from valley in Q17d.8.1. These 4 MKV* and a MK V (presumably either 9443 or 9082 from 13^th Battalion) led the advance to the Blue line at 11am. ^(W16aus)

9835 was hit twice and set afire at Q17b.4.6. ^(W16aus), the OIC was mortally wounded. ^(w15a) MG gunners baled out and proceeded towards Blue Line. ^(W16aus)

Captain Hankey, the Company commander was wounded whilst assisting in the evacuation of 9835; he had been directing the company form the open. 2Lt Fraser was wounded by the same shell. ^(w15a)

9536 broke down and was then hit and burnt out ^(w25bg) at Q12c.4.3^(W16aus), just before reaching the Blue line the OIC escaped and rescued 3 wounded crewmen. ^(w25bg) one LG team of 4 men survived, went to the blue line, then one man returned to the tank to rescue wounded. ^(W16aus)

Och Aye made it to the blue line and was then hit and burnt out ^(w25bg) at Q12b.7.8. ^(W16aus); Lt Lever was wounded ^(w15a) The MG crews preceded to the blue Line. ^(W16aus)

9832 made it to the blue line and successfully rallied ^(w25bg)

The Carrying of MG gunners was not very successful as most of the infantry MG gunners were casualties, only 3 guns out of 10 made it to the blue line. ^(W4MGaus) in addition the MG crews were unable to move for 3 to 4 hours after de bussing from tanks, the tank crews were affected even worse ^(W16aus) This“Tank sickness” is only mentioned in 16^th battalions Operations report and not by any of the other sources.

Three tanks were retained on the Blue Line by the infantry and didn’t turn to rally until 2am on the 9^th. ^(w15a)

Note: 16^th AIF Battalion’s narrative of operations states: 4 tanks were knocked out by enfilading shellfire from the left, one whilst crossing the Red line, two in Q18b and the fourth in Q17b. The last made it to the blue line near Moricourt where it too was knocked out and most of the crew killed. The infantry thus failed to reach the blue Line, it was taken on the evening of the 9^th once the Americans had secured Chippilly. ^(W16aus)

Summary

Total Tanks: 9

Failed to Start:

Engaged enemy: 6

Ditched / Broke Down:

Hit and Knocked out: 3

Rallied: 6

The author has assumed all six tanks that reached the Blue line engaged the enemy at some point, though some may not have fired before being knocked out.

Rallied includes 2 tanks that had been hit (one of which was towed in) and one that had suffered from repeated mechanical trouble.

From Brigade report of operations

In action: 36

Reached objective: 28

Received Direct hits: 4

KO by Land mines: 0

Mechanical trouble: 3

Rallied: 28

Fit for action on 9^th: 17

Aftermath

Sources

Tank Names and Crew numbers from Battalion War Diary.

Other information from Battlegraph in Brigade War Diary

W15a - 15th Battalion War Diary Appendices, relevant reports and Battlegraphs – PRO WO 95-103

W13aus -

W16aus -

W4MGaus -

Amiens