2 Battalion C Company 8 August 1918
The Tanks at Amiens. 8th August 1918
2 Battalion, with 2nd and 5th Australian Divisions, Australian Corp, 4th Army
2 Battalion, C Company had 12 tanks in action on 8th August 1918 (W21):
C Company – Major Crouch TA DSO (H2)
9 Section
9432, 2Lt James AS
9004, 2Lt Tattersfield
9314, 2Lt Cahill JJ
10 Section
9401, Sgt Smith WE
9325, 2Lt Rendle NC
9009, Lt Percy-Fade PR
11 section
9398, 2Lt Gorringe PH
9010, 2Lt Albertson AH
9077, 2Lt Dearburg SG
12 section
9359, 2Lt Hedges WR
9256, 2Lt Green WT
B56, 9003, "Barrhead", 2Lt Cameron D
Supply tanks
1 section (6 tanks) of Top towers attached from Maj. Watsons 4 Tank Supply Company (originally from 5 tank Supply Company). (W2a)
5th and 7th Australian Brigades - One Gun Carrier Supply tank each (w28Aus)
1 Section, 1 Gun Carrier Company. (w28Aus)
112, “Auld Reekie” (w28Aus)
137, “Leeds” (w28Aus)
Notes
Section allocation a guess.
One “C” Company tank was knocked out by shellfire on the night of the 5/6th. It was replaced by a spare tank that had been painted up as a Comic tank and used as a side show at the recent brigade sports. (H2)
“C” Company’s fighting tanks all carried 3000 SAA rounds, 4 gallons of water and 24 rounds 3” stokes bombs for the infantry. (W7bAus)
B56 details from narrative (S42.p148) and photograph (X52 cover)
Orders
“C” Company with 7th Brigade, 2nd Australian Division. (W2a) Company to lead the attack on the Green line then rally, “C” Company to south of the village (P35d (W7bAus)). All survivors then to join in attack on the Red line, except for three tanks detailed to attack subdue and mop up Bayonvillers. Once Red Line was captured surviving tanks to support attack on Red Line (W2a)
“C” Company: 9 section with 26th Battalion on the right. To clear up Card Copse, then rallying to V3b.5.0 to assist other sections as necessary (W7bAus) also Bastille Mill and strongpoint in V5c (W26aus). 10 Section also with 26th Battalion to cross wire south of strong point in V4b and clean up Cross Roads at V5a.0.0. (W26aus) then to cross the front of 9 section and clear up La Bastille Mill and old French line in V6a (W7bAus). 11 section with 28th Battalion in the centre to clear up P32 central and old French line at V4b and P34d. 12 section with 27th battalion on the left to clean up P33 central and old French front line in P34b and bank in P35d. Tanks to patrol in front of the Green Line and cover the infantry’s consolidation. Then rally back to P35d (W7bAus)
“A” Company were to join “C” Company at Zero plus 3 hours. The company were to stay 200yds in front of the infantry and were not to enter Bayonvillers. (W2a)
After the Red line was captured the survivors of all four companies were to assist in capturing Harbonnieres. (W2a)
Account of Operations
Green Line
On the way forward one tank (presumably from “C” Company) accidentally crushed 27th Battalions Medical dugout, luckily no one was hurt. (W27aus)
“C” Company’s 12 tanks all made it to the rally point (W2a), C Company’s 9359 ditched in the Green Line, turning back and rallying after unditching (w25bg), all the other tanks attacked the Red Line. (W2a) “C” Company’s tanks worked very well with the infantry (W7baus) but 26th Battalion believed 4 of their 6 tanks operated too far to the north (W26aus) On the way forward, at the request of the Australians 9009 entered Marcelcave in the Canadian sector and silenced MGs therein that were firing on the Australians. The tanks OIC then obtained a receipt for the village from the Australians before rallying. (W2a)
Red Line
“A” Company attacked, leading the infantry of 15th Australia Brigade with the 12 tanks of “C” Company in support (W15b). The 15th Australian Brigade’s 59th battalion (on the left) and the 57th battalion (on the right) each encountered enemy batteries, both of which the tanks helped silence. (OH)
Bayonvillers
Four “B” and four “C” Company tanks were to attack Bayonvillers. All 4 “B” Company tanks received direct hits and were KO in front of Bayonvillers, (W2a). The four “C” Company tanks (or 3 tanks including 9003 (s42.149)) entered and patrolled Bayonvillers until it had been subdued (W2a) 9003 zig zagged across the street driving through and demolishing houses on either side as it did so (s42.p149). A whippet tank got behind the enemy battery and silenced it (OH). Prior to this the enemy battery accounted for 17 tanks in total (H2)
Two “C” Company tanks, 9004 and 9432 ran out of fuel between the Green and Red Lines (W25bg), these may be two of the tanks that attacked Bayonvillers.
Note: Some sources state only 3 tanks from each company were to attack Bayonvillers. The author has assumed they are in error.
Blue Line
Four tanks from “A” Company, one from “B” and nine from “C” (including 9003 (S42.p149)) all advanced on the Blue line. Two “C” Company tanks turned back before reaching the Blue Line, 9009 and 9314, the later having ditched in the Red line before proceeding onwards. (W25bg)
Harbonierres
9415 was the only tank from “B” Company which was still in action, it waited for the barrage on Harbonierres to lift in a sunken road a quarter of a mile from the village, and was then ordered forward by the Battalion commander about 10:15am. The village was almost empty of the enemy and was captured by a few Australians and 2nd Battalion’s commander, a tank from ”A” 13th moving in and subduing an MG later. Tanks from 15th Battalion fired 6pdr at a train near Harbonierres and set it afire. (W2a) 9003 came into the village after it had been secured, then it rallied (s42.p149).
Later 9415 was sent forward to the Blue Line by the Company’s OIC, silenced MGs and helped repulse a counter attack. 2 tanks of “A” company rallied in Harbonniers as did 9077 of “C” company. At the request of the Australians 9077 was then sent forward by the battalion Commander and silenced an MG nest on the Blue line, the tank then broke down (W2a) but eventually rallied (W25bg) .
Seven “C” Company tanks 9003, 9010, 9077, 9256, 9325, 9398, 9401 all reached the Blue Line and rallied (W25bg) at P30a.5.3. (W25a)
Some of the “C” Company tanks which rallied are probably the 3 (sic) which ran out of fuel 9004, 9432 and another. (W2)
23 of the 46 tanks were KO by field guns (10 out of 16 on the 9th August), 2 by land mines. (W2a)
Supply tanks
4 of the Top Towers broke down in Querrieu Wood prior to starting, 2 supply tanks were borrowed [from 2nd Battalion ? ]. The two remaining top towers were unable to tow their sledges through Daours, one did make it without its sledge. 3 tanks and 2 GS wagons (one having been hit on the way forward) did make it to P30 between 8:30 and 9am (W2a)
The Supply tank with 5th Australian brigade made one successful drop, but was knocked out by a land mine whilst bringing forward the second. (W5bAus)
9003 was photographed several times whilst moving forward it carries a flag indicating it may have been a command tank.
IWM Q 65534: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205085908 , X42.p152
IWM Q 107828: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205039564?sicode=0#comment-30232
X52.cover.
An account of 9003 "Barrhead"s actions can be found in David Fletcher (1994) Tanks and Trenches p148ff.
Summary
Total Tanks: 12
Failed to Start: 0
Engaged enemy: 12
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out:
Rallied: 7
From Brigade report of operations
In action: 35
Reached objective: 13
Received Direct hits: 12
KO by Land mines: 2
Mechanical trouble: 4
Rallied: 19
Fit for action on 9th: 14
Aftermath
In total 4 “A” Company, 1 “B” Company, 8 “C” Company tanks and a spare were fit for action on the 9th (W2a)
9003 attacked and was KO on the 9th (S42.p133)
The “B” Company tank that failed to start attacked on the 9th (W2a)
and probably: “C” Company’s 9004, 9010, 9256, 9325, 9398, 9401, 9432
Sources
W2 – 2ND Battalion War Diary, Report on Operations of 8th August 1918. Transcript from BovingtonTank Museum.
W2a – 2ND Battalion War Diary, Report on Operations of 8th August 1918 and
Account of Action of 2nd battalion form Afternoon 8th August to evening of 9th August 1918
H2 – 2nd Battalion War History, Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W25 – 5th Tank Brigade War Diary – Relevant report on operations
W25bg – 5th Tank Brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph
OH – Official History, 1918, Vol IV, pg.62ff
W5bAus – War Diary of 5th Australian Infantry Brigade. Downloaded.
Initial report of operations 8th August 1918.
Fifth Australian Infantry Brigade Order No. 207.
W7bAus – War Diary of 5th Australian Infantry Brigade. Downloaded.
Seventh Australian Infantry Brigade Order No. 211.
Report of operations carried out on the morning of 8th August 1918.
W17aus – War Diary of 17th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W18aus – War Diary of 18th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W19aus – War Diary of 19th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W20aus – War Diary of 20th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W26aus – War Diary of 26th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W27aus – War Diary of 27th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W28aus – War Diary of 28th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
S42 - Tanks and Trenches (1994) David Fletcher
S52 - Landships (1984) David Fletcher