3 Battalion 9 August 1918
The Battle of Amiens. 9th August 1918
3rd Battalion, with 3rd and 5th Cavalry Brigades, 2nd Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corp, 4th Army (W3) (OH)
3rd Battalion had 24 tanks in action on 9th August 1918 (w3)
Company commanders: Maj Price TR DSO MC (W3)
A Company – Capt Monk AV
Section - 2Lt Abram FR
4 tanks
8Section – 2Lt Minchin LE
4 tanks
B Company – Capt May CH MC
Section -2Lt Whyte
4 tanks
Section – 2Lt Field
4 tanks
2Lt Richard
2Lt Shapland
2Lt Ridley
C Company - Capt Gates WS MC
8 tanks
Notes
The tanks were presumably crewed by their alternate crews on the 9th as none of the OIC’s names match those used on the 8th or on the list written on the 6th.
Orders
“A” Company attached to 5th Cavalry Brigade on the right (W3)
At 11:35am Capt monk was given the following orders at brigade HQ:
2Lt Abram’s FB section was to cover the advance of the 20th Hussars on the right flank.
2Lt Minchin LE MC section was to cover the advance of the Scots Grey on the left.
“B” Company to be kept in reserve (W3)
“C” Company attached to 7th Cavalry Brigade on the left (W3)
The cavalry were to advance behind and in support of the Infantry (OH)
Account of Operations
“A” Company were kept too far behind the advance and thus failed to assist the infantry when called upon to do so. (W3)
“B” Company moved from Marcelcave at 4:45am and followed the other two companies. At 11:30 the company moved from the wood in W20d to the valley in E9a. At 3:30pm the Company was placed under the orders of 2nd Canadian Brigade, the 2nd Cavalry Division having not gone into action. The sections were allotted the 5th (2Lt Whyte’s Section) and 8th (2Lt Field’s Section) CIF Battalions and advanced to meet the infantry at 4:15pm, finally coming into action at 6pm.
2Lt Whyte’s section moved across the Valley south of Warvillers and then to Rouvroy, the helped the infantry push the enemy back beyond the Vrely - Parvillers Road. (W3)
2Lt Field’s section went north of Warvillers , crossed the Vrely - Parvillers Road at F26d.0.0 then wheeled right and attacked the enemy in L2, L3 and L9. The tanks were hampered by trenches which could only be crossed at certain places but assisted the infantry, silencing MGs and thus enabling their advance. (W3)
Two tanks were hit and destroyed by Field Gun firing from L3c, the gun was silenced by 2Lt Richard’s tank which engaged it from the flank and wiped out the crew. (W3)
2Lt Whyte’s tank broke down at L2d, the severely wounded 2Lt Whyte dismounted and directed his section on foot until wounded a second time. 2Lt Shapland’s tank ditched in an old trench in L2d.8.2. 2Lt Field’s tanks was hit and burnt out at L15b.9.6; 2Lt Risley’s tank was hit and burnt out at L16d.9.9, both tank’s crews were missing. (W3)
The tanks helped the infantry reach the Rouvroy - Meharicourt Road. (OH)
“C” Company advanced to meet the cavalry in E21d.2.0, the cavalry were not there as, unbeknown to the tanks Zero hour had been postponed for 3 hours. One tank broke down, (W3) at 12:55pm (W3) the other seven all joined the infantry (W3) of 1st, 2nd and 4th CIF Battalions of 1st Canadian Brigade (OH) in attacking the villages of Beaufort, Warvillers and Vrely. The tanks crossed the old Amiens defence line and passed through the infantry who were held up by MG fire, the tanks silenced enemy MGs NW of Beaufort and thus the infantry were able to advance and occupy the wood and village of Beaufort (W3) by 4pm (OH). The tanks then mopped up the ground between Beaufort and Warvillers, the enemy surrendering when the tanks approached. The tanks also advanced with the infantry and cleared the ground between Warvillers and Vrely, the enemy opened a heavy shell fire but otherwise put up little resistance. (W3) The infantry reached a line 400yds west of Rauvroy, the attack stalled as the tanks withdrew (OH) and rallied at 5pm having done a useful days work. (W3)
Officer and NCO casualties: (H3)
Killed
2LT Robertshaw W
2LT Whytes WD
2LT Field FLA
2Lt Ridley P
Wounded
Lt Hore LP MC
2Lt Bell DE
Missing
LCpl Day
Summary
Total Tanks: 24
Failed to Start: 1
Engaged enemy: 7
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 4
Rallied:
Notes
Rallied doesn’t include the tanks that failed to start.
Aftermath
16 tanks, 8 from “A” company and 8 from “B” company failed to get into action on the 10th August 1918. One tank was hit and knocked out.
The Battalion was next in action on 21st August 1918.
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.98f