3 Battalion. C Coy. 8 August 1918

The Battle of Amiens. 8^th August 1918

3^rd Battalion, C Coy with 7^th Cavalry Brigade, 3^rd Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corp, 4^th Army ^(W3)(OH)

15^th Battalion, C Coy had 16 tanks in action on 8^th August 1918 ^(w3)

C Company - Maj Price TR DSO MC ^(W3)

9 Section – Capt Henderson AK

C45, A290, “Cherubim II”, Lt Sewell CH

C46, A211, “Challenger”, 2Lt Hickson AG

C47, A253, “Conquer III”, Capt Henderson AK

C48, A259, “Caeser II”, Cpl Jervis T

10 Section - Capt Gross RM

C49, A264, “Cleopatra”, Capt Gross RM

C50, A265, “Conviviality”, 2Lt Archibald

C51, A271, “Chaperon II”, 2Lt Wilson R

C52, A280, “Consort II”, Sgt Perkins

11 Section - Capt Weber CF MC

C53, A229, “Coquette III”, Capt Weber CF MC

C54, A234, “Chanticleer”, 2Lt Wilcock

C55, A241, “Carnoustie”, 2Lt Dean SH

C56, A273, “Crusader II”, Sgt Ward AW

12 Section - Capt Purdy EL MC

C57, A240, “Cayenne”, Capt Purdy EL MC

C58, A227, “Chilli II”, Sgt Kennedy G

C59, A281, “Comet III”, 2Lt Thomas T

C60, A291, “Cummertrees”, 2Lt Cotton

Notes

Above list correct for 6^th August ^(W3)

Orders

“C” Company attached to 7^th Cavalry Brigade ^(W3)

The Cavalry Corp were to gain possession of the old Amiens Defence Line between Hangest and the Amiens Chaulnes Railway and hold it until relieved by the infantry ^(OH)

Account of Operations

Two tanks broke down and failed to attack. ^(W3)

The remaining tanks followed “B” Company across the bridge over the Ignaucourt. 10 and 11 sections assembled in D4d, 10 section on the right with the 6^th Inniskilling Dragoons and 11 section on the left with the 7^th Dragoon Guards. Both sections moved off with the forward cavalry screen, 9 and 12 sections, on the right and left respectively followed behind the cavalry. ^(W3)

The cavalry outran the tanks but were stopped by heavy MG fire after they crested the ridge and started advancing into valley in D10b. The fire came from Beaucourt and the woods in D10c and D11a, the 7^th Dragoon Guards failed to advance into the woods in D11b. Both cavalry regiments joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons and took cover in the valley in D10b. 11 section forced the enemy to retire from the wood in D11b and thus the 7^th Dragoon Guards were able to advance and occupy it. 11 Section continued to advance, the cavalry failed to advance with them. In D16d the tanks engaged many retreating enemies until their guns overheated and jammed. The cavalry were unable to follow and the tanks thus engaged the enemy independently. A280 was hit on the track and disabled ^(W3)

A211 and A229 cleared up Cayeux Wood and then patrolled E7, E8, E14a and E14b all afternoon; finding the Canadian infantry in possession of the blue dotted line the tanks rallied. ^(W3)

The 4^th Canadian Division arrived about 2:50pm and the tanks helped them clear out the woods in D24, then the woods in E15 which were cleared by 4:30pm. The company turned to rally at 5:30pm. ^(W3)

Note:

The Official History states the tanks failed to keep up with the cavalry and so swung south and assisted the Canadian ^(OH)

Summary

Total Tanks: 16

Failed to Start: 2

Engaged enemy: 14

Ditched / Broke Down:

Hit and Knocked out: 1

Rallied: 13

Notes

Rallied doesn’t include the tanks that failed to start.

The Official history states 4 tank broke down, 2 were damaged and 1 was destroyed. ^(OH)

Aftermath

“B” company attempted to get into action on 9^th August 1918.

Sources

W3 – 3^rd Battalion War Diary - transcript from Bovington tank museum.

H3 – 3^rd Battalion War History in PRO WO 95-104 (note: page 72 which deals with the latter part of this company’s action missing from authors copy)

OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. 4, pg.31 and pg.52f

Amiens

3 Battalion 8 August 1918