6 Battalion 10 August 1918
The Battle of Amiens. 10th August 1918
6th Battalion, with 6th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corp, 4th Army (H6) (OH)
6th Battalion had 14 tanks in action on 10th August 1918 (H6)
Composite company: - Major West RA
Composite Section: - Company commander: Capt Renwick RA
342
343, Lt Ryrie
354
257
282
352
367
Composite Section: - Company commander: Capt Chapman Capt Farrar
2 from “A” company
1 from “B” company
4 from “C” company
The following tanks divided between the two composite companies.
Notes
Orders
Capt. Renwick’s section were to go through the south end of Rouvroy then the track from Rick to point 101 (H6)
Capt Chapman’s section went along a track to Le Quesnoy (H6)
The Cavalry deployed one and a half miles west of Vrely behind the Canadian Corps left, ready to exploit any breakthrough or pursue the beaten enemy. Patrols reported the ground ahead was impassable to mounted cavalry so they remained in reserve until the afternoon (OH)
At 2:25am the 3rd Cavalry Division was ordered to occupy the High Ground North of Roye (OH)
Account of Operations
Capt. Renwick’s section was shelled in L14b whilst moving forward, Capt Farrar’s tank was hit and damaged, it later rallied. (W23) A343 was hit and Knocked out at W24 central, (W23) by fire from Rouvroy which also knocked out a tank of 3rd Battalion (OH). The remaining six tanks (W23) advanced towards Parvillers (OH) all reached the old Somme trench system and ditched and were then hit and knocked out: A354 and A342 at L22central, Lt Ryrie was killed; A257, A282, A352 and A367 at L28 (W23)
Capt Chapman went forward on foot and spotted two German field guns in Bois de Mileu covering the Parvillers road, he thus decided to cancel the advance. (w23)
At dusk all the surviving tanks rallied: 2 from A” company, 1 from “B” company and 4 from “C” company. (H3)
Summary
Total Tanks: 14
Failed to Start: 1
Engaged enemy: 0
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 7
Rallied: 7
Notes
Rallied presumably doesn’t include Capt. Farrar’s tank.
Aftermath
Sources
W23 – 3rd Tank Brigade’s War Diary. Report of Operations – 8th to 12th August 1918 – PRO WO 95 -105
H6 – 6th Battalion War History, (1919) Naval and Military Press
OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. 4, pg.122, Pg.126, pg.127