5 Battalion 3 October 1918
The Battle of the Beaurevoir line. 3rd October 1918
5th Battalion with 32nd and 46th Divisions, IX Corp, 4th Army (OH)
5th Battalion had 18 tanks in action on 3rd October 1918
“A” Company
8 tanks
“B” Company
4 tanks
“C” Company
6 tanks
Capt Bayliss PB
Notes
“B” company had drawn 4 composite and 2 other tanks on the 20th August. (H5)
The Battalion war diary states 17 tanks were allocated. (W5)
The Official history indicates 139th brigade was only supported by 6 tanks, the other 2 “A” company tanks may have been a reserve.
The Official History indicates 6 tanks were allotted to 14th Brigade but only 4 appeared. (OH)
Orders
“A” Company was to support the 139th brigade. Objective a line running from NW of Nevilles cross to the centre of Montbrain. (H5)
“C” company with the 137th brigade. Objective to mop up Chatignies Wood , Tulip Copse and all the defences in the neighbourhood. (H5)
“B” company with the 14th and 97th brigades. Objective to capture Sequehart village and form a line along the sunken road (H5)
14th brigade were to attack frontally whilst 97th brigade initially moved forward with 46th Division then were to turn right and attack from the north (OH)
Objective was the red line (W5)
3 tanks broke down whilst moving to the lying up place. (H5)
4 tanks were borrowed from 9th Battalion and crewed with 5th Battalion crews. (H5)
Account of Operations
“A” Company, 6 tanks attacked and flattened the wire in front of the 139th brigade’s infantry. The tanks then mopped up the outskirts of Ramicourt village whilst the infantry encircled and assaulted it. The enemy now offered considerable resistance from the sunken roads and railway, the tanks helped overcome this, one silencing a nest of 16 MGs. The outskirts of Montabrain were thus reached on time. There all six tanks were disabled. 1 broke down, 1 ditched and 4 were hit and knocked out. (OH) The 5th Battalion history agrees 4 tanks were knocked the other two tanks broke down. 2 tanks failed to reach the final objective (H5)
“C” Company. One tank broke down and returned to Fosse Wood, the other 5 tanks all reached their objectives (H5) after flattening the wire in front of the infantry (OH) After crossing the Beaurevoir line the 137th brigade encountered heavy opposition, teh right flank was delayed by fire from concrete emplacements which were silencedby a bayonet charge supported by 3 tanks, two of which were hit, though only one was knocked out. On the left flank one tank broke down, a second helped the infantry clear a chipped down Wood west of Preselles. The actions of the third tank on this flank are not recorded. (OH) Capt Bayliss’ tank, at infantry’s request, silenced a group of the enemy in H12c central; the tank was then knocked out. Capt Bayliss and some of the crew were killed. (H5)
“B” company’s 4 tanks all reached the final objective where 3 were knocked out. The last was abandoned after it broke down whilst returning to rally. (H5) Sequehart village was assaulted at 6;25am by the 1 Dorsetshire supported by 2 tanks; the village was taken, lost to a counter attack and then retaken. To the south the 2 Kings own Yorkshire light infantry, with 2 tanks was able to achieve its objectives depite opposition form field and MGs. An enemy counter attack at 6pm was repulsed. (OH)
In total 8 of the 15 tanks that made the Red line were knocked out there (w5)
Captai Bayliss, and 2Lts Curtis, Fossett and Mumby of 5tht Tank Battalion all died on this day (CWG)
Summary
Total Tanks: 18
Failed to Start: 2
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down: 4
Hit and Knocked out: 8
Rallied: 6
Aftermath
Sources
H5 - 5th Battalion War History - Transcript from Bovington tank museum.
W5 - 5th Battalion War Diary - Transcript from Bovington tank museum.
OH – Official history. 1918. Volume p161 to 163