4 battalion. B & C Companies. 29 September 1918
St Quentin, 29th September 1918
Composite Company, 4th Battalion with 120th Regiment, 30th US Division, Australian - American Corps, 4th Army
Composite Company, 4th Battalion with 120th Regiment, 30th US Division, Australian - American Corps, 4th Army
Composite Company had 11 tanks in action on 29th September 1918 (W1a).
Composite Company - Commanding Officer: Major Baird HS (H4) (WHM)
"B" ? Company - Capt Sartin EL
6 Section - Capt Devey JHC
9178, m, 2Lt Heath BG
9085, m, 2Lt Gammie A
9164, m, 2 Lt Jeffries W
9145, m, 2 Lt Miller, H, crew 4.
Section - Capt Mathews EC
9155, m, 2Lt Andrews, EW, crew 1st
9029, m, 2Lt Hemmings E
9440, f, 2Lt Nicholls PS
"C" ? Company - Capt Enoch AJ
Section - Capt Dudley C
9024, m, Sgt Wheeler
9409, f, 2Lt MacNiven J
9196, m, 2Lt Compton EJ
9147, m, Lt Parsons L
Notes
Details from WMH, company OB dated 24th September 1918 and BHS.
6 section number from 9085 and 9145 BHS.
Crew numbers from relevant BHS.
9024 commanded by Sgt McNicoll, W on company OB
Three baggage tanks are also listed: “B” Company: 8164, Cpl Neil AH; 6104, Sgt Barrett P. “C” Company: 8190, Cpl Alderson. There are no BHS for these three tanks and they were probably not in action on this date.
Orders
1st Battalion’s “C” company had failed to reach the front in time for the attack so 4th Battalion’s “B” Company commited 11 tanks instead (H4)
“A” Company and “B” Company 4th Battalion were to start at Zero, 5:50am and lead the infantry,
“A” Company on the left (to the north of Bellicourt (H4)) with 119th Regt,
“B” [composite] Company on the right with 120th Regt;
“B” Company 1st Battalion was to start at 6:20am and form a left flank (W24) south to Nauroy (H4)
Objectives Green line East and South of Bellicourt and Nauroy (W24)
The tanks were to start from starting points north and South of Quarry Wood (Map Ref Waincourt Street). "B" [composite] Company were to leave Bellicourt on their left and then assist in the capture of The Hindenburg Line and Nauroy. (H4)
5:50 start and Zero (BHS)
6 section with 2nd battalion, 120 US regt. (BHS 9085 and 9145)
9178 to proceed from G14c.4.3 at Zero, catch up and lead first wave of infantry assisting them by silencing MG and strong points. Cross Spoil Heap at G16a.7.9 and engage known enemy MG nest at G16a.7.7 then go South East to Watling Street and follow same to Green Line at G12d.5.8. There to await Austrailian Infantry, then rally. (BHS)
9085 to go forward at Zero and attack tunnel and Green Line positions (BHS)
9145 To start at Zero with inantry and proceed to cross tunnel South of Bellincourt and proceed South of Nauroy to Green Line. (BHS)
Capt Mathews' section with B Coy, 1st Battalion, 120 US regt. (BHS 9155)
9155 to proceed to pick up “B” Company of Americans south of Quarry (??) wood and then go North East and mop up by Canal from South of Bellincourt to G10c.6.8 (BHS)
9029 to proceed to pick up “B” Company Americans and mop up Canal. (BHS)
9440 orders to go forward at Zero and attack canal tunnel around G10c.1.6.to act as moppers up for infantry. (BHS)
Capt Dudley’s section with 2nd Battalion, 120 US regt. (BHS 9147)
9024 orders on BHS relate to the abandonment of tank, presumably after the action. (BHS)
9196 to proceed to the south of Bellincourt cross the canal tunnel at G10c.7.9 and then onto final objective North East of Nauroy, then return and rally once Australians had passed through. Jumping off point E edge of Laury Wood (BHS)
9147 to proceed to St Quentin Canal, cross at G10.c.5.2 then head for Objective the NE of Nauroy. Once situation secure to rally at L11b central. (BHS)
Account of operations
Overview
9409 broke down on the approach march (at L9d.8.7) (BHS) thus only ten tanks made it to the start point. (W24) The tanks arrived exactly at Zero (H4) All ten tanks reached the vicinity of the Tunnel and Bellicourt but none reached the Green line. (W24) (Battalion War History incorrectly states only 8 tanks went into action (H4)).
The Canal tunnel was captured on time but the advance into Nauroy was considerably delayed, mainly by an anti tank fort near Nauroy which Knocked out several tanks from 1st and 4th Battalions. (H4) 9164 was ditched (G16a.7.3); 9029, 9024, 9155 suffered direct hits, ; 9178 and 9147 were burnt out, 9196 lost a track; 9145, 9440 rallied, 9085 was towed in. (W24) WD numbers and map references from BHS.
Company fired 1482 rounds SAA and 183 6Pdr. (W24)
Detailed accounts of tank actions from BHS
6 Section
9178 got lost in the mist, as compass broke due to the rough ground, met a party of US inf who asked for assistance with an enemy MG, whilst trying to help the crib became dislodged by a tree and fouled the right track. Whilst reversing the tank caught fire and was burnt out at G16a.7.6. the tank was in action for three hours and drove 2 miles, it didn’t fire.
9085 started at Zero, lost infantry in the mist, proceeded due East. When the mist lifted the tank was approaching Bellincourt; it broke down (autovac) whilst crossing railway over tunnel, was hand fed at first then towed back to RP by 9145. In action for six hours, drove eight miles. Fired twenty five 6pdr rounds and sixty four SAA rounds. S of Bellincourt G10a.4.2
9164 fired at visible gun flashes on the ridge opposite over the heads of advancing infantry for 15 to 20 minutes after Zero, then fog and smoke came down and so the tank proceeded forward as fast as possible steering by compass. The tank slowed down by having to negotiate around embankments to find crossing places. The Fascine [Crib] was used in a large V shaped ditch (G16a.7.3) but the tank failed to cross it successfully and became ditched and broke a track there; the tank was abandoned. A shell killed two crew, and wounded three others whilst they were retiring to the RP. The OIC was unharmed. The tank fired nine rounds 6pdr and forty rounds SAA. (BHS)
9145 proceeded at the rear of the section in close support to the other three tanks. Crossed front line, got lost in the fog, lost touch with the section and went too far north. Ditched for ½ hour at [G] 9c.60.20, unditched by tank commanded by Capt Hill, “B” Coy 1st Battalion. Mist cleared and tank rushed to tunnel, at 11:45am the Section commander told the tank to rally at G10a.80.40. Returned to RP at Bobby farm after a short rest, towing back 9085. In action for six hours, drove nine miles, fired twenty eight rounds SAA. (BHS)
Captain Mathews’ Section
9155 followed orders and was hit below the left sponson by a shell at G9b.1.3, the tank continued but the left track broke whilst crossing a trench at G9d.4.5. The crew evacuated, three being wounded whilst doing so, including Pvt. Johnson, the US observer. In action one and third hours, drove two thousand yards, didn’t fire. Tank OIC returned and salvaged parts from the tank at 3:30pm (BHS)
9029 was crashed into by another tank at zero, the collision broke a track. The track was repaired by 7:30am when the tank joined “A” Battalion (sic) tanks. After a mile met Capt Devey, “B” Coy [6 section] OIC who sent the tank to join another in same section. The tank was then ordered North East and reached a point South East of Bellincourt, got to within 50 yds of objective when the tank broke down (big end). The tank was evacuated then hit on the sponson by shell which damaged engine and set tank afire. The fire was extinguished and the tank towed back to RP after the action was over (F27central) by another tank. In action for four hours, drove four miles, fired sixteen 6pdr, no SAA. (BHS)
9440 tank did not meet infantry for some time, eventually met a lost company of 117th US in sunken road in g15a. Twenty five infantry followed the tank but left it when a US MG Company was met. The tank crossed through wire and then went to unditch a 1st Battalion tank that was ditched. Mist lifted at 10:40am, leaving tank very exposed practically on the main Bellincourt - Riqueval road. Tank sought cover at entrance to canal tunnel and remained there until ordered to rally. Tank ditched at G15a but eventually rallied. In action for six hours drove eight miles, didn’t fire. (BHS)
Capt Dudley’s section
9024 started five minutes before Zero and passed through the infantry. At Zero the tank silenced enemy outpost MGs. Met heavy mist at the enemy’s first system and captured an enemy MG here. Crossed and re-crossed enemy wire several times and manoeuvred to cross trenches and one very deep ravine (possibly the Hindenburg line). Tank met an infantry platoon but delayed attacking Bellincourt village until mist lifted somewhat as infantry were not in contact on their flanks. (BHS)
Australian infantry now attacked and Bellincourt was cleared; the tank proceeded along Bellincourt - Nauroy Road, firing on enemy infantry who were firing on the Australians from either side of the road. Whilst advancing towards left flank of Nauroy village the mist lifted and the tank was fired on by an enemy field gun which could not be located. The crew threw out smoke bombs and attempted to reverse the tank into a sunken lane but it was hit on the front left idler wheel and KO at G11a.10 sheet 62eNE. The crew set up a perimeter and later abandoned the tank and returned to RP. In action six and a half hours, drove three and a half miles fired twenty three 6pdr (common shell), and five hundred SAA. (BHS)
9196 caught up infantry after ten minutes then led them in thick mist and smoke which limited visibility to a few yards. At G9 central infantry indicated an MG and tank ran over same, MG crew were captured. Lost contact with infantry for half an hour then met some and led them to G9b.3.8 where tank encountered an AT gun and MG, put both out of action, crews escaped in the fog. Left track then broke and tank was abandoned at G9b.3.8; the tank was then hit and badly damaged by shellfire. In action for three hours, drove one and a half miles, fired sixty two 6Pdr and five hundred SAA. (BHS)
9147 started from G8c.5.3 and went along the railway cutting through Quarry Wood. Proceeded due East in thick mist, leading infantry. Tank fell into a ravine at G9c.9.3 and was hit in autovac by a bullet, this set the tank afire and it burnt out despite attempts by crew to extinguish flames with Pyrene Fire Extinguishers. One crew slightly burnt and another gassed, Lewis guns [ transcription error by author ?] and some other items salvaged. In action for two hours, drove two thousand yards fired fifty 6pdr and four hundred SAA.
Summary (W24)
Total Tanks: 11
Failed to Start: 1
Engaged enemy: 7
Ditched / Broke Down: 2
Hit and Knocked out: 5
Rallied: 3
Notes:
Rallied doesn't include 9409 which failed to start, 9085 which was towed back during the action or 9029 which was towed back after the action (W24)
Aftermath
9029 was towed back to the RP after the action was over (BHS)
The three surviving tanks rejoined the battalion on the evening of the 29th at the Quarries, Templeux-le-Guerrard (H4), presumably:
9085, 9145, 9440 were all in action 5th October 1918. (BHS)
According to the Summary of tanks on Strength: September 1918 all the tanks listed below except 9164 were disabled on this date.
9155, 9178, 9196 - no further record
9029 - 30 September 18 - Handed over to Salvage W4a
9164, 9409 both in action with 10th Battalion on 23rd October 1918 W10a
9024 - Captured by Red Russians 1919 - 1921 s65.p78
9147 - Possibly one of six tanks transferred to Estonia in 1919. http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html#
Sources
W24 – HQ 4th Tank Brigade. Report on Bellicourt operations 29th September 1918 in PRO WO 95 / 109
W4a - Summary of Tanks on Strength – September 1918. - PRO WO 95-110
4thTank Battalion. Operations order No 24. - PRO WO 95-110
WMH - Henshell Papers, IWM 73 / 126 / 1
BHS – Relevant Tank Battle History sheets held in Henshall Papers IWM 73 / 126 / 1
H4 – History of the 4th Tank Battalion- transcript from Bovington Tank Museum