6 Battalion 3 September 1918

The Battle of Drocourt Queant (Canal du Nord). 3^rd September 1918

6 Battalion, with the 6^th Brigade, 2^nd Division, VI Corp, 3rd Army ^(OH)

6 Battalion had 6 tanks in action on 3^rd September 1918 ^(H6):

Section - Maj Leslie J MC

Sgt Hornsey

Cpl Rees

and 3 other tanks.

Orders

6 Whippets had been placed into VI corps reserve at 4pm on the 2^nd Sept. ^(H6)

The whippets were attached to the 6^th Brigade, 2^nd Division ^(H6) at 1pm ^(OH) on the 3^rd when they were ordered to advance with a squadron of the ^(H6) Oxfordshire Hussars ^(OH) and secure the line Demicourt – Hermes which the enemy had apparently evacuated. ^(H6) Lying up place H6a.5.9 on the night of the 2^nd / 3^{rd (W6)}

Account of Operations

The line Demicourt – Hermes was captured by 2:20pm, no opposition being met. At 2:45pm the enemy started to shell Hermies so the tanks advanced towards the canal ^(H6) deploying across the ground in K13 and K19 ^(W6) and patrolled, without being fired on between there and the old trench system ^(H6) in K14 and K20 ^(W6) which was impassable; 2 tanks were abandoned Sgt Hornsey’s tank broke down at K19c.5.8 and Cpl Rees’ tank ditched at K19b.9.8 ^(W6). The remaining four tanks returned to Hermies and helped the infantry clear the sunken roads thereabout. All four tanks developed mechanical trouble and thus returned and rallied. ^(H6)

Summary

Total Tanks: 6

Failed to Start: 0

Engaged enemy: 6

Ditched / Broke Down: 2

Hit and Knocked out: 0

Rallied: 4

Aftermath

Sources

H6 – 6^th Battalion War History, (1919) Naval and Military Press

W6 – 6^th Battalion War Diary. Transcript from BovingtonTank Museum.

OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. 4, pg.419

Drocourt / Queant - 2 to 3 September (1st Army)

F / 6th Battalion