2 Battalion 18 September 1918
The Battle of Epehy. 18th September 1918 (OH)
2 Battalion, with III, IX and Australian Corp, 4th Army (H2)
2 Battalion had 21 tanks in action on 18th September 1918 (H2)
“A” Company – Maj Symons HJ (H2)
B7, 9314, 2Lt Harrison HD
B11, 9031, 2Lt Watson Kerr R
B12, 9509, 2Lt Stammers AE
2Lt Jameson RW
and 4 other tanks
“B” Company – Maj Harcourt SAC (H2)
9834, Lt McLean RC
probably
B22, 9288
and 7 other tanks
“C” Company – Capt Black DV (H2)
Section – Capt Hamlet (with 2Lt Hedges)
B41, 9118, 2Lt Smallwood GF
2Lt Hedges WR
9009, Morris
and another tank
Notes:
9031 and 9834 probably in action on this date. They are identified on 9031’s BHS for 21st September. Both tanks may have been with different crews and commanders on the 18th. (W2)
2 tanks had been taken over from Number 2 Advanced workshops on 27th August, these were presumably the MKV* that were with “A” Company on the 21st September and were presumably in action on the 18th as well; they were probably 9509 and 9834. The War diary does not mention the battalion taking on any other tanks (other than “Mable” from 13th battalion) (W2)
9288 photographed KO by a mine in a minefield near Ronnsy, carries battalion number B22 on side and number H4 on rear. Presumably this tank had served with 8th Battalion prior to joining 2nd Battalion. Authors collection, bought off E bay, cut from a book, credited to IWM.
Orders
To push the enemy back to the Canal du Nord so a set piece attack could take place there. (W2)
Zero Hour: 5:20am
“A” Company’s 8 tanks with III Corps 12th, 18th and 58th Divisions. Starting point Liermont. (W2)
Objectives; 4 tanks to support attack on Piezieres, Epheny and the Railway Triangle NE of these. (W2)
2 of these tanks with 35th Brigade to attack Epheny. (OH)
4 tanks to support attack on Ronnsay Wood, Ronnsay and Lempire and strongpoint’s thereabout. (W2)
“B” Company’s 9 tanks with Australian Corps, 1st and 4th Divisions. Starting point Bois de Buire
Objectives; 4 tanks to support attack on Hargicourt, Villeret and the high ground of Cologne Farm.
3 tanks to support attack on Le Vergier and the trench system north and South of it.
1 tank to support attack on Parker post.
1 tank to be used as a supply tank.
“C” Company’s 4 tanks to IX Corps, 6th Division. Starting point Holnon Wood..
Objectives;
2 tanks to Attack Fresnoy le Petit; 2 tanks to attack Quadrilateral (OH) or
4 tanks to support attack on Badger Copse, Fresnoy, Douai Trench and the Quadrilateral further south. (H2)
B41: to help infantry capture strongpoint in S3 and 4 [The Quadrilateral] (W2)
Front Line on 17th September:
III Corps: West of Piezieres and Epheny then South to South East of St Emile through Templeux Wood to St George Copse.
Australians: S Form St George Copse to East of Jeancourt thence South to a point about 500yds east of Bihecourt.
IX Corps: South from Bihecourt to Sword Wood, then South and East of Holnon Wood joining with the French at the level crossing on the St Quentin Roisel Railway.
Account of Operations
Visibility was very bad due to heavy rain at Zero followed by a dull cloudy day.
74th Division, lacking tanks, deployed dummies instead, these had a useful effect on the enemy. (OH)
“A” Company: One tank broke down and failed to start. 2Lt Jameson’s tank was hit and knocked out soon after starting. The other six tanks all engaged the enemy. Heavy fighting took place at Ronnsay which was determinedly held by the enemy, 2Lt Stammers and Harrison were heavily engaged here. (H2) 3 tanks assisted in the village’s capture. 2 tanks then went and helped clear Basse Boulogne. A returning tank was also diverted to help clear La Pauerelle (OH)
35th brigade advanced on Epheny without its two tanks, one had broken down and the other received a direct hit and was knocked out soon after starting. To make matters worse another tank, which was supposed to be operating with 58th Division but had become lost, entered the village form the south and fired on 35th Brigades infantry. (OH)
The two tanks with 173rd brigade, 58th Division helped the infantry advance on Pieziere, the one turned south entered Epheny and fired on the 12th Division. 173rd Brigade failed to take its objective (OH).
B7 fired 1500 round SAA. advanced but lost touch with the infantry and went too far south, thus missing Ronnsoy, turned North East and fired on across retreating enemy infantry and MGs. Proceeded North West and came upon British infantry who were being held up by fire forma small copse; drove through copse and silenced enemy fire. Headed due West to Ronsay and entered it from the East, proceeded down main road to west of village firing on enemy who were trying to escape from their dugouts. Infantry then advanced and captured village. B7 then proceeded easterly along main road of Lempire then northerly. Slipped sideways into a trench and ditched at F16c.5.5. Crew attempted to unditch tank whilst also firing on and capturing enemy. OIC took over B12 from its wounded OIC and attempted to unditch B7, the attempt was unsuccessful and both tanks were subjected to artillery fire which briefly set B7 afire. B12 attempted to withdraw but threw a track. (W2)
B12 fired 62 6pdr rounds and 600 round SAA. Advanced on time passing through enemy stragglers as it went though the south end of Ronnsay Wood en route to Ronnsay, the infantry following one to two hundred yards behind. The tank went through the west of Ronnsay then, at the infantries request, went to the NW corner of Lempaire to deal with MGs there that were holding up the infantry. The tank was heavily fired on by AP ammo, the driver killed and 3 gunners wounded. The tank thus withdrew, having insufficient crew left to fire its weapons. B12 was taken over by 2Lt Harrison who used in an attempt t to unditch his tank. (W2)
“B” Company: Seven tanks led the infantry forward at zero. Many of the enemy surrendered at the approach of the tanks, though some isolated parties resisted stubbornly. One tank broke down, a second tank, probably B22, 9288, struck a land mine and a third became entangled in wire, the rest reached their objectives. (W2) The infantry took the first objective by7:35am, despite facing am enemy force greater than their own. 60MGs, several field guns and 450 prisoners were taken. The advance re commenced at 8:30am, stiff resistance was encountered in two locations: the ruins of Villeret, and the maze of tranches around Cologne farm; both position were overcome with the assistance of single tanks. The whole of the second objective had been taken by 10am. (OH)
“C “Company: was heavily shelled with gas on the way to the start line. One tank broke down and a second ditched (9009 to the British side of Holman (W2)). The remaining two tanks, B41 and 2Lt Hedges both attacked. The infantry’s advance on Ronnsay was stopped by heavy fire from the Quadrilateral (s3 and 4 (W2)), seeing this both tanks advanced independently on the Quadrilateral. B41 fired 80 6pdr rounds (mostly case shot) and 1500 round SAA knocked out an MG at s3c.8.6 and another which was firing form Douai trench. B41 then ditched in a sunken road at s3c.6.9. (W2) In the Quadrilateral; 2Lt Hedges tank then arrived and engaged the enemy until it was set afire, the crew bailed out and all except 2Lt Hedges were captured. 2Lt Hedges was wounded twice but made it to the sunken road where 2Lt Smallwood was ditched, 2Lt Smallwood carried 2Lt Hedges back to his tank. (H2) As B41 was now under artillery fire 2Lt Smallwood evacuated the tank and waited until the British infantry advanced and enabled the tank crews withdrawal. (W2)
Summary
Total Tanks: 21
Failed to Start: 6
Engaged enemy: 15
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 3
Rallied: 11
Note:
Total tanks includes the tank used to carry supplies.
Rallied is the total number of tanks still with the Battalion on the 21st September.
Aftermath
B22, 9288 photographed knocked out by a mine in the minefield: Authors collection, bought off E bay, cut from a book, credited to IWM.
2nd Battalion was next in action on the 21st September when only 11 tanks remained with the battalion.
Sources
H2 – 2nd Battalion War History. Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W2 – 2nd Battalion War Diary. Especially Battle History sheets therein. Transcript from BovingtonTank Museum.
OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. IV, pg.479ff