1st Battalion. 25 April 1918

The Tanks at Villers Bretonneux. 25^th April 1918

1st Battalion, with 8^th Division, III Corp, 4^th Army ^(OH)

1st Battalion had 8 MK IV tanks in action on 25^th April 1918 ^(w1a)

A Company – Major Pearsall HG MC

12 Tanks ^(W1a)

Section – Lt Houlton

Female

Female

Female

Section – Capt Keogh FB ^(W1a)

Male

4700, Female

Female

Un specified section

Female - Lt Payne JRS

Composite section “B” and “C” Companies – Capt Hunniken FS

Male, 2Lt Butler

Male

Male

Male

Notes:

On 16^th April the crews painted the distinctive red and white aeroplane recognition marks on the top of the tank’s cabs ^(W1).

On 17^th April three complete crews from “B” Company and two crews from “C” Company were sent to man “A” companies tanks, their crews having been affected by gas whilst in the Wood at O34a and O34c ^(W1).

The Report contradicts itself stating that each section had one male and two female tanks, later stating that Lt Houlton’s section had three female tanks. ^(W1a)

The following tanks were salved by No 2 field Salvage Company in May and June 1918 from the Villers Brettenoux (mostly Querrie Wood) area and were therefore presumably with 1^st battalion:

2037, 2315, 2320, 2606, 2627, 2682, 2732, 2738, 2831, 2867, 4086, 4611, 4612, 6009

In addition 6039 was probably with 1^st Battalion as on 15th to 17th May 1918 (OIC Lt Ashworth) when it and 2738 helped the French recover a German A7V (A7V, 542, Elfriede ^(S6.p14) ) from near Villers Bretonneux ^95-109

Orders

At 9:45 pm on the 24^th Lt Houlton was ordered to take his tanks (three females) to U3a which he reached at 2:30am on the 25^th. ^(W1a)

At 4:00am the tanks were ordered to deal with hostile tanks in U4 and U5 and complete mopping up Villers Brettenoux. Lt Houlton got in touch with 51^st and 52^nd Australian Battalions who stated they were being harassed by enemy MGs in Bois d’Arquanne, Villers Bretennoux and the Railway south west of the village. ^(W1a)

At 11.00pm on the 24^th orders were received from 3^rd Tank Brigade to send all 4 male tanks in “B” and “C” Companies to Daours. Capt Hunniken gathered the four tanks; 2 from Merricort L’Abbe, one from C20.d.6.8. and one from C11.c.3.9. proceeded to Daouers O1a.3.0, which was reached at 10am on the 25^{th (W1a)}

Account of Operations

Lt Houlton

At 6:20am the tanks proceeded along the eastern edge of the Bois D’Arquanne and silenced enemy MGs therein, they then silenced an enemy trench mortar in o34a.8.2 and went along the valley in O34d and O35c but found no enemy there so rallied back to U3c. ^(W1a)

The tanks were then ordered to mop up Villers Brettenoux which they re-entered via the Valley in O34d and O35c. A few small parties of the enemy were dispersed near the railway station, and the tanks patrolled around the South West edge of the village but no other enemy troops were met so the tanks returned to U3a by 12:30pm, rounding up 8 prisoners in O35c en route. ^(W1a)

As the Australians had no further use for the tanks they withdrew to T4a, en-route the tanks were ordered by Brig Gen Elles to tow a derelict Whippet [presumably 244], this proved impossible and the whippet was abandoned in U3b7.5 [bottom half of reference letters missing on photograph of original document] ^(W1a)

At 4:30am on the 25^th Lt Payne was ordered to take his tank to U1a, the tank broke down but eventually started at 8am. It went to O27c5.4 where an officer of the 23^rd Brigade indicated he should patrol the Bois D’Arquenne, Lt Payne did so until 4:30pm but encountered no enemy. ^(W1a)

At 1:20am on the 25th Capt Keogh was ordered to take two tanks to T11 central from whence they would proceed to mop up the Bois de Hangard in U16a. The attack was cancelled as the infantry had moped up the wood without the tanks, one tank 4700 had broken down en route and proceeded very slowly. Both tanks returned to T4a by 7:20am. ^(W1a)

Composite section

Capt Hunniken set off for Villers Bretonneaux at 10am on the 25^th with three tanks, the fourth having broken down before reaching the Daoures.. At 11am Capt Hunniken reported to the BGC of 15^th Australian Brigade who said he only needed one tank to stand by at O34a.8.8. as the line was not established there; 2Lt Butler remained and the other two tanks returned to T4a. At 5:40pm 2Lt Butler was ordered by 8^th Division to support 1 company of pioneers and mop up the South East corner of Villers Bretonneaux, then proceed to assist the 15^th Australian brigades attack on the Monument in U6a central. The tank did as ordered but broke down in the South East corner of Villers Bretonneaux. ^(W1a)

Note: The War History incorrectly merges the actions of the 25^th and 26^th April. The above is based on the report which is assumed to be correct.

Summary

Total Tanks: 8

Failed to Start: 2

Engaged enemy: 4

Ditched / Broke Down: 0

Hit and Knocked out: 0

Rallied: 8

Note:

Total doesn’t include Capt Keoghs two tanks.

Aftermath

Some of the surviving tanks fought again on the 26^th.

The following tanks were salved by No 2 field Salvage Company in May and June 1918 from the Villers Brettenoux (mostly Querrie Wood) area and were therefore presumably with 1^st battalion:

2037, 2315, 2320, 2606, 2627, 2682, 2732, 2738, 2831, 2867, 4086, 4611, 4612, 6009

Sources

W1– 1st Battalion’s War diary. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum

W1a – HQ 3^rd Tank Brigade. Report on operations South of the river Somme from 24^th April 1918, to 26^th April 1918 in PRO WO 95 / 109

H1 – 1st Battalion’s War History. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum

OH – Official History 1918 Vol II Chap XXI, pg 881ff

S43 - Tank Warfare (1933, 1987 edition), Frank Mitchell MC

1st Battalion. April 1918