1st Battalion. 26 April 1918

The Tanks at Villers Bretonneux. 26^th April 1918

1st Battalion, with Moroccan Div, ^(OH)

A, Company, 1st Battalion had 6 MK IV tanks in action on 26^th April 1918 ^(w1a)

A and C Companies ^{(s42. P102)} – Major Pearsall HG MC

Right Section ^(w1a), A Company ^{(s42. P102)} – Lt Grove CFS ^(w1a)

Male

Female

Female

Left Section^(w1a) , C Company ^{(s42. P102)} - Capt Hunniken FS^(w1a)

Lt Gibbon C

Male, Lt Wilson

Male, 2Lt Butler

Note:

“C” Company’s crews had taken over “A” Company’s tanks on the 26^{th (W1)}

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 1st 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 ^(W1a)

At 5pm on the 25^th Major Pearsall was ordered to send as many tanks as possible to co-operate with the Moroccan Division who were to attack between U6a.5.7. and U17a.0.5. Two sections of three tanks were provided:

H Hour 5:15am

Right section assembly point U15b.9.2

Left section assembly point O34c.2.2.

Account of Operations ^(W1a)

Right section

The two female tanks started at 4:45am and got into action at 5:30am engaging enemy MGs along the north side of Hangard Wood and thus protecting the French right flank. The enemy counterattacked at 6am and the tanks patrolled in the mist until 8:30am inflicting heavy casualties on dense masses of the enemy.

The male tank had autovac trouble and thus started late at 5am, whilst en route to the northern edge of Hangard Wood the tank met some British infantry who asked for help on the Southern edge of the wood. The tank went with them to U17c.2.8. where it silenced at least 4 enemy MGs, though actual results were hard to determine in the mist.

As the infantry were not advancing all the tanks withdrew to U7a. It was decided not to make further use of tanks until fresh crews and tanks could be provided so all the tanks returned to T4a.

Left Section

2Lt Butlers tank presumably remained broken down in Villers Bretonneaux. ^(W1a)

Lt Gibbons tank broke down and failed to reach the start point. ^(W1a)

Lt Wilson’s tank went to [last line on page missing] the infantry objectives in U6b and U6d. ^(W1a) he went right though Villers Bretonneaux, successfully silenced an enemy battery and patrolled some enemy trenches inflicting heavy casualties. ^(H1) with MGs and Case shot, only returning when all the ammunition was used up. The tank then returned to the assembly point, broke down, was repaired and returned to T4a. ^(W1a) Eight of his crew were slightly wounded ^(H1)

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: 5

Failed to Start:2

Engaged enemy: 4

Ditched / Broke Down: 0

Hit and Knocked out: 0

Rallied: 4

Note:

Rallied doesn’t include the two tanks that failed to start.

Aftermath

1^st Battalion sent 4 tanks into action on the 28^th April.

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