2nd Battalion. 21st - 30th March 1918
2nd Battalion OB 21st March 1918
Prologue
Some Supply tanks were probably Top towers and thus were capable of being used as fighting Tanks if need arose (H2)
2nd battalion appear to have painted a large dark rectangle on the front horns of some of their tanks:
X43.p65, http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2185612864/in/set-72157601074582281/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/osborne_villas/2328034843/in/set-72157604100876739/
8th March – Five tanks taken over from 3rd Battalion (W3) by “A” Company (W2) presumably includes 2055 and 2381
12th to 15th March 1918 – Tanks moved to Haplincourt Wood, 10 fighting and 2 tenders per company (W2)
20th March – C Company sent 2 fighting and 1 supply tank to Achiet le Petit for training with 25th Division (H2)
Orders
The whole Battalion was in reserve in Haplincourt Wood (H2)
21st March 1918
Wood was shelled, no damage to tanks (H2)
22nd March 1918
At 3pm Battalion ordered forward as follows (H2)
A Company: To the west of Beugny to drive into the enemy towards Monchie.
B Company: To the east of Beugny to engage the enemy to the west of Monchie
C Company: To the west of Beugny seek and engage the enemy to the east of Vaux and then towards Maricourt Wood
The battalion was supposed to supported by 9 Welch and 11 Cheshire. WO 95 2092-2 pg 150, WO95-2250-1_2 pg.69,
Account of Operations
A Company: In action near Maricourt Copse (W2)
B Company: In action West of Morchies (W2)
C Company: In action near Beugny (W2)
3 “A” Company tanks broke down and didn’t attack probably 2631, 2650 and 4570 (95 -93)
2819 appears to have started but not got into action due to Mechanical trouble, but did drive two and a quarter miles and fired 50 MG rounds (95 -93). The author believes this may be the eighth C Company tank which is missing from the War Diary’s total.
The 9 Welsh were busy fighting off enemy attacks and thus could not support the tanks. A and C companies of the Chesire's did set off in support but finding both flanks in the air they withdrew after advancing three hundred yards. The tanks thus attacked without infantry support. WO 95 2092-2 pg 150, WO95-2250-1_2 pg.69, WO 2089-1_1 pg 84, WO 95-1620-1_2 -pg 2
The remaining 25 fighting tanks (24 in War Diary) with no infantry and little artillery support, came into action from about 4.30pm when they crossed the Bapaume - Cambrai Road and were fired upon by enemy MGs, and then, shortly thereafter by heavy direct artillery fire. The tanks moved amongst the enemy infantry who were massing, apparently for another attack, and did good execution amongst them causing them to rapidly retire (H2)
2679 and 2381 both broke down having been in action for 2 hours and driven 2 miles. 2679 fired 600 MG rounds and 2381 fired 50 6pdr, 200 MG Rounds and the OIC and 5 crewmen were wounded. Both tanks were presumably abandoned (95 -93).
Eight Tanks were Hit and Knocked out:
4589 was in action for an hour and a half west of Morchies, and fired about 600 MG rounds before it was Hit and Knocked out. The OIC and 2 crewmen were wounded, 5 crewmen missing.
2078 was seen doing good execution North of Beugny before it suffered a direct hit, OIC and all 7 crewmen missing.
8052 Reached the objective and fired on enemy but suffered a direct hit which wounded 4 Crewmen. The OIC and 3 remaining crewmen were missing.
2619 was in action for about two hours firing about 600 MG rounds. It then suffered a direct hit which wounded the OIC and five crewmen.
6017 was in action for about an hour and fired heavily on the enemy before it was hit and knocked out, the OIC and 4 crewmen were wounded and 3 crewmen missing
8027 was in action for about two hours near Beugny and fired fifty three 6 pdr and presumably some MG rounds. It suffered a direct hit which killed the OIC and one crewman.
B52 (2774 ?) was in action for about two hours Maricourt Wood, firing thirty 6 pdr and 200 MG rounds. It suffered a direct hit which wounded 4 crewmen, the OIC and 2 crewmen were missing.
Five tanks were Missing along with their entire crews (OICs and 7 crewmen per tank)
2866 and 2735 were both in action for two hours near Maricourt Wood.
B48 (2095 ?) was in action to left of Maricourt Wood.
2795 was in action near Vaux Vraucourt.
8029 no details of action given.
8029 was possibly photographed in German Hands with some of its crew - X41.p65. Though this may be another 2nd Battalion male tank.
Two tanks, a female, B21 and another tank were photographed after capture by the Germans: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2185612864/in/set-72157601074582281/
Six tanks rallied undamaged, all bar 2334 were in action for 2 hours.
2872 in action west of Morchies, fired 1000 MG rounds. OIC and 1 crewman wounded.
2555 drove 6 miles, fired 1100 Mg rounds. Five crewmen wounded.
2055 drove 2 ¼ miles, fired six 6pdr, and 100 MG rounds. All Mg were disabled by enemy fire, 4 crewmen wounded.
6013 drove 4 miles, fired 500 MG rounds. OIC and 5 OR wounded by AP bullets.
B41 (??) was in action near Maricourt Wood for two and a half hours. Fired seven 6 pdr and 100 MG rounds.
2334 suffered mechanical trouble and thus arrived late at the objective, found no good targets but fired fifteen 6pdr and 300 MG rounds.
Four tanks were Hit but rallied
2641, "Blacklook" was in action for 3 ½ hours and drove 4 miles, helped drive enemy out of Harincourt wood and vicinity. Direct hit by hostile field guns at 500 yds range. OIC killed and 6 crewmen wounded..
4671 was in action for two hours and drove two miles, fired 1200 MG rounds. The tank was hit and evacuated. One crewman was killed and one wounded. The crew continued to engage enemy from a shell hole with good results for one hour then re boarded tank and eventually succeeded in bringing it back.
2037 was in action for two hours to west of Morchies and drove six miles, fired one hundred 6 pdr and 300 MG rounds. Tank suffered a direct hit, three Lewis Guns knocked out by enemy fire and three other ranks wounded. Tank rallied.
8007 In action to left of Beugny, drove 5 miles. Fired fifteen 6 pdr and 800 MG rounds. Suffered a direct hit but rallied, OIC killed, two crew wounded
A Company tanks in action near Maricourt Copse, B Company West of Morchies, C Company near Beugny (W2)
That 2641 was "Blacklook" is extrapolated from the medal citation for Pte Dowdell in the Tank Corps Book of Honour which states he drove "Blacklook" out of action on the 22nd March with a dead OCI and six wounded crewman. This description fits the summary entry for 2641 in PRO WO 95-93
The first tanks withdrew at 7.30pm, 16 had been hit and knocked out [or were missing], one when its radiator was pierced by an MG bullet fired from an aeroplane, enemy aircraft being very active, this is the first recorded instance of a British tank being knocked out by an aircraft, 3 were hit but returned, 6 returned undamaged (H2)
108 men and 19 officers became casualties (out of 175 men and 25 officers) (H2)
Summary of Summary (95 -93) states
29 tanks started (presumably counting 2641 twice)
26 in action (2641 twice)
24 reached objective (2641 twice)
13 rallied (4 with mech trouble and 4 having been hit); (includes 2819?)
5 missing
8 knocked out
3 broke down and abandoned (includes 2334 ?)
23rd March 1918
The 14 surviving Fighting and 6 supply tanks were withdrawn to Aveluy (H2)
A Coy: 7 tanks and 2 tenders (W2)
B Coy: 4 tanks and 2 tenders (W2)
C Coy: 1 tanks and 3 tenders (W2)
also 3 tanks from Achiet Le Petit (W2)
24th March 1918
Crews worked on the tanks at Aveluy (H2)
In the evening 6 fighting tanks and 2 tenders were taken over from 2nd Brigade school, joined two tanks of 13th Battalion (H2) 8074 and one other (possibly 2562) under the command of 2Lt Lovell (W13Bv) and were sent up under the command of Major Diamond to protect the Albert – Bapaume Road (H2)
Most of battalion formed into Lewis gun teams (W2)
25th March 1918
No mention of tanks in 2nd Tank Battlion's War Diary or History.
25-Mar-18 - Four Photographs show three female (and possibly a male) tank in Aveluy:
IWM Q 8638: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205244476
IWM Q 8639: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205244477
IWM Q 8640: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205244478
IWM Q 8641: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205244479 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/osborne_villas/2328034843/in/set-72157604100876739/
The front tank one has a large "B" on a dark rectangle on its front horn and the name "Blacklo.." on it's front Glacis, probably "Blacklook", 2641; the rear tank also displays the large "B" and appears to carry the serial 2819; the middle female tank (which has a large amount of material on its roof) is most probably "Bushranger II" , 2872 see 26-Mar entry below,. "Blacklook" may have a small hole in its front glacis.
In IWM Q 8638 the front tank appears to be a male, though this may be an optical illusion or the tanks may have moved.
26-Mar-18 - 1 Field Salvage Company - Three tanks, "Blacklook", "Bushranger" and an unnamed one brought to Warloy from Aveluy having been recovered from "practically under fritzes' nose", tanks then to trek onto Beaval and Doullens WO 95-96-4 p5
27-Mar-18 - 1 Field Salvage Company - Tank "Buster" brought in and sent after other tanks to trek to Doullens WO 95-96-4 p5
26th March 1918
7 tanks and one tender at Henencourt under Maj Diamond (H2)
Battalions tanks near Acheux with Capts. Porter and Black (H2)
No 10 section reached Varrennes (W2)
27th March 1918
Detachments mostly rallied at Querrie, Major Diamond brought 6 fighting tanks and one tender back from Henencourt, one tank (H2) (8074) (W13bv) was abandoned and burnt out (H2)
28th and 29th March
7 tanks on strength, being worked on (H2)
Tanks at Querrie being cleaned (W2)
30th March
Six 2nd battalion tanks were with the 1st battalion (H24)
31st March
Battalion pulled out from the line and sent to Blangy for re-equipping with Mk V tanks (H2)
3rd April
13th battalion tank and both crews returned to 13th battalion (W13Bv)
9th or 10th April - One of four tanks filmed near Bethunne with the crew number "B" followed by a the rectangle, the serial number 4??? is on the rear horn, perhaps 4671 or 4570 ?
IWM 184: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060022684
Sources:
H2 - Transcript of 2nd Battalion’s War History from Bovington.
W2 – Transcript of 2nd Battalion’s War Diary from Bovington.
W13Bv - 13th Battalion Records, Bovington Tank Museum, E2009.3518, personal papers of "Lt Bertram Lovell
95-93 - Summary of battle History Sheets in PRO WO 95-93
H24 - War History of 4th Tank Brigade in PRO WO 95-108
WO 95 2092-2 pg 150 - War Diary 9 Royal Welsh, pdf download from PRO
WO 95-2250-1_2 pg.69 - War Diary 11 Cheshire, pdf download from PRO
WO 95 2089-1_1 pg 84 - War Diary 58 Brigade pdf download from PRO
WO 95-1620-1_2 -pg 2 - War Diary 71 Brigade, pdf download from PRO