8th Tank Battalion Possible OB 21st March 1918

8^th Tank Battalion.

Possible OB on 21^st March 1918 (and known / possible previous history of tanks)

A company OIC - Maj Blackburn R ^(W8)

1 Section

H1, 8098, m, "Hector II", 2Lt Prentice ^(W8bh)

H2, 2659, 2Lt Guy B ^(W8bh) from 9th

H3, 2824, f, 2Lt Batstone ^(W8bh) from 9th

2 Section

H4, 2865, "Hermit", 2Lt Ferguson GW ^(W8bh) Cambrai

H5, 8083, 2lt Lyness I ^(W8bh) Cambrai

H6, 2831, 2Lt Maycock CA / 23^rd - 2Lt Fyffe DR ^(W8bh) from 9th, I46

3 Section

H7, 8116, "Harrier II" ^(W8a3), 2Lt Hassell TG

^{H8, 2622, f, “Huntsman III”, 2Lt Gallaway (W8b) (W8a3)} from 9th, I31

^{H9, 2870, f, “Hoick Holloa”, 2Lt Wilson (W8b) (W8a3)} Cambrai, H8

4 Section

H10, 2867, “Huntress”, 2Lt Whitehead ^(W8bh) Cambrai, H10

H12, 8021, m, “Hielin Laddie” 2Lt Folkard CE ^(W8bh) Cambrai, H12

Notes:

H1 name extrapolated from photograph which shows "Hector II" in German hands. (Courtesy of Gwyn Evans). The tank does not appear to be damaged or burnt out and thus best fits the description of 8098's demise on the March 24th BHS.

H4 was "Hermit" when with 2Lt Ferguson at Cambrai, the same officer was with H4, 2865 in march 1918. it is therefore possible "Hermit" is 2865.

“Harrier II” was with 3 section and commanded by Lt Miles according to the War Diary. He’s listed as in H28 on the battle history sheets.

H11 appears to be missing. This may still be “Helen”.

Folkard (H3) and Batstone (H12) swapped tanks on the 24^th

“Hielen Laddie” destroyed on 24^th according to the War Diary, made it to Beuval according to the Battle History sheet.

8098 and 8116 are not mentioned elsewhere, both may have been with the battalion at Cambrai though their numbers are a little high for November 1917.

Two photographs courtesy of Gwyn Evans and IWM Video 184 indicated H6 and H8 were still carrying their "I" battalion crew numbers (I46 and I31) and names ("Inviolate" and the last letters of a name that is clearly not "Huntsman").

B Company – Maj. Grounds IA ^(W8)

5 Section

H21, 2814, 2Lt Jones EAH ^(W8bh) from 9th

H22, 4580, “HW3” ^(W8), 2Lt Viveash WH ^(W8bh) Cambrai, HW3

H23, 2612, “Hong Kong” , 2Lt Jarman AE ^(W8bh) Cambrai, H23

6 Section

H24, 4687, “Hotspur II”, Lt Gudgin LH ^(W8bh) from 2nd

H25, 8002, 2Lt Glanville IAC ^(W8bh)

H26, 2894, “Hurricane” ^(W8b), Sgt Swedgewick GH ^(W8bh) Cambrai, H50

7 Section - Capt DE Hickey ^(S61.p167) Capt DE Hoper (24th March) ^(W8b7)

H27, 2355, ““Hermosa II” ^(W8b), Lt Mickle ^(W8b7) from 9th

H28, 2566, “Harlequin II” ^(W8b), Lt Miles ^(W8b7) from 2nd

H29, 2822, Lt Beddard ^(W8b7) from 9th

Note:

One tank was named "Havoc", the author has not been able to identify which tank this is.

Hickey incorrectly states (S61 p155ff) H27 was “Havoc” and H28 “Hadrian”, he doesn’t name H29 S61.p167, he also implies “Havoc” was a male tank S61.p169. Vivesh states 2612 was Knocked out whilst stopped to assist a ditched “Havoc” on the 24^th near Baraste ^(W8bh). Hickey is mistaken about “Hadrian” as the original tank (8027, but the authors photograph of the War Diary entry is unclear) was swapped with 2^nd Battalion for 2844 (Hadrian II, H31) on the 24^th February 1918)

8 Section – Capt Edwards ^(W8)

H30, 6016, “Harrow II” ^(W8), 2Lt Hotherstall from 9th

H31, 2844, “Hadrian II”, 2Lt Draper from 2nd

H32, m, 8014, “Hydra II” ^(W8b), 2Lt Gibbons Cambrai, “Hilda”

According to the War Diary H32 was 8041, “Hydra II” ^(W8b). The author believes this is a typo as 8014 had been transferred from "A" Company to "B" Company during January 1918 ^(W8) and is not referred to thereafter. 8041 is not mentioned in other sources. 8014 was formally “Hilda”,

C Company. OIC Maj Bennewith JA.

Capt Grimley CW

9 section (?)

???, 2579, , Harrison Bill from 9th

???, 2875 (H47, 2Lt Allwood on 24^th ) possibly "Hengist" at Cambrai

???, 8086, 2Lt Couper, James Cambrai, possibly ”Henry VIII"

???, 8105, 2Lt de Courcy, JG

10 Section

H44 (??), 8022, m, 2Lt Jennison RC Possibly “Hummingbird” at Cambrai,??

H45, 2695, f, 2Lt Bond G from 9th

H46, 4563, 2Lt MacDonald J Cambrai, possibly HW2 ??

11 section (?)

H47, 2856, 2Lt Jefferies ROG from 2^nd

H48, 2569, 2Lt Eddon JF (not included in War Diary) from 2^nd

12 section (?)

H50, 2645, 2Lt Jackson FH from 9^th

H51, 2893, “Hiawatha” (??), Lt Heath (not in W8) Cambrai, H51

H52, 2075, 2Lt Hora from 9^th

Supply Tanks

6 in total, including:

6036 from 9^th.

6085 from 9^th

Note:

2875: 2Lt Allwood commanded "Hengist" on 20th November 1918. There is no further record of this tank, it may therefore be 2875.

H51 "Hiawatha" at Cambrai, there is no further record of this tank, it may therefore be H51 2893 in March 1918.

8086 may be "Henry VIII", a photograph shows a tank named "Henry" KO in a village (Reference needed).

8083 may possibly be "Hummingbird", a pohtograph shows the tank derelict, but it is not known when the photograph was taken or by whom. (E-bay photograph)

Including the supply tanks, 41 tanks are listed above, 41 tanks were with the battalion according to the 2^nd Brigade Report on Operations.

Primary Source

W8bh – Battle History Sheets of relevant tanks in 1918. Transcript from Bovington Tank museum.

Other Sources

W8 – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion in PRO WO 95 / 114

W8a3 – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion, 3 Section Commanders Report of Demonstration against Bus in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.

W8b – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion, "B" Company Commanders report 21^st - 31^st March 1918 in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.

W8b7 – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion, 7 Section Commanders report 24^th March 1918 in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.

W8bh – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion, relevant Battle History sheets in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.

W22 - 2^nd Brigade Report on Operations. March 20^th to April ^2nd 1918 in PRO 95 / 102

S61 - Rolling into Action (1934 ?) DE Hickey (2007 reprint) p155ff

21 March 1918 - Tank Battlalion OB

8th Battalion March 1918