8th Tank Battalion Possible OB 21st March 1918
8th Tank Battalion.
Possible OB on 21st 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 / 23rd - 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 24th
“Hielen Laddie” destroyed on 24th 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 24th 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 2nd Battalion for 2844 (Hadrian II, H31) on the 24th 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 24th ) 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 2nd
H48, 2569, 2Lt Eddon JF (not included in War Diary) from 2nd
12 section (?)
H50, 2645, 2Lt Jackson FH from 9th
H51, 2893, “Hiawatha” (??), Lt Heath (not in W8) Cambrai, H51
H52, 2075, 2Lt Hora from 9th
Supply Tanks
6 in total, including:
6036 from 9th.
6085 from 9th
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 2nd 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 8th Tank Battalion in PRO WO 95 / 114
W8a3 – War Diary of 8th Tank Battalion, 3 Section Commanders Report of Demonstration against Bus in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
W8b – War Diary of 8th Tank Battalion, "B" Company Commanders report 21st - 31st March 1918 in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
W8b7 – War Diary of 8th Tank Battalion, 7 Section Commanders report 24th March 1918 in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
W8bh – War Diary of 8th Tank Battalion, relevant Battle History sheets in Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
W22 - 2nd Brigade Report on Operations. March 20th to April 2nd 1918 in PRO 95 / 102
S61 - Rolling into Action (1934 ?) DE Hickey (2007 reprint) p155ff