8thbattlionmarch21stand22nd1918
8th Battalion March 21st and 22nd 1918
Orders
The whole Battalion was in reserve in the Tankodrome at Velu Wood (Sheet 57c) j.31.b.5.4.
Battalion to operate with 19th (reserve) division.
Three contingency plans for counter attacks were drawn up. In the event the plan adopted on 21st March 1918 was that of a counter attack towards Doignes (W8) in support of 57th brigade, 19th Division (W8bh).
21st March 1918
8th Battalion had 12 tanks in action on the 21st March 1918
Composite Company. OIC Maj Blackburn ED MC.
Supporting 19th Division, 57th Infantry Brigade,
A company
1 Section
H1, 8098, m, 2Lt Prentice
H2, 2659, 2Lt Guy B (W8bh)
H3, 2824, f, 2Lt Batstone(W8bh)
2 Section
H4, 2865, "Hermit", 2Lt Ferguson GW
H5, 8083, 2lt Lyness I
H6, 2831, 2Lt Maycock CA
B Company
5 Section
H21, 2814, 2Lt Jones EAH
H22, 4580, “HW3” (W8), 2Lt Viveash WH
H23, 2612, “Hong Kong” (W8bh), 2Lt Jarman AE
6 Section
H24, 4687, “Hotspur II”, Lt Gudgin LH
H25, 8002, 2Lt Glanville IAC
H26, 2894, “Hurricane” (W8), Sgt Swedgewick GH
Note:
Hickey mistakingly states (S61.p172) that 2Lt Viveash took tank “Hong Kong” into action for the fourth time on 21st March, the 24 March Battle history sheet identifies “Hong Kong” as 2612. Tank 4580 was HW1 in January 1918).
Company moved from Velu wood at 4,15pm to position of assembly South of road running through J.26.b and J.27.a.
Account of Operations
The attack commenced at Zero hour 6.40pm.
1 section, H1 and H3 were ordered to the East side of Doignes Village. Both reached their objective, engaged the enemy, scattering hostile bombers, and retuned to rally, suffered 2 wounded crewmen per tank. H2 is not mentioned in the war Diary’s narrative but its battle history sheet indicates it also made it to the far side of Doignes before rallying, the Summary states it suffered one wounded crewman.
2 section, H4, H5 and H6 were ordered to the South East corner of Doignes Village. H5 and H6 both reached their objective, H5 fired very little and H6 didn't fire at all as they were unable to distinguish between British and German infantry in the growing darkness, both tanks retuned to rally, One of H5's and two of H6's crewmen were wounded. H4 and its crew disappeared and was not seen again.
5 Section, H21, H22, H23 also attacked Doignes, they failed to reach their objective due to the dark. H21 silenced some MGs to the East of the village but was penetrated by an MG bullet which wounded the OIC, five crewmen and damaged the engine. The tank was successfully nursed back to the rallying point. H22 and H23 both fired 600 MG rounds and rallied, suffering one and six wounded crewmen respectively. Lt Jarman (H23) was also wounded according to the Summary.
6 Section H24, H25, H26 also attacked Doignes, they also failed to reach their objective due to the dark. H24 was penetrated by an AP bullet that disabled the engine, whilst the crew were attempting to repair the engine the tank suffered a direct hit from an artillery shell and was thus abandoned and later photographed here by the Germans (X60.p66) and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2973228998/in/set-72157601074582281/
. The crew formed a strongpoint near the tank and only retreated when the infantry no longer needed them. H25 and H26 both rallied having engaged the enemy, H26 was not followed by its supporting infantry but knocked out at least 3 MGs. H25 suffered 5 wounded crewmen.
Surviving tanks rallied to Gaika Copse in I.36.d, whence the tankodrome (and the rest of the Battalion) had been moved when the movement of the Composite Company from Velu Wood had attracted the attention of enemy observation Aircraft and then the wood was heavily shelled.
Hickey gives a description of this action (S61.p175ff) and states the surviving tanks were destroyed at “a crossroads” (S61.p178).
Summary
Total Tanks: 12
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 11
Ditched / Broke Down:
Hit and Knocked out: 2
Rallied: 10
Engaged enemy and Hit and Knocked out both include H4
Aftermath
22nd March
A and B companies moved to Haplincourt and camouflaged their tanks north of the Haplincourt – Bancourt Road in I.32.d and I.32.c. C company remained at Gaika Copse in 19th Division reserve until the evening when they to moved to Haplincourt, camouflaging their tanks at I.33.c.
H2 broke down on the 22nd whilst proceeding from Velu Wood to Haplincourt. It was eventually abandoned and destroyed on 24th following two days spent fruitlessly trying to repair it.
Sources:
W8 - Transcript of 8th Battalion’s War Diary from Bovington.
W8a - Summary of 8th Battalion's March 1918 Battle history Sheets in PRO WO 95 / 93
W8bhs - 8th Battalions 1918 Battle History Sheets; Transcript from Bovington Tank Museam.
S61 – Rolling into action (1934 ?) DE Hickey p 155ff
8th Battalion March 23rd to 27th 1918