14 Battalion
C Company
4 November 1918
Battle of the Sambre, 4th November 1918
14th Battalion, C Company with 37th Division, IV Corps, 3rd Army
14th Battalion, C Company intended to get 5 tanks into action on 4th November 1918
C Company – Company Commander Cooper RF,
Section Commander Capt. Hodgkinson PS
9117, 2Lt Miller WDB
9043, Job, 2Lt Harris A
9060, Sgt Thompson HW
9047, 2Lt Skace KC
9389, 2Lt Hayes E
Supply, wireless and signal tanks
See 2 Tank Supply Company narrative for details.
Not in Action
9326
Notes
Source H14t p58
C Company's 8 tanks had been taken over from the 301st US battalion on 31st October.
9326 is the number given to 2Lt HA Hayes tank in "C" Company’s typed account, it has been crossed out and replaced by the number 9389. 9326 was possibly one of the three "C" Company tanks which weren't committed to this action.
Some tanks may not have been carrying un-ditching beams (H14t p60)
9043's name from W1Ess p98, with thanks to Derek Clayton
Orders
C Company was to send 5 of their 8 tanks to operate with 111th and 112th Brigades, 37th Division, IV Corps.
The section was split into two groups:
the northern group comprising of tanks 9117 and 9043 was to start from X4b.2.4 and support 13 Kings Royal Rifle Corps (13KRRC)
the southern, group of three tanks, 9060,9047 and 9389 to start from X6a7.2 [presumably X10a7.2 meant ?] and suuport13 Rifle Brigade (13RB)
37 Division was attacking on a single brigade front, 111th Brigade was to take the the area up to the blue dotted line, 13 KRRC on the left, 13 RB on the right. (W111b p58)
The tanks were to assist the infantry in clearing the orchards to the west of Louvigniers, they were not to pass through the village (W111b . p60)
Tank signals:
Tanks to infantry:
(a) Green and white flag - "come on"
(b) Yellow and red flag - "I am broken down, go on"
(c) Red, White and Blue flag - "I am coming out of action"
Infantry to tank:
(a) Bayonet or rifle waved form side to side above the head "R.D"
(b) helmet or rifle held above the head "Tank Wanted" (W13KRRC p28)
Zero was 05:30. (W111b p58)
Supply, wireless and signal tanks
See 2 Tank Supply Company narrative for details.
Account of Operations
Northern group
9043 and 9117 both went into action north of Ghissignes, both started at Zero and successfully worked west of the railway in X5c.8.9, silencing MGs in the railway embankment. At this point an AP bullet disabled the autovac in 9117 and put the tank out of action. 9043 broke down before it crossed the railway, was repaired, dealt with a lone Mg in X5a central that had been missed by the first wave and was holding up the second wave, the support company of the 13 RB, by 07:15 (H14t) (W111b p64) (w13Rb p190).
The 13 RB reached the Blue line as scheduled at 07:15, thence, at 8am continued their advance and reached the Blue dotted line on time at 08:50. the 112th Brigade had passed through by 09:30. (W111b p64)
9043 caught up with the first wave [ presumably the third wave, i.e. the 1st Essex of 112th Brigade who led the attack from the Blue dotted line] , clearing up the orchards in Sa1 central to N33c central. 9043 then went to N33d central and worked South East through s3a.7.8 and S3b.0.6, the village of Jolimetz, (H14t) arriving at just the right moment to assist the reserve company of the Essex in mopping up the village (W1Ess p98). The tank reached its final objective and then rallied at S2d.9.9. (H14t)
None of the other War Diaries of 112th infantry Brigade mention tanks in their accounts of the advance from the blue line. (W112b, W1Hart, W13Lon)
Southern group
9060 Broke a track on the approach march and did not see action.
9047 started from the starting point at zero but ditched at X11c.3.2 before engaging the enemy.
9389 was suffering from mechanical trouble and was only able to follow the infantry, it reached the final objective without engaging the enemy and rallied.
The 13 KRRC did not see the tanks but were able to advance without them (W13KRRC p 15) and reached the Blue line as scheduled at 07:15 and the 10 Royal Fusiliers (London) passed through and reached the Blue dotted line on time at 08:15 (W111b p64)
2Lt Harris and seven of C Company's other ranks were wounded (H14t p61)
Supply, wireless and signal tanks
See 2 Tank Supply Company narrative for details.
Summary
Total Tanks: 5
Failed to Start: 1
Engaged enemy: 2
Ditched / Broke Down: 2
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 2
Notes
Rallied doesn’t include 9060 which failed to start.
Hit and knocked out includes 9117
Aftermath
This was 14th Battalions’ last action.
Sources
W14t - War Diary of 14th Tank Battalion - Pdf Download from Kew - PRO-WO-95-103-4 pgs 14, 15,
Note the war diary for November 1918 is missing.
H14t - War History of 14th Tank Battalion - Account of operations - Pdf Download from Kew - PRO-WO-95-103-5 Pg 52ff, p65
W18d - War Diary of 18 Infantry Division - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - WO-PRO-2515-5, p25ff. No mention of tanks in Narrative of operations on 4th November 1918,
W111b - War Diary of 111 Infantry Brigade - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2551-5 p58f
W10Lon - War Diary of10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (London) Regiment - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2532-1 this does not mention tanks.
W13KRRC - War Diary of13th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps- Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2533-4 p15, p16, p28
W13RB - War Diary of 13th Battalion Rifle brigade- Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2534-1 p190
W112b - War Diary of 112 Infantry Brigade - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2536-3_2 - No mention of tanks on very brief 4 Nov entry, Narrative of Operations missing.
W13Lon - War Diary of13th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (London) Regiment - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2538-3 this does not mention tanks.
W1Essx - War Diary of 1st Battalion Essex Regiment- Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2537-1, p97, p98
W1Hart - War Diary of 1st Battalion Hertfordshire regiment - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO WO 95-2537-2 this does not mention tanks.
S103 - The Battle of the Sambre: 4 November 1918 (2016) Derek Clayton - Phd thesis, pdf download: https://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/6799/9/Clayton16PhD.pdf