6 Battalion 5 November 1918

The Battle of Sambre. 5^th November 1918

6 Battalion, with 2^nd Scots Guards, 3^rd Guards Brigade, Guards Division, VI Corp, 3^rd Army (OH)

Part of 2^nd Tank Brigade, transferred from the 4^th tank brigade on the 19^th October (H6)

6 Battalion, Composite Company had 4 tanks in action on 5^th November 1918 (H6):

Composite Company

6 tanks

Lt Brock

Lt Jones

Lt Plant

Notes

On 19^th October the engines on tanks A332 and A335 were transferred (W6t).

On the 21^st October A315, A235, A237, A241, A242, A317, and A340 joined the Battalion (W6t)

On the 24^th October A230, A290, A345, A353, A211, A257, A305, A240, A283, A318, A293, A289, A308 and A342 joined the Battalion (W6t)

Orders

The tanks were following the VI Corps attack, 6 ditched or broke down whilst moving forward, including A351 and A290. Six tanks eventually reached Bout – la - Haut where they agreed to attack in support of “A” Company, 2^nd Scots Guards, who were pinned down in a sunken road at H33c by MG fire (H6). The tanks split into two sections, one section being ordered to go in a North Easterly direction, one tank going through Bermieres, the other two around the west of Bermieres. The second section of two tanks were sent to the railway 400yds to the right of Farm de Cambren (H6) N4b(W6t) to cover the advance of the Grenadiers (H6)^.)

Account of Operations

Lt Brock’s section of two tanks (W6t) left the road east of Bout – la – Haut and immediately came under heavy MG fire. They fired short bursts of suppressing fire into the hedgerows and railway embankment, seeing a few fleeting targets; then turned back to bring the infantry forward (H6).

Lt Plant’s section of three tanks silenced a battery firing on Lt Plant’s centre tank from the north east are of Buvignes (H6), H36a (W6t) the battery was fired on and dispersed.; two Mgs were also put out of action. Lt Plant and Lt Jones then returned to Bermieres and met the 2^nd Scots Guards who were advancing through the village (H6), at 12.30, the tanks led the infantry into the village (W2SG.p109). The tanks joined the infantry and attempted to support their attack on the high ground that ran through Buvignies. Lt Plant’s tank broke down and the driver was hit whilst attempting to repair it, Lt Plant boarded Lt Jones’ tank and it proceeded to advance behind the German lines where it became bellied (H6) at N5b.9.9 (W6t) on a tree stump in Buvisiau, the tank was blown up about midnight and the crew all captured. The 2^nd Scots Guards advanced and formed a line near Buvignies (H6)^.

The other four tanks all returned and rallied (H6)^.

Summary

Total Tanks: 6

Failed to Start:

Engaged enemy:

Ditched / Broke Down: 2

Hit and knocked out:

Rallied: 4

Aftermath

Lt Jones tank was found at N5b.9.9 when the British liberated the area.

This was 6^th Battalions last action. This was the last British tank action of the Great War.

Sources

H6 – 6^th Battalion War History, (1919) Naval and Military Press

W6t – 6^th Battalion War Diary. Pdf download from PRO Kew, WO 95-107-3, p119

W2SG - 2nd Scots Guards War diary, Pdf download from PRO Kew, WO 95-1223-4_2, p109

OH – Official History, 1918, Vol. 5, pg.498f

The following sources do not mention tanks

W3GB - - 3rd Guards Brigade War Diary, November and December 1918, Pdf download from PRO Kew, WO 95-1222-7

Map - 6 Battalion, 5 November 1918

Sambre - 4 to 11 November 1918

F / 6th Battalion