9 Battalion A Company 29 September 1918
Canal St Quentin. 29th September 1918
"A" Company, 9 Battalion, with 14th Brigade, 32nd Division, IX Corp, 4th Army (W23)
A Company, 9th battalion had 7 fighting tanks in action on 29th September 1918 (W23)
A Company
1 section Capt Crick FW
I2, 9075, 2Lt Smith HR (W9bhs)
I3,
I20, Lt Crowther
3 section Capt Edmond CH
I11, 2Lt Mallard
I12 Sgt Bonnett S
I8, Lt Matheson A
Unnumbered section – Capt Wilkins CH MC
I18, 2Lt Rodden
Plus two repaired tanks
Supply tanks
2 tanks
Wireless tank
A Mk V with a wireless set. Lt Miller
Notes
The battalion had received six tanks form Villers Brettonneux on the 24th (H9)
Orders
As the St Quentin Canal formed an impassable obstacle in front of the Corps the infantry (American II corps) were to advance and capture the brown line without tank support; meanwhile the tanks were to head north and cross over the canal tunnel at a point just south of Bellicourt then press southwards. “B” and “C” companies would join the 46th Division's 138th and 139th brigades respectively and support their attack on the Green Line. ”A” company were to join the 32nd Division on the Green Line and move off to attack the red Line when the barrage lifted. (W23) (H9)
The infantry had not trained or operated with tanks before (W23)
“A” Company to leave Bois d’hervilly at Zero and proceed 1000yds behind “B” Company, cross the canal south of Ebllincourt and then proceed south towards Belinglise and to pick up infantry of 14th Brigade on the green line at Zero plus 8 hrs 40 mins between H32b.5.4. and N2c.7.3 then lead the infantry to the red Line between H34d.6.7. and N9d.4.6.
Capt Cricks section with 15th HLI to capture le Tronquoy, le Tronquoy wood and the trench system south of the canal.
Capt Redmond’s section to support 1st Dorsets and capture Fleche Wood and the trench system form H32b.5.7. to W4 central
Capt Wilkins section to be kept in reserve to support 5/6th Royal Scots.
The 2 Supply tanks were to carry infantry supplies to La Bararge (unclear) (W23).
The wireless tank was to follow the advance and transmit back as necessary (W23).
Account of Operations
The two repaired tanks in Capt Wilkins section both broke down on the way to Bois D Hervily (lying up point) on the 28th and failed to attack.
A thick mist descended on the morning of the attack. Tanks started at 6:30am. Stopped to fill up at L24a.9.1, the reserve tank threw a track but was repaired and rejoined the company. Despite being bombarded the ground was still easily passable by the tanks. The company caught the rest of the battalion up as they had halted at Riqueveal road; MG fire was coming from the right. Riqueval, the eastern canal bank and Nauroy were still in enemy hands. “B” and “C” companies assisted the Australians and Americans in clearing Riquival and the Eastern canal bank. After half an hour Capt Edmonds section was sent with some Americans to deal with the guns on the canal bank.
The battalion then re grouped near Riqueval and belated proceeded with their original orders. (W23)
The battalion reached the canal bank and by H+4 hours 40mins the Company had crossed the canal, Capt Cricks section was then sent to attack Nauroy with the Americans; the MGs were suppressed but the infantry did not follow up so the village was not properly mopped up.
I2 mistakenly joined 1st battalion who were sporting large “1” as part of their crew numbers, I2 spent the rest of the day operating with 1st Battalion. (W23) I2 worked along the west side of the village, meeting no opposition; then headed north and killed and MG crew trying to escape along a trench to the north of the village with their gun. The tanks engaged numerous MGs in the north of the village, using the 6pdr to demolish walls to get at the enemy; the tank then skirted to the east of the village and silenced two MGs in the Sugar factory. The tank returned to the north of the village, met the Australians and silenced two MGs at their request. The tansk was no eth only one left in the village so it helped the infantry consolidate by –patrolling the village and mopping up. I2 rejoined the company at the Rally point at 1600hrs (W9bhs)
“B” and “C” companies failed to catch the infantry on the Brown Line, instead meeting them on the Yellow Line; when the tanks didn’t arrive the infantry had, as ordered, advanced without them. (W23)
At 13:00 the remaining 6 tanks proceeded towards the green line and filled up at Springbok Valley.
“A” Company could not locate the 14th Brigade’s infantry so pushed on to the green line alone, Capt Crick’s 3 tanks (I1, I20 and presumably I18) were all knocked out by artillery firing from Fleche Wood, (W23) whilst waiting for the attack to recommence (OH). Capt Edmonds tanks were contacted and their advance stopped before they too fell victim to these guns. (W23)
The tanks failed to make contact with 14th Brigade, they were eventually ordered into action at 18:00 hrs. I8 was sent towards the trench system south of Beverois (unclear) but broke down after 600yds, the other two tanks (I11 and I12) went towards Fleche Wood and Le Tronquoy and reached Fleche Wood before the growing darkness forced them to retire and rally in Springbok Valley at 22:30. (W23)
The tanks arrived too late to do anything useful but their presence useful as a demonstration (OH)
The Supply tanks successfully deposited their supplies shortly after the fighting tanks had passed through the area (W23).
The wireless tank failed to operate properly due to the mist. But a message was sent to it by “C” Companies commander when they turned to attack Riqueval (W23)
The following tanks were hit: (W23)
9307, female, H31c.4.2.
9349, female, H31c.7.3.
9276, composite, H31b.3.3
9079, male, H31d.1.8.
9028, male, H31b
9283, female, N1a.5.6.
9131, male, N1a.5.5
9350, composite, N1a.5.3.
9313, female, N1a.5.1
9153, male, G36b.7.5.
9447, female, G30a.5.3 (rallied)
9343 ran over a covered tree stump and broke a plate prior to starting. (W23)
3 Mk V KO while waiting to advance for the Green line (W23)
24 Mk V started, 21 reached objective, 10 rallied (W23)
“A” Company Officer casualties: Major Herbert, Captain Baxter and Mare and a 2Lt (H9)
Battalion casualties: 1 officer and 7 other ranks KIA, 2 other ranks missing, 5 officers and 27 other ranks wounded. (W23)
Summary
Total Tanks: 7
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy: 7
Ditched / Broke Down: 1
Hit and Knocked out: 3
Rallied: 3
Note
Total tanks does not include the two tanks which failed to reach the lying up place.
Aftermath
9343 photographed in Central Workshops: IWM Q 9921: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205245636
Sources
W23 – 3rd Tank Brigade War Diary – Report on operations with IX corps on 29th September 1918 in PRO WO 95-95
W9bhs – 9th Tank Battalion Battle history sheets 29th September and 1st October 1918 Transcript from Bovington tank Museum
H9 – 9th Tank Battalion’s War History, Transcript from Bovington tank Museum.
OH – Official History. 1918. Volume V. Pg.105.
St Quentin Canal - 29 September to 2 October (4th Army)