II
The attack was, as usual, at dawn, and, as the first-wave Tanks and infantry went over the top, they met with fierce resistance. On the right we encountered particularly strong opposition near Beaucamp Ridge.
The 11th Battalion History remarks upon the extraordinarily gallant fighting of the enemy on this sector.
“In some cases they even attempted to pull the machine-guns and 6-pounders out of the Tanks. We inflicted many casualties by actually running over machine-guns and infantry, as well as by our fire.”
Indeed, the Germans here constantly counter-attacked throughout the day, so important did they deem the position. In spite of them, however, we successfully established our right flank.
Just to the north of them the Guards and the 3rd Division forced a crossing of the Canal in face of their heavy machine and field gun fire, captured Ribecourt and Flesquières, the Guards taking Arival Wood and pushing north of Premy Chapel, where the 2nd Division took up the advance.
The 15th Battalion History tells the story of four Tanks which were co-operating with the Guards Division. It is typical of this part of the battle. On the northern outskirts of Flesquières they awaited the arrival of the 1st Grenadiers, filling in the interval by helping the Gordons in their occupation of the village.
When the Guards arrived the situation was still somewhat obscure, and Major Skeggs, commanding the Tanks, made a daring forward reconnaissance from Flesquières towards Premy Chapel.
The Tanks were brought round north of the village immediately, engaging a number of machine and field guns, which were firing from Arival Wood. In order to cover the advance of the infantry, the Tanks had to come up over a bare stretch of country, exposed to direct fire from a number of field pieces.
Two Tanks, “Orchid” and “Othello,” were soon knocked out, and 2nd Lieutenant Riddle’s “Orestes” and Sergeant Whatley’s “Oribi” only were left.
But it was in the centre that the Tanks fought their chief battle. Under cover of darkness, the Canadians and the 63rd Division had moved down the west bank of the Canal near Mœuvres and Sains-lez-Marquion. In the half light of dawn they stormed the Canal itself. The resistance here was far from well organised.
[92]“Silkem Chapel and Wood Switch were packed with enemy infantry, who were in great confusion, unable to move one way or the other. The Tank ‘Odetta,’ commanded by Second Lieutenant C. W. Luck, did great execution there, bringing all his guns to bear on the enemy, and using case shot at point-blank range.”
All day the 15th Battalion fought.
“About 4.30 p.m. the G.S.O.3, 63rd Division, brought up a Brigadier-General (brigade not ascertained), who asked if Tanks could go forward with his Brigade, who were then about to resume the advance. He was informed that they had very little petrol left, but would go on if he (the Brigadier-General) would accept responsibility for Tanks being stranded right forward without petrol. The Brigadier-General agreed to this, and said he wanted to get his Brigade on to the Marquion Line.
“The two Tanks went forward and picked up the infantry north of Graincourt. From this point they preceded the infantry, encountering practically no opposition.
“Beyond Anneux, the Tanks came under a lot of machine-gun fire from the direction of Fontaine-Notre-Dame. Both Tanks were turned broadside on, and fire was brought to bear on the German machine-guns in order to support the infantry advancing on the left. Parties of the enemy, who were seen coming over the crest towards the Marquion Line, were engaged by all Tank guns which could be brought to bear. The enemy ran away and many casualties were caused.
“Soon after this some heavy shells, believed to have been fired from trench mortars, fell very close to the Tanks. These two Tanks reached a point about 1000 yards from Cantaing before completing their work.
“Petrol was then almost finished, crews were much exhausted, having left the final lying-up place at about twelve midnight, on September 26–27. The work required of the Tanks was completed, so they were withdrawn to a point well east of the Canal.”
Meanwhile our line had been pushed on east of Anneux to Fontaine-Notre-Dame. Bourlon Village had been carried by the 7th Tank Battalion and the Canadians. We had passed through Bourlon Wood, which was now wholly in our possession.
On the extreme left a Division of the 22nd Corps had also crossed the Canal, cleared Sauchy-Lestrée and had moved on northward.
The air co-operation had been particularly effective throughout the day. The work of the 8th Squadron had, however, been a good deal hampered, as they had concentrated on the 4th Army front for the recent fighting there, and therefore had a long flight and difficult signal communications when ordered to work with the 3rd and 1st Armies. However, their arrangements with their Tank partners were, as usual, admirable. With the 7th Battalion, who, with the Canadians, had been set the task of crossing the Canal du Nord opposite Inchy, and then taking Bourlon Village, co-operation was particularly good; not only were vital messages dropped at Battalion Headquarters, but a gun which was firing on three of our Tanks from Bourlon Wood was effectively bombed, and twice the airman chased its crew away with his machine-gun.
INFANTRY ADVANCING BEHIND TANKS. A PRACTICE ATTACK AT BERMICOURT
THE ST. QUENTIN CANAL TUNNEL, BELLICOURT
CARRIER PIGEON BEING RELEASED
On September 28 Tanks of the 7th and 11th Battalions fought again at Baillencourt. Seven Tanks of the 11th Battalion with the 5th Corps captured Villers Guislain and Gonnelieu.
By the evening of the 28th we had taken all our objectives, and had advanced beyond our old high-water line of the First Battle of Cambrai. Fontaine-Notre-Dame, Bourlon Village, Epinoy and Haynecourt were all ours, and we had captured over 10,000 prisoners and 200 guns. The Tanks had suffered heavy casualties, but they had not suffered them in vain.