If we could once penetrate so far, we should cut the only communications by which the German forces to the south in Champagne could be supplied and maintained, and should sever these troops completely from the group of German Armies operating in Flanders.
Of this great enterprise the first step was the ever memorable Battle of Amiens.
II
Preparations for the great attack were instantly begun. The battle plans were first made known in the last days of July to the commanders who were to take part, “Z” day being fixed for August 8.
The three Brigades of Tanks which were to fight, (the 5th, 3rd, and 4th) had their first intimation of what was afoot on July 27, and their orders were confirmed on August 4.
Briefly, these were the general lines on which the battle was to be fought.
Preparations were to be rushed through. They were to be as secret as brief.
The battle itself was to be in two phases.
First, an attack without artillery preparation, but under the protection of a creeping barrage. The whole action was to be very much on the lines of the First Battle of Cambrai, save that this time (1) an even larger number of Tanks—about 430 including Whippets—were to head the battle; (2) that light skirmishing lines of infantry were to be used; and that (3) as at Hamel we were this time attacking a more or less improvised defence line. The second phase of the attack, which was to be made by a fresh wave of troops, was to start about four hours after zero, that is, after the first objective had been taken.
During this second phase, the artillery was to be moved up and we were to advance without a barrage.