It was at Landrecies that three supply Tanks managed, despite their almost complete lack of arms or armour, to take a most gallant and effective part in the battle.
These three Tanks were working for the 25th Division, and were carrying up material to rebuild one of the numerous bridges that the Germans had destroyed; as they drew near their rendezvous they found that the enemy was still holding the place in some strength, and had succeeded in stopping the advance of our infantry. As the Tanks approached they began to draw fire and their situation became precarious. With great pluck and resource the Tanks decided to go on, and rely on their appearance (which was similar to that of the fighting Tanks) to drive the enemy from his position. One Tank became a casualty, but the other two went straight for the enemy. Even when the Tanks got close up, the Germans were still under the impression that they were being faced by fighters, and part of the garrison put up their hands, whilst the remainder fled.
With the 5th Corps, the 1st Company of the 9th Battalion encountered stiff resistance, but nevertheless they pushed forward far into the Forest of Mormal.
The Tanks were particularly active in the attack on Jolimetz, just south of Le Quesnoy, when they and the 37th Division took upwards of 1000 prisoners, and later in the afternoon and evening pushed on into the heart of the Forest. North of them the New Zealanders had surrounded Le Quesnoy by 8 a.m. Here also Tanks were operating.
By the end of the day we had made a five-mile advance, reaching the general line Fesny-Landrecies—centre of Mormal Forest—and five miles beyond Valenciennes.
[104]“In these operations and their developments twenty British Divisions utterly defeated thirty-two German Divisions, and captured 19,000 prisoners and more than 450 guns. On our right the French 1st Army, which had continued the line of attack southwards to the neighbourhood of Guise, kept pace with our advance, taking 5000 prisoners and a number of guns.
“By this great victory the enemy’s resistance was definitely broken. On the night of November 4–5 his troops began to fall back on practically the whole battle front.”
II
But the Tank Corps was at last at an end of its resources both in machines and in men.
Pending reinforcements from England, they could at the moment muster but eight machines that could be sent after the flying enemy, and therefore, though the Armoured Cars went on, it was on November 5 that the last Tank action of the War was fought, when eight Whippets of the 6th Battalion took part in an attack of the 3rd Guards Brigade, on the northern outskirts of the Forest of Mormal.