Tenth Battalion.—The whole of the tanks of the 10th Battalion, less one section, were to operate against the first objective and then push on to the second, after which they were to rally west of the first objective.
Third Tank Brigade.—The 3rd Tank Battalion was allotted to the 3rd Cavalry Division and the 6th Tank Battalion to the 1st Cavalry Division. The objective of these two battalions was to secure the area between the Red Line and the old Amiens defence line. The advance of the 3rd and 1st Cavalry Divisions was to take place at zero plus four hours. Before the Red Line was reached the cavalry scouts were to precede the Whippet tanks and discover crossings over the Luce river at Ignaucourt and Demuin. If crossings were found the Whippets were to use them; otherwise they were to advance eastwards near Caix. The formation to be adopted by these two battalions was one company to act as a screen in front of the cavalry with 200 yards interval between tanks, one company in support, and one company in reserve.
BATTLE OF AMIENS
August 8th 1918.
The country between our front line and the line Roye—Frise was in every respect suitable to tank movement. East of the Roye—Frise line began the French portion of the old Somme battlefield; the ground here in places had been heavily shelled, but was quite negotiable by heavy tanks. The flanks of the attack were the two difficult points. Neither permitted of the use of offensive wings and both offered good defensive positions for the enemy’s machine-gunners.
Zero was at 4.45 a.m., when 415 fighting tanks out of 420[32] went into action; this in itself was a notable feat of mechanical efficiency. The attack was an overwhelming surprise and, though the enemy was holding his line in strength, little opposition was met with except in a few localities. At the battles of Hamel and Moreuil the German machine-gunners had learnt to appreciate what the increased mobility of the Mark V tank enabled it to accomplish, and not being anxious to be crushed under its thirty tons of steel they gave less trouble during this battle than on any previous occasion. In spite of this, many hostile machine-gun posts were hunted out of the standing corn and run over. Co-operation was throughout good, especially on the Canadian and Australian fronts, where the attack swept on irresistibly. On the IIIrd Corps front the attack started in a state of some confusion, due to the fog and the uncertain state of the line, the Germans having attacked the IIIrd Corps on the 6th, and the IIIrd Corps having retaken most of their lost trenches on the 7th. This undoubtedly complicated the attack on the 8th.
South of the river Somme all objectives were taken up to time; on the right flank the difficult valley of the Luce was crossed by all except two tanks; this was a high compliment to the crews working on this flank, for the approach of the tanks was rendered most difficult on account of fog.
Both battalions of Whippets were engaged with their respective cavalry divisions and had a considerable amount of fighting to do in the neighbourhood of Cayeux wood, Le Quesnel, east of Mezières, at Guillaucourt and the railway south of Harbonnières, which was held with great determination by the enemy as far as the Rosières-Vauvillers road.
During this day’s fighting a total of 100 machines were temporarily put out of action chiefly by the enemy’s fire from the Chipilly ridge, which, on account of the partial failure of the IIIrd Corps attack, was held by the enemy for several days after August 8. On the evening of the 8th the tanks rallied; the crews, however, were so exhausted by the great distance covered, the maximum penetration effected being about 7½ miles, and the heat of the day, that it was necessary to resort to the formation of composite companies for the next day’s operation, few reserves remaining in hand, and the 9th Tank Battalion, which was now moving eastwards from Cavillon, was not in a position to take the field for at least forty-eight hours.
On the night of August 8–9, the front line of our attack from north to south ran approximately as follows: along the outer Amiens defence line to Proyart—west of Rainecourt—east of Vauvillers—east of Rosières—east of Meharicourt—east of Rouvroy—east of Bouchoir. South of the Amiens-Roye road the line was continued by the French, who had captured Hangest, Arvillers, and Pierrepont.