CHAPTER XXXII
AEROPLANE CO-OPERATION WITH TANKS
Prior to July 1, 1918, no definite aeroplane and tank co-operation had been organised, though the want of such co-operation had been long felt, and in one of the attacks on Bourlon wood, during the battle of Cambrai, aeroplanes had proved their value in protecting tanks from the enemy’s field guns.
The assistance which aeroplanes can afford tanks falls under the two main headings of information and protection; in the future, no doubt, those of command and supply will be added.
Prior to the battle of Arras, in February and March 1917, certain experiments were carried out in communication between tanks, aeroplanes and captive balloons by means of the Aldis daylight signalling lamp, as already mentioned in [Chapter XXIV]; these experiments did not prove a success. During the battle of Messines aeroplanes, with considerable accuracy, reported the whereabouts of tanks on the battlefield. At the Third Battle of Ypres this useful work was continued, and again at the battle of Cambrai, but during these last operations the days were usually so misty as to forbid much useful work being accomplished.
After the battle of Cambrai every endeavour was made by the Tank Corps to get this co-operation regularised and placed on a sound footing, but except for some remarkable tests carried out by the 1st Tank Brigade in the vicinity of Fricourt, in February 1918, in which it was conclusively demonstrated that low-flying aeroplanes could render the greatest protective assistance to tanks, nothing was done to institute a definite system of co-operation. To do so, only one thing was required—namely, the attachment of a flight or squadron of aeroplanes to the Tank Corps for experimental purposes. At length on July 1, 1918, some five weeks before the battle of Amiens began, No. 8 Squadron, R.A.F., equipped with eighteen Armstrong-Whitworth machines, was attached to the Tank Corps, for the purpose of co-operating with the tanks and carrying out experiments with a view to future development. This squadron was under the command of Major T. Leigh-Mallory, D.S.O., and it was due to the energy of this officer that, in the extremely short time available, such extensive progress was made in aeroplane and tank co-operation, especially in contact work. The benefit which resulted from this co-operation cannot be over-estimated.
Early in June, No. 42 Squadron, R.A.F., had already carried out experiments with smoke flares and Very lights which were successful, whilst No. 22 Squadron attempted wireless telephony, and No. 15 Squadron visual signalling communication by means of discs swung out from the fuselage. These experiments formed the basis of the work which No. 8 Squadron now started on with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tank Brigades, continuing it up to the opening of the August offensive.
The account of the co-operation of No. 8 Squadron may be conveniently divided into three periods:
(i) The period of preparation, July 1 to August 8.
(ii) The battle of Amiens.