[31] Lieut. F. M. Holt was one of my most promising and gallant subalterns, who, if he had lived, would certainly have received early promotion. He was a charming companion in the mess. We could ill afford to lose him.
[32] At that period the sponsons of Carrier tanks were made of boiler-plate, which was not proof against bullets.
[33] The numbers include orderlies, cooks, batmen, &c.
[34] For the actual carrying—cooks, &c., excluded.
[35] Lieutenant (later Captain) S. A. Thomas, M.C.
[36] It was in these local attacks that tanks suffered most severely.
[37] In any case it was bad policy for Mk. IV.'s and Mk. V.'s to move in the same convoy.
[38] We could always obtain rum: every tank carried a supply to revive its exhausted crew. At Cambrai each of my tanks carried a bottle of whisky in place of rum, but this innovation tended to bunch the infantry—Argylls—dangerously near to the tanks, and in subsequent actions we reverted to rum.
[39] I hope I shall be forgiven if I mention the fact that this village was commonly known as "Teddie Gerard."
[40] These were easily distinguished, as my tanks were the only Mk. IV.'s in the neighbourhood. Mk. V.'s and "whippets" leave a different track.