Friday August 9^th, 1918

Pay 50 Francs.

Tanks

Frank always enjoys pay day.  The BWD reports that Warrant Officers are now eligible for the Military Medal.

Yesterday, the British and Commonwealth troops used over 500 tanks on the first day of the Battle of Amiens.  They were mainly heavy duty Mark V  plus about a hundred of the more mobile, Medium Mark A Whippet tanks that supported the cavalry regiments.

Within a few days, the number of available, working tanks will be decimated.  Despite this early unreliability, tanks start to prove themselves in these closing stages of the war and clearly show their potential for the future.

The photograph shows a Whippet tank.  It had been captured by the German Second Army and then recaptured near Meaulte on September 20th, 1918 during the Second Battle of the Somme.

Tanks Explained

General Jack attended a presentation at the beginning of September and was clearly impressed:

’Yesterday afternoon Captain Rochfort-Boyd came to give us a clear and most interesting lecture on Tanks, which I have not yet seen in action.  He said that the Germans are terrified of them, and that they completely demoralized their defences in recent operation…

Since Tanks on the move are so noisy, the difficulty is to assemble them in their positions, 300 to 500 yards in rear of the leading infantry, before an advance, without warning the enemy of their presence. This is done at night, of course, and when our bombardment will drown the sound of their approach….

Tanks must be withdrawn to refit after about eight hours in action. Their pace is from three to eight miles and hour and the cramped interior becomes stiflingly hot. Their worst enemy is boggy ground…

The Germans are placing field guns in their front line to knock them out at point-blank range, and are arming some of their infantry with specially designed heavy rifles firing armour piercing bullets.  The enemy has practically no tanks.’ 

The photograph shows Mark V tanks of the 10th Battalion, Tank Corps attached to the III Corps during the Battle of Amiens. They are in a cornfield near Albert, 9 August 1918 and are hidden from aerial observation by being covered with corn. ^

13^th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 9^th  August 1918 – Haudricourt

Training etc.as per programme. From 1^st Aug 1918, the award of the Military Medal is extended to Warrant Officer Class I & II, conditions of award being the same as in the case of NCO and men. 2 OR struck off effective strength after 7 days in hospital with effect from 8-8-18. 1 OR having rejoined is taken on from 9-8-18.

References & Further Reading

¹ ‘General Jack’s Diary’  entry for September 1st, 1918, page 257

* Q 7082 copyright Imperial War Museums

^ Q 9246 copyright Imperial War Museums