Photographs of knocked out tank and graves of crew

[Sidearm]

Just come back from The National Archives. In WO95/108 there's an appreciation of the actions of tank 9146 at Regnicourt on 17 October 1918. It says it was knocked out by a 77mm gun and four members of the crew were buried alongside, being:

307433 Cpl C G DREWITT

307041 Pte E DANIELS

308059 Pte J P DOIG

307015 Pte W FENSOME

Well done eirridia!

Gwyn

[17tankman]

Crumbs

Might have seen you there as was doing some research on some Tank officers and taking photos of the SWB pages of tank corps.

I was in the map room as less crowded and you get away from the grannies researching their relatives.

17tankman

[Robert Dunlop]

Yes, well done erridia! And nice work on getting the evidence, Gwyn. Here is Regnicourt, almost due south of Le Cateau.

Robert

[Sidearm]

17tankman - I had a table to myself in the quiet area on the first floor. Very quiet as only madmen like me and thee were in there on a sunny afternoon!

Gwyn

[alain dubois]

Hi,

Any idea about this grave : http://pages14-18.me...ujet_2967_1.htm ?

Alain

[Chris]

Thanks to Alain without his posting earlier today i would not have read this excellent thread. It jogged my memory that whilst researching the actions of the 1/ 5th Lincolnshire's at Andigny-les-Fermes and Regnicourt on 17th October 1918 i had done some research into the tanks that supported the infantry attack. You probably have this info by now but for Mark and the other contributors this is what i have on the action. Sadly (well stupidly) i have not noted my sources on my notes, but likely be war diaries.

B Coy (Major J E Lewis) of 16th Battalion Tank Corps were affiliated to 9th Corps for the attack. A total of 13 tanks. On 15th Oct the tanks moved to Bohain (D.9.c. 62.b.NE) . Tanks were allocated to attacking Divisions as follows:

6th Div - 2 sections (Capts Lowe & McCory)

46th Div - 1 section (Capt A. V . Rhodes)

1st Div - 1 section (Capt Chick) plus 1 spare tank

Overall infantry struggled to keep up with tanks. 5 rallied at Angin Farm. One tank with sponson door blown off had reached the western outskirts of Wassigny.

Tanks alloted to 46th Div. 1 section of three tanks

Capt Alfred Viotti Rhodes O.C - (ex East Yorks)

3 Tank Commanders:

2nd Lieut Benjamin Walker Downes - (ex Sgt 11288 Scot Rifles)

Sgt 75359 Robert Usher (ex Pte 3559 London)

2nd Lieut Ambrose

Fate of the three 46th Div tanks:

One rallied at Angin farm

One knocked out by shellfire soon after starting

One knocked out by artillery near Regnicourt all but one of crew killed or wounded

Both Ambrose and Downes among 7 officers wounded. 4 other ranks killed and 11 wounded

Chris

[McCudden]

The crashed plane in post #41 appears to be a Sopwith Camel or Pup. I've ruled out a two-seater as it only has a single bay. It's been sitting around some time as it's been attacked by souvenir hunters (roundels stripped off the fuselage) and guns missing. However, I doubt a salvage team has got to it yet as the engine would surely have been removed.

It may be interesting to post this picture in the ‘War in the Air’ forum for a more informed identification

Alec

[Mark Hone]

A belated thanks to everyone who contributed to this old thread. I have recently been contacted on behalf of a descendant of one of the crew who is coming from Australia to visit the area. My colleague who owns the photographs, with whom I still work, will be delighted that his discovery has had such tangible results.