5th Battalion Tank Corps at Montbrehain 3rd October 1918, help please

[mikebriggs]

Dear all,

I am planning for my next visit to France this summer and intend to spend sometime around the Joncourt, Ramicourt and Montbrehain area following the advance of the 139th (Sherwood Foresters) Brigade of the 46th (North Midland) Division.

I'm up to speed with the 139th movements etc, but they were supported in the attacks on these villages by the 5th Battalion Tank Corps, of which I know nothing about

Reading from the 5th Sherwood Foresters War History:-

"During the latter stages of the attack on Ramicourt, when assisting in the mopping up of the western outskirts, the Tanks which were co-operating came under direct fire....and with one exception were knocked out......"

".....the remaining tank advanced with the attack when it was continued to Montbrehain, during which it cleared out a nest of 16 machine guns that was holding up the 6th Battalion (Sherwood Foresters), but was itself put out of action in the process"

So a big question to all the Tank Corp experts.........how do I identify that tank!

I plan a trip to the NA at Kew in the next few week, what information should I be looking for?

1) 5th Tank Battalion War Diary

2) Are there tank casualty returns for each day (that would give me a tank number)

4) How do I find what Bde/Div that the 5th Tank were in etc

3) I've looked at CWGC but that doesn't give me much info, although I might be able to identify the casualties buried close to Ramicourt (long shot)

Any help would be much appreciated

many thanks

Mike

[delta]

Try this link as a starter

https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1918/100days/beuverior-line---3-to-5-october-3rd-and-4th-armies/5-battalion-3-october-1918

[mikebriggs]

thanks delta

thats certainly a good start